Ethiopian Eunuch, God raised Jesus from the dead, Isaiah 53, Jesus was a Jew, Messannic kingdom, Nathanael, Philip, Qumran Scrolls, resurrection, Suffering Servant, two Messiahs

The Messiah’s Secret – Isaiah 53

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The Messiah’s Secret – Isaiah 53                                                                                   
“David foresaw and spoke of the resurrection of the Christ, that he was not abandoned to Hades, nor did his flesh see corruption. This Jesus, God raised up, and of that we all are witnesses.” Acts 2: 31, 32.                                                                                            
Isaiah 53: 1-12. Luke 24: 13-47
Since the book of Isaiah was written, the ‘Suffering Servant’ in chapter 53 has led many to interpret its meaning to there being two Messiahs. Evidence was found in Qumran Scrolls.

 Qumran Scrolls 
Between 1947 – 1956 972 scrolls were found in caves in Qumran by the Dead Sea. They have since been radiocarbon dated it estimated that they were written between 385BC and  82 AD.  Several of the fragments of parchment reveal that the Essene, a religious sect of Judaism wrote of their belief in two Messiahs. One from the tribe of Aaron and the other of Judah, priest and king. This view is disputed among leading Theologians today.

“Many scholars believe that the Essenes were connected with the rise of the Pharisees in the centuries before the birth of Jesus.” John Drane ‘Introducing the Old Testament.”

The Essenes view at that time was not held by the majority of Jewish teachers at Jerusalem, they held the traditional belief of the Messiah who would be a descendant of King David. 

Formulation of the Jewish Talmud.
In the second century AD,  during the formulation of the Jewish Talmud Jewish rabbis studied the messianic prophesies in the Hebrew Scriptures, especially Isaiah 53 and they concluded that there were two Messiahs. Arnold Fruchtenbaum “Jesus was a Jew” page 24.

The First Messiah.
Isaiah had depicted a man as the ‘suffering servant,’ the rabbis named him ‘the son of the  Joseph,’ he would undergo a great deal of suffering that would end in death. This servant would suffer and die for the sins of others. The passage goes on to indicate that this servant would be resurrected.

The Second Messiah.
The rabbis believed that the second Messiah would raise the first Messiah back to life, he would come as a conquering king who would destroy the enemies of Israel and set up the messianic kingdom of peace and prosperity.  Arnold Fruchtenbaum “Jesus was a Jew” page 24.

Arnold Fruchtenbaum  writes: “An ancient eleventh century Jewish writing by (Rabbi Shlomoh Yizchaki, better known as Rishi.  Rabbi Rishi put forward his theory of two Messiah’s from Isaiah 53.” He uses the suffering servant as an allegory, the first Messiah son of Joseph, and the second Messiah king David’s descendant both representing the people of Israel in their suffering in a Gentile world.

Arnold Fruchtenbaum’s own view.
Arnold Fruchtenbaum suggests: “But to make the passage in Isaiah speak of a collective body of Israel seems to force the interpretation. The passage taken by itself seems to have only one individual in mind.” In his book he refers us to the passage and points out where the words clearly speak of an individual and where they speak collectively. Isaiah includes himself with the collective body of Israel.

Summary of Isaiah 53: 1-12.
 I. The Jewish people confess they do not recognize the Servant in his person and calling.

2. The people noted that there was nothing special about him. His childhood was no different from any other child. His personality and his outward appearance did not make him stand out from others.

3 The prophet would suggest that he was not charismatic, he did not attract people to him, but instead he was despised and rejected by men in general. He was sorrowful and grieved for the loss of people’s hearts towards God. 

4. The people confess that at the time of his suffering, they considered his suffering to be the punishment of God for his own sins. 
Now, however, they acknowledge that the Servant’s suffering was on behalf of others. The Servant was afflicted, taking the punishment would be laid upon him.

 5. The people will understand the Servants suffering more deeply, through his suffering he will heal their sicknesses and diseases, “By his stripes we are healed.”                                                                                                                                                
6. Only God could bring about reconciliation through a substitute being made for sins.The people confess that they had gone astray; they each had gone their own way.                         
7. The prophet appears to be speaking as he describes the suffering that leads to the Servants death. The Servant submits to all the hostility against him.

8.The sentence of death was from a judicial court of law, although he was innocent of all the charges made against him, he did not deserve death. The Servant was executed as a criminal.

9. The Servant was buried not as a criminal, but his burial was in a rich man’s tomb.

10. It is hard for us to understand how God allowed his precious Son to die for the sins of mankind. His death brings about forgiveness and reconciliation with God. He prolongs the Servants days as God would raise him from the dead.


11. God accepts the offering of his Servants sacrifice of his life laid down. The Servant will justify many through faith in him.


12.The Servant greatly blessed by God having brought to fruition the redeeming plan of God for all creation. Through his love for God his Father and for us his children, he was mocked, ridiculed and despised.

Matthew in his Gospel identifies Jesus’ healing ministry  with Isaiah’s ‘Suffering Servant’ “This was to fulfil what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah, “He took our infirmities and bore our diseases.” 
Christians believe that Jesus fulfilled these scriptures in Isaiah 53 in his suffering and death becoming our substitute for our sins against God, followed by his resurrection.  Through faith in Jesus we are redeemed, set free from sin and raised with him in newness of life that is eternal.  We enter into a relationship with Jesus in receiving the Holy Spirit. 

A more recent Jewish view.
Even today Rishi’s view of the Suffering Servant being the people of Israel is held by the rabbi of the Menorah Synagogue in Manchester England, but he also stated that the Messiah was the land of Israel.
Shoah Seminar – May 5th 2000 held at the Menorah Synagogue, Manchester. ( Notes taken at the seminar)
Twelve years ago I was invited to attend the Shoah Seminar at Menorah Synagogue in Manchester England. This day was in preparation for the first Holocaust Memorial Day in our area that took place on 27th January 2001.
The Rabbi of Menorah Synagogue when he spoke on the Holocaust, Holocaust meaning ‘burnt sacrifice.’ He referred to the Jews that had been taken by the Nazis to the concentration camps fulfilled Isaiah’s prophecy in chapter 53 ‘the suffering servant’. The people of the Holocaust were the burnt offerings for the atonement for their nation’s sin against God. Also the rabbi stated that God established the new covenant when the state of Israel came into being after the Second World War, and that the land of Israel, was their Messiah.

Whilst I respect Rabbi’s interpretation of his own Jewish scriptures, and I feel great sorrow for their suffering in the camps during the second world war, as a Christian through the churches study of the Hebrew Scriptures, I see the fulfilment of Isaiah’s prophecy of the ‘Suffering Servant’ in Jesus, his suffering and subsequent death. Jesus being the sin bearer for the people of Israel and all humanity.

King David prophesied that the Messiah’s body would not be burnt by fire. Jesus’ body was not consumed by fire, nor was he corrupted by sin.  
“David foresaw and spoke of the resurrection of the Christ, that he was not abandoned to Hades, nor did his flesh see corruption. This Jesus, God raised up, and of that we all are witnesses.” Acts 2: 31, 32. Psalm 16: 10. 49: 9.  
In Jesus’ bodily resurrection he did a complete work of redemption. Not only redeeming the believing Jewish people, but all those who have faith in him. The Messiah, the descendant of King David establishing his kingdom in the hearts of people. (Jesus will return and conquer the Antichrist)  

Philip called Jesus son of Joseph
At the early stage of Jesus’ ministry he had spoken nothing concerning his suffering and death. John the disciple records the conversation between Philip and Nathanael. Philip found Nathanael, and said to him, “We have found him of whom Moses in the law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.” John 1: 45. 
                                                                          
The all knowing Lord our God put in place through this conversation between the disciples, the true interpretation of Isaiah 53, in that any later reference to the son of Joseph, would point to being fulfilled in Jesus. The fulfilment of the one Messiah in Jesus’ suffering and death and resurrection were God himself raised Jesus from the dead.
Yet to be fulfilled the prophecy of Jesus being the governor of Israel. Matthew 2: 6. Micah 5: 2.                                                                   
The Early Church.
The majority of the Jews in the gospels were looking for the coming of the descendant of King David. Luke 1: 31-33.
They were expecting the Messiah the Son of David the deliverer of Israel.  In our reading on the road to Emmaus, Cleopas and the other disciple in conversation with the stranger said, “But we had hoped that he was the one who would redeem Israel.” They believed that Jesus was the Messiah, the descendant of King David. 
When they arrived at the village they invited the stranger to stay with them and he did so.  When they sat down for the evening meal, he broke and blessed the bread and gave it to them. At that moment these two disciples recognized Jesus, the stranger was Jesus and then in a moment he was gone, no longer sat at the table with them. 
Take hold of the promise in Revelation 2: 20 “Behold I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.” It speaks of having fellowship with Jesus, like the disciples invited Jesus to stay with them at the village. Jesus would have you invite him into your life, as he knocks gently on the door of your heart.                                                                                                                                 
Under Law.
We also understand that the people at the time of Jesus had been taught that when the Messiah comes he would remain forever. John 12: 34. 
It had been part of God’s plan to keep the chief priests and rulers from understanding the scriptures that related to the one Messiah’s suffering, death and resurrection, also including his disciples.
When these two disciples returned to Jerusalem to the house where the disciples and followers were staying soon afterwards Jesus appeared in the room where they were gathered. The resurrected Jesus, whom God had raised from the dead, revealed himself to them and breathed on to them the Holy Spirit and also he had opened up their minds to understand the scriptures concerning his suffering and resurrection. Luke 24:21, 44-47.
The bringing in of the messianic kingdom would have followed soon after Jesus’ ascension. Acts 3: 17-end. 

The Messiah’s Secret. 
It was a call to the nation, but the chief priest Caiaphas and many of the council rejected Jesus as the Messiah at and after Pentecost that was when the disciples proclaimed the prophesies concerning the suffering death and resurrection had been fulfilled by Jesus. 

After the dispersion of the Christian community at Jerusalem Philip went to the city of Samaria and proclaimed that Jesus was the Christ (Greek for Messiah) He was later directed by an angel to go towards the south on the desert road that went down from Jerusalem to Gaza. He responded and as he walked along the road a chariot came by. In the chariot was an Ethiopian man, who he recognised as being a minister of the Ethiopian Queens’s treasury. He had been to Jerusalem to worship there and was returning home.
Philip led by the Holy Spirit went alongside the chariot and as he did so he heard the man reading from the prophet Isaiah, Philip asked him if he understood what he was reading. The man replied that he needed someone to guide him in the understanding of the scripture; he invited Philip to join him in his chariot. The passage that he was reading was this: “As a sheep is led to the slaughter or a lamb before its shearer is dumb, so he opens not his mouth. In his humiliation justice was denied him. Who can describe this generation? For his life is taken up from the earth.” Isaiah 53: 7,8.
The man asked Philip,”About whom, pray, does the prophet say this, about himself or about someone else?” Philip than began to tell him the good news about Jesus and in response to hearing about Jesus the man was baptised and he went on his way rejoicing. Philip was caught up by the Spirit and was found at Azotus and from there he went to Caesarea, preached the good news about Jesus along the way. Acts 8: 26-40

”The man asked Philip, “About whom, pray, does the prophet say this, about himself or about someone else?”                                                                                                                      
The Ethiopian man thought that the scriptures were referring to the one Messiah. After hearing from Philip that this scripture had been fulfilled in Jesus, he discovered it was true, Jesus.the suffering servant resurrected by God from the dead, the redeemer of Israel and of all those who believe in his name, he gave power to become the children of God.
(Link with earlier blog “A Kept Secret”)                                                                                                                             
Anointing, Bethany, Mary, Psalm 23, rest and peace in the midst of strife, resurrection morning, she has done a beautiful thing, spikenard, trial

The Messiah’s Secret – Mary Anointed Jesus

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The Messiah’s Secret – Mary  anointed  Jesus

Matthew 26: 6-13. Mark 14: 3-9. John 12: 1-8.

During Lent we focus on the events in Jesus’ life that took place at Jerusalem leading up to the time of the Jewish Passover 2,000 years ago.

Setting the scene.
I have brought together the three accounts in the Gospels: Matthew 26: 6-13. Mark 14: 3-9. John 12: 1-9. Each account gives some details of the occasion: agreeing on the value of the ointment, Jesus words varied slightly in response to the murmurings of the disciples and Jesus points to the anointing for his burial.
There where a number of people present at Bethany; Jesus and his disciples, Mary, Martha and Lazarus. They came together to share a meal. John in his account in verse two wrote, “They made him a supper,” Jesus was their special guest.                                                                                                                                        
Visual Aid  
I set out a table at the front of church with lots of fruit: apple, orange, lime, lemon, mango, grapes, sweet potato, almonds, figs and spikenard oil. This visual aid was to help us to imagine the scene at Bethany where fifteen or sixteen people were celebrating Lazarus being raised from the dead.
The joy and excitement would have been apparent as they reclined chatting around the table.


We are not told how Mary felt earlier when Jesus restored her brother’s life, but here’s an indication. In a surging wave of gratitude, all her deeply felt but hard to express emotions rose to the surface.There amongst her friends she felt able to express her love and thankfulness, as she knelt down and used her hair to apply the ointment, the perfume’s heavy fragrance would have filled the room.
In Matthew and Mark’s accounts Mary anointed Jesus’ head and feet with the nard. Whereas John only mentions Mary anointing his feet. 
                                                                                                                                                           


‘Ungers Bible Dictionary’ I am informed that it was not unusual for a special guest to be anointed with perfumed oil as a gesture of good will. The nard that Mary used was probably imported from India to Egypt, that is why it was so expensive.

After Mary anointed Jesus, the atmosphere in the room must have changed.

Wasting all that money on a gesture. 
All three gospel accounts testify that this anointing was not well received by the disciples. The disciples were indignant and reproached Mary. Some are recorded as saying, ”Why this waste? “Why was the ointment thus wasted?” John gave us more detail Judas Iscariot said, “Why was this ointment not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor.?” In Mark’s account he mentions the cost of the ointment as being three hundred denarii, but he does not tell us who said it. It is the same amount, indicating the same incident. 

Jesus said that Mary had done something beautiful to him. Jesus response “But Jesus said, “Let her alone; why do you trouble her? She has done a beautiful thing to me.” Mark 14: 6.
When we witness our faith acknowledging our belief in Jesus to a group of people, among those hearing some may be filled with indignation and reproach towards us. However, we have the assurance that we have done something beautiful for Jesus. 
In doing something for our Christian friend because Christ is in them, we have done something beautiful for Jesus.                                                                    
“Let her alone, let her keep it for the day of my burial. The poor you shall always have with you, but you will not always have me.”John 12:7.
Jesus was drawing his disciples attention to his death, he would not always be there with them.                                                                      

I put these two points forward for your consideration.
Jesus was drawing his disciples attention to his death, he would not always be there with them. Secondly he was also fulfilling the Psalmist prophecy, “Thou hast preparest a table before me in the presence of my enemies; thou anointest my head with oil, my cup overflows.” Psalm 23: 5. 
The roast leg of lamb is placed on the table with the fruit.


First Point
Jesus the ‘Lamb of God’ the sacrificial Passover lamb.
The disciples were told by Jesus that he would be killed, but he never told them when it would be, at least not until two days before the Passover.

The Passover Lamb.
The night before the Israelites left Egypt, God instructed Moses that each household should select the best yearling male lamb from amongst their flocks and in the evening kill it and take some of its blood and brush it onto the doorposts and lintels of every Jewish home so that when that night the angel of death saw the blood he would pass over that house and where there was no blood the first born son and animal would die and judgement executed on the gods of Egypt. Exodus 12: 1-13 

Jesus the Lamb of God sets us free from the slavery of sin.
John the Baptist said concerning Jesus, “Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.” John 1: 29.                                                             
Jesus the lamb sacrificed for the sins of the whole world.
When God sees the blood of Jesus on the doorposts and lintels of our heart, we have passed over from death to life. Through faith in what Jesus has done for us on the cross, his blood atoning for our sins against God, we receive eternal life in Christ, passing over death to life. 

Short prayer: Lord I pray that you would help me to understand the cross and its meaning, I come to you believing that Jesus has taken my sin upon himself and his blood has washed me clean. I receive your forgiveness and pray for your love to fill my heart. In Jesus’ name Amen. 

Second Point.
 He was also fulfilling the Psalmist prophecy, “Thou hast preparest a table before me in the presence of my enemies; thou anointest my head with oil, my cup overflows.” Psalm 23: 5                                                                                                                                                     
The table the unleavened bread is now placed on the table. 
The unleavened bread – bread without yeast/leaven in it. In the Hewbrew Scriptures leaven also means sin.

The Feast of Unleavened Bread.
This feast originated when the Israelites who were in such a great rush leaving Egypt that they had not time to put the yeast into the dough, as a result it was unleavened bread, in scriptural terms bread without sin in it. (see blog Law and Grace)  On the first day of the feast every Jewish home removed all traces of any old bread, bread with the leaven/sin in it.

On this day at the temple the lambs were sacrificed in the temple in readiness for the Passover meal the day after. Jesus the Lamb of God was crucified on the the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread at the same time as the Passover Lambs were slain. Mark 14: 12                                                                                                                                                                              
Jesus was born sinless, his life’s blood was free from inherited sin, as his blood originated from God at his conception.
Jesus was the bread that came from heaven, not like the bread, the manna that God gave them in the wilderness that fed their physical body. Jesus’ bread feeds the soul. Jesus referred to his words as being ‘the bread of life’. “ It is the Spirit that gives life, the flesh is of no avail; the words that I have spoken to you are Spirit and life.” John 6: 35, 63.                                                                                                                            
Verse 5. “Thou prepares a table before me in the presence of my enemies; thou anointest my head with oil, my cup overflows.” 
Among his friends reclined around the table was one who would betray him.
Jesus knew what was in his disciples hearts: the murmurings of self will, the indignation of the disciples when Mary anointed Jesus. He also knew that one of them would betray him.
John named Judas Iscariot  as the one who said, ” Why was this ointment not sold for three hundred denirii.” John also enlightened his readers to the fact that Judas stole from his friends. Judas did not hesitate in selling his loyalty to Jesus for money.

Soon afterwards in the upper room the towel and basin where there, but no one amongst them offered to do the menial task of washing their feet.
Earlier Jesus was at the centre of turmoil when Jews heard him say that he was the bread from heaven. “The Jews murmured because he said, “I am the bread which came down from heaven.” John 6: 41.
Jesus feared no evil for the God his Father was with him. His Father’s works and words were a rod and a staff to him. “Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees his Father doing; for whatever he does, that the Son does likewise.”

 “Now they know that everything that thou hast given me is from thee; for I have given them the words which thou gavest me, and they have received them and know in truth that I came from thee; and they have believed that thou didst send me.”   

Jesus guarded his disciples from the evil one, except for Judas Iscariot who he describes as ‘lost’ that the scripture might be fulfilled. John 5: 19. 17: 7, 8. 12.

Jesus would soon fulfil the prophesies concerning the Messiah as he walked through the valley of the shadow of death bearing his cross, in front of his enemies.
The news of his arrest and trial would have taken people by surprise. It all happened so quickly, Jesus was arrested in the evening he was taken to Caiaphas’ house where a trial took place before the council. In the morning they brought him before Pilate.
“For I tell you that this scripture must be fulfilled in me, ‘And he was reckoned with the transgressors’; for what is written about me has its fulfilment.” Luke 22: 37.                                                

Verse 5. “Thou prepares a table before me in the presence of my enemies; thou anointest my head with oil, my cup overflows.” 
The Anointing.
Jesus’ response to his disciples remarks expressed something wonderful. Jesus said that Mary had done a beautiful thing that pointed to his death and burial.

Mary of Bethany had anointed Jesus, just before he was to fulfil the plan of God in the work of redemption that God had called him to do. God the Father chose Mary to anoint his precious Son by doing so fulfilled  the Psalmist’s prophecy. What a great privilege given to a lady who had shown such thankfulness for her brothers resurrection from the dead.

Verse 5. “Thou prepares a table before me in the presence of my enemies; thou anointest my head with oil, my cup overflows.”

A Cup that overflows – suffering. 
At his trial at Caiaphas’s house Jesus was accused of blasphemy: he was asked by the high priest Caiaphas, “Tell us if you are the Christ the Son of God.” Jesus’ response, ‘You have said so. But I tell you, hereafter you will see the Son of man seated at the right hand of Power, and coming on the clouds of heaven.” The high priest tore his clothes and said, ”He has uttered blasphemy.” The council concluded in pronouncing, “He deserves death.”  Matthew 26: 63-66.

In their ignorance they fulfilled many prophesies including Caiaphas’ prophecy that one man should perish so that the nation would be saved. God’s saving grace was proclaimed by the disciples at Pentecost by the disciples.

Jesus spoke of his return.
Jesus repeated to the leaders at his trial what he had said earlier to the Jews, that some would see the coming in of the kingdom of God.  Jesus would come in the glory of his Father with the holy angels and there would be some standing there who would not taste death before they saw the kingdom of God come with power. Mark 8: 38. 9: 1(See blog ‘What is the Messiah’s Secret’)                                                                                                                                                                                                          
The Cup that overflows – peace and joy.
The anointing enabled Jesus to find the still waters of rest and peace. His resting I feel was in his obedience, he sought not his own will, only to do his Father’s will to be crucified and die.

The peace and the joy in fulfilling his Father’s will was expressed in those words to Mary when she anointed him, “She has done a beautiful thing to me.” 
We see no beauty in suffering or dying in pain. I think Jesus saw things differently because he had the mind of God, he rejoiced in his suffering. For Jesus it was a joy to save us from our sins.
As we walk in the way of the cross, may find it none other than the way of life, rest, peace and joy.                                    
                           Psalm 23  

 “The Lord is my Shepherd. I shall not want; 
he makes me lie down in green pastures, 
he leads me beside still water; He restores my soul. 

He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
 I fear no evil; for thou art with me;
 thy rod and staff, they comfort me. 

Thou prepares a table before me in the presence of my enemies; 
thou anointest my head with oil, my cup overflows.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; 
and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.”   
Revised Standard Version of the Bible

Jesus suggested that they should save the rest of the spikenard ointment for his burial.
“Let her alone, let her keep it for the day of my burial. The poor you shall always have with you, but you will not always have me.”John 12:7.
It is possible that Mary of Bethany was one of the ladies who in Luke’s account of the morning of the day of Jesus’ resurrection took the ointment to the tomb and found that Jesus was not there, he was risen, risen indeed..

                                                                                                                                              

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The Messiah’s Secret – Faith, Fasting and Prayer

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The Messiah’s Secret – Faith,  Fasting  and  Prayer 

Romans 10: 8-13. Luke 4: 1-13                                                  
Verses three and four of Romans chapter ten shows us that righteousness and faith are closely linked.
“For being ignorant of the righteousness that comes from God, and seeking to establish their own, they do not submit to God’s righteousness, For Christ is the end of the law, that every one who has faith may be justified (declared not guilty).”

The righteousness in relation to faith is explained to us when we read about Abraham’s faith. Abraham and Sarah were old and childless; God promised Abraham and Sarah they would have a son. Abraham believed God and his faith was counted as righteousness, Genesis 15: 5,6. 



 Visual Aid    A daffodil in bloom in a pot. One bulb, a flower pot and soil 
                     
                     
                                                         


The bulb, which represents the righteousness of God, it is then placed in a flower pot and covered with soil.

                                                                                                                                                       

The green leaves and stem represent faith.
The rain falls into the soil, the roots of the bulb takes nutriments from the soil and from the goodness coming from the bulb green shoots begin to appear. Followed by the stem and leaves. 
“Now faith is being sure of what we do not see” Hebrews 2: 1.







Salvation represented here by the flower of a daffodil.
Faith and righteousness working together produce by grace something beautiful, the flower of Salvation.                                     

The righteousness of God is constant. Matthew 5: 45. Whereas, our human righteousness or goodness is impure it’s not constant, which the Bible calls self righteousness. 

Jesus has made it possible for us to receive God’s righteousness through faith in what Jesus has done for us on the cross.
 “For, “every one who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”             
All who come to Jesus in repentance having recognised that unrighteousness separates us from God and that a penalty for sin must be paid for? Neither Jew nor Gentile can by our own effort pay the price or penalty for sin.
The Member of Parliament who asked his wife to take his penalty points on her driving license for his speeding offence. He found out this is not allowed under the law, he has to pay the penalty for it.
Unlike Jesus who by God’s grace which is undeserved giving from God, takes our wrongdoing upon himself, becoming our substitute for sin and so paid the penalty for us, by laying down his life and dying on the cross.
After repentance, forgiveness is realised and thereby we receive the righteousness of God in our being, we are saved. Jesus is our Saviour, we can’t save ourselves.
Romans 10: 8-13. 
Anyone reading this blogg who feels moved by the Spirit of the Lord to ask for forgiveness, please don’t delay, the Lord Jesus loves you and wants you to know his redeeming love.  

When we come to faith, we begin a journey of faith and witness.
Jesus’ journey began by spending 40 days in the wilderness, where he fasted and prayed.
Biblical fast means – “To pour out your heart like water, before the presence of the Lord.” Lamentations 2: 19.
Having a deep sorrow for sin, a person humbles themselves in repentance before the Lord. 

Isaiah gives guidance on fasting: “Is this the fast that I choose: to lose the bands of wickedness, to undo the throngs of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke? Is it not to share your bread with the hungry, and bring the homeless poor into your house; when you see the naked cover him, and not to hide yourself from your own flesh? 
Isaiah 58: 6, 7

.Isaiah’s words remind us of Jesus’ ministry which he read out at the Synagogue at Nazareth.
 ”The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed.” Luke 4: 18. 
Jesus’ fasting and prayer prepared him for his ministry.

After the forty days were ended (not during his fast) we read Jesus was tempted by the devil. At this point Jesus was at his most venerable, physically weakened by fasting for that length of time. The devil took the opportunity to attack his motivation he tried to disqualify Jesus’ ministry through his humanity.

  A summary of the three temptations.
First the devil tempted him to turn a stone into bread. This was to tempt Jesus in order to satisfy his physical hunger.

Secondly he was tempted to satisfy human ambition to become the ruler of the world.

Thirdly he was tempted to take his own life. This would have disqualified the plan of God which was to redeem us through Jesus’ death on the cross.

Jesus withstood the devils temptations through the righteousness of God dwelling within him.

“Jesus is able to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.” Hebrews 4:15.

Jesus was not deceived; he came to release us from the bondage of the devil, sin, death and hell.                                       “Since the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same nature, that through death he might destroy him who has power over death that is the devil.” Hebrews 2: 14   

“Because he himself suffered and been tempted, he is able to help those who are tempted.”
Hebrews 2: 18.
When we are tempted and need help to resist, the Lord understands and he will be strength to us, as we feed on the words of scripture.

Preacher D L Moody describes temptations as being like weeds, we need to uproot the weed, before it develops into a plant.

Lent.
Through the centuries Jesus has given his followers his ministry. Were Jesus calls us to fast and pray; The church encourage us to fast and pray during the season of Lent Pointing to the scripture “When the bridegroom is taken from them, then they shall fast.”  Matthew 9:15.

Two types of fasting.

One – To deny ourselves a particular food that we enjoy.

Two – During the day, fasting by missing a meal or fasting for a whole day or more going without food, remember always to drink plenty of fluids.

Whether we fast or if we are not able to fast for health reasons etc Keeping in mind the words in Isaiah 58 for our payers to focus on the needs and concerns of others.

Fasting and Prayer with a Promise.. 
Isaiah reveals in the same chapter of how the Lord feels when we are prepared to fast and pray for the needs of his church and world.
 “Then shall your light break forth like the dawn, and your healing shall spring up speedily; your righteousness shall go before you, and the glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard. Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer; you shall cry, and he will say, here I am.” Isaiah 58:8, 9.

This is a wonderful promise from the Lord as he watches over us, and he delights to answers our prayesr.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     
Forgiveness and healing of the nations., Gossip the Gospel, Holocaust, Jesus was a Jew, tell the story about Jesus

The Messiah’s Secret – What is the Messiah’s Secret

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What  is  the  Messiah’s  Secret? 

A word was given to me in 1996 “The disciples were setting up the Kingdom of God at the beginning of Acts.’  What made this word stand out, moments before I was gently rocked in my chair from side to side, the chair did not move, the word then came into my mind. Two weeks later I received another word, I awoke with the word, ” Jesus could only be received as the Messiah after his death, resurrection and ascension.” 
The two words came together, the disciples were setting up the Kingdom of God in anticipation of Jesus’ return soon after Pentecost.  

This word opened my understanding. 
What this word revealed I could not find in any of the books or concordances. The Holy Spirit opened up the Gospels, I wrote everything down under headings which formed the book. I had been taught like many others that the time for the Jews to receive Jesus as their Messiah was before his death on the cross and that Jesus was rejected by the nations leaders and handed over to the Romans and as a result he was crucified. Were you taught the same?

The Messiah’s Secret Revealed
The time for the Jewish nation to receive Jesus as their Messiah was at and after Pentecost This understanding has been hidden, lost for centuries and as a result the Jewish people have suffered.
In November 2009 I went to listen to Singer Helen Shapiro she sang and also told us her life story. Helen is of Jewish decent born in London in 1946. At the age of six she went to a state school. She told us of how she remembered a child coming up to her in the playground and saying, ‘You killed Jesus.’ She was devastated and never forgot those hurtful words. In the late 1980’s she discovered Jesus as her Saviour and the promised Messiah to the Jewish people.   

Arnold G Fruchtenbaum also confirms that this teaching was widely taught and as a result the Jewish people have suffered.
Arnold G Fruchtenbaum’s Book “Jesus was a Jew” page 92 First Published 1981
“Israel’s objection to the Messiahship of Jesus is not so much an objection against Jesus himself as it is against the way his name has been used throughout Jewish history. For have not Christians persecuted and killed Jews for centuries? Has not the cross been a symbol of death to the Jews? Has not the church issued discriminatory laws against the Jews? Has not the name of Jesus been used to scorch Jewish homes and bodies? Has not in baptism been used in forced conversions to Christianity and as an excuse to separate Jewish children from their families? All of this is true and so is a lot more. It may be questioned whether those who perpetrated these atrocities were really Christians, but they certainly called themselves that.”                        

The Message of Salvation to all Nations 
On the evening of the day of Jesus’ resurrection, Jesus opened the minds of his disciples to understand the prophesies concerning his death and resurrection.
“Then Jesus said to them, “These are my words which I spoke to you, while I was with you, that everything written about me in the Law of Moses and the prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.” Then he opened their minds to understand the scriptures, and said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Christ (Messiah) should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, and that repentance and forgiveness of sins should be preached in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem.” Luke 24: 44-47.

The disciples proclaimed for the first time at Pentecost that Jesus was the Messiah. The prophesies prove that it was in the plan of God that the Messiah had to suffer and die in order to be the final sacrifice for sins against God. God resurrected Jesus from the dead and in doing so fulfilled his plan of salvation for human beings and all creation.
(Linked with earlier blog “A Kept Secret.)

The Disciples were setting up the kingdom in anticipation of Jesus Return.
At the beginning of the Acts of the apostles Luke recorded that there were 120 people present in the upper room, this was the number required to form a town according to the rules of the Mishna, one tenth being the officers. Matthias took Judas’ place to make up the number to twelve, one tenth. (Peake’s Commentary on the Bible.) Before the Mishna came into being the oral law was in force that was passed on down the generations.
It’s no coincidence that the number gathered in the house were the exact number required to set up a community. The problem of being one short to make up the required number of officers was prophesied in the Psalm quoted by Peter. Acts 1: 20. Psalm 109: 8
Thousands of people became part of the community of believers after the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. 

Watching for Jesus’ Return.
Jesus hoped to return within the lifetime of the Apostles, but he also knew that it would be God the Father who would send him at his appointed time. Acts 1:7. Mark 13: 32.
“But of that day or that hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Take heed, watch; for you do not know when the time will come. It is like a man going on a journey, when he leaves home and puts his servants in charge, each with his work, and commands the doorkeeper to be on the watch. Watch therefore you do not know when the master of the house will come, in the evening or at midnight, or at cockcrow, or in the morning- lest he comes suddenly and finds you asleep. And what I say to you I say to you all: Watch.” Mark 13 : 32-37.

These verses speak for themselves in telling us that Jesus definitely was going to return, but at the Father’s appointed time. Jesus left his disciples in charge of his business of putting in place the things that he taught them for forty days before his ascension concerning the kingdom of God.

Below are some important texts that confirm Jesus would have returned soon after Pentecost.

“For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of man also be ashamed, when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels. And he said to them, “Truly, I say to you, there are some standing here that will not taste death before they see that the kingdom of God has come with power.” Mark 8: 38. 9: 1.                                                
                                                                                                                                               
 “The saying went abroad among the brethren that this disciple (John the Apostle) was not to die; yet Jesus did not say to him that he was not to die, but, “If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you.” John 21: 22, 23.

“And now, brethren, I know that you acted in ignorance, as did also your rulers. But what God foretold by the mouth of all the prophets, that the Christ should suffer, he thus fulfilled. Repent therefore, and turn again, that your sins may be blotted out, that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that he may send the Christ appointed for you, Jesus, whom heaven must receive until the time for establishing all that God spoke by his holy prophets from of old.” Acts 3: 17 21.

The times of refreshing, the eternal throne and kingdom of King David being established by the Messiah. 2 Samuel 7: 13, 16.

God had given a prophecy to the leading figure on the Jewish Council
High priest Caiaphas and the Pharisees brought the council together. They discussed the influence that Jesus had, “What are we to do? For this man performs many signs. If we let him go on thus, everyone will believe in him, and the Romans will come and destroy both our holy place and our nation.” Caiaphas said to them, “You know nothing at all; you do not understand that it is expedient that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation should not perish.”
John the Apostle said, “He did not say this of his own accord, but being high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus should die for the nation, and not for the nation only, but to gather into one the children of God who are scattered abroad. So from that day on they took council how they might destroy him.” John 11: 47-53                               

Confusion in the Teaching coming from the Chief Priests, Scribes, Lawyers, Rabbis, and Pharisees
God had spoken directly to high priest Caiaphas the main leader of the ruling council of the Jews and Caiaphas believed that the prophecy was pointing to Jesus; he was the one man who should die for the people. But he did not believe that the Messiah would come and die. The people had been taught from the law that when the Messiah comes he will remain for ever. John 12: 34 

Whilst Jesus was dying on the cross the chief priests and scribes mocked him saying, “He saved others but he can not save himself. Let the Christ, the King of Israel, come down now from the cross, that we may see and believe.” Mark 15: 31, 32.

When Caiaphas and the Pharisees heard that Jesus had been raised from the dead surely they should have realised that God had given them a word of prophecy concerning the Messiah, in order to bring the nation to acknowledge Jesus as their Christ. Also when they heard the well known prophesies of King David that the Apostles declared in association with Jesus’ death and resurrection and the prophecy of Joel being fulfilled in the last days I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh and whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved. Acts 2: 17, 21.Sadly Sadducee Caiaphas did not believe in the resurrection from the dead. The Pharisees their hearts were hardened.   Read Acts 2: 22-27

The Good News Message was first to the Jews. The Jewish people as a nation of priests in the plan of God they were to take out the good news of the Messiah to the rest of the World. Exodus 19: 6 Acts 15: 16.
John the Apostle wrote that as a nation they failed to take out the good news about the Messiah.
“He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world knew him not. He came to his own home, and his own people received him not. But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become the children of God; who were born, not of blood, nor the will of the flesh nor the will of man, but of God.” John 1: 10-13          

Paul Proved that Jesus was the promised Messiah Acts 13: 13-52
The early church came together at Antioch and whilst they were worshipping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit spoke and called Saul and Barnabas to go on a mission. After they fasted and prayed they laid their hands on them they set off.
They sailed to Cyprus where John Mark joined them and assisted them. From Cyprus they sailed to Perga in Pamphlia, here John Mark left them and returned to Jerusalem. At Antioch in Pisida they went into the synagogue. Visiting Jews were often asked to speak at the service, to give news and words that would encourage the members of the synagogue. Saul or now called Paul (verse 9) responded to the rulers of the synagogue’s invitation. He stood up and beckoned them to listen. 
 “Men of Israel, and you that fear God, listen. The God of this people Israel chose our fathers and made the people great during their stay in the land of Egypt, and with uplifted arm he led them out of it. And for about 40 years he bore with them in the wilderness. And when he had destroyed seven nations in the land of Canaan, he gave them their land as an inheritance for about 450 years. And after that he gave them judges until Samuel the prophet.                                                                                                  

Then they asked for a king and God gave them Saul the son of Kish, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, for 40 years. And when he had removed him, he raised up David to be their king; of whom he testified and said, ‘I have found in David the son of Jesse, a man after my heart, who will do all my will.’ Of this man’s posterity God has brought to Israel a Saviour. Before his coming John the Baptist had preached a baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel. And as John was finishing his course, he said, ‘What do you suppose that I am? I am not he. No, but after me one is coming, the sandals of whose feet I am not worthy to untie.’ “  Acts 13: 16-25

Paul stated that Jews fulfilled the prophesies as a nation when they handed Jesus over to Pilate.
“Brethren, sons of the family of Abraham and those among you that fear God, to us has been given the message of this salvation. For those who live in Jerusalem and their rulers, because they did not recognise him or understand the utterances of the prophets which are read every Sabbath, fulfilled these by condemning him. Though they could not charge him with nothing deserving death, yet they asked Pilate to have him killed. And when they fulfilled all that was written of him, they took him down from the tree, and laid him in a tomb. 
But God raised him from the dead; and for many days he appeared to those who came up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are now his witnesses to the people. And we bring you the good news that what God had promised to the fathers, this he has fulfilled to us their children by raising Jesus; as it is also written in the second Psalm ’Thou art my Son today I have begotten thee.’ And as for the fact that he raised him from the dead, no more to return to corruption, he spoke in this way, ‘I will give you the blessings of David’ Therefore he also says in another Psalm, ‘Thou wilt not let thy Holy One see corruption.’” Acts 13: 26-35. 
Here Paul points to Jesus as being the promised Messiah, he makes it known that the rulers of the nation in their failure to understand the prophesies concerning the death and resurrection of the Messiah fulfilled the prophesies in Jesus. King David had prophesied that the body of the Messiah would not decay. Jesus was seen by first the disciples who touched his wounds, proving that he was not a spirit. Luke records that they saw he had flesh and bones, indicating no blood in his risen body. Luke 24: 39.

 Paul continued, “Let it be known to you therefore, brethren, that through this man’s forgiveness of sins proclaimed to you, and by him everyone is freed from everything from which you could not be freed by the laws of Moses.” Verses 38. 39.

Jesus the final sacrifice for the forgiveness of sins, Jesus has redeemed us from all that separates us from God. No sinner too guilty to be saved from all that we have done that has grieved the Spirit of God.
 Many of the Jews wanted to hear more especially the ‘God fearing men’ the converts to Judaism.  Following this on the next Sabbath almost the whole of the city came to hear the word of God. The Jews were filled with jealousy, and contradicted what Paul had said. This caused Paul and Barnabas to speak out boldly saying, “It was necessary that the word of God should be spoken to you the Jews first, Since you thrust it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, behold, we turn to the Gentiles.” 44-46.

Prayer
Lord, thank you, that you have shown great mercy by bringing the Gentiles to know Jesus as our Saviour. Please forgive the occasions when the Jews, your people, have suffered as a result of our (the Gentiles) ignorance in not understanding the Hebrew prophesies.  The scriptures that reveal that the Messiah had to suffer and die, be resurrected and ascended into heaven before they and us could receive him as the Messiah. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Gossip the Gospel
 It is by telling the story again the events that took place surrounding Jesus’ ministry, his trial, his suffering and his death that awakens the soul of a person who is searching for the truth. The resurrection of Jesus is well documented by many witnesses. The coming of the Holy Spirit reveals to all who believe that Jesus is the promised Messiah.

The promise of eternal life in Jesus’ kingdom is a living hope, having tasted the promised gift of the Holy Spirit, the reality of Jesus’ kingdom is within the soul.                                                                               

There will be a change of attitude towards the Jews in the Millennium of Christ’s reign.
“Many peoples and strong nations shall come to seek the Lord of hosts in Jerusalem, and to entreat the favour of the Lord. Thus says the Lord of hosts: In those days ten men from the nations of every tongue shall take hold of the robe of a Jew, saying, ‘Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.'” Zechariah 8: 22, 23. (See blog ‘ The Third Temple.’)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     
forsaken and desolate., new covenant, New Wine, persistent prayer

The Messiah’s Secret – The Wedding at Canna 2

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The Messiah’s Secret – The  Wedding  at  Cana (2)

Morning Readings:  Isaiah 62 1-5.  John 2: 1-11  

The wine running out. 

Visual Aid: The Puzzel jug:  (the jug refilled itself)
One small jug,  a glass bowl, container with water and fruit juice (red)                                                                                  
From the container fill the jug with water/juice. ( talking as its being poured.)
 On our Christian journey the Lord will cause us to cease from our activities :run out of ideas, plans, money, opportunities or even time.
Pour out water/juice from jug into bowl. The jug appears to be empty.

The Lord will allow us to run out of our own ideas so that we stop and listen to the still small voice in our inner ear. Abandoning ourselves to his love and care.

The Lord wants to give us the new wine of his Spirit that will never run out. Continue to pour more water/juice out from jug. It is as we live out the gospel, the Lord will continue to fill us with his Spirit.  Pour more out from the jug.

Persistent prayer. 
Isaiah was persistent in prayer he did not run out of enthusiasm or conviction that God would bless Israel. In the Hebrew Scriptures God is depicted as the husband of Israel and we understand she has been estranged from her husband because she had turned her back on his ways.  Jeremiah wrote, “Not like the old covenant that I made with their fathers when I took them out of the land of Egypt, my covenant which they broke, though I was their husband, says the Lord.” Jeremiah 31: 32.

Isaiah was appealing to God’s love and faithfulness towards Israel and Jerusalem. Isaiah was looking for a reunion of the marriage between Israel and God. No longer to be called forsaken and her land desolate, instead to be called by a new name, “My delight is in her.”                                                                         

The Jewish people knew that persistent prayer works:  Abraham appealed to God several times not to destroy the righteous in Sodom and Gomorrah. Genesis 18:22-33  

Jacob wrestled with the angel until he got a blessing. Genesis 32: 24-30

Jesus told a parable were the persistent widow came to the unrighteous judge and won through, Jesus making the point that we ought always to pray and not lose heart as God will hear those who come to him and he will respond.. Luke 18: 1-7.

St. Paul wrote, “Continue steadfastly in prayer.” Colossians 4: 2   Pray and don’t give up; only believe it will be answered in due course.

John the Apostles’ Vision  
 “And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband; and I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling of God is with men. He will dwell with them and they shall be his people, and God himself will be with them.“ Revelation 21: 2, 3.

The Wedding at Cana.
The wedding at Cana took place at the beginning of Jesus ministry, for us, it is no co-incidence when we bring the reading from Isaiah alongside of it. It speaks of the fulfilment of Isaiah’s prophecy the marriage that unites God and Israel but also unites with God and Israel the Gentiles through the Jeremiah covenant.” “This is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days says the Lord: I will put my laws into their minds, and write then in their hearts, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. And they shall not teach everyone his fellow or everyone his brother, saying ‘know the Lord,’ for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest. For I will be merciful towards their iniquities, and I will remember their sin no more.” Jeremiah 31:33, 34.
The writer of Hebrews quotes from this prophecy.Hebrews 8:10. In speaking of a new covenant he treats the first as obsolete. And what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away.”                                                                                                                       
I asked myself this question, why did God in the presence of Jesus at this wedding at Cana allow the wine to run out. It had to be for a reason.
After the ceremony everything was going well at the feast until the wine ran out. Mary brought it to the attention of Jesus expecting him to do something. Jesus’ response to his mother These words, “O woman what have you to do with me, My hour has not yet come.”
The two together the wine running out and Jesus saying, ‘My hour has not yet come,’ indicate something was delayed.

Jesus the bridegroom, the Messiah came but found desolation and a land forsaken.
 “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, killing the prophets and stoning those who are sent to you! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her chicks under her brood under her wings, and you would not! Behold your house is forsaken and desolate. For I tell you, you will not see me again, until you say, “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.” Matthew 23: 38.
Jesus in his ministry found that the nations’ hearts were unprepared. Slow to understand, hard of hearing, they were hardened by what they had been taught under the law, The crowd said to Jesus, “We have heard from the law that when the Messiah comes, he will remain for ever.” John 12: 34 
Even his own disciples did not grasp, understand when Jesus said that he was going to be killed.
At Jesus transfiguration he was in conversation with Moses and Elijah and Luke records that they were heard to speak of Jesus’ departure at Jerusalem.  Luke 9: 30,31, 45.

 “Behold, your house is forsaken and desolate.” God was going to leave his dwelling place in the Most Holy Place this was signified when by an act of God the temple curtain was torn in two when Jesus died on the cross. The house would be left desolate empty of God’s presence. The law had run out of time, it had come to an end.

The wine running out was a sign.
The wedding guests we read were not aware of the wine running out. Behind the scenes Jesus was working alongside of the servants as they carried out his instructions, they filled the six empty purification jars with water. The water, was transformed into wine. They took it to the Steward, who in turn took it to the bridegroom declaring that he had kept the best wine till the last. What a result the best wine that they had ever tasted. Jesus’ disciples believed in him when they saw this sign. It was a sign to his disciples that God was in Jesus doing something new.

The wine running out.
The symbolism is mind blowing, the wine running out – the end of the old covenant, the transformed new wine representing the blood and Spirit of the new covenant. Every covenant is ratified with blood, even marriage.

The New Wine
 2,000 years later the Gospel catches people unawares as the Holy Spirit reveals Jesus. It could be described like opening a window and the wind comes into the room blowing all the papers around.
When the Vicar called at the home of Dennis his first reaction was that he would make a quick exit and leave him to talk to his wife. But instead he stayed and listened to the message about Jesus’ “To all who receive him, who believe in his name he gave power to become children of God. Born not of human descent, nor of the will of man, but born of the will of God.” Dennis accepted Jesus as his Saviour and through the laying on of hands he received the promised gift of the Holy Spirit.

The wine running out.
The Lord may remove things from our life will bring us to that point where we come to the end of ourselves like ‘the wine running out’ we can’t do anything to change a situation in our own strength. This were we look to Jesus. 

Filled to overflowing with the new wine.
Christian Gerry was seriously ill in hospital, he thought he was going to die, he turned to the Gideon Bible in the locker at the side of his bed. He opened it up at random to the first chapter of Job. He read how Job had lost everything but he did not blame God, he believed in God. Gerry reading this chapter, he recognised himself and he woke up next day a changed man. Where he felt that ‘the wine had run out’ in fact he had come to the end of himself and turned to the Lord our God and had an encounter with Jesus Christ. Gerry was filled with the Holy Spirit.                                                                                     

Sister Irene Mary Anglican  Nun from Blackburn.
Sister Irene regularly would contact me and place an order for my pottery. On most occasions she would remind me to pray for the Lord’s coming. “We must pray for the Lord’s kingdom to come, Dorothy.” I could see that the Holy Spirit had put this persistent prayer on her heart. When I say the Lord’s Prayer I often think of Sister Irene Mary.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         
arise shine for your light has come, course not a fan but a follower, transformation., Wedding at Cana, wine running out

The Messiah’s Secret – The Wedding at Canna

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The  Messiah’s  Secret – The  Wedding  at  Cana.  (1)
          
Evening Readings following the Lectionary:  Isaiah 60: 1-9. John 2: 1-11.

At the end of John’s first chapter Andrew, Simon Peter, Philip and Nathanael made a commitment to follow Jesus, so they went with him to Galilee.


Jesus and his disciples were invited to a wedding in Cana. After the wedding ceremony as the feasting progressed, Mary Jesus’ mother informed Jesus that the wine had run out, and it would seem that she was looking to Jesus to do something about it.

Maybe Jesus was caught unawares when Mary called upon him to act. But Jesus was in that place, within himself where he was ready to respond.

Mary saw a need and responded to it. For us too when we see a need we should be ready to respond, but we are not always ready to take action.

Our Advent Course “Not a Fan, but a Follower’ 2012 asked the question are we a fan or a follower of Jesus? Are we ready to respond to Jesus’ call on our life?
 “And Jesus died for all, that those who live might live no longer for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised. From now on, therefore, we regard no one from a human point of view; even though we once regarded Christ from a human point of view, we regard him no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has passed away, behold the new has come.”  2 Corinthians 5: 15-17.
In verse 15 of 2 Corinthians, “And Jesus died for all, that those who live might live no longer for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised.”

 On the course, Eric’s Story.
As a fan of Jesus, Eric and his family were members of a church, but they lived their lives only to please themselves, that was until Eric had a heart attack.
At this point –  Eric did not re-assess his life, he had an encounter with Jesus.
I compared Eric coming to terms with the fact that he may die with Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane, where Jesus wrestled with his own will of self preservation, His Father was asking him to die on a cross for the sins of others.”Father if it is possible take this cup from me, yet not my will but thine be done.” In these words we realize that Jesus died to himself. He handed himself over to Almighty God, for his Father to determine his life. As a result of his obedience after his death on the cross God raised him from the dead, a new creation, a new order of a resurrected life.

In the story Eric recovered and his life changed.
Just as Jesus was raised up by God, so Eric was raised up, a new creation in Christ. Eric having died to himself, he wanted to live his life to please God, for the Lord to determine his life. He felt led to remove the trappings associated with being a fan: the expensive clothes, the job that was full of deceptions, the status symbol of having a big house. Instead he saw what was really important, it became his priority to show the love of Christ, he was ready to fulfill his calling to the destitute of his city.

In the story some years later Eric had a heart attack that was fatal and he died.
At his funeral service people remembered his kindness, his love for others and his love for Christ. 
This course ‘Not a fan, But a follower ‘ of Jesus is about saying there is something more to a Christian’s life that the Lord wants us to have that will transform the way we walk as a Christian.

The wine running out.
The Lord may remove things from our life that will bring us to that point where we come to the end of ourselves, ‘the wine running out’ we can’t do anything to change a situation in our own strength. This were the Gethsemane experience becomes personal to us, we then realize that the Lord wants us to be dependent upon him and for us to look to him to determine our lives, not as slaves, but as children of God.
Gerry was a Christian he was taken very seriously ill and went into hospital, he thought he was going to die, he turned to the Gideon Bible in the locker at the side of his bed. He opened it up at random to the first chapter of Job. He read how Job had lost everything, but he believed in God. Gerry reading this chapter, he recognised himself and he woke up next day a changed man. Where he felt that ‘the wine had run out’ in fact he had come to the end of himself and turned to the Lord our God and had an encounter with Jesus Christ.

Mary knew that she could rely on Jesus to act, to sort out the problem. 
Mary’s faith caused her act and speak to the servants, “Do whatever he says.” The servants were obedient, they filled the jars up to the brim with water and when they drew the liquid from the jars it was no longer water, but wine. In this we see the transformation of water into wine, like the transformation of a fan to becoming a follower of Jesus and it is the Lord’s doing and it is marvelous in our sight.

“From now on, therefore, we regard no one from a human point of view; even though we once regarded Christ from a human point of view, we regard him no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has passed away, behold the new has come.”  
2 Corinthians 5: 16, 17.

 When we see a fellow Christian in this new wine skin, a new creation, we find that they are ready to respond and serve as followers of Christ.

The wine running out, has another meaning it symbolises the end of the old order and the bringing in of the new order, the new wine of the Messiah’s kingdom.

Jesus’ response to his mother’s request, “O Woman, what have you to do with me, my time has not yet come.”
These words, ‘My time has not yet come,’ these words are linked to the reading in Isaiah. Isaiah 60: 1-9.

Isaiah’s vision.
The time of his coming the eternal city coming down out of heaven. “Belief in a transformed city goes with the belief in a resurrected body.” (New International Biblical Commentary Isaiah by John Goldingay)
Isaiah in his vision portrayed Jesus’ glorification as the embodiment of Jerusalem. The eternal city of Jerusalem being the Messiah.

Isaiah was seeing in the spirit the future time of Jesus’ glorification, the resurrection of Jesus’ body from the dead.

The Light of God
 “Arise, shine for your light has come.” The light is God, the same as in Genesis Chapter 1: 3 where the light was present before the sun, and the moon.
The eternal city of Jerusalem will be lit up with the glory of God’s presence.

“And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine upon it, for the glory of God is its light, and its lamp is the lamb. By its light shall the nations walk; and the kings of the earth shall bring their glory into it, and its gates shall never be shut by day – and there shall be no night there.”  Revelation 21: 23-25.

Transformation of the Gentiles
At the wedding supper of the Messiah, the gathering of believers from every nation. When Jesus was in conversation with the centurion, Jesus marveled at his faith in him. “Jesus said to those following him, “Truly, I say to you, not even in Israel have I found such faith. I tell you, many will come from east and west and sit at table with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven.”Matthew 8: 10, 11.
The people in the city and those coming into the city. All the branches of the sons of Abraham will be united. Isaiah mentioned the grandson Ephah of Abraham and Keturah, along with other descendants Midian and Sheba.
Jews and Gentiles are included in the resurrected body, the transformed city of Jerusalem because the church is the bride, the body of Christ. Jesus has fulfilled all things in himself.                                                                                                               

All nations will bring gifts to Jerusalem, these gifts will be greater and more numerous than those gifts brought by the Queen of Sheba to Solomon. They brought cedar, pine, algum-wood, bronze, gold and spices.1 Kings 10 and in verse 24 “And the whole earth sought the presence of Solomon,” verse 25 “Every one of them brought his present . . .”

Epiphany
In Isaiah’s vision he mentions gifts of gold and frankincense to beautify the house of God. As a forerunner to that, the wise men brought gifts to glorify Jesus, pointing to the king of kings, the kingship of the Messiah.                                                                                                                                                                
A Cross in My Pocket., biography, Diary, faded, Jesus at 12, where to find him, wisdom and stature

The Messiah’s Secret – A Slender Thread

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The Messiah’s Secret – A Slender Thread

Sunday – Only almost two days to go before 2013 begins.

Keeping a Diary.

Diaries hold information that might otherwise be forgotten, so it is good to have a diary, to keep a record and a reminder of where we have been, people we have spoken to and other things that have seemed worth noting. It is also used to remember appointments and  special days like birthdays.
Jesus did not keep a diary, he did not write anything down about his activities. But later people who knew Jesus: Matthew, and John wrote about Jesus.
 A diary is good for recording prayer especially when we notice they have been answered.

This mornings readings: Luke 2: 41- end.  Colossians 3: 12-17.                                                                                                                                                                          

Lord Roy Jenkins in 2002 wrote a biography about Winston Churchill, it is a written record of Churchill’s life.  Lord Jenkins had personal contact with Winston Churchill as a member of Parliament for sixteen years.
Sometimes we may think of the gospels as being a biography of Jesus’ life, but that is not the case. We have gaps in his childhood and also the years before he started his ministry. The gospels are a history of the Saviour.

 In our reading Luke records the family’s annual visit to Jerusalem for the Passover, when Jesus was twelve years old.

 After the feast was over, Joseph and Mary left for home along with a number of others travelling to Nazareth in Galilee.

On the way, Joseph and Mary realised that Jesus was not with them. It took one day to do the return journey to Jerusalem and two days searching the places that they thought he might be. We are not informed where they searched, common sense would suggest that Jesus might have just missed them setting off, so they might have gone first to his friends house or the relations home where they probably stayed to celebrate the Passover, he could have been waiting there. Maybe they looked at the places where the visitors or a twelve year old lad might visit: the markets, the Pool of Salomé, The Roman Garrison, and the stables where the horses and camels were kept.
The last place they searched is where we would think that they would have looked first. Jesus was found conversing with the Teachers of the Law in the temple.  When Mary and Joseph found him, Jesus was surprised that they had not known where to find him.
God was greatly at work in Jesus’ life, as we read in verse 52 that Jesus grew in wisdom and stature and in favour with God and man.
I would think that Jesus had the disposition of wanting to learn, having a hunger and thirst for knowledge of the Hebrew Scriptures. Perhaps he had questions that he needed to discuss with the teachers at the temple in Jerusalem, the hub of learning, that neither Joseph nor the rabbi in Nazareth could answer.

Joseph and Mary were Godly people yet I dared to ask myself the question had Joseph and Mary in their walk with God faded, crowded out by family life. By this time Jesus had brothers and sisters.  Matthew 13: 55, 56.
Joseph and Mary were probably, like us, very busy with work and bringing up their family, this I felt was reflected in their search taking two days to find Jesus.

For us today our faith can be crowded out not just by the business of our lives, but also by the advancement of science that raises complex issues like gene technology it has the ability to intervene in the makeup of plants and political correctness were a nurse is not allowed to pray with a patient.This maybe is reflected in the recent census.

Archbishop Rowan Williams Christmas Day address                                                                                                                                                                
 Archbishop Rowan Williams in his Christmas Day address said this: “Fifty-nine per cent of British people describe themselves as Christians, so the census informed us a couple of weeks ago; twelve per cent down from ten years ago.  There was, of course, great delight from a couple of secularist organisations.  But if I were a member of the British Humanist Association, I might want to pause before I became too excited.  It remains true that three quarters of the public still want to identify themselves as having a religious faith of some kind.  And what the census doesn’t and probably can’t measure is exactly how those who don’t identify as religious think about religion.”
When the Archbishop said, “Those who don’t identify themselves as religious in the census. so what do they think about religion.”                  
Perhaps he is referring to those who once belonged to a church, but one reason or another their faith has faded. Three weeks ago we had a lady call in church on Wednesday Morning’s ‘open door’ she informed us of how she used to attend St. Mary’s and then left. Since that time her faith has declined.
On another occasion in June, during the serving of refreshments to the people who came into church after watching the Olympic Torch pass through Rawtenstall, we noticed in their conversation with us that quite a number of them had once belonged to a church and that their faith had waned.

The reading from Paul’s letter to the Colossians he points out that even though they may have faded back into Judaism, or even the world. He reminds them and us, we have received Jesus as our Saviour and he will never leave us or forsake us.
When we become aware of someone who is hanging on to their faith by a slender thread, It may be useful to have something that we can give them to comfort them, that would just remind them of their Saviour’s love for them.  
 Recently I came a across this: ‘A Cross in My Pocket’ It is something that is simple to make and acts as a reminder of Jesus’ cross. The poem that goes with it, speaks of Jesus compassion, kindness and patience. How he forgave me my sin and having been forgiven by such great cost to God our Father, whose love embraces all who come to him in faith in Jesus and blesses us.
                     A Cross in My Pocket

 I carry a cross in my pocket a simple reminder to me,
of the fact that I am a Christian no matter where I may be.

This little cross is not magic, nor is it a good luck charm.
 It isn’t meant to protect me from every physical harm.

When I put my hand in my pocket to bring out a coin or a key the cross is there to remind me, of the price he paid for me.

It reminds me too to be thankful for my blessings day by day and to try to serve him better in all that I do and say.

It’s also a daily reminder of the peace and comfort 
I share with all who know my Master and give themselves to His care.

So I carry a cross in my pocket reminding no one but me,
that Jesus is Lord of my life,  If only I’ll let Him be.


 Mrs Verna Mae Thomas

 (Each person was given an envelope containing instructions of how to make ‘A Cross in My Pocket’, the yarn, 3 tapestry pieces of canvas, a tapestry needle and the poem.)                          

           
 The idea is to make the pocket and give it to someone who you may feel would be blessed as they are reminded of Jesus’ love for them.
Happy New Year         
             



                                                            

angels, Bethlehem, Lamb of God., Messiah's birth, shepherds

The Messiah’s Secret – The Birth of Jesus

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The  Messiah’ Secret –  The Birth of Jesus
    Reading. Luke 2:8-20 
Micah prophesied that the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem.          Micah 5: 2.              
 
Jesus’ birth in Bethlehem came about through the Romans putting in place a census for the purpose of future taxation. Herod the king implemented the decree of Caesar, he directed a general registration to all of the people, to go to their own city, and be enrolled according to their tribes or families. Joseph and Mary were betrothed and both were descended from the line of King David, so they travelled from Nazareth to Bethlehem for the census.
 
Bethlehem could not cope with the numbers of people arriving. When Joseph and Mary reached Bethlehem they struggled to find accommodation in the Inns. A stable was the only place found available to give shelter, rest and warmth and that night Jesus was born. 
 
The Shepherds
After the birth of Jesus shepherds who were watching their flocks in the nearby fields when suddenly an angel appear before them. The angel told the shepherds of the Messiah’s birth in Bethlehem This would be a sign to them, he was cradled in a manger. A great number of angels appeared and they were all praising God.                                                                                                              
 
Bethlehem was noted for the flocks of sheep kept near to the town. Lambs were reared for the sacrifices made at the temple. The shepherds who looked after these flocks were not like the shepherds looking after the sheep on the surrounding hills, they had the reputation for not being  reliable.
The shepherds who looked after the temple sheep were observant of the law, they were religious men. The temple flocks were watched all the year round, great care was taken over them as they were inspected for their perfection. Only the best of the flock were acceptable for the sacrifices.                                       
 It was significant that the shepherds looked after the lambs. The angels sang echoing the trumpet blast and the singing took place when the sacrifice was laid upon the altar , ‘Glory to God in the highest.’  “The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah” by Alfred Edersheim.
John the Baptist called Jesus the Lamb of God. Jesus was sacrificed for the sins of the whole world. He was not born to condemn the world but to save the world.
 
The Sign
After the angels left their presence, the shepherds decided to find the new born babe in Bethlehem.  It was possible that other babies had been born in Bethlehem that night, but it was unlikely that any would be lying in a manger for his bed. This sign was fulfilled when the shepherds found Joseph and Mary and the baby in the manger.
 
There was great rejoicing by the angels and the shepherds over God’s good will towards the people of the world. Peace on earth has yet to be fulfilled, but the peace in our hearts that Jesus gives to those who believe in him. 
                                                                                                                      
                                                                                          .                                                                  
Christmas, Christmas cake, John the Baptist, Jubilee, peace in the world at Christmas.

The Messiah’s Secret – Joy to the World

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The Messiah’s Secret – Joy to the World

Advent Season is a time of preparation for Christmas.

One of the practical things we prepare before Christmas is the Christmas cake. My aunt started making her Christmas cake in November. The cake ingredients were carefully weighed and mixed together in a large bowl and finally  it was placed in the oven to cook. Days later the brandy was added through a series of holes pierced into the cake, it was left in a large tin to mature. Following that the marzipan was rolled out and put onto the cake. The icing was put on in several layers and in due course the decorations were placed on the top and a decorative band around the cake.


History of the Christmas Cake
Originally people used to eat a sort of porridge on Christmas Eve. Gradually, they began to add spices, dried fruit, honey etc in the porridge to make it a special dish for Christmas.                                                               
Later it was turned into a Christmas pudding and in the 16th century, flour replaced oatmeal and eggs were added. This became known as the Twelfth Night Cake, it was part of the celebration of Epiphany. The spices represented the gifts of the Wise Men from the East.
However, the Victorians changed it from being the Twelfth Night Cake to the Christmas Cake. The cake being made for the celebrations on Christmas Day.                                                                         
On the left is a cardboard Christmas Cake representing the body of Christ. The cake consists of 6 pieces.  Three pieces celebrate the summer events that took place in England. The other three celebrate Christmas with pictures relating to St. Mary’s and  the church in the community and the world wide church. On every piece of the cake I put lots of stars representing Christians along with pictures referring to the topic.
The Queens Jubilee. In June we shared with our Queen in her 60th Celebration of her reign. The Queen being the head of the Church of England every Borough in the land held a Civic Service at a Church. St. Mary’s held it for the Borough of Rossendale. ( St. Mary’s website: www.stmarysrawtenstall.co.uk news)
The Olympic Torch passed through Rawtenstall. Thousands of people turned out standing and waiting on St Mary’s Way to catch a glimpse of the Torch. It reminded us of John the Baptist heralding the news that Jesus is the light of the world. Our congregation received on that Sunday small torches with the words, “Jesus is the Light and the Way.”
The Olympic & Paralympics Games. Sportsmen and women coming from all over the world to London to compete in the games and were united in their love of their sport.
The World Wide Church. Jesus’ birth being celebrated touches the lives of all nations and people. We also remember the suffering of many Christians as we draw closer to Jesus’ return.
St Mary’s Church celebrates 175 years of being a visible witness and presence in the town. The stars represent God’s people.
God’s promise to Abraham, “Look towards heaven, and number the stars, if you are able to number them . . . so shall your descendants be.” Through Abraham all the families of the earth would be blessed. Genesis 15: 5,6. 12:3.
Church and Community. In our Valley the churches come together to celebrate Christmas remembering Jesus Christ’s birth: carol singing on the railway, streets and supermarkets along with charity concerts and ‘In Yer Face’ Youth Drama Group.
The Star on the top of the cake Simply says to us, we follow Jesus.

Readings from Zephaniah 3: 14 – 20.   Luke 3: 7-18
Zephaniah prophesied two future events. The coming invasion and the restoration of Israel. These were fulfilled when Nebuchadnezzar invaded Judea and the restoration of the exiles from Babylon through the Persian King Cyrus. The temple was rebuilt by Zerubbabel and Joshua between 520 – 515 BC
Great celebrations followed each event.  Alfred Edersheim in his book  ‘The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah’ page 40 After the return from exile new hymns were written to celebrate and commemorate their return from exile in Babylon.

The expectation of the fulfilment of Daniel’s prophecy was apparent when we read in our reading in Luke 3:15. “As the people were in expectation, and all men questioned in their hearts concerning John, whether perhaps he were the Christ.”
Daniel’s prophecy, 70 weeks of years from the rebuilding of the temple in Jerusalem to the coming of the Messiah. Daniel 9: 25,26.
The Jewish people were expecting the Messiah to restore the eternal land from the Roman occupation and the Messiah’s inheritance of the eternal throne of King David.
Peter referred to this as, “The times of refreshing.” Acts 3:19.  Another term of reference is the ‘Jubilee’.                                                                                               
Jubilee
Under the Law the Jewish Jubilee took place every 50 years, it commenced on the Day of Atonement. The fields were left fallow and the people were to eat from last year’s harvest. Hired servants who had been working off their debt, their debt was cancelled.
 Inheritances were restored, the land returned to the original owners, and slaves set free. Leviticus 25: 39.
Under Law God’s justice and generosity was a shadow of what was to come with the Messiah’s Jubilee. 

The Messiah’s Jubilee
The Messiah’s Jubilee was referred to as the “Year of Liberty” or “The Year of Redemption” or “The year of the Lord’s favour.”
When Jesus at the beginning of his ministry went into the synagogue at Nazareth he read from the book of Isaiah, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to preach the good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord’s favour.” Luke 4: 18. 19. Isaiah 61: 1, 2.
Jesus during his ministry was setting people free from all kinds of bondage and bringing them into the glorious liberty of Jubilee.  Jesus parables: the lost sheep the lost coin and the prodigal son, were about restoration and celebration. “Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost.” And in the parable of the lost coin, ““Rejoice with me, for I have found my coin which was lost.”  The parable of the (prodigal) lost son, “Bring the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet and bring the fatted calf and kill it. Let us be merry, for this my son was dead, and is alive again, he was lost and is found and they began to make merry.” Luke 15: 3-32.
The  good news of the Messiah’s Jubilee had significant meaning to the Jewish people.

John the Baptist.
Picture the scene, the news has reached Jerusalem that John the Baptist, the priest’s son, was preaching a baptism of repentance in preparation for the coming of the Messiah. Crowds of people descended from Jerusalem flocking to hear his message and many were baptised in the river Jordan.
In amongst the crowds there were two groups of people analyzing the words of John.                                                 

1)The poor people whose hearts were open to look for a better life in God’s kingdom. Only to find that they were not recognised by the Pharisees.

2) The Pharisees and the scribes who refused to be baptised by John. Luke 7: 30.

St. Mary’s Players Sketch.
In the sketch there was a battle between the two groups of party goers: those who had been invited to Eileen’s party and those who had been invited to Jay’s. The choice between the two came down to the attitude of the host of the party. Jay’s attitude was regarded by most as being a bit aggressive, he thought that everyone should obviously prefer his party. Whereas, Eileen’s approach was a more humble, she hoped that they could make it to her party. The outcome was that everyone went to Eileen’s party.

Jesus would I feel have  identified himself Eileen’s humility and her party goers. He certainly identified with group 1 those who had been baptised by John the Baptist.
Jesus comforted his disciples and followers with these words: “Blessed are the poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.” “Blessed are you that hunger now, for you shall be satisfied.” “Blessed are you that weep now, for you shall laugh.” “Blessed are you when men hate you, and when they exclude you and revile you, and cast out your name as evil, on account of the Son of man!” Luke 6: 20-22.                                                                      
Jay’s attitude in the sketch reminded me of the larger than life character of John the Baptist, he was strong and defiant, and he spoke out against King Herod. He was popular with the ordinary folk, but the leaders were reluctant to be part of John’s baptism.

Jesus spoke highly of John, saying that he was Elijah, operating in the Spirit and power of Elijah.

The Messiah’s Secret page 44.
“Jesus spoke of John the Baptist being a great man and a prophet and how the people like Zachaeus the tax collector and the outcasts they might be least in the kingdom, were greater than John the Baptist. Through these words Jesus lovingly sought to reassure the poor and the outcasts of their place in the kingdom, because as followers they would not be accepted in the synagogue. The Pharisees did not accept Jesus’ teaching of the Baptism of repentance performed by John the Baptist and Jesus’ disciples.” Luke 7: 30.John 9:22.

Messiah’s Jubilee
Celebrating as we do every Christmas Jesus’ coming into the world, It is also a celebration of Jesus coming into our hearts as our Lord and Saviour.
We celebrate with those across the world who share our faith in Jesus, they like us, who have entered into the Messiah’s Jubilee. Having been released, set free from all that used to enslave us. Our debt of sin has been paid for us on the cross by Jesus, and we have entered into the freedom of God’s forgiveness.
We are Joint heirs with Christ, just as Jesus did a complete work of salvation and entered into the rest of God.  We have entered into God’s rest.
The rest of God has nothing to do with the physical body.  It is resting in God’s favour, the Father loves the child, nothing can separate us from the love our Father God’s steadfast love and in his love he continually forgives us. The Holy Spirit empowers the Christian to be Christ-like.
God’s love created and sustains life, so we are created anew and sustained in the love of God.  We have been blessed with every spiritual blessings in heavenly places. How do we access these blessings? The answer; it is by prayer we access these blessings.                                    

 A prayer for peace in our world (Church of England website)
Make your ways known upon earth, Lord God,
your saving power among all peoples.
Renew your Church in holiness
and help us to serve you with joy.
Guide the leaders of all nations,
that justice may prevail throughout the world.
Let not the needy be forgotten,
nor the hope of the poor be taken away.
Make us instruments of your peace
and let your glory be over all the earth. Amen                                                                             

                             

                                                                                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                      
                                                                
                                                                            
                                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          
                                                                             
                                                                                                         
                                                                                             
                                                          
First Fruits., Pentecost, Water and Spirit, wind of the Spirit, Women Bishops.

The Messiah’s Secret – Water and Spirit John 3: 1-17

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The Messiah’s Secret – Water and Spirit John 3: 1-17
 The Holy Spirit’s creative power in creation working with the Word of God.
The Spirit of God moved over the face of the waters. Genesis 1:2 Water covered the earth, until the third day when the dry land appeared. The dry land was called earth and the waters were called sea. The earth produced vegetation according to their own kind and produced fruit and in the fruit the seeds. Genesis 1: 9-13.

”When you send forth your Spirit they are created.” Psalm 104:30.

The Holy Spirit bringing forth an abundance of life.
We have the example of water bringing the deserts into bloom. The parched land waiting for the rain to fill the dry river beds and as the rain falls it germinates the seeds on its banks. The water working with the soil and the warmth from the sun bringing forth the vegetation that is needed to sustain life.

Isaiah 32: 15 “Until the Spirit is poured upon us from on high and the wilderness becomes a fruitful field.” 
Jesus spoke of the rivers of water pouring out from the Holy Spirit watering the garden of our inner being. Water satisfies both body and soul. The soul thirsts because of our longing for God.

The Feast of the First Fruits.
The Israelites looked forward to God’s promise of a land filled with milk and honey.  The Jewish farmer looked for the appearance of the fruit on the crops and on the trees; he selected the best of the unripened fruit for the first fruit offering. He then tied a rush around the stems, setting them apart before the harvest.                                        
After Passover the presentation of the ’Omer’ the first fruit of the barley harvest took place on the 16th Nisan. Counting from 
that date on the fiftieth day was the feast of Weeks or Pentecost.
On this day two loaves made from the first fruits of the wheat harvest they were presented at the temple.                                                                                                   
On route to Jerusalem the Psalms of Ascent was sung as the families brought their presentation of the first fruits of their land to the temple.

“Blessed is everyone who fears the Lord, who walks in his ways. You shall eat the fruit of the labour of your hands, you shall be happy, and it shall be well with you.     ”Psalm 126: 1,2.                                                                                                              
 Extracts taken from Alfred Edersheim’s book “The Temple.”                
Jesus the first fruit of the resurrection.
“But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive.” 1 Corinthians 15: 20.
God breathed into Adam, the breath of life. Adam was created in the image of God, so he had the potential to live forever, he should not have died. But as we read in the Bible death came to Adam as a result of sin, he then fell under the influence of the serpent.
The serpent is identified as Satan. “And he seized the dragon, the ancient serpent, who is the devil and Satan.” Revelation 20: 2.

The first man Adam succumbed to the serpent’s deceit leading to sin and death. Blame for his fall is generally taught that it was Eve having tasted the forbidden fruit first, offered it to Adam. But that is no excuse for Adam’s fall from grace. Genesis 3: 8-19 The curses placed by God on both Adam and Eve were blotted out by Jesus’ death and resurrection, through repentance and faith in Jesus.  Acts 3: 19.

Second man Jesus his victory over sin and death won eternal life.                                                                                                 
Jesus spoke of his victory over the serpent to Nicodemus.
Maybe Nicodemus made the connection when Jesus referred to an incident on the Exodus journey. “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.” John 3: 14, 15.

Some of the Israelites had been bitten by deadly snakes that had come into the camp. We read that this had happened because of their sin against God. Moses was told by God to make an image of a serpent in bronze and put it onto a pole. Those who had been bitten were told to look up at the serpent and they would live. Numbers 21: 4-9. 
On the first occasion that I preached on this word, a man sitting on the front row facing me. I saw the word drop from his head into his heart, from his mind into his spirit.
A picture of salvation: turning from sin in repentance to be born again.(See Blog Saved by the Blood)

The Two Loaves.
Two nations in the Bible Jew and Gentile. Under grace the two become one through the cross. 

Under grace men and woman are equal in Christ. 
Male and female under law of the flesh, the man is head over the woman in the family. A man is physically stronger and dominant and the woman bears the children.
Under grace, however, there is no marriage in the kingdom of God between men and women and the woman does not give birth to children. We all are the children of God.                                              
Should women become Bishops?
When I heard the debates in the 1980’s about women becoming Ministers in the church, I had my reservations. But these were soon overturned when I experienced a woman ministering in church, I discerned that there was no difference between men and women in leading worship and administering the sacraments.                                                                                                   
One experience is worth a thousand arguments.
 In my personal experience about eleven years ago, I was in the process of publishing my book, ‘The Messiah’s Secret’ when a Christian man claimed (under the doctrine of man, women are not teachers of the word), but he believed that he taught through me a woman, the words I was speaking were coming from his mind to me.(channelling which is not of the Holy Spirit) He attributed my book to himself, when I pointed out that I did not know him in 1996, he replied, ‘Who was your minister then?’ my response, ‘We were in an Interregnum,’ we had no minister at the time.
I have forgiven this man for what was said, I know that many women have been hurt in responding to the Lord’s call on their lives. (see blog Removing the Veil)   

Male and female are liberated into the freedom of God’s forgiveness through simple faith in these words below;  
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” John 3: 16 “    

“But to all who receive him, he gave the power to become the children of God: who were born, not of blood nor the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.” John 1: 12, 13.                                                                                                                                         
“I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh.” Joel  2: 28.
The Gospel swims against the tide of human fallen nature. Men and woman are equal in Christ, and yes, I humbly believe that there should be women Bishops in the church.

(Added to blog)The Church of England’s First Woman Bishop                               
 On Monday 26th January 2015 Rev Libby Lane was consecrated Bishop of Stockport, the service was held at York Minster. “When the Spirit of truth comes he will lead you into all truth; for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare it to you the things that are to come.” John 16: 13
The Wind of the Spirit.
On the Evening of the Day of Jesus’ resurrection Jesus appeared in the house at Jerusalem where he breathed on the disciples the Holy Spirit.  John the Baptist spoke of the Messiah baptizing with the Holy Spirit and fire. The disciples were the first to receive the Holy Spirit directly from Jesus and they were commissioned to bear the first fruit of his ministry.
“Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth that we should be a kind of first fruit of his creatures.” James 1: 18.
“We who first hoped in Christ have been destined and appointed to live for the praise of his glory.” Ephesians 1: 12.

On the Feast of Pentecost the Holy Spirit came in power, like the sound of a rushing mighty wind. The disciples and followers were gathered in the house at Jerusalem, the wind ignited the hearts of the disciples, and they saw tongues of fire on each others’ heads.
That day the fruit of the apostle’s harvest yielded approximately 3,000 people who accepted Jesus as their Messiah.  The wind in them had carried the seeds of the good news of the kingdom onto the streets of Jerusalem where they settled and took root in the hearts of Jews and proselytes.                                                                             

The Holy Spirit gently moves us to respond to the Lord’s calling on our life. Like the wind bends the trees, so we yield our will to follow Jesus Christ. Out of our hearts the Holy Spirit flows out like a river. John 7: 38.
Jesus the living word and the Holy Spirit working together with the love of God. To walk with Jesus in fellowship with the Trinity. God our Father working his purposes out in our lives through our wanting to please the Lord. Trusting that his will, will be done and we can leave it there and let go of doing things in our own strength.                                                                                                                                                                                                   
 Answered prayer: On 14th July 2014 it was passed by the Church of England  for women to become Bishops.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          

By Dorothy Newton