Category: Bible

Why we need a Sabbath

June 1, 2024

Bible readings: Deuteronomy 5:6–21, 2 Corinthians 4:5–12, Mark 2:23–28

The Sabbath is an important topic for Christians. The Bible tells us that it is a day of rest where we stop our usual work to rest and focus in on God.

Depending on what stream of christianity we follow it may be on a Saturday to line up with Jewish tradition or Sunday to line up with the day we remember the resurrection of Jesus.

In this message I want to look at our readings for this week and look at why we need a Sabbath day each week.

1. We need a Sabbath because it is in the 10 Commandments

In our first reading we see the Sabbath is mentioned in the 10 Commandments. Deuteronomy 5:12-14 NLT says, “Observe the Sabbath day by keeping it holy, as the LORD your God has commanded you. [13] You have six days each week for your ordinary work, [14] but the seventh day is a Sabbath day of rest dedicated to the LORD your God. On that day no one in your household may do any work…”

The idea of a sabbath day was so important to God that He included it in His 10 Commandments. While many today will say that is part of the Old Testament, there is still an important principle in it. We need rest, we need to recover from our work, and we need to spend time each week focussing on God.

Many Jewish people down the centuries stop from sundown on Friday night and go in to Sabbath mode until they wake on Sunday. Some people I know in the Seventh Day Adventist church follow this pattern too. Regardless if you practice it on Saturday or Sunday, this time of Sabbath rest is important to our spiritual and physical well being.

2. We need a Sabbath as we are constantly under pressure

In our second reading we see that Paul and the early Christians were under pressure sharing the Gospel. Paul described Christians as being hard pressed, perplexed, hunted down, knocked down, suffering. He even uses the analogy of being like fragile clay pots containing a treasure.

Anyone who has been in full time ministry, been involved in church outreach, or working as a front line pastoral care worker knows that we are constantly under pressure. The pressures of peoples constant needs, spiritual attack from the enemy, financial or health issues have a way of burning us out. This is why we need a Sabbath.

We need to stop each week and take a breather. We need to get off the treadmill. Take the time to relax and just be still. We need to recreate and be with God. I know in my own life that when I do not do this burnout is just waiting around the corner for me. It is both a hard learned lesson and one I am still learning!

3. We need a Sabbath because it was made for people

In our final reading we see that in verses 27-28 Jesus says, “The Sabbath was made to meet the needs of people, and not people to meet the requirements of the Sabbath. 28 So the Son of Man is Lord, even over the Sabbath!”

I love the way Jesus puts it. The Sabbath was made to meet the needs of people. Not people to keep the law of the Sabbath as some people do. They take it so far that they have lists of things they can and cannot do. They have made the Sabbath a legal requirement, rather than a time to stop rest and focus on God.

I believe the original idea behind the Sabbath was to rest and seek God. God knew we would get busy and caught up in our work, so He built in this cycle of work and rest. Each week He built in a time where we could just “Be still and know that He is God” (Psalm 46:10).

Closing summary

A time of Sabbath rest was so important to God that He built it in to the 10 Commandments, He knew we would be constantly under pressure, so He build in a pressure relief valve so we could be still and rest.

My final thought I want to leave you with is. We see that God rested on the seventh day after He created the world. If God rested, how much more do we need to too!

The ALL consuming call of Jesus

May 26, 2024

Bible reading: Matthew 28:16-20

The title of this message is the ALL Consuming Call of Jesus. I want to look at Jesus’ last words before He returned to heaven. This is known as the Great Commission. As we work through the passage from Matthew 28, I want to take special notice of the word ALL.

1. ALL authority belonged to Jesus

Matthew 28:18 – Jesus came and told His disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth.”

Jesus has all authority on heaven and earth. That is a big statement. It means no-one has more authority than Jesus. But as we look at the Scriptures we see this is true and undeniable.

In Matthew chapters 8&9 we see that Jesus had authority on earth. He had authority over sickness and disease, demonic forces and demons, the forces of nature, life and death.

Not only did Jesus say He had all authority, but He clearly demonstrated in the way He lived and ministered to the people He came in contact with. No demon, sickness, storm or death could disobey His command and authority.

2. Jesus said to go to ALL the world and make disciples

Matthew 28:19a – Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations…

In the last point we see Jesus has all authority. With this authority and His final words to His followers He said, “Go into all the world and make disciples”. It is a compelling command. It is an all-consuming call that can’t be ignored.

All of us here all called to the mission field too. Though not all of us are called to go abroad. We have a mission right outside this church. One church I went to once had the sign over the exit, “Mission starts here”. People would often reach up and touch as they left church.

People here is our region need to hear about God’s love for them, how Jesus came to show us what God is like, that Jesus died to pay the price for our sin and He rose again to life. And by putting our faith and trust in Him we have abundant life now, and live for eternity with Him when we die.

3. Jesus told us to teach them to obey ALL His teachings

Matthew 28:20a – Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you.

I have been a Christian for 35 of my 57 years on earth. The first 15 years of being a Christian I was really good at going into the world and preaching the good news. I was able to talk to people, share my faith, give them tracts and people would come to Christ. So, I was being obedient to the first part of the Great Commission.

However, I found that while people were getting saved, I would lose track of people and not know if they were growing or not. One day I felt God speak to me and say, “I told you to make disciples, not just Christian converts”.

This got me thinking what sort of things did Jesus teach? If we look at the sermon of the mount in Matthew 5-7, we see that Jesus talked about being salt and light, loving one another, giving to the needy, loving our enemies, not talking revenge, praying and fasting, money and possessions, the golden rule, being true disciples and producing good fruit.

Matthew 7:24 says, “Anyone who listens to My teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock”. We need to help people build their house on the solid rock of Jesus’ teachings.

4. Jesus promises to be ALL-ways with us

Matthew 28:20b – And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.

Jesus promises to be with us always. He says, “Be sure of this!” So, He really wants is to get it.

Jesus’ presence is with you by the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit. He is with you when you are alone. He is always with us when we meet together. He is our God and we are His people.

Knowing that Jesus is always with me by the presence of His Indwelling Spirit gives me courage and strength. Courage when I am afraid to share my faith or step out and pray for someone. And strength to know His power is with me to enable to share my faith, disciple others and allow God power to flow through me.

The key thought here is Jesus promises to never leave us until He calls us home individually or He comes back for us all. He does not expect us to fulfil the Great Commission alone.

Closing summary

Today we have looked at the passage known as the Great Commission of Jesus. His last words on earth to His followers before returning to heaven. In the message we saw.

  1. Jesus has ALL Authority in heaven and on earth
  2. Jesus told us to go into ALL the world and make disciples
  3. Jesus told us to teach them to obey ALL His teachings
  4. Jesus promises to be ALL-ways with us

In these passages Jesus bookend His commands. He says all authority is with Him and He promises to be all-ways with us. In the middle He says to go and make disciples and teach them to obey all His teachings.

A legacy of faith, hope and love

May 21, 2024

What is the legacy you want to leave behind?

When I reflect on what legacy I want to leave behind a memory verse comes to mind – 1 Corinthians 13:13. It says…

“Three things will last forever – faith, hope, and love-and the greatest of these is love.”

This short verse contains three great truths that will last forever.

1. Faith – I hope people will remember me as a person who had faith in Jesus and tried wholeheartedly to follow Him.

2. Hope – I hope that my eternal hope in Christ is remembered. I pray people have seen this hope and are inspired by it when I am gone.

3. Love – I hope my love is evident to all that really know me. I want people to remember a love for my family and love for Jesus.

Legacy is a strange thing to think about to be honest. In this moment we think we have plenty of life left. But the reality is God could call us home any time.

When my time is finally over, I pray those around me would have seen my faith in Jesus, my eternal hope I have, and my love for my family and for Jesus.

Five reasons why we needed Pentecost

May 19, 2024

Bible readings: Acts 2:1-11, Galatians 5:16-25

Today is Pentecost Sunday on the Church calendar. It is when we remember the coming of the Holy Spirit to the first followers of Jesus. 

As we saw in our first reading the disciples were meeting in the upper room when the Holy Spirit came. It made so much a commotion that people came from all around.

Bible scholars tell us this was the beginning of the church age. The age when the Holy Spirit would fill and empower Christians to love one another and fulfil the Great Commission. The last words of Jesus in Matthew 28:18-20.

Today I want to look at five reasons why we needed Pentecost to happen. Five reasons why we need the Holy Spirit today.

1. We need the Holy Spirit because Jesus promised to send another one like Him

In John chapters 15 and 16 we see that Jesus told the disciples that after He returned to the Father He would send another Counsellor (John 15:26, John 16:5-7). 

When Jesus said that He would send ‘another counsellor’, the word ‘another’ here means ‘another of the same kind’. Jesus was saying that all that He had been to them the Spirit would continue to be once he had returned to the Father. I believe it is important for us as Christians to understand this role of the Holy Spirit. 

While we trust Jesus for our salvation, it is the Holy Spirit who is our ever present help, comfort and counsellor today in the same way Jesus was to the disciples two thousand years ago.

2. We need the Holy Spirit because He teaches us and illuminates Scripture

The Bible tells us that the Holy Spirit teaches us and reveals the truth of Scripture (John 14:26, 1 Corinthians 2:10-14). This teaching and revealing work of the Holy Spirit is often described as Illumination. 

Bible scholars tell us that Illumination does not concern the impartation of new knowledge, but a clarification of the text as it stands revealed and inspired by God. I believe that it is especially important for the Christian to understand this teaching and illumination role of the Holy Spirit. 

The Bible makes it clear to understand the “deep things of God” we need the wisdom, teaching and illumination of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 2:6-16).

3. We need the Holy Spirit because He assures us we belong to God

The Bible tells us that as soon as we put our faith and trust in Jesus Christ we are sealed by the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 1:13). 

A seal is a symbol of a finished transaction, of ownership and of security. Because we are sealed by the Holy Spirit, we can be assured of our salvation. In Romans 8:16 we see that the Holy Spirit also testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children and Ephesians 4:30 assures us that we are sealed until the day of redemption. 

Understanding that we are sealed by the Holy Spirit and assured of our salvation is very important for the Christian, especially the new Christian, as they are often prone to doubts and uncertainty about the decision they have made.

4. We need the Holy Spirit because He makes us more Christ-like

The Bible tells us that as Christians we are being transformed into likeness of Christ by the Holy Spirit (2 Corinthians 3:18). 

When a person becomes born again, he is sanctified or set apart for God. This happens only once, but sanctification is also a daily process for the rest of one’s life. To achieve this work the Holy Spirit indwells the believer (Romans 8:11) and works in their life to produce the fruit of the Spirit as we saw in our second reading (Galatians 5:22-23). 

I believe as Christians it important to realise that as we submit every area of our lives to the indwelling Holy Spirit, we allow Him to work in us to progressively reflect the character of Christ. This is what God intended for humankind when He originally created us.

5. We need the Holy Spirit because He equips us for service

The Bible tells us that the Holy Spirit equips us for service with gifts and empowers us to be Christ’s witnesses (1 Corinthians 12:4-11, Acts 1:8). The Holy Spirit equips us to serve God by imparting His gifts, directing our ministry and anointing us with His power. 

For the Christian it is vital to understand that while we have been called to serve God and be Christ’s witnesses, we have not been called to do this alone. We have been equipped by the Holy Spirit with gifts to undertake God’s work and we are empowered with the Holy Spirit’s power to be Christ’s witnesses.

Closing summary

Today we looked at five reasons why we needed the Holy Spirit to come at Pentecost. We saw…

1. We need the Holy Spirit because Jesus promised to send another one like Him

2. We need the Holy Spirit because He teaches us and illuminates Scripture

3. We need the Holy Spirit because He assures us we belong to God

4. We need the Holy Spirit because He makes us more Christ-like

5. We need the Holy Spirit because He equips us for service

Let us pray

Martha gets a bad wrap

May 17, 2024

Often when we think of Martha and her sister Mary we often think of Martha in a bad light. 

When Jesus comes over to see them, Mary sits with Jesus and Martha is rushing around getting things done. She complains to Jesus and asks Him to tell Mary to help.

But today I noticed that Martha gives a very good response to Jesus’ question when they are talking about Lazarus dying and being raised.

In John 11:25 Jesus told her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in me will live, even after dying. 26 Everyone who lives in me and believes in me will never ever die. Do you believe this, Martha?”

In verse 27  Martha says, “Yes, Lord,” “I have always believed you are the Messiah, the Son of God, the one who has come into the world from God.” 

Martha’s response is brilliant. It is very similar to Peter’s response when Jesus asks, “Whom do you say I am?” Peter says, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God” (Matthew 16:15-16).

Martha gets a bad wrap sometimes. Perhaps we should remember her response to Jesus about who He was?