Revelation 1: The Lord Jesus meets his aged disciple.

(These verses have over the years been very precious to me. This was intended for our small online group meeting a little while ago. If someone does preach at my funeral I’d like these verses to be the text. By the grace of God I’ll be enjoying the reality of falling on my face at His feet.)

Revelation 1: 17 & 18. The Lord Jesus meets with His aged disciple

Rev 1:17  When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. But he laid his right hand on me, saying, “Fear not, I am the first and the last,

Rev 1:18  and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore (‘AMEN’ AV & NKJV), and I have the keys of Death and Hades. ESV

Both reader and hearer are promised a blessing so please read Rev 1:1-20.

The purpose of the book: ‘Persecuted believer, this book of Revelation seeks to impart comfort to you. That is its main purpose: to comfort the militant church in its struggle against the forces of evil.’ More than Conquerors Hendriken P.4.

Our persecution here in the West is of a very different order to that of fellow Christians in parts of Africa and in Islamic countries. Even so it is for us too.

‘These seven churches were experiencing sore persecution. According to Irenaeus, John wrote Revelation “towards the end of Domitian’s reign,” about AD 95. Secular writers of the Roman Empire described Emperor Domitian as a savage monster who conducted a “reign of terror.” He abused distinguished citizens in front of crowds. He hated Christians and despised the church of Christ. He reigned in darkness, loving the pains and lamentations of people he tortured. He was a beast of a man. He commanded everyone in the empire to call him “Lord and God.” When Christians refused to do so, he persecuted and killed them.[1]

But Domitian was not the only one who might fit this description of the “beast” of Revelation 13:11–18. Revelation says there will be many false prophets and antichrists. Many have and will fit this description. But to understand Revelation, you must realize that it first saw the light of day in the reign of Domitian. The persecutions he initiated were some of the “things which must shortly come to pass.” Revelation is not only about future events, but also about what was already happening in Asia Minor and these seven local churches under Domitian’s reign of terror.[2]

Tradition has it than when Domitian died (Murdered in 96 AD) the new Emperor (Nerva) allowed exiles, including John, to go home. John died in his 90’s at Ephesus.

The theme of the book – What’s it about? The victory of Christ and His church over the Dragon (Satan) and his helpers. (Hendriksen p,12. I like this, again from Joel Beeke:

Christ also speaks in Revelation as Prophet and intercedes as High Priest while He reigns as King. The book of Revelation calls us to bow before Christ as Prophet, Priest, and King, and then to go out and be prophets, priests, and kings standing under His banner and ministering to a perishing world.[3]

Who is it for? For all the churches, and all believers for all time. It would have made no sense if the book predicts Hitler and other future events and figures. What use would that be for the believers back in John’s day? Hendriksen p.14. Joel Beeke puts it this way:

‘This vision is about Jesus Christ, not the pope, Adolf Hitler, Napoleon Bonaparte, Saddam Hussein, or any other person in world history. It has much to say about world history and tells us much about the motives and methods of world leaders, but it is primarily focused on Jesus Christ and His further revelation of Himself to His church. Because Revelation is not primarily about world events or world personalities, we must take care not to read them into the book; rather, we are to look at them in the light of the book. We may then understand what goes on in our world according to principles we find in the book of Revelation, as it discloses who Jesus Christ is and what He is doing in the world, and what He will do to bring all things to an end. So the book of Revelation is first of all a book about Christ.[4]

‘….we believe that the entire book of Revelation is addressed to the whole church of Jesus Christ in every age under all circumstances.[5]

The churches then of chapters 2 & 3 were real churches, but at the same time were for all the churches then and throughout the ages. Note the seven churches – the number of completion. Joel Beeke again:

‘There were many churches in Asia Minor, but John draws our attention to just seven. As a number, seven is often used in Scripture to signify completeness. These seven churches represent the entire church of Christ in every age to the end of the world.[6]

Older Christians may feel their usefulness is past. This may be you right now. We might think this, and I’m sure we do for various reasons. However, that’s not the way Christ thinks. So, here is the aged apostle. The Lord was clearly not done with him. He might have been exiled to Patmos (which was a penal colony – breaking stones. Not a holiday camp) but his usefulness even there was not over. Was he in good health? No idea. But quite possibly not great as he was now quite elderly. The other apostles have all been martyred. So here he is, exiled, old, probably not in great health, but he’s in the spirit, on the Lords Day. He wasn’t seeking ‘an experience’ or a new revelation, he hadn’t gone to a meeting to receive the Holy Spirit or to be healed. Then we are told this revelation of the Lord Jesus Christ comes to him. It wasn’t something he sought. It’s almost matter of fact. I was exiled to Patmos. I was in the spirit. It was the Lord’s day.

You might feel that you are in the vestibule of heaven waiting to shuffle of this mortal coil feeling useless and unused. You may well feel like that. That your time is gone and all that’s left is to sit around waiting to die. That is understandable given our culture, and the natural tendency of our hearts. This can be just as true in church life as well when the focus is so often on the young. And especially so when we are old or infirm or both. This is not how the Lord Jesus sees you. He could have appeared in this way to John when he was a younger man and full of youthful vigour. But He didn’t. He came to John in his final years probably in his late 80’s or older. And He can come to you (us) as well.

If the younger ones want to pray for the elderly amongst us, pray that we’ll be useful. Yes even in our infirmity. Pray the Lord will keep us and visit us.

John is exiled on Patmos. Is he beyond the reach of the Lord Christ? Are you beyond His reach? Absolutely not!

Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence?
If I ascend to heaven, you are there! If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there!
If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,
even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me.
Psalm 139: 7-10

The opening verses are extraordinary in themselves and it’s a shame to have to skip over them. But then John hears ‘a loud voice like a trumpet’ v10.

Then he turns ‘to see the voice that was speaking to me’ he says in v10, and is confronted with this revelation, this Apocalyptic (in Greek) vision, or revealing, of the Lord Christ. He sees ‘seven golden lampstands’ v12. Then he sees, v13 ‘in the midst of the lampstands one like a son of man.’ He is in the midst of His church!

Then follows this incredible sight in verses 13 -16. I’m not going to comment but read those verses again and let’s try to put ourselves – if that’s possible – in John’s place.

Rev 1:13  and in the midst of the lampstands one like a son of man, clothed with a long robe and with a golden sash around his chest.
Rev 1:14  The hairs of his head were white, like white wool, like snow. His eyes were like a flame of fire,
Rev 1:15  his feet were like burnished bronze, refined in a furnace, and his voice was like the roar of many waters.
Rev 1:16  In his right hand he held seven stars (Ministers), from his mouth came a sharp two-edged sword, and his face was like the sun shining in full strength.

Sadly, we can’t go through the details of the vision, or what it is we are being told here. Let’s note however this comment from Joel Beeke:

‘Whatever else you do, do not think about Christ’s physical appearance. John wants to tell us who Jesus is, not what He looks like. So this vision is not to be understood literally[7]

John spent 3 years with the Lord Jesus. He saw Him every day and you might think he knew him well enough to not need this. The Lord Jesus knows better. And even if he did, the Lord Jesus reveals Himself to his aged apostle afresh. This may have been as much as the human spirit could bear:

    1. Eternal light! eternal light!
      How pure the soul must be,
      When, placed within Thy searching sight,
      It shrinks not, but with calm delight
      Can live and look on Thee
    1. O how shall I, whose native sphere
      Is dark, whose mind is dim,
      Before the Ineffable appear,
      And on my naked spirit bear
      The uncreated beam?(Thomas Binney 1798 – 1874)

I think it was in Eifion Evans book ‘Revival comes to Wales’ that a man was found wandering on his own in a field. When asked what he was doing there, he said the weight of glory was too much and that he had to get away, saying if he were not already saved, he would have died from being in the presence of God. We know nothing of this.

May the Lord descend to us in our age and give us souls that can bear in some small part the weight of the Uncreated beam!

What then must this have been for John? The friend of Jesus, and the one who rested his head on the Saviour at the last supper. Nothing like that here!

I’m convinced the phrase ‘When I saw Him’ isn’t simply a statement of fact. Or a matter of, O yes, I saw Jesus. It’s difficult to try and express what I think John is trying to say here. It’s as if John had never really seen Him before. Even on the mount of Transfiguration. Yes, the disciples fell at His feet. And Christ deals similarly there with His disciples:

But this is different! This is the resurrected, glorified Lord Jesus. This is who will be coming again! And John sees Him. ‘When I saw Him’.

What does John do?

Rev 1:17  When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. But he laid his right hand on me, saying, “Fear not, I am the first and the last,

Rev 1:18  and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, (KJV & MKJV have Amen here) and I have the keys of Death and Hades.

Even when the disciples met the resurrected Christ it wasn’t like this. Think of them when Jesus meets them on the beach. See that scene in your mind. The fire, the fish, the conversations. This is so very different. Then He hadn’t ascended.

John falls ‘at His feet as though dead’.

But then ‘He laid his right hand on me’. The hand of blessing. If someone falls at your feet, to touch them would involve stooping to reach them. Even in His glory the Lord Jesus stoops to comfort His aging disciple. The one whom Jesus loved. His love is so amazing! I’m just stunned every time I read this. No earthly monarch would do this. And if they did it would be rare. But this is v5 ‘Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth.’ This is the one who stoops.

    1. That human heart he still retains,
      Though throned in highest bliss;
      And feels each tempted member’s pains;
      For our affliction’s His.(A man there is – Joseph Hart 1712-1768)

A man He is. Yes. But not just a man. This is the God-Man. And it isn’t ‘just’ a human heart. This is the heart of God. The Lord Jesus didn’t act as a ‘Lone Ranger’. He came to redeem a people by the Father’s will, in the power of the Holy Spirit.

Isn’t this what we long to do – fall at His feet. Without sin!

But then He speaks. What does He say? The first thing, the very first thing He says to John as he lies prostrate before his Saviour is Fear not. Do not be afraid. There’s something very tender about this. He cares for us. His heart is tender towards us – even in our doubts and fears. It’s a very similar scene on the mount of Transfiguration:

Mat 17:6  When the disciples heard this, they fell on their faces and were terrified.
Mat 17:7  But Jesus came and touched them, saying, “Rise, and have no fear.”
Mat 17:8  And when they lifted up their eyes, they saw no one but Jesus only.

Then they heard a voice out of the cloud. Just a thought – did John think he’d heard that voice before all those years ago back on the mount. Only this time it is the Lord Jesus he hears. Not a voice from the cloud. ‘When I saw Him.’ Do not be afraid. Why?

v17b I am the first and the last,
Rev 1:18  and the living One; and I was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of death and of Hades.

Can I put it like this? Am I reading too much into this?

I AM the first and

I AM the last

I AM the living one

I AM was dead

I AM alive forevermore – AMEN!

I AM have the keys of death and

I AM have the keys of hades

That is Seven I AM’s. If ever there was a declaration of Divinity and Total and complete sovereignty, then it is here.

(Though there are few of us tonight, we gather in His name. We come to the Father through Him.)

We come with our sins. He has dealt with them – whatever they be. He has died. He has risen. He is alive for evermore. We come in our weakness and frailty. He is the first and the last. He has the keys. He is Jehovah Jesus.

This is the one that stoops, even to us, and says Fear not. ‘Do not be afraid.’ This is the one who keeps us, He is the one that enables us to persevere (1:9), this is the one that intercedes, that watches, that comforts, defends, and ultimately, it is this Lord Jesus Christ who will receive us into His Glory. He has done it all.

Soli Deo Gloria!

 

I’m grateful to my dear friend Trevor Thomas for his preaching through the book of Revelation.

I commend it to you:

https://www.youtube.com/@towcesterevangelicalchurch4001/streams

 

 

More than Conquerors by William Hendriksen. Baker

Revelation by Joel Beeke. Reformation Heritage

Revelation by James B. Ramsey. Banner of Truth

[1] Joel R. Beeke, Revelation, ed. Joel R. Beeke and Jon D. Payne, The Lectio Continua Expository Commentary on the New Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Reformation Heritage Books, 2016), 21.

[2] Joel R. Beeke, Revelation, ed. Joel R. Beeke and Jon D. Payne, The Lectio Continua Expository Commentary on the New Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Reformation Heritage Books, 2016), 21.

[3] Joel R. Beeke, Revelation, ed. Joel R. Beeke and Jon D. Payne, The Lectio Continua Expository Commentary on the New Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Reformation Heritage Books, 2016), 15–16.

[4] Joel R. Beeke, Revelation, ed. Joel R. Beeke and Jon D. Payne, The Lectio Continua Expository Commentary on the New Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Reformation Heritage Books, 2016), 5.

[5] Joel R. Beeke, Revelation, ed. Joel R. Beeke and Jon D. Payne, The Lectio Continua Expository Commentary on the New Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Reformation Heritage Books, 2016), 22.

[6] Joel R. Beeke, Revelation, ed. Joel R. Beeke and Jon D. Payne, The Lectio Continua Expository Commentary on the New Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Reformation Heritage Books, 2016), 21.

[7] Joel R. Beeke, Revelation, ed. Joel R. Beeke and Jon D. Payne, The Lectio Continua Expository Commentary on the New Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Reformation Heritage Books, 2016), 41.

‘The dearest idol I have known’

It’s a funny thing how just one passing thought can change our perception. I can’t remember where it was (a Travelodge I think), but a few weeks ago I mused on the line of this well-know hymn:

O for a closer walk with God

and came to a different conclusion. Probably nothing new. And you might well wonder how come it took so long to see it.

In our better moments we do long for that closer walk. And we do lament having a ‘closer walk’ in times past but not so much now and so we also say with Cowper:

Where is the blessedness I knew

Unless you are a Christian, and have experienced that closer walk, you won’t have a clue what I’m on about. One of my favourite hymns expresses it as ‘one transient gleam of loveliness divine.’ (Anonymous; from Stockwell Gems)

A Christian can live for a very long time on ‘one transient gleam‘ such is the power of ‘loveliness divine.’

In verse five then of Cowper’s famous hymn we have these words:

The dearest idol I have known’
whate’er that idol be,
help me tear it from Thy throne,
and worship only Thee.

(William Cowper, 1731 – 1800)

Just the other day in our prayer meeting we heard of the various idols that even as Christians we have. I’ve always thought of it in that way. The many idols we have. But not anymore. Of course we do have idols a plenty, and Calvin, I think quite rightly, describes the heart as an ‘Idol factory.’ (See below) But if you think of a factory, someone is usually in charge. I’ve worked in factories (on the shop floor) making stuff so I know the production process.

I’ve no idea if Cowper had this in mind when he wrote that hymn, but I do think he could well have. What is the dearest idol? That is singular. Could it be a car, money in the bank, a career, health, or the many many other things in our lives? No, I don’t think so.

The dearest idol is me. I’m on the throne. And I need to get off it.

So the factory analogy: I’m in charge and I produce stuff. Lots and lots of stuff. My factory is very efficient. And there is lots of overtime available. But my factory has a new owner now. Remarkably, the new owner gives me a lot of flexibility. I get to make a lot of decisions. But it’s not my factory anymore and we make a different product now.

And Cowper is right, we need God’s help to tear it down. Not only can we not do it, we don’t want to do it either. We like being in charge. If you’ve not been a Christian very long I have to tell you the struggle to tear self from the throne is a lifelong struggle. It ebbs and flows. I’m not very good at it. Anyone who has been a Christian for a long time will tell you it is so. Telling you otherwise is a lie.

The overwhelming sense that I have as an ’employee’ of the new owner is of gratitude. Or it should be. And in my better moments it is. What a gracious and wonderful owner he is! Usually employees don’t get to visit where the owner lives and there’s a strict boss employee relationship. But not with this owner. This owner makes you part of his family and eventually you get to live in his house, with him – forever. Maybe I’m talking like a madman, but it wasn’t easy for the factory owner to make it so. His own Son had to die in order for me to be part of the owners family. And even though he knew I would still try and be in charge – he still did it. Why? No idea. But he did. It isn’t a boss employee relationship anymore – it’s family now.

The old owner was a tyrant and let me do whatever I wanted and made me think it was my factory. But it wasn’t. He was in charge all the time really. The old owners only real aim was destruction even if it seemed like all was well. It isn’t well if that’s you. As Paul puts it:

Tit 3:3  For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray (AV has Deceived), slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by others and hating one another.
Tit 3:4  But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared,
Tit 3:5  he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit,
Tit 3:6  whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior,
Tit 3:7  so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

The Lord has diagnosed the problem:

Jer 17:9  The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?

We know this to be true. And yet, ‘Christ died for the ungodly.’ (Rom 5:6) Will you not come to Him? (Matt 11:28)


Like many of you, perhaps, you’ve often heard the Calvin quote where he said the heart is an ‘Idol factory.’ Sometime ago I decided to find it. So here’s the quote:

Hence we may infer, that the human mind is, so to speak, a perpetual forge of idols.‘ In modern parlance, a factory.

If you’ve ever worked in a factory it’s a brilliant analogy. The mind is in constant production – it never stops. Just a little further down the same page Calvin says this:

‘The human mind, stuffed as it is with presumptuous rashness, dares to imagine a god suited to its own capacity; as it labours under dullness, nay, is sunk in the grossest ignorance, it substitutes vanity and an empty phantom in the place of God. To these evils another is added. The god whom man has conceived inwardly he attempts to embody outwardly. The mind, in this way, conceives the idol, and the hand gives it birth.’

John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion (Henry Beveridge), Book 1, Chapter XI, Section 8. p.97, Volume 1, Wm B Eerdmans publishing, 1997.

Church Services and Boiling Frogs

On 3rd November a friend posted this on Facebook:
‘If we are going to press for the continuation of public worship in Christian churches, can we get beyond the somewhat tepid assertion that it is good for our mental health?’

This post, in part, is an attempt to answer that very important question.

[Apologies, if the formatting is not working correctly]

It sounds dramatic, but the Apostle John warned us about the Anti-Christ. (1 John 2:18; 2:22; 4:3; 2 John 1:7) And Jesus told us to look out for false Christs that will seek to deceive us. (Matt 24:5) Kim Riddlebarger, if I’m channeling him correctly, said the sign of the Anti-Christ is when the machinery of the State is mobilised to persecute the church. The question is, is this what we are seeing now? Are we seeing movement towards that? When does it cross the line from a painful inconvenience, that we are told benefits our neighbour, to outright persecution? Are the powers that be acting with more subtlety than we see in China? In China we definitely see the State mobilised against the church – and against religion in general. It would be insulting and quite ridiculous to compare our situation with Christians that are losing their lives simply for being Christians. Or are we in the West seeing the proverb ‘Softly softly catchee monkey’ being played out. Would a full on assault be too obvious? You’ve heard of boiling frogs. Is that us?

My recent reading about Cyprian of Carthage (200-258), The Scottish Covenanters, and Martin Luther has raised all sorts of questions. Christians then were asking similar questions. I have a couple of quotes from the book on Cyprian that, I think, puts where we are at, or where some think we are at, here in the UK and the US. It’s a debate that is happening right now. Is the fact that church doors are closed and gathered Worship is restricted, some might say forbidden, demonstrating State persecution? Is the State boiling a few frogs?

The following quotes ‘might’ help the discussion.

‘Persecution and prosecution were the same thing in these cases. Being prosecuted for disobeying laws that violate religious conviction is germane to persecution. We empty persecution of its meaning if we do not include prosecution for refusal to do something that would violate a person’s faith. [The writer] Moss does not see it this way. She writes, ‘There is something different about being persecuted under a law – however unjust – that is not designed to target or rout out any particular group. It may be unfortunate, it may be unfair, but it is not persecution.’ p. 70 & 71.

Some feel that way now. Perhaps saying ‘The lockdown doesn’t seem fair, but it isn’t persecution. Christians aren’t being singled out.’ Brian Arnold gives a footnote to the comment above from Moss, saying;

”I understand Moss’s point and I believe the point is well-taken in certain instances. Take for instance Dietrich Bonhoeffer who was killed, not for his faith, but for his attempt to assassinate Hitler. Should he be considered a martyr? Perhaps not. But early Christians do not fit this category. They were killed because they were asked to do things that would have severed their souls from Christ for eternity.”This is footnote 21 on p. 71: Moss, The Myth of Persecution, 14-15.

This is at the heart of it. Are we Christians being asked to do, or not do something that is a serious violation of our faith?

Some say yes, or at least, we are close to it. Others say no. Did I say Cyprian experienced persecution and plague? He also had some interesting things to say, I thought, on the Lord’s Supper. He was eventually beheaded in the year 258.

Shifting or sifting?

Whatever it is the Lord is doing (some of which may be a sifting), in a few months we have shifted (a lot have anyway) from worshipping in our church buildings (whatever the building) to worshipping as an online church community. We say, ‘What a blessing from God this technology is that we can meet. It isn’t ideal but we can meet. How wonderful.’ And it is, but we all know this is second best to meeting together as a church. Right? I’m seriously wondering if our online church experience is really just boiling frogs. It’s a bit weird for the minister speaking into a camera, or just one or two techie guys there but it’s what we are doing. Some are a little further on from that and are working towards more being able to attend. I’m not quite sure what happens when the church building reaches its social distancing capacity. For us, we simply aren’t going to all be able to attend with the current regulations in place. That’s my understanding anyway. I’m amazed at how quickly habits can form. There’s no rush to make the meeting. There’s no inconvenience. There’s little or no discipline. There’s no need for punctuality. You can amble into your living room, if you get up at all, watch the service at your own convenience while still wearing your pyjamas and eating your breakfast. And, you can pause the service while you boil the kettle and make your cup of tea.

Jesus came in the flesh. He had a body while on earth. He still has a body on earth – it’s called The Church. There’s something deeply Incarnational about gathering physically as the church. The Bible speaks of giving the right hand of fellowship (Gal 2:9), or greeting one another with a kiss (1 Peter 5:14) or simply sitting down with one another. Speaking to one another face to face. And if your church practices it – washing one another’s feet! Or the laying on of hands or anointing. I must admit to not seeing a lot of anointing with oil. Still, these all require physical contact.

The Lord’s Table

Then there’s the Lords Table – Communion. Breaking bread together. I know some churches are managing to do this online. We can’t ask Cyprian or Luther what they would have done today, but Luther did say this:

‘The Lord’s Supper is given as a daily food and sustenance so that our faith may refresh itself and not weaken in the struggle but continually grow stronger…. The devil is a furious enemy; when he sees that we resist him and attacks the old man, and when he cannot rout us by force, he sneaks and skulks about everywhere, trying all kinds of tricks, and does not stop until he has finally worn us out so that we either renounce our faith or yield hand and foot and become indifferent and impatient. For such times, when our heart feels too sorely pressed, this comfort of the Lord’s Supper is given to bring us new strength and refreshment.‘ Martin Luther: A Guided Tour of His Life and Though’ by Stephen J. Nichols, p.129.

We are moving towards a year now. When was the last time we physically assembled for the Lord’s Table? And when will we be able to celebrate again? Many of us celebrated (past tense) the Lord’s Table each month. Churches do this differently, but whatever the frequency, we must surely celebrate this means of grace at the minimum annually. Is it a command from The Lord Christ, or a suggestion? The State, however we frame it, intentional or not, is causing us to neglect the physicality of the Lords Table. This is how I see it. And it’s a problem. Isn’t it? When will we be able to celebrate this again and strengthen and refresh our faith together and say ‘Until He comes.’

Then what shall we say of Baptism? Will we have ‘Socially Distanced’ baptism’s? But perhaps we’ll leave that for another time.

Overstepping Authority?

Has the State over-stepped its authority? Surely it has no authority over the church of The Lord Jesus Christ. Meeting online, however convenient, is at best a very poor substitute for the physical gathering of the body of Christ – His church.

Now, what to do? That’s the question. We pray. We need a great deal of Grace and Wisdom from God. Be patient – for now. I am not suggesting we storm Westminster, or that we start a riot. And I’m not advocating for Civil Disobedience. Maybe in time that will come. There is some legitimate push back from some quarters. Remember, frogs that are slowly boiled eventually die (or submit). We should resist thinking an online church is a true expression of the church at worship. It isn’t.

Whatever happens, even if we never physically meet together again, the Lord has promised to build his church (Matt 16:18) in the face of the severest opposition, as we see in other countries today. And He will. The Lord has done exactly that in times past when in Cyprian’s day ‘the blood of the martyrs was the truly the seed of the church (Tertullian).’ However He will do it, He (The Lord Christ) continues to build His church. and will build it. And ‘He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied….’ (Isaiah 53:11)

‘For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.’ (Romans 1:16)

The call is to be discerning and ‘Know the times.’

JESUS – Who is He?

JESUS – Who is He?

One Christmas hymn asks:

‘Who is He in yonder stall,
At whose feet the shepherds fall?’

Who is this person? Jesus has profoundly affected the lives of millions and even altered the direction and history of whole nations. Yet there’s an astonishing ignorance of who He really is.

The Bible teaches that Jesus is the Son of God. The religious leaders of Jesus’ day fully understood what Jesus was claiming by saying He was the Son of God. Jesus was claiming equality with God the Father. The religious leaders were incensed by this claim. They were seeking to kill Him because He was ‘making himself equal with God (John 5:18).’ Jesus was claiming to be God and under Jewish religious law was blasphemy and punishable by death.

The Christian Church makes exactly the same claim today. Jesus, the Son of God, is God. Many today are incensed by that truth claim.

Jesus at one time asked His disciples ‘Whom do people say that I am’. Just like our own day, they replied by saying, the people have many ideas about His identity. But then Jesus made it more personal by asking ‘Whom do YOU say that I am?.

There’s a vague notion about the identity of Jesus, but few find out for themselves, preferring to simply parrot what others say.

When Jesus asked ‘Whom do you say that I am?’ Peter, one of the disciples, replied by saying that Jesus is ‘The Son of the living God.’ In saying this, Peter acknowledges that Jesus is God (See Matthew 16:13-17).

You too may have a vague notion that Jesus is not like everyone else and might even concede that Jesus said some good things. You might even see that it makes sense to see Him as God, but you just don’t believe it. You might say ‘I’m fine, it’s not for me.’ But this has no bearing on its truthfulness. As an illustration: think about gravity. You can’t see it. But it affects our lives every moment. And if you were to jump out of a window you would very quickly be confronted with its reality. Apparently, survivors of suicide regretted jumping the split second gravity took over as they hurtled to their death.

The split second you leave this life and your spirit leaves your cold dead body you will immediately believe that Jesus is God. Tragically, it will be too late. The Bible says ‘now is the accepted time, now is the day of Salvation (2 Cor 6:2).’

The chorus of the hymn I started with answers the ‘Who is He’ question by saying this:

‘Tis the Lord! O wondrous story!
‘Tis the Lord! the King of glory!
At His feet we humbly fall,
Crown Him! Crown Him, Lord of all!

What must you do in the light of who Jesus is? It’s what we all must do. You need to bow before Him. Acknowledge your rebellion towards your God and plead for mercy on the basis that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners 1 Timothy 1:15).


To hear more about The Lord Jesus Christ, join us for a Sunday service.

Service times at Alfred Place Baptist Church

Sunday morning at 11:00 & Sunday evening at 5:00.

Or drop into our regular Coffee morning: Wednesdays 11:00 – 1:00.

 


This is my first attempt at an Evangelistic Leaflet. The errors are all mine but If you can use it, please go ahead.

Sweetening the action

I’ve heard it said or prayed over the years something like ‘O Lord if you do not meet with us we are wasting our time’. Roughly translated that means we want to feel and know the presence of God in our meetings. And what Christian wouldn’t want that! I get the sentiment, I do. I do want to experience the presence of God.

But as I’ve thought about it, why would it be a waste of time to do something that Christ has directly commanded us in His Word to do? And, on top of that, we have promises that tell us God is with us. We aren’t told ‘when you meet together you’ll have a gooey warm feeling’. But we are told He will be with us.

As I read through ‘The Bruised Reed’ by Richard Sibbes, this paragraph recently stood out.

Obedience is most direct when there a nothing else to sweeten the action. Although the sacrifice is imperfect, yet the obedience with which it is offered is accepted.

We could apply these words of Sibbes in many ways, but let’s apply them to when the Church in obedience gathers for worship. When we meet together we want it to be sweet. We want something to ‘sweeten the action’ as Sibbes calls it. There’s nothing wrong with that. But if we engineer our services to make sure it’s sweet, I do have a problem with that. Whatever it is that’s added, or taken away (e.g. pews), let’s make as sure as we possibly can that it isn’t to ‘sweeten the action’. Often I think it’s because we aren’t feeling something – whatever that something is – that we make adjustments to our services to sweeten them. Whereas Sibbes is telling us that because there’s nothing in it for us except the obedience, God accepts that. God accepts our obedience even if it isn’t sweet to us. Are we really adding it because we think the action is Biblical or because it makes us (or others) feel good, or sweet as Sibbes call it.

Our obedience is already tainted, it is an imperfect sacrifice, let’s not make it any worse. Especially when God accepts it for Christ’s sake. Christ has offered the perfect sacrifice and is the only ‘sweet smelling aroma’ that’s required. Praise God it is so.

MOS – Worshipping with Calvin

It’s a while since I listened to the Mortification of Spin but this podcast (Worshipping with Calvin MOS podcast) is definitely worth a listen.

Podcast Notes (Follow podcast Link below)

‘Terry Johnson shows up at the Spin’s “totally awesome” worship band practice. Terry is the pastor of Independent Presbyterian Church in Savannah and has written Worshipping with Calvin: Recovering the Reformed Ministry and Worship of Reformed Protestantism.

The crew turns down the instruments, shuts off the spotlights and smoke machine, and listens intently as Terry makes the connection between theology and worship, tracing back to the Reformation period and the solas. He talks about the proper balance of freedom and form, and what the church is supposed to do when gathered on Sundays.

Why should you worship with Calvin? Find out, as you join the conversation.’

http://www.alliancenet.org/mos/podcast/worshipping-with-calvin