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2018 Wednesday Words (cont)
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The Wednesday Word, October 31, 2018: Eight Wonderful Facts about Jesus
´´ God… has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom he has appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds; Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high"
Hebrews 1:2-3.
In these verses we are told eight wonderful facts about the Lord J
1. God´s final word to us is in Jesus.
Jesus is the full and final revelation from Heaven. There are no new Gurus or Messiahs to come. There are no new divine revelators. God has already spoken in the full and final manner in Christ.
2. Christ Jesus has been appointed heir of all things.
Everything belongs to him; everything in the world, every part of our lives is subject to him. Jesus "knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands" (John 13:3) and knowing that all things that the Father had were His (John 16:15) declared that "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth" (Matthew 28:18).
3. By Christ Jesus, God made the world.
In the beginning God created the world by the word of his power. Jesus Christ is the WORD. ‘All things were made by him, and without him was not anything made that was made’ (John 1:3). Spurgeon said, ´¨I love to think that He who created all things is also our Saviour, for then He can create in me a clean heart and renew a right spirit within me. If I need a completely new creation—as I certainly do—He is equal to the task. ¨
4. Jesus is the brightness of God’s glory.
No Prophet could claim this. The Glory that is in God is the Glory that is in Christ. No wonder that His name is above every name (Philippians 2:9). One day every knee shall bow at the name of Jesus and every tongue will confess that Jesus is Lord to the glory of God the Father (Philippians 2:10–11).
5. Jesus is the express image of His (God’s) person.
There is but one God. When Philip asked Jesus to show him the Father, Jesus told him that whoever had seen him had seen the Father (John 14:9). He also said, ‘Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me’ (John 14:11). As Spurgeon remarked, ’ ’Whatever God is, Christ is. The very likeness of God, the very Godhead of Godhead, the very Deity of Deity, is in Christ Jesus. ¨
6. Jesus is upholding all things by the word of his power.
Not only was the world created by him, but the forces of nature are upheld by him. The wind, the ocean, the rain are all are under his control. The small details of our lives are under His control too. He is carrying us along, bearing us toward that great and final day.
7. Jesus has purged our sins.
Notice how the writer moves effortlessly from Christ´s power to His purging. "The Creator and the Sustainer became the Sin-bearer. In order to create the universe, He only had to speak. In order to maintain and guide the universe, He only has to speak… but in order to put away our sin once for all, He had to die on the cross. It is staggering to think that the sovereign Lord would stoop to become the sacrificial Lamb. (Believer's Bible Commentary)
8. Jesus is now sitting in cosmic authority.
Christ Jesus is now exalted—He rose from the dead, ascended into heaven and is now seated in highest honour. The seated posture is one of rest. Redemption has been accomplished. We are saved by His precious blood.
And that´s the Gospel Truth!
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The Wednesday Word, November 14, 2018: This is Gospel Truth!
What is the Gospel? The simple answer is; the Gospel is the person, doing, dying and rising again of the Lord Christ. The pure Gospel is not about you and not about me. It is about Jesus.
This is Gospel Truth!
The Gospel, among other things, reveals God’s plan, accomplished in Christ, for the recovery of fallen, sinful people from the deplorable state into, which sin had brought them.
This is Gospel Truth!
God came to this earth in the person of His Son.
This is Gospel Truth!
As our apostle, He came from God to us. As our priest He takes us to God… Hebrews 3:1.
This is Gospel Truth!
He, as a man, obeyed God’s laws and requirements on our behalf. This is Gospel Truth!... Hebrews 4:15; II Corinthians5: 21, John 15:10
He made a suitable and satisfactory atonement for His people’s sins by his death and gave us the gift of the favour of God …Ephesians 1:7.
This is Gospel Truth!
The Holy Spirit opens our hearts to receive the Gospel, but the Spirit´s work is not the Gospel. The Work of the Holy Spirit does not redeem us but rather brings us to where we receive as our own Christ’s accomplished redemption …Ephesians 2:1.
This is Gospel Truth!
Faith is the channel of salvation but faith itself cannot justify us. Faith was not tried, found guilty and executed on our behalf. The power to believe is generated by the Holy Spirit. It is from the heart we believe. Yet this quickening (making alive) by the Spirit does not justify us. Nothing within us saves us. We are entirely saved outside ourselves by the finished work of Christ. The Spirit has baptised us into Christ and in Christ all blessings are discovered.
This is Gospel Truth!
Christ Himself is the object of faith. He is our salvation, not our faith and not our experiences. We depend on neither faith nor feelings but upon the Lord our God Himself!
Come ye weary, heavy laden,
Bruised and mangled by the fall;
If you tarry till you're better,
You will never come at all.
Not the righteous, Not the righteous, Not the righteous;
Sinners Jesus came to call.
This is Gospel Truth!
Because of the Gospel, He has made us Kings and priests unto our God and has brought us to God by His blood.
This is Gospel Truth!
He has brought us into the holy of Holies
If we feel our sin, it ought not to drive us away from Christ. No indeed, the feeling of our sin ought to propel us towards Christ.
The curse and damnation of His people fell on Christ 2000 years ago. He was slaughtered, and we were set free. He was raised from the dead in power and majesty and we were raised with Him
Faith claims Jesus as king
As our all-atoning Priest;
It claims no merit of its own,
But looks for all in Christ.
And that´s the Gospel Truth!
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The Wednesday Word, November 21, 2018: Pleasures for Evermore
Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore. Psalm 16:11
Psalm 16 is prophetic of Christ and since all believers are ‘in Him,’ it applies to us. When the eternal Word arrived, His path was from the manger to the cross, from the cross to the grave and from the grave to Glory.
As believers we also have a path to follow. Consider the following from our verse.
Thou wilt show me the path of life. What I´m about to say may seem like a broad sweeping statement. That’s because it is.
“Jesus is the path of life.”
That´s why he said ¨Follow Me.¨ …
“ME”
No new Gurus requested or required. Follow Christ.
All life is in Christ. He is the word of life, the well of life (John 4:14), and the tree of life. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. May we see Jesus moment by moment. To know Him is eternal and abundant life. In Him is the favour of the Almighty and in His favour is life.
Jesus alone is the way of life. He is our path of life.
We are entirely dependent on Him. Had Jesus not died there would have been no life. In fact, His death is our life. Because of the cross, we have life in Christ … life through Christ, and life with Christ;
Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.
Presence
Here again, we see Jesus. He is the presence of Yahweh. As He said to Moses, “My presence shall be with you and I will give you rest” (Exodus 33 14-15). We cannot but feel measures of His joy when we are in his presence. That´s why, dear pastor, I urge you to proclaim Jesus to your flock. What a wonderful Saviour. In Him (Jesus) the fulness of the Godhead dwells bodily (Colossians 2:9).
Preach the Gospel to the saints. It brings His presence. Pause and consider this scripture, “Then were the disciples glad when they saw the Lord” (John 20:20).
You will show me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.
Fulness of Joy
Not partial joy; but full, satisfying, unalloyed, unclouded, unmingled with anything that would diminish its fulness or its brightness; joy that will not be diminished, as all earthly joys must be, by the feeling that it must soon come to an end’ (Barnes).
Knowing our salvation brings joy. Therefore, we read, “I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he has covered me with the robe of righteousness” (Isaiah 61:10).
There is fullness of joy in the Gospel.
You will show me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.
The Right Hand
Who can be at the right hand but God? The term right hand is not talking about a physical right hand. The right hand represents ultimate authority. Therefore, we read, “The right hand of the LORD is exalted: the right hand of the LORD doeth valiantly (Ps 118:16). The right hand shows Christ’s exaltation, strength and power. It verifies His dominion, might, victory and triumph. He saves with His right hand and His right hand is full of righteousness (Psalm 48:10).
Jesus is the Path of life as our Prophet;
He is the ·Presence of Yahweh as our Priest;
He is the Power of the right hand as our Potentate (our King).
In Him are pleasures forevermore.
And that’s the Gospel Truth!
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The Wednesday Word, November 28, 2018: Our Glorious Sin-Bearer - Part 1
"Who himself bore Our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed. For you were as sheep going astray but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls" 1 Peter 2: 24, 25.
Briefly, let´s consider 4 main points from this lovely text
- A Glorious Person;
- A Great Substitution;
- A Grand result;
- A God blessed evidence.
1. A Glorious Person
Who is this glorious person? He is the Lord Jesus or as Robert Hawker used to call Him, “Our most glorious Christ." He is God and Man in one Person. In these days when some preachers and teachers are denying the essential Deity of Christ, we have the joy and responsibility to exalt our Master in every way. He bore our sins! God Himself, as a man, stepped into our shoes and died in our place.
The Gospel is the good news of Christ. What an excellent statement of His glory we have in the opening words of the Epistle to the Hebrews. There we learn that Christ has been appointed heir of all things. He made the worlds; He is the brightness of the Father´s glory, and the express image of His person. He upholds all things by the word of His power. Yet this exalted One became the person of the cross. What humility! What astonishing truth! What a glorious sin bearer!
2. A Great Substitution
" Who himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree."
We are sinners-great sinners. How are we, then, to get rid of the guilt of our sins?
There is only one way.
There is only One person who can remove it, …Jesus…and this He did by His substitutionary death. He is the great substitute.
"Christ bore our sins in His own body on the tree." The word " bore" means to be carried-in a sacrificial sense. It is used in the Greek version of the Old Testament (the Septuagint) of the placing of the victim upon the altar. The sin offering, in the Old Testament, carried the people's sins to and upon the altar. However, it was merely a type and picture which looked forward to the arrival of the great Substitute. But Christ, the true sin offering, bore our sins- not typically- but by imputation. As Isaiah 53:6 tells us, " The Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all."
On the day of atonement, when we read "Aaron shall lay both his hands upon the head of the live goat, and confess over him all the iniquities of the children of Israel, and all their transgressions in all their sins, putting them upon the head of the goat .. , and the goat shall bear upon him all their iniquities unto a land not inhabited" (Leviticus. 16: 21, 22). This was all done in anticipation of the arrival of the glorious sin-bearer.
Perhaps you are reading this, and you know you are lost. You know you are very far from God. Consider this: The iniquities of all Christ´s people met on Jesus. "Christ has once suffered for sins, the Just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God" (1 Peter 3:18). In the beautiful language of Toplady, we may say:
"From whence this fear and unbelief?
Has not the Father put to grief
His spotless Son for me?
And will the righteous Judge of men
Condemn me for that debt of sin
Which, Lord was charged to Thee?
"Turn then, my soul, unto your rest
The merits of your great High Priest
Have bought thy liberty;
Trust in His efficacious blood,
Nor fear thy banishment from God,
Since Jesus died for thee."
And that´s the Gospel Truth!
(To be continued next week)
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The Wednesday Word, December 5, 2018: Out Glorious Sin-Bearer - Part 2
"Who His own self bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed. For you were as sheep going astray but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls" I Peter 2:24, 25.
Last time we considered how this text brings us,
- A Glorious Person; and
- A Great Substitution;
Today, from the text, we consider two more excellent Gospel Truths and discover:
3. A Grand Result
Because of the cross we have died to the guilt of our sins. Our sins were bought, paid and owned by the purchasing power of the Redeeming Lamb. We are" healed by His stripes." He has taken our sins away! (John 1: 29)
This brings to mind the words of Psalm 103:12, " As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us." That´s more Good News!
Again, look at the result of the Gospel. That we "should live unto righteousness. The verse does not say that we should live righteously, though it is true that we should (see Titus 2: 11-12). But the meaning here is that those who have died to sins in Christ are, by virtue of His doing, dying and rising again, reckoned as righteous IN HIM. This is the same “Righteousness of God" which Paul teaches in his epistles. So away with these fellows who say that Paul and Peter had two different Gospels.
Next, we see,
4. A God-Blessed Evidence
How do we know that we are partakers in this great redemption? On what ground can we say that we have died to sins in Christ, and live unto gospel righteousness?
Verse 25 answers this question: It reads, "For you were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls." Most of us can remember when Christ and His great salvation were nothing to us, but now we can say:-
"Jesus sought me when a stranger,
Wandering from the fold of God:
He to rescue me from danger
Interposed His precious blood"
There came a time when we were convinced of our sinfulness and saw our need of the Almighty Saviour and were returned -brought back- to Jesus. He is the one who said that He had come "to seek and to save that which was lost, and an excellent job He has done in that department.
Jesus is the Good Shepherd. If He had not sought us, we would never have sought Him. We have been " returned" (been brought back---the verb is passive) to the Shepherd and Bishop of our souls. Yes, it is all of sovereign grace, from first to last!
We have been brought back to Jesus. We were given to Him before the foundation of the world (Ephesians 1:4). We went astray but He is our Shepherd. He sought us and found us. He will supply all our need, both temporal and spiritual. We shall not want (Psalm 23:1).
And He is the Bishop (Overseer) of our souls. He watches over us, as Peter wrote later in this epistle (Chapter 3:12), "The eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and His ears are open unto their prayers."
He will not lose one of His blood-bought sheep, as it is written in Psalm 101:6, "My eyes shall be upon the faithful of the land, that they may dwell with me.
And that´s the Gospel Truth!
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The Wednesday Word, December 12, 2018: Light from the Shepherds
"And there were in the same country, shepherds abiding in the field keeping watch over their flock by night"' Luke 2:8.
Let us just think of these shepherds for a moment' They have always captivated those of us who have read the story of the birth of Christ – old and young alike. Yet we know very little about these men. Indeed, all we do know of them is contained in the record of the Lord's birth in Luke´s Gospel.
Many scholars are of the opinion that shepherds, in those days, were a despised class. In general, they were dishonest and unclean according to the standards of the law. Some, on the other hand, say they were men of God for only men who lived near to God would be visited by the angels.
I, with respect, beg to disagree with the latter theory. Why? Because Jesus came for sinners. Why then would His earthly ministry begin any differently (Luke 19:10)? These Shepherds were men who were entirely unworthy of the least of God´s attention. They were just like us. They represented the outcasts and sinners for whom Jesus came.
I very much doubt that, as they sat there on the hills, they were looking for a Messiah of any description. And, by the way, neither were we…we were not seeking God (Romans 3:11), but He was seeking us, and He found us (Luke 15:4).
The angels brought glad tidings to the Shepherds. They told of the birth of the Saviour. They heard the voice of God in that message. May we all hear God´s voice today and every day. God has spoken to us through, by and in His Son. Have we taken time to listen to what He said?
But back to our story. God evidently gave the shepherds FAITH and they believed for it is by the word of the Lord that faith is generated (Romans 10:17). I´m sure these men were somewhat surprised to be told that they would find the Saviour wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger. I can just hear them ask,
"What did you say he is?"
"A Baby"
"The Messiah is a baby?"
Yet, note, they looked at each other and said, "Come let us now go to Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass (Luke 2:15)." They didn't say, "Let us go and see if this has happened or not. " No, they believed and in obedience they went. And when they went they found.
And it is with that same faith that we can draw near to the Lord Jesus this Christmas. Faith knows that although He was the Lord of Glory, He was also born in poverty, in Bethlehem. Faith also knows that He came to be the Saviour; but not just a Saviour…He came to be our saviour. And not just our saviour, He's my saviour and your saviour. He brings a personal salvation. Have you received Him for yourself?
The Shepherds, after encountering Christ, became "Men with a Mission." We read that on their return to the hills they made known to everybody that which was told them concerning this child. They were just simple shepherds, but they were the first to proclaim the arrival of the Saviour. And as they went on their way, they not only told the good news, but they glorified and praised God for all the things they had seen and heard.
What of us? We can go "Gospeling" every day of the year.
Like the Shepherds, we too can be Evangelists who tell the GOOD NEWS to those whom we meet.
And that´s the Gospel Truth!
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The Wednesday Word, December 19, 2018: Christmas Joy!
"Behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy " Luke 2:10.
Although December 25th was almost certainly not the date Christ was born, it´s as good a day as any to celebrate that glorious and wonderful event.
So, let´s, for a moment, consider Jesus.
Before His birth, His name was revealed to Mary when Gabriel said, "You shall bring forth a son, and shall call His name Jesus" (Luke 1:26-33).
His name, Jesus was prophetic. The angel of the Lord clarified this when he appeared in Joseph´s dream saying, "Thou shalt call His name Jesus: for He shall save His people from their sins" (Matthew 1:9-21).
Matthew, too, declared that Christ's birth fulfilled the prophesy of the incarnation, "Behold a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call His name Emmanuel; which being interpreted is, God with us" (Matthew 1: 22-23).
Jesus is, therefore, our Saviour God whose arrival was a message of great joy (Luke 2: 9-11).
Perhaps we should pause and meditate upon these truths, for they tell us of the source of true Christmas joy.
His name is Jesus the Saviour.
He is our joy.
His name is Jesus Emmanuel, God with us.
He is our joy.
That means before there was a sinner on earth, there was a Saviour in Heaven.
He is our joy!
"Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners" (1 Timothy 1:15).
He is our joy!
He is Christ the Lord, the anointed one.
He is our joy!
As the Puritan, Ralph Venning (1621–1673) said, "The name of Jesus is honey in the mouth, melody in the ear, and a joyful jubilee in the heart."
But when He came to earth, He was rejected and crucified! Nevertheless, He, by His atoning death, revealed that He is the Saviour. By His resurrection, He demonstrated that He is the ever-living One who is able to save to the uttermost, them that come unto God by Him, seeing He ever lives to make intercession for them" (Hebrews 7:25).
What immense joy these truths bring when we believe.
May we never forget that this Saviour, "Christ the Lord," was not only born in the world, He "came down from heaven." He was God incarnate, perfect God and perfect Man.
When then we commemorate the Lord Jesus at this season may these sacred events not be locked in history as dry letters on a dusty page. May the Holy Spirit bring these glorious truths to our understanding.
May we, by the grace of God, believe and bask in the joy that the Christmas message brings.
Sweeter sounds than music knows
Charm me in Emmanuel's Name;
All her hopes my spirit owes
To His birth, and cross, and shame.
When He came, the angels sung,
Glory be to God on high!
Lord, unloose my stammering tongue;
Who should louder sing than I!
No, I must my praises bring,
Though they worthless are and weak;
For should I refuse to sing,
Sure, the very stones would speak.
O my Saviour, Shield, and Sun,
Shepherd, Brother. Husband, Friend!
Every precious name in one,
I will love Thee without end,
John Newton (1725-1807)
And that´s the Gospel Truth!
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The Wednesday Word, December 26, 2018: Mary
Doubtless, Mary, the Mother of Jesus was a wonderful woman. However, the Church of Rome calls her 'the Mother of God.'
What a ¨terminological inexactitude! ¨
Logic, however, would dictate that, if she is indeed the 'Mother of God', she must have preceded Him, for the mother is first then the child. But the genealogy of Mary, according to Luke's Gospel, stops her lineage at Adam (Luke 3:38).
As for the history of God, the Scriptures declare, Him to be 'From everlasting to everlasting (Psalm 90: 2). How then can Mary exist before the everlasting One?
God is the Creator of all things. He created Adam. Mary was the creation of God through Adam but not the ancestor of God. Yes it´s true, Mary was the mother of the humanity of Jesus, but she was not and never will be the parent of the Eternal Creator.
Having incorrectly called her the Mother of God, the Papacy, in addition, calls her the 'Mother of the Church.' Did the Church proceed from her? Did she give birth to the church? I think not!
But, according to the Papacy, not only Jesus, but Mary, Joseph, and other saints as well as angels, make intercession with God on behalf of men. So emphatic is this teaching that in the Compendium of the Catholic Faith authorized by Pius X, Mary is stated to be the most powerful advocate with God next to Jesus for it is impossible for her to go unheard by Him, seeing He is her Son.
Nevertheless, the Scriptures state, '… there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus' (l Timothy 2: 5).
Jesus declared, 'No man comes to the Father but by Me' (John 14: 6).
He also said, 'Come unto Me, all you that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest' (Matthew 11:28). There is nary a word to indicate that Mary must placate and soothe Jesus on behalf of sinful man.
Which is to be believed, the Scriptures or the Bishop of Rome? Apart from the birth of Jesus, there is nothing told in the Bible concerning Mary other than that which is ordinary and human.
Now, consider this, the wise men offered their gifts to the young child Jesus--not to the mother (Matthew 2: 11).
The aged Simeon said things that caused Mary to wonder, … which she certainly would not have done if she had been the Mother of God (Luke 2:25-32).
Mary, in her song, before the birth of Jesus attributed her salvation to God her Saviour (Luke 1:47). Only sinners need a Saviour.
Notice how Mary made no attempt to perform a miracle at Cana, she left it to Jesus to do what He thought best (John 2:5).
The Lord Jesus Christ spoke of the coming work and comfort of the Holy Spirit; but not a word of our Master is recorded in Scripture referring to His mother also being a comforter and teacher of men.
Nowhere does the Lord Jesus indicate that Mary should be worshipped. The opportunity was afforded Him to do just that when the woman in the crowd cried out how blessed His mother was. He deliberately refrained from endorsing any such notion, but says only, 'Yea, rather blessed are they that hear the Word of God and keep it' (Luke 11: 27-28).
Let´s say it again, Mary was the mother of the humanity of Jesus through the power of the Highest. Afterwards, by natural generation she was the mother of four sons and at least two daughters, thereby doing away with any reason for ever calling her the perpetual Virgin (Mark 6:2-3).
Let´s say it again, Jesus is God. In fact, He is the God-Man. He has two natures in one person. Mary was in no way mother to His deity but rather to His humanity.
And that´s the Gospel Truth!
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