Christian Ministries: October 2008

We Are Weak. Jesus Is Strong.

Matthew 16:5-23
What a contrast there is between Jesus Christ and the religious leaders of His day. Three times, we are told to ‘guard against... the Pharisees and Sadducees’(6,11-12). These men had religion without salvation. They claimed to have faith in God, yet they despised Jesus Christ, the Son of God and Saviour of sinners. We are to guard against the ‘Pharisees and Sadducees’. We are to glory in Christ, God’s Son, our Saviour. In Christ, ‘the Son of the living God’(16), we have a Saviour against whom ‘the gates of hell shall not prevail’(18). Our faith is like Peter’s - sometimes strong (16-17), often weak (22-23). Our Saviour is always strong. We ‘are weak, but He is strong’- may we never ‘outgrow’ this simple testimony, as we confess our sin and glory in our Saviour who forgives sin.
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Blessings in Christ
Christ in all the Scriptures
http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com

Hot Off The Press

When Author Eric Zehnder traveled to the Teton Mountains in Wyoming something very profound happened. He started writing quality sayings. Eric went on to write 4,000 sayings in just 40 days while in the mountains. He then went on to write 8,000 more sayings and has amassed a personal library of over 12,000 sayings. This book is a collection of wise, fun and humorous sayings. If you read a few, you will be entertained. However, if you apply the sayings in this book to everyday life situations, they will help put you on the path to living a victorious life.

Order it online at your favorite online bookstore.
ISBN 9781603831109

His Love Leads To Victory

The following post is a great example of the very victorious love of Christ.

Celebrating Christ's Love And Rejoicing In His Victory

Matthew 15:21-16:4
Above all Jesus’ miracles, we celebrate His mighty resurrection from the dead (28:5-7). This miracle is referred to in 16:4 - ‘the sign of Jonah’: Jonah was raised from ‘the belly of a huge fish’, Jesus has been raised from ‘the heart of the earth’(12:40). We are to ‘remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead’(2 Timothy 2:8). In the girl’s healing (21-28), we see the risen Lord’s great triumph over evil - evil men tried to put Him down, but He did not stay down (Acts 2: 23-24). In the feeding of the crowd (36-37), we see the risen Lord’s ongoing ministry of feeding His people. Here, we compare verses 36-37 with the Lord's Supper: (a) He took bread; (b) He gave thanks; (c) He broke it; (d) He gave it to the disciples; (e) The bread is shared with the people; (f) All are satisfied. All glory to the risen Lord !
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Blessings in Christ
Christ in all the Scriptures
http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com

We Must Pray For The Cleansing Of The Heart.

Matthew 15:1-20
The Pharisees were preoccupied with washing the hands (2), yet they missed out on the most important thing - the cleansing of the heart. They were obsessed with ‘correct’ religious ritual, yet they sent Christ to the Cross. They honoured God with their words, yet in their hearts they were far from Him (8). We must pray for the cleansing of the heart: ‘Purify my heart, Cleanse me from within And make me holy. Purify my heart, Cleanse me from my sin, Deep within’(Songs of Fellowship,475). When Jesus was buried, He was wrapped in a ‘clean linen cloth’(27:59). This was followed by His mighty resurrection. Without lapsing into hypocritical obsession with outward appearances, we make this simple comment: the ‘resurrection’ of God's work among us will come as we pray earnestly for the cleansing of our hearts.
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Blessings in Christ
Christ in all the Scriptures
http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com

Jesus’ Body Broken For Us, Jesus' Blood Shed For Us

Matthew 14:15-36
We read of the feeding of the five thousand (15-21) and the walking on water (25-33), and our thoughts go to Calvary. From the feeding with bread and fish, we move to the bread and wine, symbols of Jesus’ body broken for us and His blood shed for us (26:26-28). From the confession of faith - ‘Truly You are the Son of God’(33), we move to the Cross to hear the centurion’s words of faith; ‘Surely He was the Son of God!’(27:54). We see Jesus, the Man of prayer (23), the Healer (35-36), and we look to the Cross, where we experience the healing influence of His prayer for us; ‘Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing’(Luke 23:34). ‘Thank You for the Cross, The price you paid for us, How You gave Yourself, So completely, Precious Lord, Now our sins are gone, All forgiven, Covered by your blood, All forgotten, Thank You, Lord’(Mission Praise, 632).
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Blessings in Christ
Christ in all the Scriptures
http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com

Jesus, Our Faithful Saviour, Gave Himself In Death For Us

Matthew 14:1-14
John the Baptist was ‘arrested’ and ‘put in prison’(3). Shortly after this, he was ‘beheaded’(10). John was a faithful man. He was ‘faithful unto death’(Revelation 2:10). His death arose directly from his faithfulness to God. He died as a ‘martyr’. Following the death of John, news came to Jesus, who was to die as our Saviour. How did Jesus react to this news?- First, ‘he withdrew... privately to a solitary place (13). Then, having renewed His strength in the presence of His Father (Isaiah 40:31), He stepped out again into the sphere of public ministry. He continued on His way - the way that would lead Him to the Cross. What are we to learn from John, the faithful martyr, and Jesus, the faithful Saviour, who gave Himself in death for us? We are to be faithful to God. If suffering lies ahead of us, He will make us strong.
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Blessings in Christ
Christ in all the Scriptures
http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com

Honour Christ In Your Heart And Life.

Matthew 13:44-58
Be patient. Do not doubt the power of God’s Word. Once God’s Word has begun to exert its influence among the people, great things will happen. The beginnings may seem small. Remember: nothing is insignificant when God is in it! Some may be on the verge of the kind of joyful discovery of Christ, described in 44-46! The parable of the net (47-50) is similar to the parable of the wheat and the tares (24-30). The separation of ‘the good’ and ‘the bad’ comes ‘at the end of the age’(48-49). The Gospel is ‘old’ and ‘new’(52) - we’ve known its teaching for years, yet there are always some ‘new treasures’ for us to discover. It’s sadly possible to hear the Word of God without believing it and enjoying its blessing. Don’t let Christ be ‘a prophet without honour’(57). Honour Him in your heart and life.
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Blessings in Christ
Christ in all the Scriptures
http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com

What A Difference Even A Few Believers Can Make To A Whole Community!

Matthew 13:24-43
Jesus’ parables are so rich in spiritual content. They speak with an indirectness which is very direct! They may be parabolic in form, but they do go right to the heart of the matter in a way that is very challenging. The parable of the ‘wheat and the weeds’(24-30, with explanation given in 36-43) contrasts a real believing response to Christ with an empty profession of faith in Him. There is also something else - leave judgment to God. He knows those who are His and those who are not. The parable of the mustard seed (31-32) is a word of encouragement - Do not give up hope that the seed of God’s Word is growing, slowly and surely, in the hearts of those who do not appear to be bearing much fruit. The parable of the yeast is also encouraging - What a difference even a few believers can make to a whole community!
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Blessings in Christ
Christ in all the Scriptures
http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com

Jesus Told Stories - With A Life-Changing Message!

Matthew13:1-23
Jesus spoke in parables. He spoke of everyday things, teaching lessons concerning the Kingdom of God. He was a story-teller, and yet He was more than that. His stories had a message, a life-changing message, a message designed to lead His hearers into new life, the life of God’s Kingdom. The parable of the sower may be described more fully as the parable of ‘the sower, the seed and the soil’. Some respond to God’s Word in a shallow way. In others, there is greater depth of response. Some ‘enjoy’ the preaching without really responding, in faith, to Christ. Jesus says, ‘He who has ears, let him hear’(10). Receive God’s Word in obedient faith, and your knowledge of God will increase (12). This is the way of childlike faith and spiritual growth. Beware of proud unbelief and spiritual decline (12; 11:25)!
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Blessings in Christ
Christ in all the Scriptures
http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com

‘Blessed Are Those Who Hear The Word Of God And Keep It.’

Matthew 12:38-50
Jesus did not ‘mince His words’ with the Pharisees. He described them as ‘a wicked and adulterous generation’(39,45). They were men who, by their stubborn refusal to listen to Jesus, had placed themselves under the judgment of God. The Pharisees may have had no time for Jesus, but there were those who were eager to learn from Him. Out of ‘the crowd’(46), Jesus was calling to Himself those who were learning what it really means to be related to Him (50). Jesus directed attention away from His human connections to His divine authority. Sometimes, people make too much of the wrong things - ‘Blessed is the womb that bore you...’(Luke 11:27). They need to be reminded of the things that really matter: ‘Blessed rather are those who hear the Word of God and keep it’(Luke 11:28). As God’s children we are to do His will (50; John 14:21).
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Blessings in Christ
Christ in all the Scriptures
http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com

In Christ, We Are Victorious.

Matthew 12:22-37
Opposition from the Pharisees was growing all the time (24). Jesus had to rebuke them in very strong words (30, 32, 34, 36-37). This was not exactly a ‘How to win friends and influence people’ approach! Nevertheless, this was a time for strong words. Jesus’ ministry illustrates the principle: ‘a time to tear down and a time to build’(Ecclesiastes 3:3). There was a time for ‘whoever is not against us is for us’(Mark 9:40). This was the time for ‘he who is not with me is against me’(30). There was a time for speaking of the Spirit as ‘the Comforter’(John 14:16,26). This was the time for the warning about the ‘blasphemy against the Spirit’(31). The opposition was severe, but Jesus was victorious - He ‘drove out demons by the Spirit of God’, in Him ‘the Kingdom of God had come’(28). In Him, we are victorious (Romans 8:37; Revelation 12:11).
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Blessings in Christ
Christ in all the Scriptures
http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com

Let Us Commit Ourselves Afresh To The Service Of Christ.

Matthew 12:1-21
Much of Jesus’ ministry was carried out under the watchful eye of the Pharisees. The controversy with the Pharisees was intensifying (2, 14). The Pharisees were out to get Jesus. For all their religion, they had no time for Jesus. Still, there are the critics, those who try to undermine our faith in Christ, those who attempt to draw us away from serving Christ. We must remain resolute in our faith, believing what God says concerning His Son: ‘Here is my Servant whom I have chosen, the One I love, in whom I delight’(18; 3:17; 17:5). As we read of Jesus, the chosen Servant of God, loved by the Father and bringing delight to the Father's heart, we should give thanks for all that God has done for us in Christ (Ephesians 1: 4-6), and we should commit ourselves afresh to the service of Christ (1 Corinthians 15:58).
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Blessings in Christ
Christ in all the Scriptures
http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com

New Life In The Son - A Time For Salvation (Ecclesiastes 3:1-14)

Here's a link to a sermon I preached recently.
I hope that God will bless you through the preaching of His Word.

Make Sure That You Come To Christ For Salvation.

Matthew 11:20-30
In John 16:8-11, Jesus speaks of the work of the Holy Spirit, convicting the world of sin, righteousness and judgment. Before there can be conversion, there needs to be conviction of sin. None of us can come to the Saviour of sinners without first seeing ourselves as sinners who need the Saviour. God uses the warning of judgment to send us to the Saviour - there ‘will be...judgment’, so make sure that you ‘come’ to Christ for salvation (24,28; Luke 3:7-8; Hebrews 2:3; 3:7-15). Before there can be growth in grace, there needs to be conversion. Before we can live a righteous life, learning from Christ (29; 1 Peter 1:15-16), we must come to Christ for rest, being declared righteous by Him (28; Romans 4:5-8). In Christ, we have salvation, set free from judgment - ‘no condemnation’- and set free for righteousness - ‘living according to the Spirit’(Romans 8:1).
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Blessings in Christ
Christ in all the Scriptures
http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com

Some new posts at my “Christ in all the Scriptures” blog

Jesus Christ, The ‘Friend Of Sinners’

Matthew 11:1-19
Much is said about John the Baptist here, yet the whole purpose is to draw attention to Jesus the Saviour. Jesus is superior to John. He is the One to whom John pointed. There are two responses to Jesus. We can take offence at Him: ‘Blessed is he who takes no offence at Me’(6). We can hear what He says, receiving Him with faith: ‘He who has ears to hear, let him hear’(15). In His time, Jesus asked the question, ‘To whom shall I compare this generation?’, giving the answer, ‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge, and you did not mourn’(16-17). The promise of the Gospel is preached, yet many will not rejoice. The warning of the Gospel is preached, yet many will not repent. This is the story of our generation. May God help us to lead people of this generation to Christ, the ‘Friend of sinners’(19).

We Are To Be Like Jesus.

Matthew 10:21-42
Jesus tells us that ‘a student is not above his teacher nor a servant above his master’(24). Our Teacher is the Lord Jesus Christ. He is our Master. Jesus emphasizes that ‘it is enough for the student to be like his teacher and the servant like his master’(25). This is the goal of the Christian life - we are to be like Jesus. This will not be an easy life. There will be persecution (22; 2 Timothy 3:12). In this situation - going the way of the Cross with Jesus (38) - we need to hear and heed the Word of the Lord: Do not fear man. Fear God (28). The fear of men is to be avoided. The fear of God is to be treasured greatly. There will be conflict with those who do not honour God (34-37). We must remember: pleasing God is more important than pleasing people. Our prayer is that our hearers will receive Christ as well as ourselves (40).

Life In The Power Of The Spirit, Life In Accordance With The Scriptures

Matthew 10:1-20
Jesus gave authority to His disciples (1). He gives authority to us. It is the authority of the Word and the Spirit - ‘you will be given what to say’ by ‘the Spirit of your Father speaking through you’(20). Christ’s disciples were being trained for a great work to be done in the Name and the Power of the Lord (28: 18-20). If we are to communicate the Word in the power of the Spirit, we need to see our life as life in the Spirit and life under the Word. Scripture calls us to ‘be filled with the Spirit’(Ephesians 5:18) and to ‘let the Word of Christ dwell in us richly’(Colossians 3:16). To be filled with the Spirit is to let the Word of Christ dwell in us richly. To let the Word of Christ dwell in us richly is to be filled with the Spirit. We are to live in the power of the Spirit. We are to live in accordance with the Scriptures.
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Blessings in Christ
Christ in all the Scriptures
http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com

‘The Spirit Of The Lord Is Upon Me ... To Preach The Gospel.’

Matthew 9:18-38
In Jesus’ miracles, we see Him triumph over sin, death and hell. As well as healing, there is forgiveness (9:5-6), the raising of the dead (18,24-25) and the casting out of demons (33). The Pharisees (Jewish religious leaders) did not like what was happening, and they came up with their own explanation - ‘He casts out demons by the prince of demons’(34). Jesus gives us another, better, explanation: ‘The Spirit of the Lord is upon me...’(Luke 4:18-19). Jesus was sent to preach the Gospel. We are to bring the Gospel to other people. Jesus was 'teaching... preaching... and healing' (35). What opportunities there are to bring the healing power of Christ into many hearts and homes! These opportunities will be missed if ‘the labourers’ remain ‘few’(37). Many are ‘harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd’(v.36). We must not fail them!
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Blessings in Christ
Christ in all the Scriptures
http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com

‘He Drew Me And I Followed On, Charmed To Confess The Voice Divine.’

Matthew 8:23-9:17
In 8:23-9:8, we read of three great miracles, in which Christ demonstrates His power over nature (23), demons (28-34) and sickness (1-8). Following such mighty works of power, the next verse seems so ordinary - Jesus said, ‘Follow me’. Matthew ‘rose and followed Him’(9). Matthew’s conversion may seem so unspectacular, but it is no less a mighty work of God than the great miracles which preceded it. Where does the desire to follow Christ come from? Does it come from our own sinful hearts? No! It comes from the Word of Christ, spoken in power and love - ‘He drew me and I followed on, charmed to confess the Voice Divine’(Mission Praise, 499). In the human heart there is resistance - we say, ‘I am “righteous”. “I have no need”of a Saviour’(12-13). This resistance is broken down by Christ when ‘new wine is put into fresh wineskins’(17).
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Blessings in Christ
Christ in all the Scriptures
http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com

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