‘A Special Hope’

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Death is not the finality of our existence.

For the first followers of Jesus his death seemed like a crushing defeat … how could the dream go so wrong? The Sunday, however, was very different. Their fear turned to bewilderment and then to joy as they realized that Jesus has risen. Jesus appeared to some who were walking on the road to Emmaus. They did not recognize him as he spoke to them about all the things in the Scriptures concerning the resurrection … but they realized it was him when he broke the bread.

The disciple Thomas wasn’t with the disciples at the first appearance of Jesus and so he doubted. Later Jesus appeared to all the disciples and told Thomas to put his fingers through the holes in his hands saying ‘stop doubting and believe’. Thomas replies ‘my Lord and my God’.

For some people the Easter story finishes with Jesus’ death. They see only a good example. This is not what the Gospel writers tell us. Who before or since could lay down his life and take it up again? The ‘good news’ of Good Friday is that Jesus took the punishment for our sins. The resurrection is proof of forgiveness for all who believe. Death is not the finality of our existence.

The Antidote for Self

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It’s like a change of clothing      

All mankind is naturally self righteous ……. trying to justify ourselves by what we do or what we have achieved. But when we receive, by faith, what Jesus has accomplished for us on the cross, we have no need for any righteousness of our own. Its like a change of clothes.

Jesus laid aside His heavenly glory, took on flesh and then gave Himself up to death in order to give us God’s righteousness. It could be called an ‘exchange’ of righteousness. This offer is free to all people without distinction because “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”

‘A Different Kind of Pandemic’

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   It’s one thing to be guilty … it is another to be released from it

The Jews had been awaiting the promised Messiah, a great ruler, like king David, who would save them by giving them victory over their enemies. Jesus is this great ruler who fulfilled God’s promise. When He came, however, not only didn’t they recognize Him but they put Him to death in extreme cruelty on the cross. In this God accomplished His purposes not only to save Jewish people but people from every nation, tribe and tongue.

In this next part of Romans, Paul, whose background was Jewish, presents some questions which the Jews might ask and then answers them. His answers are hard for us to understand because we don’t have the same mindset as the Jews. His conclusion however is clearer …. “Therefore by the deeds of the Law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the Law is the knowledge of sin.”  There is only one way to God and that is wondrously presented in the last part of this chapter.

‘No Partiality’

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When it comes to the gospel, relying on religious heritage is a fatal mistake

This next section of Paul’s letter to the Romans in God’s book can be hard to follow unless we understand he is showing that all mankind “have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” This means that because God is holy people can’t come to Him in and of themselves or they would die in their sins. But because of Jesus horrific and agonizing death on the cross people can now stand before God just as if they hadn’t sinned (justified), by faith. Faith ‘clothes’ us in Jesus’ perfect right-ness.

The people at the time of Paul’s writing were broadly classified as either Jew or Gentile. The Jews had a much higher standard of morality than what we read about at the end of Chapter 1 but Chapter 2 shows that they were in no position to judge the Gentiles because they were guilty of very serious sin as well. Whilst the Jews may have prided themselves on having God’s Law and circumcision they did not keep the Law properly and relying upon their religious heritage was of no use to them. God is impartial in His judgment.

‘Looking Up’

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What is important about the future and why this is a good time to think beyond ourselves.

The early chapters of the book of Genesis tell us about who we are, what is our purpose and why we do things that are wrong. There is also a pointer here to the remedy and how that would come about through the cross.

The final chapters in Scripture, at the end of the book of Revelation, tell us about the future. In these passages we find out about the perfect nation. It is called the holy city and the New Jerusalem. In it we see that God’s grace from the throne and of ‘the Lamb’, Jesus Christ, flows like a river. There will no longer be any curse causing wrongdoing and there will no longer be any night. God is the light who gives illumination.

This is the culmination of the well- known gospel message of John 3:16. All who trust in and turn to Jesus will not perish but have eternal life. It doesn’t get any better than this. The message is for every person in every nation who comes to Him for forgiveness and life. This is the most important matter of life.

‘Who is this Man?’

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The divine identity is revealed in authority to forgive sins

Things are not always what they seem. In Jesus’ time people asked the question ‘Who is this man?’ This was because of the miracles which he performed … especially healing. People wanted to bring their sick friends to Jesus.

In this passage they even go to the extent of opening a hole in the roof to get a paralyzed man to Jesus for healing. What Jesus does however surprises them. He says ‘your sins are forgiven.’ The Pharisees were upset and said ‘only God can forgive sins’ and accuse Jesus of blasphemy. They didn’t realize that Jesus is God.

Jesus knew what they were thinking and challenges their view that he doesn’t have the authority. He tells the man to get up, take up his mat and go home. This the man does and it shows that Jesus does have the authority to forgive sins because he is God. Jesus conquered even death through His death on the cross and resurrection. We receive forgiveness and new life through trusting in what he has accomplished for us.

‘Sixth Commandment – love your neighbour’

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Life is intimately connected with priorities … in spiritual life there are only two

The Ten Commandments were given to the nation of Israel following their delivery from slavery in Egypt. We too are to respond positively to them as they still display God’s character … his holiness and righteousness. The sixth commandment is short and to the point … we are not to kill other people, either premeditated (murder) or accidentally (manslaughter).

The rationale behind this is that human beings are created in the image of God and to strike at that image is sin. Killing human life is an attack on God … life and death is placed in the hands of God alone. Israel never went to war and had victory apart from the express commandment of God. If they went on their own they lost. Military service and participation in armed conflict in our day is a matter for individual conscience.

The New Testament church is reminded that ‘our struggle is not against flesh and blood’ … it is now war against our sinful desires. We are called to even love our enemy and love our neighbor as ourselves. Name calling and insults are getting pretty close to killing … everyone who hates a brother or sister is a ‘murderer’.

Jesus came to give life. He didn’t come to take it. He made atonement for the sins of all those who turn to him in and through His death on the cross. Forgiveness is found in him alone and through him we have the grace to truly love our enemies.

‘Living water’

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The life giving water of forgiveness flows from a wonderful source

There are many different  opinions on who Jesus is. Some talk of him as ‘deceived’ others say that he was ‘demon possessed’ still others that he was a good moral teacher. Everyone, it seems, has an opinion on who Jesus is or was. In this passage, verse 43 sums it up by saying ‘the people were divided because of Jesus’. He, however, is the one who knows his identity.

The Jewish festivals presented  images of life-giving water flowing out to heal people. Jesus is saying that this is the moment the people have been waiting for … he has finally come to give all of that to us. The people would always thirst if they were just pilgrims going to festivals… there is something about religion which always keeps people thirsty.

Jesus said that he is the water of life … that he was going to put the river inside our hearts so that we would never be thirsty again. Rivers of living water flow to God’s people through the working of the Spirit. He provides the connection to Jesus’ sacrifice for us. Religion suffocates life but the Spirit streams life. Jesus wants people to come and drink of the life-giving water of forgiveness which comes from him. The first step towards having a drink is to acknowledge your thirst.

‘Objections Answered’

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The teaching on justification by faith, that people are made right by trusting in what has been accomplished for them at the cross, is likely to meet with objections. The answers to these objections take minds and hearts to a wonderful place.

 

What the apostle Paul has said at the end of Ch 5 of Romans and in the earlier chapters about justification by faith alone was and is likely to raise objections. In this passage we find the beginning of four possible or actual questions which might have been asked. The first is: “What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin so that grace may increase? ” Rom 6:1 (NASB)

Paul’s answer to this question is a definite ‘no’. The reason is that the believer is united, by faith, to Jesus Christ in His death and resurrection and is therefore ‘dead’ to sin. This does not mean that there are no longer any struggles but that he or she is released from its controlling influence….. “For sin shall not be master over you, for you are not under law but under grace.” Rom 5:14 (NASB)

‘Coronavirus and Denominational Apartheid’

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Denominations are a spiritual disease because they bring the truth of the gospel into question. The apostle Paul opposed division in the church by insisting ‘one Lord, one faith, one baptism’

 

Early in his letter to the church in Ephesus the apostle Paul uses the picture of a building to describe the unity of all believers. In the early church this was especially necessary for both Jews and Gentiles to understand. He says that Jesus broke down the barrier of the dividing wall between them. This is brought about through the Gospel which places every believer on the same level, as sinners who have been forgiven through Jesus’ death on the cross.

In Chapter 4 of the letter Paul again mentions unity by emphasizing their oneness in salvation, ‘one body and one Spirit’ with ‘one hope’ in their calling and ‘one Lord, one faith, one baptism’. This understanding of their unity is to lead them into a unity of purpose and behaviour in which they are to be tender-hearted and forgiving … a reminder of how God has forgiven them.