The  Messiah’s Secret – Shalom - Peace

  Before they entered the Garden of Gethsemane Jesus had prayed that his disciples would still believe in him after his arrest, his trial and crucifixion, and as a result of his prayer they came together in the house at Jerusalem.

Children’s short talk with a visual aid:   an orange  

              
The orange represents the church. 

The peel that holds all the orange is like Jesus’ love holding them all together in his name                                                                                                                                              

REMOVE OUTER PAPER 

The segments contain goodness of the orange. the juice and the seeds

The segments of the orange represents the disciples of Jesus. I’ve put on the names of the twelve disciples: Simon Peter, Andrew, James, John, Thomas, Philip, Matthew, Simon the Cananaean Judas, James the son of Alphaeus, Bartholomew, and Thaddaeus.                                                                                                                                

REMOVE TWO SEGMENTS    
Two disciples were missing: Judas and Thomas (pull out two segments) Do you know why they were missing?  Answer: Judas, he was the one who had betrayed to the ruling authorities and died shortly afterwards by taking his own life                                                                                                                                        
Thomas was not there, he had doubts about the resurrection, he did not believe until he saw the risen Jesus 8 days later.

Later Matthias took Judas’ place.

PUT BACK TWO SEGMENTS.

So now they were together Jesus prayer is for us to that we should be one in him

So when we pray on behalf of Jesus for someone or something we pray add his name to our prayer, we end our prayer: in Jesus’ name. Amen and we can expect that our prayers will be answered. 

                                                                            
1 Peter 1: 3-9.  John 20: 19 – 23.

Peter wrote in his letter of a Christians faith being tested going through time of trial. He spoke from his own experience when he denied knowing Jesus in Caiaphas’ courtyard and seeing Jesus brought to trial, crucified and buried in a tomb.
                                                                                                                                                 

On the evening of the day of the resurrection the disciple’s faith in Jesus had been severely tested by his crucifixion, even though he had told them he was going to be die at Jerusalem and rise on the third day they did not understand what he had said.

In verse 9, “As of yet they did not know the scripture that he must rise from the dead, this I call the Messiah’s secret. God had hidden Jesus’ death and resurrection from their understanding because Jesus had to die on the tree of crucifixion and be raised from the dead.  

So they were taken by surprise when Jesus appeared before them in the house at Jerusalem, they must have been flabbergasted, especially when he spoke saying  “Peace be with you,” “Peace be with you,” and he then showed them his hands and his side, how they must have rejoiced within themselves. 

Shalom – a greeting of peace – St Paul in all his letters gave a greeting of peace and Peter in verse 2 of our reading wrote, “Grace and peace be yours in abundance”.

Shalom – farewell, goodbye Again Paul’s letters most not all of them ended with the peace, shalom. In his letter to the church at Philippi he wrote, ”And the peace of God, which passes all understanding, will keep your hearts and your minds in Jesus Christ.” Phil 4: 7.

Shalom is God’s peace that passes all understanding, it embraces the welfare of the whole of creation. God brought peace to the universe through Jesus: St Paul wrote,  “And through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven making peace by the blood of his cross” Colossians 1: 20 

Throughout the Bible there is a legal aspect running through. God always seeks justice rather than imposing his will on creation.

Shortly after the creation there was rebellion in heaven, Jesus confirmed Isaiah words, when he said that he saw Satan fall like lightening from heaven. Isaiah wrote concerning Satan the Cherubim, “How you are fallen from heaven, O Day Star, son of the Dawn! How you are cut to the ground, you who laid the nations low! You said in your heart, ‘I will ascend to heaven; above the stars of God I will set my throne on high; I will sit on the mount of assembly in the far north; I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will make myself like the Most High.’ But you are brought down to Sheol, to the depths of the pit.” Isaiah 14: 12-15.    

On the cross Jesus Legally won the victory over the forces of the rebellion through his precious blood, the life of the living God, as a result Jesus has brought peace in the universe. It has also brought reconciliation between God and humanity.  

Forgiveness and the peace are at the heart of Christian message.  

To the church at Rome Paul wrote, “Therefore since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” Through faith in Jesus repenting of our sin before God enables us to receive his forgiveness, as a result we are justified, declared not guilty of any sin, and reconciled to God.                                                                                               

TO EXPLAIN

 In 2010 I was penalised for speeding, I had a choice either to pay the fine or spend a day at Preston on a Speed Awareness Course, to be convicted of my driving sins, so I chose Preston. At the end of the day I had repented of my driving sins, as a result the points on my licence were cancelled out, so likewise Jesus has legally cancelled out my sin. And I have received a blessing as well.

Just as Jesus breathed on his disciples the Holy Spirit, so he breathes the Holy Spirit on us and fills us with great love, joy and peace.  God’s peace is complete in us and inspires peace of mind, satisfaction and good health.                                                                        

Sustained in peace by keeping our eyes focused on Jesus, Isaiah wrote, “Thou dost keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee, because he trusts in thee.”  Isaiah 26: 3

In the 1990’s I met an Anglican Nun Sister Irene Mary, whose eyes were focused on Jesus. I met her through the pottery that I produced with Bible texts. On one occasion I called at her house with a pottery order and when she opened the door and greeted me the peace of God came from her.  
That same peace becomes apparent when we are going through a troubled time, caught up in a storm that is raging around us, then Jesus stills our storm and peace and calm follows, we are comforted by Jesus’ words,  “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.” John 14: 27.                                                                                                                             

Peter wrote in v 5 “Who through faith are shielded by God’s power.” God’s power is in his name. Jesus prayer in John 17: 11 “ Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name – the name you gave me – so that they may be one as we are one.”

Jesus’ oneness with his Father is like the orange is one with the orange tree, we have that continuity

The visual aid of the orange portraits Jesus one with his church All the segments stuck together, unified one in Jesus. St Paul in his letter to the church at Rome wrote that we are individually members of the body of Christ and individually members of one another.  Each containing the Spirit of God’s goodness, the righteous love of God and bearing the seeds of faith that contain the words about Jesus and when sown into a person’s heart that person has the potential to be like Jesus.        

 Christians making up the whole orange.

Jesus said, “I have said this to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”  John 16: 33.
We are overcomers in Christ.

Jesus had prayed for their perfect unity, perfectly one, so God had answered Jesus’ prayer that the disciples should be kept together in their faith in him.

The church in the world will be perfectly one when Jesus returns, and all who confess that Jesus is Lord will be forever with the Lord.

The Messiah's Secret - 34 Prophesies Fulfilled in One Day

1. The prophecy of his marred body, due to the brutality of the soldiers. “As many were astonished at you; his body was so marred more than any man and his form more than the sons of men.” Isaiah 52: 14. 
Fulfilled. Pilate had Jesus flogged. ”Then Pilate released for them Barabbas, and having scourged, delivered him to be crucified.” Matthew 27: 26.

2. “But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. Isaiah 53: 5
Fulfilled. “And when they had mocked him, they stripped him of the purple cloak, and put his own clothes on him. And they led him out to be crucified.” Mark 15: 20 

Matthew wrote in his Gospel, “Jesus cast out spirits with a word, and healed all who were sick. This was to fulfil what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah, “He took our infirmities and bore our diseases.” Matthew 8: 16, 17.
Jesus bore on the cross, the causes and results of sin that came into the world with the fall of Adam.

3. "All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned everyone to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.” Isaiah 53: 6
Fulfilled. “Jesus said on the cross, “Father forgive them; for they know not what they do.” Luke 23: 34.

4. “He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he opened not his mouth.” Isaiah 53: 7
Fulfilled. “Then Pilate said to him, “Do you not hear how many things they testify against you but he gave no answer, not even to a single charge; so that Pilate wondered greatly.” Matthew 27: 13, 14.

5. “By oppression and judgement he was taken away; and as for his generation, who considered that he was cut off out of the land of the living, stricken for the transgressions of my people. Isaiah 53: 8
Fulfilled. ”Then what shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ? They all said, “Let him be crucified.” And he said what evil has he done?” But they shouted all the more. “Let him be crucified.” Matthew 27: 22, 23.

6. “The place of the burial of Christ was predicted.” And he made his grave with the wicked and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was there any deceit in his mouth.” Isaiah 53: 9
Fulfilled. Joseph from the town of Arimathea, believed the words that Jesus had spoken. Joseph was a member of the Jewish Council. “When it was evening, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who was also a disciple of Jesus. He went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Then Pilate ordered it to be given to him. And Joseph took the body, and wrapped it in a clean linen shroud, and laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn out of the rock; and he rolled a great stone to the door of the tomb and departed.” Matthew 27: 57, 60.

7. “Yet it pleased him to bruise him; he has put him to grief; when you shall make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his offspring, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand; Isaiah 53: 10
Fulfilled. It was in the plan of God that Jesus would suffer and be killed and that on the third day God would raise him from the dead. 
“Jesus said, “For I tell you that this scripture must be fulfilled in me, ‘And he was reckoned with transgressors’; for what is written about me has its fulfilment.” Luke 22: 37.

8. "He shall see the fruit of the travail of his soul and be satisfied; by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant, make many to be accounted righteous; and he shall bear their iniquities.” Isaiah 53: 11
Fulfilled. ”For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” John 3: 16.

9.  “He bares the sin of many; He was numbered with the transgressors.” Isaiah 53: 12
Fulfilled. “And when they came to a place, which is called Calvary, there they crucified him, and the malefactors, one on the right hand, and the other on the left” Luke 23: 33

10. 1,000 B.C. The prophecy of the betrayal of the Lord Jesus by Judas, 
“Yea, mine own familiar friend, in whom I trusted, which did eat my bread, has lifted up his heel against me.” Psalm 41: 9.
Fulfilled. ”And Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve, went to the chief priests, to betray him to them.” Mark 14: 10.(Just before Day of Preparation)

11. The price paid for his betrayal foretold. “And I said to them, if you think good, give me my price; and if not forbear. So they weighed for my price thirty pieces of silver.” Zechariah 11: 12. 
Fulfilled. “What will you give me, and I will deliver him to you? And they covenanted with him for thirty pieces of silver.” Matthew 26: 15

12. What would be done with the money? How would Judas use the betrayal money? “And the Lord said to me, Cast it into the treasury: a goodly price that I was paid off by them. And I took the thirty pieces of silver, and cast them into the treasury in the house of the Lord.” Zechariah 11: 13. 
Fulfilled. “Then Judas, which had betrayed him, when he saw that he was condemned, repented himself, and brought again the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders saying, I have sinned in that I have betrayed innocent blood. And they said, What is that to us? See thou to that. And he threw down the pieces of silver in the temple, and departed, and went and hanged himself. And the chief priests took the silver pieces, and said. It is not lawful for us to put them into the treasury, because it is the price of blood. And they took counsel and brought with them the potter’s field to bury strangers in.” Matthew 27: 3-7.

13. The prophecy of his scourging. “I gave my back to the smitters, and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair; I hid not my face from shame and spitting.” Isaiah 50: 6. 
Fulfilled. “And they spat upon him, and took the reed and struck him on his head.” Matthew 27: 30.

14. Prophecy of shame, reproach and dishonour. “You have known my reproach, and my shame, and my dishonour.” Psalm 69: 19. 
Fulfilled. “They stripped him, and put on him a scarlet robe.” Matthew 27: 28.

15. Prophecy of the false witnesses against Christ at his trial. “False witnesses did rise up; they laid to my charge things that I knew not.” Psalm 35: 11 
Fulfilled. “Many bore false witness against him, and their witness did not agree.” Mark 14: 56.

16. Prophecy of the smitten shepherd. “Smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered.” Zechariah 13: 7.
Fulfilled. “Then Jesus said to them . . . it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.” Matthew 26: 31. “And they all forsook him and fled.” Mark 14: 50.

17. Prophecy of the parting of his garment. “They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture.” Psalm 22: 18. 
Fulfilled. “So they said to one another, “Let us not tear it, but cast lots for it to see whose it shall be.”. John 19: 24

18. It was seen in prophecy that he would fall beneath the cross. “My knees are weak through fasting.” Psalm 109: 24 
Fulfilled. “So they took Jesus, and he went out, bearing his own cross, to the place of a skull, which is called in Hebrew Golgotha.” John 19: 17.
“And as they came out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name: they compelled him to carry his cross.” Matthew 27: 32.

19. The prophecy of his thirst. ”I am weary of my crying; my throat is dried.” Psalm 69: 3. 
Fulfilled. “After this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled, said, “I thirst.” John 19: 28.

20.  What would they give him to drink? “In my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.” Psalm 69: 21. 
Fulfilled. ““When Jesus had received the vinegar, he said, “It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.” John 19: 30.

21. They stared at Jesus on the cross. “They look and stare upon me.” Psalm 22: 17. 
Fulfilled. “They stare and gloat over me.” Luke 23: 35.

22. The pierced hands and feet. “They pierced my hands and my feet.” Psalm 22: 16. 
Fulfilled. “And they crucified him.” Matthew 27: 35.

23. The pierced side. “They shall look upon me whom they have pierced.” Zechariah 12: 10.
Fulfilled. “And sitting down they watched him there.” Matthew 27: 36.

24. Prophecy. His heart was broken. “I’m poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint; my heart is like wax; it is melted in the midst of my bowels.” Psalm 22: 14. 
Fulfilled. “But one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and at once there came out blood and water.” John 19:34 The blood and water issuing from his side, indicated extravasations of the heart: I.e., a broken heart.

25. Our Lord’s mother and friends in prophecy. “My lovers and my friends stand aloof from my wounds and my kinsman stand away off.” Psalm 38: 11. 
Fulfilled. “And all his acquaintances and the women who had followed him from Galilee stood at a distance and saw these things.” Luke 23: 49.

26. The mockery of the people in prophecy. “I became also a reproach to them: when they looked upon me they shake their heads.” Psalm 109: 25. 
Fulfilled. “And those who passed by derided him, wagging their heads and saying, “You who would destroy the temple and build it in three days, save yourself! If you are the Son of God then come down from the cross.” Matthew 27: 39, 40.

27. The railing, hatred, and taunting of the mob. “ He trusted on the Lord that he would deliver him: let him deliver him, seeing he delighted in him.” Psalm 22: 8. 
Fulfilled. “He trusted in God let him deliver him: let him deliver him now, if he will have him: for he said, I am the Son of God.” Matthew 27: 43.

28. The intense lonely cry in the hour of his suffering. “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” Psalm 22: 1. 
Fulfilled. “Jesus cried with a loud voice . . . My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” Matthew 27: 46.

29. The cry of victory and triumph. “It is finished!” Psalm 22: 31.
Fulfilled. “When Jesus had received the vinegar, he said, “It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.” John 19: 30.

30. Jesus commends his Spirit to his Father. “Into your hands I commend my spirit.” Psalm 31: 5. 
Fulfilled. “Father into your hands I commit my spirit.” Luke 23: 46.

31. A wonderful prophecy uttered 1490 years before its fulfilment. “In one house it shall be eaten; you shall not carry any of the flesh outside of the house; and you shall not break a bone of it.” Exodus 12: 46. 
Fulfilled. “But when they came to Jesus they saw that he was dead already, they did not break his legs.” John 19: 33. “For these things were done, that the scripture should be fulfilled. A bone of him shall not be broken.” John 19: 36.

32. The Messiah was to be cut off, but not for him. “And after three score and two weeks shall the Messiah be cut off, but not for himself.” Daniel 9: 26. 
Fulfilled. “You do not understand that it is expedient for you that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation should not perish.” 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 the children of God who are scattered abroad. “ John 11: 50-52.

33. The oldest prophecy of all, uttered by the Lord himself at least 4,000 years before. “And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.” Genesis 3: 15.
Fulfilled. The heel of the Lord Jesus Christ was bruised when he was crucified, for the nails were driven through his feet, thus bruising his heels. John 19: 18.
The serpents head was there also bruised. John 12: 31-33. The execution of this sentence will take place when Christ returns. Romans 16: 20.

34. A great Calvary miracle prophecy uttered about 800 years before. “ And it shall come to pass in that day, said the Lord God, that I will cause the sun to go down at noon, and I will darken the earth in the clear day.” Amos 8: 9 
Fulfilled. This is one of the most profound prophesies of the word of God. On the day that the Saviour would be crucified, there would be darkness at noonday. 
“Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land until the ninth hour. (12noon – 3pm) Matthew 27: 45.

The  Messiah's. Secret  -  Jesus Heals the Two Blind Men
Evening Lectionary: Lamentations 3: 19 - 33.  Matthew 20: 17 - 34

 Every time we  come to the Lord in prayer we might remember these word’s of Jesus to the mother of James and John “What do you want” and to the two blind men “What do you want me to do for you?”

How gracious is our Lord Jesus that he wanted to meet the needs of the mother of James and John and the two blind men and praise the Lord for he is waiting to hear from you and me today to meet our needs. “What do you want me to do for you?”

The mother of James and John came humbly kneeling before Jesus and he said to her, “What do you want” she made her request to him, could her two sons sit one at his right hand and one at his left in his kingdom? Jesus’ response indicated that he could not give her the answer she wanted to hear, as these positions were for those appointed by his Father.

Whether this request came indirectly from James and John through their mother, it may have been the case. Earlier in a conversation among the twelve they discussed as to which one of them was the greatest.

“And they came to Capernaum; and when he was in the house he asked them, “What were you discussing on the way?” But they were silent; for on the way they had been discussed with each one another who was the greatest. And he sat down and called the twelve; and he said to them. “If any one would be first, must be last and servant of all.” And he took a child, and put him in the midst of them; and taking him in his arms, he said to them, “Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me; and whoever receives me, receives not me but him who has sent me.” Mark 9: 33-37

Jesus teaching them to have a child-like humility towards each other and the things of God.

In our reading Jesus mentions to those who seek to be the greatest or the first among them would be servant or a slave.

Definition of a servant – A person in service of another.

A Slave - A person who is the property of another.

Jesus’ implied that both these words ’servant’ and ‘slave are part of the Christian life; meaning - to humbly surrender our life to Christ, and as part of that to drink from his cup of suffering in a world that seeks darkness rather than light.

Many Christian leaders are suffering today: Brother Yun. “We're not called to live by human reason. All that matters is obedience to God's Word and his leading in our lives. if God says go, we'll go. If he says stay, we'll stay. When we are in his will, we are in the safest place in the world.” (extract from Brother Yun Quotes website)

Those have suffered for their faith down the centuries: Martin Luther King. "April 4 is the death anniversary of one of the most admired freedom fighters in history, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Luther was an American pastor, activist, humanitarian, and leader in the African-American Civil Rights Movements. Apart from the anti-discrimination activism he was involved in throughout his life, he is also known for his role in the advancement of civil rights using nonviolent civil disobedience based on his Christian beliefs."   (extract from Martin Luther King website)                                                

Jesus says rejoice in your suffering, in the Spirit of his holy love.

We remind ourselves of the humility in the holy love of God “Love is patient and kind; love is not jealous or boastful; it is not arrogant or rude. Love does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrong, but rejoices in the right. Love bears all things, believes all things, hoped all things, endures all things.” 1 Corinthians 13: 4-7

Jesus said to the two blind men “What do you want me to do for you?”  they where sat by the road side and when they heard that Jesus was coming so they cried out to him, “Have mercy on us, Son of David.” Jesus responded by asking them, “What do you want me to do for you?” They replied, “Lord let our eyes be opened,” and he touched their eyes and immediately they received their sight.                                  

Jesus says to us “What do you want me to do for you?” That made me pause . . . 

Jesus stopped as he heard the blind men’s desperate plea.
He also would have heard those people standing close to the men telling them to be silent.                                           

Why would those stood near them want the blind men to be silent, were they ashamed of them? Maybe their appearance so reprehensible to them; poorly dressed beggars.  Perhaps they were regarded as sinners, therefore, too unclean to be touched by Jesus. 

The good news is that no one’s cry is beyond the reach of God.

I have had a number of conversations tried to persuade a person that nothing can come between them and the love of God no matter what their circumstances or what they have done.

In the old testament reading, Jeremiah wrote, “The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is thy faithfulness.”  Lamentations 3: 22

Jeremiah lamented over the unfaithfulness of God’s people.  

The Book of Lamentations consist of five poems, these are understood to be essentially an adaptation of the mourning songs that were sung at every funeral, and it is thought that they may well have been intended to reflect the all-embracing character of the tragedy (fall of Jerusalem and the destruction of Solomon’s Temple) which left people emotionally and morally distraught.  The people were forced to accept of what prophets like Jeremiah had been saying all along: the destruction of Jerusalem had been allowed by God. It had been brought about as a result of their disobedience and  unfaithfulness towards the things of God.                                                                

“The Lord is good to those who wait for him. It is good that one should wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord.”Lamentations 3: 25, 26.

Jeremiah had a burden for the people of Israel.  

Jeremiah in his suffering was burdened and cried out in his poems, his laments to God. He grieved the loss of the people exiled into Babylon and the Jerusalem Temple’s destruction. In the third Lamentation his suffering has been great, but he continues to look every morning, waiting and hoping that the day of Salvation would soon come. Hoping that God would answer his prayer and turn the Israelites back to God.

How Jeremiah would have longed to be in those two blind men’s shoes, kneeling before his saviour and hearing directly from him those words, “What do you want me to do for you?” How he would have longed to have seen his Saviour face to face.

Jesus had a burden for the whole of mankind 

 In our reading Matthew records the prophecy of Jesus of his suffering, death and resurrection. In his suffering he felt the disapproval of the high priest and scribes. Fulfilling Jeremiah’s prophecy, “ He turned his cheek to the smiter.” Lamentations 3: 30

.His Father God asked and expected Jesus in the Spirit of His love to take this yoke of mankind’s sin and bear it in death on the cross. In fulfilling his prophecy Jesus made it possible for all to receive the healing touch of God.

After Jesus’ resurrection Matthew recognised that Jesus’ healing ministry had not ended with his death, “This was to fulfil what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah, “He took our infirmities and bore our diseases.” Matthew 8: 17   

The Healing of our Nation   

In response to the prayer of his church, God is raising up men and women like Jeremiah. Only recently we were asked as a church to support the Jake Berry’s Bill to protect young people from the gambling advertisements before the watershed of 9pm.

On April 1^st 2014 our MP Jake Berry presented his Bill to the House of Commons  to prohibit the advertising of gambling on broadcast media before the watershed. He outlined the reasons for bringing this concern to the House: 
 “I have also been in touch with parents and grandparents throughout my constituency, all of whom have spoken to me of their deep concern about the way in which their experience of watching television with their children and grandchildren is changing. Gambling advertisements now seem to dominate their screens, and children ask them about gambling and about how they can gamble during sports matches. . .  I do not wish to prevent any adult from having access to gambling, or from receiving information about it. However, it is an age-related activity, and it seems only right and proper for us to protect young people from being exposed to advertisements for what is for some, albeit a small number, an addictive and harmful activity. Advertisements on television have great power. Young people, and indeed some adults, believe that if something is advertised on TV, it is bound to be harmless. Constant advertisements for gambling condition young people to believe that it is a fun or glamorous activity; indeed, some advertisements are endorsed by celebrities. We must restrict such advertisements to adults, who are better able to weigh the odds, to understand the risks and, crucially, to deal with the consequences of any gambling losses. Tobacco advertisements were banned from television in 1991, and we must act similarly now to ban gambling advertisements before the watershed.”  Extract from Jake’s Speech    

He has support from across all political parties, but there is a lot of others who are opposed. Second reading in Parliament on the 16^th May 

 So when Jesus asks  “What do you want me to do for you?”  

My prayer today is;  Lord please bless our nation; give wisdom to those in authority both in the church and in Parliament. Strengthen those who are raised by you to uphold Christ’s teachings and give them your love and grace to be faithful witnesses. Amen