Jesus was in control and not intimidated

Judas betrayed Jesus for money but Jesus was always in control. He knew what was going to happen and embraced it. He was not a helpless victim. In this passage we have the use of the words ‘I Am’ showing that Jesus is revealed as both God and man.

At the arrest, Peter decided to take matters into his own hands (Verse 10) then later is intimidated and denies 3 times that he knew Jesus. He didn’t realize that Jesus had to die in order to accomplish hid mission.

In all of this Jesus is never presented as a victim but as someone who is in control. When the cock crowed 3 times it was a reminder that Jesus had predicted Peter’s denials and knew all the outcomes. He is truly a Saviour who is worth believing.

 

 

Oneness is achieved through Christ and the gospel

Oneness and teamwork mean working towards the same goal. The question is ‘what unites us?’ The church comes together because of who Jesus is and what he has done for us. Disciples remain on earth in order to share the gospel mission.

In this passage we find that Jesus’ prayer for oneness comes through the truth of the gospel. The church’s oneness in Christ is displayed when we relate to one another in him … a oneness which is also found in the gospel mission.

In Verse 23 we have the words ‘I in them and you in me ….. so that the world may know that you sent me.’ There is a oneness in both the Trinity (Father, Son and Holy Spirit) and the church. This oneness makes God known as we have come to know his love.

 

 

 

In this passage, the Old Testament prophet, Samuel, speaks to the people after God had provided them with a visible king. Samuel reminds them not to forget that God had delivered them in the past from their enemies when they had called upon Him.

He then points out to them that they had done evil by asking for a king. By doing this they had rejected God, the one who had delivered them from their enemies. In spite of this terrible thing they had done, Samuel tells them not to fear because they are God’s people. He also gives them a stern warning that if they persist in doing evil both them and their king will perish.

This message points forward to something marvelous ……. Jesus has come as both God and King for all those who turn to Him and trust in what He has done at the cross. They are not to forget Him and they are not to fear because He is in control.

 

 

 

  An example to consider … an example to follow

In this passage we find in the example of Jesus the pursuit of God’s glory by going to death on the cross and being raised again to life after three days … a symbol of God’s redeeming love to all mankind.

God has given his son, Jesus, authority over all mankind for their eternal good. God’s electing love does not limit his grace or our accountability for how we live. It is self-serving love which causes people to reject Jesus.

When Jesus said at the cross ‘It is finished’ he was affirming God’s glory by completing his mission. The son left the presence of the father and is glorified in splendor by being back with the one who sent him in the first place. This is the kind of selfless glory which is to be pursued.

 

 

  The gospel invitation is for every nation, tribe and tongue

In this passage we find an invitation to come to God and be fully satisfied … to ask and it will be given … to seek and you will find. The invitation is to all people for their deepest need and there is no cost because Jesus paid the price we could never afford at the cross.

God wants us to seek Him once we see what He is inviting us to … not telling us to come but showing us how to do so by forsaking our wicked ways. For sinners, however, who think they are righteous in themselves they need to be aware that there is a huge gap between the holy and the unholy. Jesus alone bridges that gap.

We can be tempted to think that there is no way we can come to God but Vs10-11 show us that it is through God’s Word we come. The Bible helps us to bridge the gap between us and God by showing us where it is.

 

 

 

 

As a prophet of God, Elijah was raised up for a particular time and ministry. In this passage we see that  it was to rebuke king Ahab because of his wife, Jezebel, who had been killing the prophets of God and encouraging the false prophets of the false god, Baal. Elijah challenges the prophets of Baal to come to Mt Carmel and prepare a sacrifice but not to set it on fire. They must ask their false God to do this.

The prophets of Ball fail. Then Elijah, after pouring water on the sacrifice so there could be no doubt, calls on the God of Israel to bring down fire on the sacrifice. This happens in an unmistakable way. The false prophets of Baal are then put to death so as to remove their idolatry and restore the true worship of God.

Jezebel threatens Elijah with death. Elijah, surprisingly, runs for his life but an angel of the Lord appears to him after he flees. The fearful prophet is relieved and another prophet, Elisha, is raised up to succeed him. We should not focus on the prophets who are only men. The Scripture says elsewhere ‘the arm of flesh will fail you’. We are to trust in the one who is the perfect prophet, Jesus Christ, who takes away all our fears through what he has accomplished on the cross at Calvary.

 

 

 

God is the owner of the ‘vineyard’ … we can only ever be stewards of his grace

Jesus’ ministry was very confronting for the religious leaders of his time. It threatened their position.  In this passage he predicts his death. This, however, would, through the gospel, result in the salvation of multitudes who have come to faith … trusting in the forgiveness of their sins purchased by his blood.

 

 

 

In the battle against sin the church is to respond by trusting God and using the gifts he has given to love one another.

Fear can stop us from doing what we know we should. This was a danger for the church which the apostle Peter wrote to in his first letter. In this passage he mentions three ways to defend against fear and its consequences. The first way is to be ‘armed’ with the assurance that the war against sin has already been won through what Jesus has accomplished at the cross

The second way to resist temptation due to fear is in relation to the claims of pagan religion … as opposed to the true and living God who became man in the person of Jesus Christ. This passage reminds us that those who oppose God with the claims of false religion will have to face his judgement. Christ will judge the whole world even though they may try to judge us.

Futhermore, knowing what Christ is still doing is the third thread of resistance to sin. The church is to use the gifts that he has given to his people for building up one another in love. Members of the church are to love one another deeply because they are in the fight against sin together. This means serving one another as each has opportunity to do so. In doing this it points to the giver of the gifts, God himself, who provides the strength for resistance against evil.

 

 

 

In celebrating the First Coming we need to also look to the Second Coming

It is a good thing to celebrate the birth of Christ. It is also important to remember that, as God, he is eternal. Other things need to be put into proper perspective … the real meaning of Christ’s birth is lost on those who focus on the festivities alone. The name Jesus means ‘saviour.’ This gives us a bigger context than just his birth … it also points to him as a ‘sin offering.’

Scripture tells us that there will be a Second Coming of Jesus. This time it will not be as a babe but as the King of kings. He is coming again to establish his rule which is an everlasting dominion where, for believers, death has been conquered. There will also be judgement. For those who have trusted in what he has accomplished at the cross the verdict will be ‘not guilty’. Our great concern is to be prepared for that day.

 

 

 

 

When suffering for the gospel believers are to focus on the Lord who saved them

This letter of the apostle Peter was written to believers who were facing increasing persecution. In this passage we find that they are encouraged to respond in a way that is for the salvation of their persecutors. In v13 the question is asked ‘who will harm you if you are eager to do good?’ The answer is that when you do good it is no guarantee because no one wants to hear that they are a sinner.

Peter then quotes from the OT prophet Isaiah to show that they are to ‘fear’ God not their persecutors. They are to set apart the Lord Jesus Christ in their hearts and give an answer for the hope which is in them because of him. Jesus is also the example of suffering for doing good. This is a reference to what he endured by going to the cross … suffering not for his own sins, because he was completely faultless and vindicated by the resurrection, but for those of others. This was so that they might be brought back to God.