Dec 31, 2018 - Year end meditation on Romans 14:12

“So then, each of us will give an account of ourselves to God.”

I always enjoy December 31st, for there is something inside me that turns my mind back over the past year and attempts to evaluate myself and my efforts over the past year. Don’t get me wrong - for I don’t always enjoy the evaluation, many times I experience disappointment even frustration as I think through the previous year. However, I do enjoy the process for I realize how important it is to evaluate what I have done, or what I have been, in order to see the gracious hand of God in my life, or to see my need for change and seek His help in the coming year to see that change happen. Now I realize that there are some people, perhaps more than I know, who don’t intentionally evaluate, nor measure progress, nor set goals for their lives, but whether or not they evaluate intentionally, I think all people engage in forward thinking - a type of visioning in which they have an idea of the direction they would like their life or their activities to go, and, whether or not it is an intentional evaluation, all people experience disappointment or joy associated with how close reality has come to their concept of a preferred future.

As Christians, we are to live our lives on earth with the full realization that we serve a risen Lord before whom we will give an account for all that we have done, and all that we have been. Paul is clear in this chapter that we don’t give that account to other Christians - we can fall into that trap pretty quick - worrying about acting like others, or eating what they eat etc. Don’t serve others or live to please others - we are serving a Risen Lord, who has a will regarding our life and service and before whom we will give an account. So today or sometime this week, as our minds go back over this year, and as we think about ourselves, our families and our workplaces, let us ask the Lord to make His evaluation of us - our evaluation of us. That is - let us ask Him to make His thoughts regarding us as His servants, what we did, and who we have been, our thoughts. For if we see ourselves with His eyes, and see where we pleased Him, and where we grieved Him - well that experience will surely help us serve Him better next year which will benefit us, our families and our communities as we step into the future.    

Dec 20, 2018 - Suggested Reading Psalm 148 for Dec 23rds messages on Luke 1:5-25 and Luke 1:26-38 in our morning services at 9 and 10:45

“Praise him, all his angels; praise him, all his heavenly hosts.”

Psalm 148:2 (NIV)  

The list of those who should praise the LORD is very complete, and appears to be in the order of creation.

The angels are at the top of the list – the first created

Then the sun and moon and stars

Then the heavens (atmosphere) – waters above the skies

Let them praise the LORD for He created them with a decree that is everlasting.

Then the sea creatures and ocean depths

Then the weather systems that do His bidding

Then the mountains, hills and trees

Then the wild animals and cattle

Then the small creatures and birds

Then comes the humans – the last created

The kings, princes and rulers

The men and women and aged and children.

Let them praise the Name of the LORD

for His Name is exalted; His splendor is above the earth and heavens

for He raised up for us a horn (our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ) who is the praise of God’s faithful servants who are the people close to His heart.

Let us stop right now and praise the LORD!

Dec 19, 2018 - Suggested Reading Matthew 26 for Dec 23rds messages on Luke 1:5-25 and Luke 1:26-38 in our morning services at 9 and 10:45

"Do you think I cannot call on my Father, and he will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels?”

Matthew 26:7 (NIV)  

What a sobering question our Lord puts to Peter- basically telling Peter “I don’t need you to fight for me – if I wanted to fight these men I have a multitude of angels I could use.”

Jesus didn’t want to resist the men- He wanted to obey His Father and go to the cross.

He knew that Judas would betray Him, that Peter would disown Him, and that the others would desert Him, and yet He wanted to walk the path God had laid out for Him.

I wonder what the angels wanted?

The angels who had announced His birth, who had warned Joseph and the wise men, who had ministered to our Lord after Satan left Him in the wilderness, and who had
comforted our Lord in the garden.

 I wonder what those angels wanted to do?

He could have called 10,000 angels to destroy the world and set Him free

He could have called 10,000 angels, But He died alone, for you and me.

What a beautiful song we used to sing!

What a beautiful thought to meditate on!

The angels stood by and watched the Son of God die at the hands of some puny little humans, and they waited to see what wonderous plan God and His Son were unfolding.

Did they know as they watched that the Son of God was dying for you and for me?

Dec 18, 2018 - Suggested Reading Job 38 for Dec 23rds messages on Luke 1:5-25 and Luke 1:26-38 in our morning services at 9 and 10:45

“while the morning stars sang together and all the angels shouted for joy?”

Job 38:7 (NIV)

As we begin to consider the angel's messages concerning the birth of Jesus, recorded in Luke’s gospel, it is good for us to consider how little we know about angels. 

Reading Job 38 will always help you realize how little we know, and how quiet we should be.

God tells Job to “brace himself like a man” (could God be poking fun at us?) and then asks Job a series of questions that reveal our lack of knowledge. There will be some who will tell us that science will answer all of these questions, and that it is only a matter of time before we can answer all of God’s questions- but I would say to those individuals, that all they are doing is “bracing themselves like a man” and fooling themselves about their ability to understand the created world we exist in. For no matter how many things we learn or dissect into bits or experiment with or explore what we can see, we could never be present at creation.

Now the first question is; “Where you there…?”. The answer obviously is “No I wasn’t”

The knowledge we were not present at creation should instill humility in us, that knowledge should quiet us before our Creator.

The angels were there though, and they shouted for joy at what God had created.

Are the morning stars another term for angels? Or did the stars sing and the angels shout? 

Either way something beyond our understanding happened when creation sprang into existence, something that the angels witnessed and rejoiced over.

God’s questions were meant to humble Job, to put him in a place within his own mind, where he could worship God in a deeper way.

May God’s questions do the same thing for us, may we be humbled at the feet of the Creator, may our questions fade in silence, and may our questioning thoughts turn into worshipful thoughts.

Dec 15, 2018 - Suggested Reading Isaiah 22 for Dec 16th's message on 1 Corinthians 15:20-34 in our worship service at 9:00am

““Let us eat and drink,” you say, “for tomorrow we die!””

Isaiah 22:13 (NIV)

Isaiah 22 contains the same geographical vision of Psalm 110, for they both look towards Jerusalem and Zion.

But Psalm 110 sees the mighty scepter and the mighty army with their mighty King conquering the foe, whereas Isaiah 22 sees utter defeat and disaster.

Defeat instead of victory.

Disaster instead of joy.

All because they are unwilling to repent, to mourn over our sin, to ask God to change them,
to save them.

No- instead let us embrace our defeat and indulge ourselves for the few short hours we have left.

Do we do this in our lives? Do we embrace disaster? Do we refuse to mourn over sin?

Refusing to repent is the unforgivable sin.

The people of Isaiah’s day committed this sin.

Will we continue in our sin? Or will we repent of our sin?

Turn away from our pride and our sin - look to our Lord,
put His commands into practice in our lives.

Then we will see the vision of Psalm 110 instead of the vision of Isaiah 22.

Victory instead of defeat.

Joy instead of disaster.

Dec 14, 2018 - Suggested Reading Psalm 110 for Dec 16th's message on 1 Corinthians 15:20-34 in our worship service at 9:00am

“The LORD says to my lord:

“Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet.”

Psalm 110:1 (NIV) 

Matthew 22 records that our Lord Jesus quoted this verse and asked; “If then David calls him ‘Lord,’ how can he be his son?” and then that the Pharisees had no answer, and realized that they could ask Him no more questions. 

It is a mystery that David’s descendant could also be His lord- how can that be?

This mystery was revealed in the Person of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God and descended from David born of a woman. 

Our Lord Jesus asked this question of the Pharisees to show them their lack of understanding and to point them to Himself.

Jesus of Nazareth is the Messiah and the promises of Psalm 110 apply to Him!

The LORD (YHWH) has told Jesus to sit at His right hand.

The LORD (YHWH) has promised Jesus a mighty scepter and a large army.

The LORD (YHWH) has promised that Jesus will be our forever priest.

The Lord (Adonay) has promised to be at Jesus’ right hand as Jesus crushes the kings and
judges the nations.

Friend do you believe these promises?

Do you believe that Jesus is seated at the right hand of God?

Are you willing to be one of those young men who come to Him to serve Him in His army?

Does Jesus intercede for you as your forever priest?

Serve Him! Serve our Risen Saviour today!

Step into His battle today, in His strength, wearing His armour.

Watch your spiritual enemies melt away.

Dec 13, 2018 - Suggested Reading Psalm 8 for Dec 16ths message on 1 Corinthians 15:20-34 in our worship service at 9:00 am

“Through the praise of children and infants you have established a stronghold against your enemies, to silence the foe and the avenger.”

Psalm 8:2 (NIV)

Is the LORD (YHWH) our lord (adon)?

Is the Creator of heaven and earth our lord?

Do we bow before Him?

Do we ask Him for permission to speak?

Do we ask Him for permission to marry?

Do we ask Him for permission to move?

A lord (adon) owns His subjects, and they live, move and exist at His pleasure.

A Christian becomes a Christian when they confess Jesus as Lord.

Yet how many Christians give our Lord His proper place?

Our place is below the angels and above the animals.

His place is on the throne of my heart.

His place is in the praise from my lips.

His Name is majestic, His Name is power, His Name is grace and love.

What are we really, the human species?

We were made to praise Him and to serve Him.

May we do both this day!

Dec 6, 2018 - Suggested Reading Ecclesiastes 6 for Dec 2nd's message on 1 Corinthians 15:12-19 in our worship service at 9:00 am

“For who knows what is good for a person in life, during the few and meaningless days they pass through like a shadow?
Who can tell them what will happen under the sun after they are gone?”

Ecclesiastes 6:12 (NIV) 

If you want to get depressed about life just read Ecclesiastes 6.

We might consider this writing to be the fruit of Solomon’s time away from God, and therefore ignore it simply because it is so depressing.

But what if it is biblical truth?

What if Solomon is sharing biblical truth - or a proper view on our time on earth?

The truth is that our life is a shadow, and that we are here just for a few days relative to God.

The truth is that our lives are meaningless, that when we are gone, who really notices?

I have heard people say at funerals that their loved one will always be alive because they are in their heart - and yet the person saying that is not going to be there much longer themselves.

What if you lived 2,000 years? That would be impactful wouldn’t it?

Not really- we all go to the same place, whether we are stillborn or live for 2,000 years.

Speak for yourself John you say - I am going to heaven to be with Jesus!

Ah now – we are getting close to the point of Ecclesiastes.

Once we realize that everything in life, including life itself, is meaningless - we will stop striving and start trusting in our Lord and Saviour. 

We will start working for His kingdom, for eternal rewards instead of striving after the things that are absolutely meaningless.

Meaningless!

Meaningless!

Dec 5, 2018 - Suggested Reading Job 19 for Dec 2nd's message on 1 Corinthians 15:12-19 in our worship service at 9:00 am

“I know that my redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand on the earth. And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God;”

Job 19:25-26 (NIV) 

Job’s hope was in the next life – not in this life.

Yeah he was in a bad way - he had troubles most of us don’t - that should make us listen closer.

He knows more than we know- he experienced riches and family and honour and praise, and now he was experiencing poverty and barrenness and shame and contempt.

We should learn from him.

We should work at acquiring the ability to KNOW that our Redeemer lives.

We should work at BELIEVING that I will see God on this earth in my flesh.

There is a healthy, godly perspective gained by this effort.

To KNOW and to BELIEVE is to have FAITH.

This FAITH that has as its object – our Redeemer and the resurrection - is the FAITH that will carry us through the disasters that befall us.

Our hope is in the next life, not this life!

November 30, 2018 - Suggested Reading 1 Peter 2 for Dec 2nds message on Matthew 8:1-17 in our worship service at 10:45am

““He himself bore our sins” in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; “by his wounds you have been healed.” For “you were like sheep going astray,” but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.”

1 Peter 2:24-25 (NIV) 

These 2 verses are full of Isaiah 53.

Peter understands Isaiah 53 as prophecy about Jesus of Nazareth.

He understands Jesus as our example, to be followed. That is - He expects us to emulate the characteristics of Christ in our daily lives, and interactions with those around us. He understands Isaiah 53 as teaching us that Christ’s sacrifice gives us the ability to live in a way consistent with Christ and inconsistent with our sin nature. Peter understands “by His wounds you have been healed”, as a declaration of the reality that every Christian has been healed from their own propensity to go their own way of sin. His understanding of this verse stands against teachers who teach that our physical healing is in the atonement. Peter saw the healing in the atonement as a spiritual healing, a cutting away of our sin nature, a renewed ability to be led by the Shepherd and Overseer of our soul.

Oh that we might live in the fullness of this healing!

That we might die to sins and live for righteousness today.    

November 30, 2018 - Suggested Reading Galatians 1 for Dec 2nds message on 1 Corinthians 15:1-11 in our worship service at 9:00 am

“As we have already said, so now I say again: If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let them be under God’s curse!”

Galatians 1:9 (NIV) 

As it was in Paul’s day so it is in our day.

False preachers are perverting the gospel of Christ.

The problem in Galatia was legalism added to the gospel, a focus on the external instead of the internal, ignoring the power within by concentrating on the external appearance.

The problem in Canada in 2018 is license added to the gospel, a focus on the invisible internal, while ignoring the ability of the power within to change our external behaviour.

Paul’s answer was to preach grace - a powerful grace - not a weak tolerance of everything, but a powerful change from within through faith in Christ Himself who is alive within us. And Paul used himself as an example of how this powerful grace works.

Our answer should be to preach grace - a powerful grace - that must change our lives from the inside out, if Christ is truly alive within us?

Grace is not tolerance- grace is unmerited favour- God moving into our lives in spite of our sin and rescuing us from this evil age. God changing us, saving us, day by day, hour by hour from our own sinful inclinations, as we come to the cross again and again seeking forgiveness, seeking the power of God to radically change our external behaviour, from the inside out.

As we preach the gospel of Christ – the gospel of powerful grace - are we able to use ourselves as an example? Are we being rescued? Or are we under Paul's curse?