A different, and most wonderful, kind of freedom.

In the gospels we encounter Jesus, the miracles he did and the challenging things that he said to the people and disciples. This passage challenges us again. What does it mean to say ‘I believe in Jesus’?  To really be his disciple means to embrace his teaching and this sets people free.

The first teaching is that if you sin then you are a slave to sin … you are under its control and power. This means a guilty conscience, fear of the consequences of what we have thought, said and done and a broken relationship with God.

In the gospel, however, the Son, Jesus Christ, sets us free in the most important sense of the word. By receiving God’s forgiveness, through trusting in Jesus crucified and risen, no accusation can be brought against us in the court of heaven, which is above all human wisdom. This is freedom for all eternity. Jesus achieved our freedom by giving up his freedom at the cross.

 

 

An undeserved act on an undeserving people.

At this time many are remembering what is known as ‘The Reformation’ which happened 500 years ago. A German monk raised questions about the practice of selling ‘indulgences’ … a means whereby people could pay money to obtain what were false religious privileges. This was the opposite of the Christian gospel which provides forgiveness through God’s grace alone for everyone who trusts in what Jesus has done for them at the cross.

In the passage we see that we need God’s grace in the gospel because we are born spiritually dead. We enter this world with what is known as ‘original sin’ … Adam’s disobedience and the effect of this in our lives, called sin. We also see, as we read further, that God pulls us out of our dead state through the work of His Son on the cross … ‘made alive together with Christ’. It is an undeserved act on an undeserving people.

Grace is about what God has done … believers are his workmanship. Good works, which are the result of this transformation, are done out of love not obligation. Grace means we should never feel that we have to earn his forgiveness.

 

 

 

 

A difficult teaching which caused many to turn away.

When Jesus described himself as the ‘bread of life’ it would have sounded strange to many people. This, however, is really a wonderful pointer to what he was coming to do through his death on the cross. It is ‘food’ for all those who recognize that they are sinners and need God’s forgiveness.

Two aspects in particular can be hard for people to take in. Firstly is the fact of his incarnation. His taking on flesh and becoming like us … being born of a woman and living an earthly life. We are told in this passage (v33) that he is the ‘bread’ which came down from heaven.

The second thing is his being a substitute who would make things right between those who trust in him and God. He spoke of the ‘bread’ of his flesh which he gave for the life of the world. These difficult teachings caused many of his followers to leave him because they could not accept him in this way.

 

 

 

The failure of a famous king contrasted with the perfect King who is always the same.

Human beings tend to be a contradiction because they often do things which are inconsistent. In these passages we see a famous king of God’s people called Hezekiah. For many years he was faithful to God in remarkable ways. He trusted in God, purged the worship of idolatry and kept God’s laws.

However, something happened in his later life, after he fell terminally ill, that left a stain on his reputation. He turned to one of his nation’s enemies, Babylon, in order to make a strategic alliance. In doing this he stopped trusting in God to deliver him and his people.

This is a reminder to people in these days not to trust in human leaders but  the one who was completely faithful and went to the cross so that others could be saved from the contradictions in their lives. We are told that Jesus is the same ‘yesterday, today and forever’ … there is no contradiction in Him.

 

 

The best ‘safe place’ of all

Who would you look to for protection and security? In this psalm king David encourages us to look to God who is a fortress for his people. Here we learn what he does when threatened. He turns to God. He had done no wrong and so looks to him for justice.

No matter who is opposing us God knows the complete picture. He sees what we do not. In Jesus he offers us forgiveness and security. The world, however, continues to oppose God because they do not understand the cross.

God delivers David because of his special love. So it is with us. In Jesus Christ we are delivered from our sin. God has showed that he loves us deeply at the cross. He is our ‘safe place’ because, as his ransomed people, nothing or no-one can separate us from his love.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Actions have consequences which need to be understood in the wider aspect of people’s lives.

The apostle Paul had previously spoken about the eating of food sacrificed to idols. Many have used this passage to accuse him of forgetting what he had said. This situation is, however, quite different. The reason is that here it is not just about the food sacrificed to demons but about the eating of it in pagan temples. This oversteps a boundary line for the believers in Corinth.

Paul put it to them that ‘you cannot partake of the table of the Lord and the table of demons’. There are two matters involved. The first one is that the glory of God should be the highest good which is sought.  The second matter is seeking the good of one’s ‘neighbor’. The believer should always ensure that what he or she does is with a view to the eternal good of the other person. Paul said ‘follow my example as I follow the example of Christ’.

 

 

 

 

 

 

This passage from the book of Ecclesiastes shows what to many is the ‘meaningless’ activity of our lives. There are two questions which the writer asks. The first is ‘What do people gain from all their labours at which they toil under the sun?’ He then describes the repetitive cycles of the created world …. ‘generations come and generations go’ ……. ‘the sun rises and sets’ ……. ‘the wind blows to the south and turns to the north’  ….’ the streams flow into the sea  yet the sea is never full’. He then concludes ‘all things are wearisome’.

The second question asks ‘Is there anything of which one can say, “Look! This is something new”?’ then the writer laments …….’it was here already, long ago; it was here before our time’ …….. ‘even those yet to come will not be remembered by those who follow them’.

This sadly leaves out the most wonderful part …. the marvelous plan of the Creator God and Saviour.  When we see Him by faith as the one who is perfectly ordering all these things, the unsatisfying becomes full of meaning and purpose. The knowledge and experience of His grace at the cross leads us into a new life which involves a relationship with Him that lasts for all eternity.

 

 

 

 

 

There are many misconceptions people have about the Church. Some forget or don’t realize that Christians are sinners like everyone else. The difference is that all those who are trusting in what Jesus has done for them, through His death and resurrection, are forgiven by God. There is a bumper sticker which is sometimes seen on cars and puts it well ……..’Christians are not perfect, just forgiven’.

 

With this background it becomes clear that Christians, who make up the church, should be growing in their faith which, in turn, will have an effect on their lives. In this passage we can see that the church’s greatest need is to know God better in their relationship with Jesus Christ. There are 2 parts to this. In the first part of the passage it’s that God’s people need to know Him better through prayer. In the second part it’s that God’s people need to know that Jesus Christ rules for His church.

 

 

 

 

Christmas is often thought of as a time of giving and receiving but for some a special gift has a very important result.

At this time of year there is a lot of emphasis on giving as well as receiving. The cost of the gift is often considered because there are budgets involved. In this passage, however, we learn about the response of people who have received a free gift from God … the forgiveness of their sins, past, present and future, freely received by faith alone.

There was an enormous cost to Jesus for this gift which was his terrible sufferings on the cross. We can’t fully understand what this meant for Him. Those who have received this gift have a purpose for their lives. It is to share this message, this ‘gospel’ or ‘good news’, with other people. For some this may involve them in telling others directly about Jesus. For others it might be just the way that they live which shows they belong to Him.

 

 

It is likely that the apostle John wrote about Jesus in this way to correct misunderstandings. People who were from a Greek Jewish background would have been familiar with the term ‘Word’, or Logos in their language. It referred to a Greek demi-god. Here John shows how different Jesus is to their mythological gods.

In saying that the Word became flesh John was showing that Jesus, whilst being fully and equally God, also became man. In breathtaking humility he laid aside his heavenly glory and became one of us for a very specific and wondrous purpose … to save us from our sins.

How could he do this? He did this by living a perfect life and then offering up himself as a spotless substitute and sacrifice on the cross. Forgiveness for sin is now offered to mankind as a free gift to be received by the ‘hand’ of faith. One hymn writer has put it this way …’nothing in my hand I bring, simply to your cross I cling.’