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.')                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     

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.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         

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.                                                                                                                                                                

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