A  Christians View of Freemasonry

This study is based on the study from the book “Freemasonry and Christianity Are they compatible?"

The Working Group in response to the name 'Jahbulon' the Freemasons give to God, asked the question: How is it then, that Jahbulon is thought to be the sacred name, the name of God on whom the rituals of the Royal Architect are focused, mentioned in each Degree?  It is a syncregistic name for God made out of the name of Yahweh, Baal and Osiris the Egyptian fertility god.

 (A contribution to discussion. Prepared by the working Group established by the Standing Committee of the General Synod of the Church of England. Published by Church House Publishing. 1985)

Freemasonry, in its concept of God the Architect, represents or be a party to, an all faiths understanding of religion and representation of God.

Freemasons meet in common respect for the Supreme Being as he remains supreme for that individual religion. Although they may be conscious of addressing their God and their Brother addressing his god in the course of the rituals.

Freemasonry may understand themselves either to be addressing the God of their own religion or to be addressing the God of different religions under one neutral home.

The supreme Degree inspires its members a reverence for Jehovah the eternal Ruler of the Universe.

The Working Group in response to the name Freemasons give to God, asked the question: How is it then, that Jahbulon is thought to be the sacred name, the name of God on whom the rituals of the Royal Architect are focused, mentioned in each Degree?  It is a syncregistic name for God made out of the name of Yahweh, Baal and Osiris the Egyptian fertility god.
Syncretistic – tending to blend opposing parties and speculative systems by minimising differences.

It is the obvious result of juggling of the Hebrew characters is to emphasise the formation of Bal. The name of the Semitic deity bitterly opposed by Elijah and the later Hebrew prophets. To associate this name in any way with that of Jehovah would have deeply shocked them.

The Working Group has concluded that Jahbulon (whether it is a name or a description), which appears in all the rituals, must be considered blasphemous: in Christian theology the name of God (Yahweh/Jehovah) must not be taken in vain, nor can it be replaced by an amalgam of the names of pagan deities.                      

Freemasons disclaim any practice of religion  
The Working Group in their study of the practices and rituals found that its activities are centred on Temples whose rituals contain references to ‘altars’. Each Lodge has a Chaplain albeit he need not be in Holy Orders 

The Rituals  

The rituals themselves are allegorical dramas based on the partly factual, partly fictional history of King Solomon’s Temple. The work of Hiram Abiff its chief architect and the Master Mason in command of the construction of the Temple. 2 Chronicles 2: 13 (Huram Abi)  1 Kings 7: 13

Fiction – The story of his murder and in the Holy Royal Architect ritual, the discovery in the foundations of his ruined Temple of the ‘omnific’ word: the lost name of God. 

The candidate impersonates Hiram Abiff – he falls to the floor shams death and is buried. He is raised up by the Worshipful Master. 

First Degree Training Board given in Emulation Ritual (Emulation – follow in the footsteps of) 

The usage and customs among Freemasons have ever borne a near affinity to those Ancient Egyptians their philosophers unwilling to expose their mysteries to vulgar eyes,   systems of learning and polity (civil) constitution under signs and hieroglyphic figures which were communicated to their chief priests magic alone, who were bound to solemn oath to conceal them. The systems of Pythagoras founded on similar principle. 

Many are concerned by the secrecy of Freemasonry: if Freemasonry is right, why all the secrecy?’ asks Andy Arbuthnot and many others. In their evidence to the Working Group, the Untied Grand Lodge argued very strongly that the element of secrecy was much exaggerated by their detractors, making the point that Freemasonry, historically, has been exempted from legislation suppressing secret societies considered a danger to the state.  

The Working Group had no difficulty whatsoever in obtaining copies of the Emulation Ritual, one of the several ‘workings’ of Lodges under the Grand Lodge of England. Nevertheless an essential feature of the rituals of the Craft Masonry is that the candidate undertakes ‘without evasion, equivocation, or mental reservation of any kind’, never to reveal to a non-Mason any of the steps, signs and grips and words which are disclosed to a candidate in the initiation ceremonies.

Any good library will have books which contain or explain the “Secrets” of Freemasonry. Yet Craft members continue to swear a solemn oath on the Bible not to reveal secrets, which are not secrets at all. Canon Demant concluded his observations on the Obligations: ‘there is no certainty that the Christian initiate will not find afterwards that he has joined an alien cult’. 

Opening prayers. First Degree page 68 Incorporation of familiar Christian prayers.   

First Degree. Vouchsafe Thine aid, Almighty Father and supreme Governor of the Universe . . . . to the honour and glory of Thy Holy Name.  

Second Degree. There are references to ‘the help of God’ and ‘the blessings of Heaven’; there is an actual prayer.  

Third Degree. Almighty and Eternal God, Architect and Ruler of the Universe . . . to pour down on this convocation assembled in Thy Holy Name the continual dew of thy blessing.  

The opening ceremony of the Aldergate Ritual for the Royal Architect Omnipotent - God unto whom all hearts are open, all desires are known and from whom no secrets are hidden, cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of thy Holy Spirit that we may perfectly love you and worthily magnify your Holy name, but words: through Jesus Christ our Lord are omitted. 

Freemasons firmly reject the suggestion neither that nor merely the absence, but the deletion, of the name of Christ from their rituals constitutes a denial of him. ‘As Freemasonry is not a religion or a substitute for it, there is no reason why the name of Christ should be mentioned in its rituals. (Evidence from the United Grand Lodge)  

Christian opponents of Freemasonry frequently assert that it could just as reasonably be argued that, this being the case, it is unwise, to say the least, to pluck phrases and prayers from undeniable and recognisable Christian liturgies. The identification one with the other is too natural, and too misleading in the light of Freemasonry’s claim that its rituals ‘do not amount to the practise of religion’. Christian belief that none come to God save through Jesus Christ our Lord; and for some, it would appear to be a denial of the divinity of Christ.  

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A Temple made with Human Hands  

Hiram Abiff was under the Law of Moses in his work for Solomon. He was called by Solomon to build his Temple.  This Temple made by hands, by human effort, forced labour and was destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar and the second Temple built by Zarubbabel and Joshua extended by King Herod was also destroyed by the Romans in 70AD. 

A Temple made without Hands 

Jesus’ prophecy in John 2: 19, 21. “Destroy this temple, this building with all its rituals and sacrifices, and in three days I will raise it up.” John wrote, “But he spoke of the temple of his body.” After Jesus died on the cross and was taken and laid in a grave tomb, the body of Jesus having the Temple rituals and sacrifices completed in his life and death: the Passover lamb, the Scapegoat, the final sacrifice for all sin, the perpetual light of the temple, the candlestick, the manna and the shrew bread, the water contained in the laver, the altar of incense, a booth and so on. 

The New Jerusalem  

“And I saw no temple in the city (Jerusalem), for its temple is the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb (Jesus).” Revelation 21: 22.  

God resurrected Jesus and gave him a resurrected body. In the resurrected body of Jesus we have the temple of the eternal kingdom and when we come in faith and receive Jesus as our Saviour we enter into his kingdom our earthly bodies become the dwelling place of God’s Spirit. Paul refers to our bodies being the temple of the living God.  

"What agreement has the temple of God with idols?  For we are the temple of living God; as God said, “I will live in them and move among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Therefore come out from among them, and be separate from them, says the Lord, and touch nothing unclean; then I will welcome you, and I will be a Father to you, and you shall be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty.” 2 Corinthians 6: 16-18.                                                                                                                                                                      

                                                                                            

The Messiah’s Secret – The  Resurrection  in Christ.  

Readings Acts 9: 36-43. John 10: 22-30
The picture on the right: For-get-me-nots.

Is it a weed or a plant?  
Herb Robert, Dandelion, For-get-me-nots are they in your eyes a weed or a plant?      

A weed is where it is found in the wrong place: a rose found in a vegetable patch is classed as a weed. Perhaps you don't agree.

Last week we saw a divided opinion over Margaret Thatcher’s funeral whether it should have been put on a par with Winston Churchill. The outcome on Wednesday the funeral  was a ceremonial service with strands of a state funeral woven into  it.  Both  Margaret Thatcher and  Winston Churchill had a similar style of leadership, strong and determined, but both were in the right place at the right time.

Judas Maccabeus was one of Israel’s great leaders he defeated the occupational armies of Antiochus Epiphanes. The temple at Jerusalem was desecrated by Antiochus. Judas Maccabeus cleansed and  rededicated the temple  in 164 BC. The Feast of Dedication commemorates this event. 

In John 10: 19 we read that there was a divided opinion among the people about Jesus was he the kind of leader that the Messiah should be, so they asked Jesus, “Tell us plainly if you are the Christ.” 

Some of the Jews were perhaps looking for the Messiah to be a man like Judas Maccabeus  who would free them from the Romans. 

Jesus had a commanding presence about him, he spoke with authority on the scriptures. He spoke out when he saw their desecration of the temple: the money changers and the sellers of pigeons, sheep etc  “My house shall be a house of prayer.”   

In John’s account of this incident, he gave the Jews the sign of his resurrection. “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.”  John wrote, “He spoke of the temple of his body.” John 2: 13-22. Luke 19: 45. 

It was unthinkable by the leaders and many of the Jews that God would change from a temple made with hands to one made without hands, to a new constitution and government in this man Jesus. They did not understand that it really was the end of Israel’s system of government with the temple rituals and the ruling body of the Sanhedrin.  God had planned a complete change to one of the ruling presence of God and Christ’s reign over it. The resurrection is to do with this new government of Christ’s kingdom.  

In the reading from the Acts of the Apostles

We see the difference, were once the eleven disciples did not believe in the resurrection of the dead, but now they do. 
The disciples at Joppa did not hesitate to send for Peter who was at the nearby town of Lydda, where he had prayed for a man who had been paralised and he was healed, they asked him to come without delay. At Joppa  a disciples named Tabitha had fallen sick and died. This lady was highly regarded by the church she was known for her good works. 
When Peter arrived he went to the room where Tabitha lay dead. The mourners wept and the widows showed him the garments that she had made. Peter asked them all to leave the room. He knelt down and prayed and turning to the body he said, “Tabitha rise,” and her eyes opened and when she saw Peter she sat up. Peter presented her alive to her friends.  

 However, this was not the resurrection into eternal life. It was a sign of the way, to find the truth and eternal life.  

Paul in his letter to the church at Corinth explained to them that flesh and blood can not inherit eternal life.  “For all flesh is not alike, but there is one kind for men, another for animals, another for birds, and another for fish. There are celestial bodies and there are terrestrial bodies; but the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another. There is one glory of the sun, and another of the moon, and another glory of the stars; for star differs from star in glory. So it is with the resurrection of the dead. What is sown is perishable, what is raised is imperishable.”  1 Corinthians 15: 39-42, 50. 

Three cards with textured material on them. Pass around congregation. 

Just to get the feel of what Paul was saying, I put on card some of the materials that probably Dorcas made her garments from and they differ in texture: linen, sheep’s skin, leather, silk, cotton. Dorcas had a hand in producing garments from them. Just has God has had his hand in creation.

At birth, Jesus had a natural body, in his resurrection, his natural body was raised up a spiritual body.  God had created for him a spiritual body. 

We read from the Gospel accounts, the resurrected body of Jesus had the marks where the nails and spear had pierced his flesh, he ate the same food as the disciples but he was able to walk through walls, and  his body was without blood.  Luke 24: 39-42. 

Our resurrected body will be raised up a spiritual body, a new creation, and we will have our personal identifying marks.  

Moody’s Stories “Moody wrote - A friend of mine was in Syria, and he found a shepherd that kept the old custom of naming his sheep. My friend said he wouldn’t believe that the sheep knew him when he called them by name. So he said to the shepherd, “I wish you would just call one or two.” The shepherd said, “Carl.” The sheep stopped eating and looked up. The shepherd called out, “Come here.” The sheep came, and stood looking up to his face. He called another, and another, and there they stood looking up at the shepherd. “How can you tell them apart?” “Oh, there are no two alike. See that sheep toes in a little; this sheep has a black spot on its nose.”My friend identified them by their markings.” 

So we will be able to recognise our own bodies in the resurrection, but the make up of our bodies will be like that of Jesus. 

Our lives are hidden with Christ, in life and in death. 

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me shall live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die.” John 11 : 25, 26.  

At Baroness Thatcher’s funeral service the Bishop of London Richard Chartres in his sermon said: “It is almost as perplexing to identify the “real me” in life as it is in death. The atoms that make up our bodies are changing all the time, through wear and tear, eating and drinking. We are atomically distinct from what we were when young. What unites Margaret Roberts of Grantham with Baroness Thatcher of Kesteven and constitutes her identity? The complex pattern of memories, aspirations and actions which make up a character were carried for a time by the atoms of her body, but we believe are also stored up in the Cloud of God’s being.” 

The uniting of what is stored in the cloud of God’s being, will be joined together with our bodies, when the Lord calls out the church from the earth, those who have died in Christ our bodies will be raised from a grave or from where our ashes have been scattered they will be gathered together. And those who are alive “We shall all be changed in the twinkling of an eye.”  

“Lo! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at  the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. For this perishable  must put on the imperishable, and this mortal nature must put on immortality.” 1 Corinthians 15: 51-53 

“For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the archangel’s call and the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first; then we who are alive, who are left, shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air; so shall we always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words.” 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18.

This is our hope, that when we are changed and have the resurrected spiritual body like that of Jesus, we put on immortality, the gift of eternal life. After this takes place we go the marriage supper of the Jesus and his bride the church in heaven. 

Early Church in Acts of the Apostles and another view on the Feast of Dedication.
“And the word of God increased and the number of disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem and a great many of the priests were obedient to the faith.” Acts 6: 7.

After Jesus’ resurrection a small number of disciples  gathered at the house in Jerusalem. Later after Pentecost the word church was used which means assembly a large gathering of people.  Before the name Christian was used by the believers, several names were used: Apostles, disciples and saints. The chosen disciples of Jesus were the called Apostles the ones who had been with Jesus, the disciples were both men and women as Tabitha was called a disciple and saints was used for all believers. Saints being Godly people. It was at Antioch were the name Christian was first used. Christian meaning a Christ-like person. Acts 11: 26.)  

There were great expectations of Jesus’ return as the disciples went about their master’s business watching for his return. Mark 13: 32-37.  

In the first few chapters of  ‘The Acts of the Apostles’ Peter, John, Stephen and the six disciples and Philip are mentioned as working in the power of the Holy Spirit. 

There soon followed a dispersion of the community at Jerusalem after the stoning of Stephen. Saul  was ravaging the church by rounding up men and women and committing them to prison. After Saul’s conversion the church enjoyed a time of peace, earlier in chapter 9 we read of Saul’s encounter with Jesus on the Damascus road.  Instead of pursuing the disciples and imprisoning them, he began at Damascus preaching in the synagogues, that Jesus was the Son of God and proved that Jesus was the Christ. The Jews  plotted to kill him, but his disciples took him by night and let him down over the wall, lowering him in a basket. 

Saul went to Jerusalem to join the disciples, but they were afraid of him, they did not believe that he was a disciple. But Barnabas took him and brought him to the Apostles  and he declared to them he had seen the Lord who had spoken to him. The Hellenists disputed with Saul and threatened to kill him. When the disciples heard, they sent him off to his home town Tarsus. 

Hellenists.“ Eyre & Spottiswoode Bible notes page 1634” 
“It was commonly understood that Hellenists were Jews who spoke Greek and/or adopted Greek customs, whilst Hebrews were more conservative Jews perhaps native of Jerusalem who spoke Hebrew (Aramaic) and abstained from Greek customs. Even in the early church a certain tension between the two groups was inevitable.”                                                                 

“So the church throughout all Judea, Galilee and Samaria had peace and was built up; and walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit it was multiplied.” Acts 9: 31. 

Peter, James the Lord’s brother and John were regarded by Paul as being ‘pillars of the church’ Galatians 1: 19 Peter and James’ letters taught the faith. The church was being built up on the knowledge of Jesus fulfilling the prophesies in the Hebrew scriptures and the working of the Holy Spirit in the saints lives. 

Principal Feast Days in our Churches Calendar   
Epiphany, Easter Day, Ascension Day, Day of Pentecost, Trinity Sunday, All Saints Day and Christmas Day.  

The Feast of Dedication.  
In our Gospel reading the Feast of Dedication coincides with Christmas Day, the birth of the Saviour Jesus Christ. The Feast of Dedication commemorates the re-dedication of the temple to God’s worship. 
In 168 BC the temple at Jerusalem was desecrated by Antiochus Epiphanes. Judas Maccabeus recaptured the city and had the sanctuary cleansed of the symbols of idolatry 164 BC the Feast of Dedication was celebrated  and it is revered every year in the Jewish month of Chislev. (Kislev. December) It is also called Hanukkah it begins on the 25^th of Kislev and lasts for eight days. 

Jesus in his life laid down and in his resurrection  fulfilled every aspect of temple worship, he fulfilled the 'Feast of Dedication' when he emptied the temple court of the money changers who were desecrating the temple and he gave the Jews the sign of his resurrection. “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.”  John wrote, “But he spoke of the temple of his body.” John 2: 13-22 
The significance of this feast being mentioned by John was that Jesus was the Saviour of Israel and his body, his life laid down the final cleansing of sin against God. God had prepared a new temple in Christ made without hands.    This was accomplished in the temple of Jesus’ body in being: the Passover lamb, the Scapegoat, the final sacrifice for all sin including the desecration of the temple. He is the perpetual light of the world, the bread of life, living water, the intercessor  between God and mankind, a shelter and so on. Revelation 21: 22. 2 Corinthians 5: 1.

The Jews were undecided about Jesus so they asked him, “Tell us plainly if you are the Christ.”                  
Jesus earlier had spoken about being the good shepherd, “ I am the good shepherd; I know my own and they know me, as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep. And I have other sheep,  that are not of this fold; I must bring them also, and they will heed my voice. So there shall be one flock , one shepherd.” John 10: 14-16  

Moody’s Stories.  
“Moody wrote - A friend told me about being in an eastern country some time ago, and he saw a shepherd going down to a stream, and he wanted to get his sheep across. He went into the water and called them by name, but they came to the bank and bleated, and were too afraid to follow. At last he went back, tightened his girdle about his loins, took up two little lambs, and put them inside his tunic. Then he started into the water, and the old sheep looked up to the shepherd instead of down into the water. They wanted to see their little ones. The old sheep got them over the water, and led them into the green pastures on the other side.” 

The Jews who heard the call of their shepherd and questioned whether he was in fact their shepherd are like the older sheep who having heard the call of the shepherd, but stood bleating on the banks of the river. The two lambs represent the other sheep who are the Gentiles who God hoped would bring the Jews to recognise Jesus as their Messiah. Acts 13: 46.                                                                                                                      

The  Messiah’s  Secret  –  Fall  and  Rise

        Readings Acts 5: 27-32  John 20: 19-31.

Humpty Dumpty.

A 17^th Century Rhyme. The melody commonly associated with the rhyme was first recorded by the composer and nursery rhyme collector James William Elliott in his book of National Nursery Rhymes Nursery Songs published in 1870.                                         

Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall,

Humpty Dumpty had a great fall.

All the Kings horses and all the Kings men,

couldn’t put Humpty together again.

Visual Aid.     
Humpty Dumpty was happily sitting on the wall watching people scurrying by, but something caused Humpty to fall off the wall. 

Was it a gust of wind? (Ask the children to make a sound like the wind.)

Was it the rain?  (Pita, pata)

What do you think could have made Humpty fall off the wall?

Someone may have pushed him off the wall. 
(Humpty fell off the wall by pulling the peg out, parts stuck on with blue tack)

Someone may have been upset by something Humpty had said or done.

The king sent his soldiers to put Humpty back onto the wall, but they couldn’t because he was in bits. (Holding up the arms and legs of Humpty Dumpty.)

When we feel hurt and down hearted because of what someone has said or done to us, there is someone who can help us and that is Jesus. He can mend our hurts and fears when we ask him in our prayers.

Song

The *astrick I have used to indicate the parts left out of the sermon.

The rhyme speaks of the rise and fall of nations and people.  We think of the rise and fall of great Empires like: the Babylonian Empire, the Persian, Greek and Roman Empires and in more recent times the British Empire.  

Politicians Rise and Fall

People in political life rise up to prominent responsible positions: Richard Nixon rose to become the President of the United States of America only to fall when he was implicated in a scandal. The book ‘All the Presidents Men’ was made into a film, echoing the rhyme, ‘The king’s men could not put Humpty Dumpty together again.’  

The film is about the 'Watergate Scandal', referring to the failure of the Presidents staff to repair the damage once the scandal had leaked out. 

The Fall and Rise of the Messiah    

In the Bible Simeon prophesied concerning the Messiah it is the opposite, he would fall and rise.      

“Behold this child is set for the fall and rising of many in Israel.” Luke 2: 34.   

The fall is where Jesus died on the cross and was placed in a tomb. 

The rise is on the third day after his crucifixion and death, God raised Jesus from the dead. 
The prophecy also includes others in association with the Messiah like the disciples.

Later on the day of the resurrection the disciples were gathered in the house at Jerusalem, I suspect that they were broken hearted, confused, and afraid. A sign of their desperation the doors were locked, they had fallen into despair.                                                           

*The disciples were certainly sceptical of Jesus’ resurrection when earlier in the day they heard from the women who came from the tomb telling them that Jesus was raised and they didn’t believe them.   People today are slow to believe, not sure if the resurrection really happened. Taking the word of people who lived 2,000 years ago is questioned by the logical mind.  However, one experience is worth a thousand arguments, we find out that resurrection of Jesus is true when we experience it for ourselves in this life. 

*We understand why the disciples did not believe the women when we read Luke’s account of the evening of the day of Jesus’ resurrection. Two disciples left the house to go to Emmaus, as they travelled along the road, they met the stranger. In their conversation with him they told him about Jesus who had been crucified at Jerusalem and that day was the third day since these things had happened and they had hoped he was the one who would save Israel.  

From these words it would seem that they did not expect the Messiah to come and redeem them on a cross at Jerusalem. Their vision of the Messiah was typified when the crowd hailed Jesus as the Son of King David “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel.” John 12:13. Luke 24: 21. 

The two disciples invited the stranger to stay with them at the village, so he went with them and when they sat down to the evening meal, he broke the bread and they immediately recognised that the stranger was Jesus. Now they believed just like the women who had reported seeing Jesus to them earlier. They returned to Jerusalem, and as they were telling the disciples all that had happened.*

  

In their fallen state of doubts and fears, Jesus came and stood among them saying, “Peace be with you.” He showed them his hands, his feet and his side. The disciples seeing Jesus lifted them up, setting them free from the fear of falling into the hands of the Romans, and the Jews.

Jesus breathed on them the Holy Spirit. Jesus fulfilled John the Baptist prophecy, “He (the Messiah) will baptise you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.” Luke 3: 16 

Similarly in our fallen state we can find that Jesus is alive and we too can receive the Holy Spirit from Jesus. We come just as we are to Jesus in prayer, reaching out in our fears, maybe confusion or in having doubts and ask the Lord to make himself known to us.

*On the same evening Jesus by the giving of the Holy Spirit opened their understanding of the scriptures concerning Jesus’ suffering and resurrection.* Luke 24: 45 

Jesus gave them his authority to forgive or retain the sins of people.

Acts Chapter 5 reveals the rise and fall of people in the world and were the Apostles were witnessing their faith in their fall and rise.  

At the beginning of the Chapter we have an example of sins retained put into practise by Peter: Ananias and his wife Sapphira. 

   

*Ananias and Sapphira. (I think of them as the Adam and Eve of the New Testament.)
Rise -They joined the community at Jerusalem having been baptised and received Jesus as their Messiah. Signs and wonders were done among the people by the Apostles. The community shared all their wealth and possessions. Along with others they sold a piece of land with the intention of giving the proceeds to the community.  

Fall - However, after they had sold it, they decided to hold on to some of the proceeds. Maybe like Thomas they had some doubts about what they believed and decided to keep some money just in case they left the community. When Peter asked what they had received they lied. He discerned what they had done and said to Ananias, “You have not lied to men but to God.” He fell down and died on the spot. Peter asked Ananias’s wife did they sell the land for so much and she said ‘Yes’ and she too fell down and died.   Even after a person is saved, the devil will sow seeds of doubt. Read the parable of 'The Sower'. Acts 5: 1-11. Mark 4: 13-20.

*The Messiah’s Secret   

The Apostles were setting up the kingdom of God being about their master’s business until he returned. 

The ruling rod of iron of sins forgiven or retained. Psalm 2. Rev 19: 15. 

They expected Jesus to come with the angels and bring in his kingdom. Mark 9:1. 13: 32-35. John 21: 21. Acts 3: 17 end 

The disciples will judge the twelve tribes of Israel.  Matthew 19: 28.*  

Disciples arrested 

The Jewish council clearly wanted the demise, the fall of the community that had risen up in Jerusalem, so they arrested the Apostles and put them in prison.

During the night an angel open the prison doors telling the Apostles to witness about Jesus in the temple. The captain of the guard went to the prison to bring the men before the council for questioning. He found the sentries on guard and the doors were locked but there was no sign of the prisoners in the cells.

A puzzle to unravel. 
Hand out the box chained and held securely with a combination lock. Clues to the number that will open the lock. There are two numbers in the RSV Bible Gospel reading John 20: 19-31. The numbers 1& 8 other two numbers are 0. Find the combination.  

The Captain heard that they were teaching in the temple, he found them and without violence brought them before the council. They were told not to teach in the name of Jesus. But the Apostles spoke boldly to them saying, ”God exalted him (Jesus) at his right hand as Leader and Saviour, to give repentance to Israel forgiveness of sins.” and that they must obey God rather than men. 

The Lord used this situation to give the assembled high priest and members of the ruling council of the nation the opportunity to bring the nation to repentance. Jesus had given the leaders a sign he would be like Jonah three days and nights in the heart of the earth. The King of Nineveh repented when he heard Jonah’s message. The acceptance of the Messiah was a national calling. Matthew 12: 40, 41. Jonah 3. 

The council had a problem they were perplexed and were unable to stop what they had brought about by crucifying Jesus and they were clearly afraid of the people taking the side of the Apostles this could have led to their downfall. 1 Peter 2: 8. 

Rise and Fall of False Messiah’s 

A member of the council the Pharisee named Gamaliel a teacher of the law, he suggested that these men should leave the room while he had a private word with the members of the council. He reminded them of Theudas who rose up with about four hundred followers, but it came to nothing. Also Judas the Galilean arose and drew some of the people after him, but again it came to nothing they were scattered after his death. Gamaleil’s advice to the council if it is not of God it will fade away, but if it’s of God, the council may be opposing God. Acts 5: 33-39  

The council responded to Gamaleil’s words, they beat the Apostles and told them not to speak in the name of Jesus and let them go.    The Apostles left the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonour for the name of Jesus and they continued to teach Jesus as the Messiah.  

The rise of the community continued.  

Today’s Christian’s fall and rise.  

I had a phone call on Easter Monday afternoon from a friend she was wanted to share with me her good news. Her daughter–in-law has become a Christian. 

Her daughter-in-law had been very down at a low ebb. The family seemed to go from one problem to the next problem. Like many people today suffering as a result of our economic situation.   However, on Easter Saturday evening at a meeting at her mother-in-law’s church, that was to change. After hearing the message from the guest speaker she responded by taking a step of faith and accept Jesus as her Saviour. She fell into repentance and was raised up into the Lord’s forgiveness.

Like the disciples at low ebb, she had fallen into despair and like the disciples when Jesus came into their midst he breathed on them the Holy Spirit and their lives were changed. The Lord on Easter Saturday breathed on her his Holy Spirit. 

It is just the beginning of a journey now she will be raised above the storms of life; even in the troughs when things are at their worst she will be strengthened to overcome the situation. 

Despair is a Desperate Companion. 

Despair is a desperate companion for facing the unknown. 

Much rather the funny, dancing loving partner of my journey,

 the spirit of sparkling hope to lighten my load and wash away my tears. 

Perhaps I'm searching in the wrong place; asking the wrong questions. 

O God, midwife of my life, deliver me from anxiety, dispel my fear, calm my racing heart, bring hope to birth again. 

Kate Mcllhagga from the Book 'Praying for the Dawn' Ruth Burgess and Kathy Galloway. Wild Goose Publications.    

*Followers of Jesus. 

When we make a decision to accept Jesus as our Saviour, we look to his teachings in order to follow him.   

In the parable of the marriage feast Jesus taught us that we should humbly seek the lowest place and God will raise us up in order to fulfil his work in making Jesus known in the world.

By seeking the lowest place we won’t fall into ambition, were our humanity takes over the Lord’s work. Luke 14: 10 

It is so easy in all sincerity and being zealous to be doing what the Lord Jesus has called us to do, to move from being in that lowest place where we are walking closely with the Lord, in not moving to the left or the right without the guidance of the Holy Spirit. To where through being successful we become ambitious for the Lord’s work in anticipating what should happen next. This brings us under law as we find we have reverted to move forward in the power of self and start to run ahead of the Spirit.*