The Messiahs Secret – God’s Timing (Law and Grace)

Paul writing to the Ephesians wrote that now was the time for the Gentiles to enter into the Kingdom of God, “Remember at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from the citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world.” Ephesians 2: 12

Visual Aid - Hickory Dickory Dock Nursery Rhyme (for the young children) 

Hickory, dickory, dock,

the mouse ran up the clock, 

(the tab was pulled down by a child) 

the clock struck one, 

 the mouse ran down, 

hickory dickory dock. 

(The tab was pushed up to allow the mouse to come down).

 In a booklet which was given out, the mice were scurrying off to church for 9.45am

It was God’s timing when he intervened in human affairs when Jesus was born into the world to fulfil God’s plans and purposes, it was to end the law given to Moses by God and to establish the New Covenant by grace.

The cop got out of his car and the kid who was stopped for speeding rolled down his window, the cop said “I’ve been waiting for you all day,” The kid replied “Yeah, well I got hear as fast as I could.”

When the cop finally stopped laughing, he sent the kid on his way without a ticket. (grace.)   'Barrel of Laughs' J John Monach Books.

The greatest healing that Jesus accomplished was reconciling humanity and God.

Ephesians 2: 14. "For he (Jesus) is our peace, who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, by abolishing in his flesh the law with its commandments and regulation. His purpose was to create in himself one new man, so making peace, and in this one new body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility.”

To understand what Paul has written we remind ourselves that In the Bible there are only two nations the Jewish nation and the Gentiles.           

The Law given to Moses by God separated the two nations. The Gentiles didn’t keep these laws they had no covenants with God.

The law was given to Moses on Mount Sinai, the book containing the law was ratified, made legal with the sprinkling with sacrificial blood over the book and the people.

As part of that agreement Moses and the elders of Israel sat and ate with God on Sinai. God having fellowship with his people. Exodus 24: 1-11.

The same is seen when Jesus sat at table with his disciples at the last supper where he put in place the new covenant.”This is my blood of the covenant which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.” Matthew 26: 28

And in Revelation 3: 20 Jesus is knocking at the door of a person’s heart, Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.”  The barrier, the door of sin in our life.

Visual Aid - A large piece of tarmac 

The tarmac has a hard wearing surface which represents the law, the hardness, and the unyielding law.

The Policeman caught a motorist speeding and gave him a ticket, the motorist complained. The Policeman reminded him, “Get two more of these tickets and you will be riding a bicycle.”

The Law was given to Moses by God and it was designed to illuminate what sin is in God’s eyes: Hatred, bitterness, envy, pride, unbelief, malice, steal, cheat, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, fornication etc. Galatians 5: 19-21. 

We understand that it is impossible to keep the law, so a sacrifice was made to atone for sin.

When we hear what Jesus has done for us on the cross, and in faith we accept that he has become our sacrifice, dying for our sin, we are raised up from the dead, from the state that we were in before we heard about Jesus.

Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea took Jesus' dead body down from the cross and laid him in a tomb, where they wrapped his body with strips of linen coated with myrrh and aloes. 
From within the tomb, the power of God raised Jesus’ dead disjointed, bloodless body up from the dead, Jesus rolled back his grave clothes coated with myrrh and aloes, it was by the power of God the stone was rolled away from the entrance to the tomb.

It’s like the seed under the tarmac germinates in the darkness and by the power of God, forces its way through the tarmac, cracking its hard surface. Have you felt the soft texture of grass and yet it has broken through that hard surface of the tarmac.

The seed of faith sown in our heart, by the power of God’s Spirit raises us up, as Jesus got up in the tomb, he released us from our sin and raises us up in him, he rolls away the stony heart and gives us a heart that beats in time with God’s heart.

Our nature has been transformed by the power of God’s Spirit acting on repentance and our faith in Jesus, so our nature becomes God centred

We are raised up with Christ to know the holiness of God the law written in our hearts, and the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, kindness, patience, goodness, faithfulness, self control, against which there is no law. Galatians 5: 22 -24

Paul’s letter to the church at Rome, “When (Christian) Gentiles who have not the law do by nature what the law requires . . . They show that what the law requires is written on their hearts, while their conscience also bears witness and their conflicting thoughts accuse or perhaps excuse them on that day when, according to my gospel, God judges the secrets of men by Christ Jesus.” Romans 2: 4-16                                               

Jesus has fulfilled the purpose for his coming, he has broken down the barrier of sin, Paul calls it ‘hostility’ he has made it possible for all people to be reconciled to God. So fulfilling God’s promise to Abraham, all the nations of the earth will be blessed

I would normally end my sermon here, but please bear with me for five more minutes as three weeks ago & and this week I was asked this question.

 “Why doesn’t God intervene in the current world affairs?

In response to the question: God’s intervention in world affairs ties in with Biblical prophesies. One significant prophecy that has already been fulfilled, “They will fall by the edge of the sword, and be led captive among all nations; and Jerusalem will be trodden down by the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.” Luke 21:24

Many Christians believe this prophecy was fulfilled in 1980, when Jewish people took control over a divided Jerusalem. 

Since then the tension in the region continues to escalate, until hopefully, quite soon the 70^th week of Daniel’s prophecy will be fulfilled.

This seven year period will begin with Israel signing a peace treaty with other countries. Daniel 9: 27 “He will confirm a covenant with many for one week.”

Israel will relax as this period of peace continues

Ezekiel 38: 14 “On that day when my people are dwelling securely, you will bestir yourself.”

After three and a half years, the peace treaty is broken Gog the King of the North comes against Israel and the tribulation period begins and lasts for three and a half years. So desolation comes before restoration by the Messiah.

Jesus informs us God intervenes at this point, “The Son of man will send his angels, and they will gather out of his kingdom all causes of sin and evil doers and throw them into the fire, like the weeds will be gathered up and burned.” Matthew 13: 41.        

The armies of Gog and his allies gather to take Jerusalem, Jesus returns to take up with the remnant of Israel and defeats Gog to bring peace and security to the region and the world through the reign of the Messiah for a period of time 1,000 Revelation 21.

The intervention of God in world affairs lies with prophesies being fulfilled and its God’s timing.
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Three views based on Eezkiel as to when Armageddon takes place: 1. Before the tribulation. 2.  The middle of the tribulation. 3. The end of the tribulation.

1.Before the tribulation Russia Gog the King of the North with her allies will invades Israel, this is before the antichrist is revealed, it is suggested the reason behind the invasion is to take the minerals from the land.

2.Middle of tribulation: the invasion of Israel by Gog the King of the North takes place while Israel is dwelling in her own land enjoying a false security of relative peace, provided by the covenant with the antichrist.  Gog is not mentioned in Revelation chapter 19 along with the demise of the beast and the false prophet, he must have been destroyed previously, in the middle of the tribulation.

3. At the end of the Tribulation period: The armies of Gog and his allies gather to take Jerusalem, Jesus returns to take up with the remnant of Israel  and defeats Gog to bring peace and security to the region and the world through the reign of the Messiah for a period of time 1,000 Revelation 21.

I personally go with the third view

Numbers in the Bible (Clock)

One: There is one God, Sunday the first day of the week. Exodus 20: 1. John 20:1

Two: There are two sections to the Bible Old and New Testaments

Three.  Three persons making up the one God, Father, Son & Holy Spirit.  Matthew 28: 19

Four . 4 Gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke and John

Five: Five the number in the Bible associated with grace. Five commandments on each tablet of stone. Multiples of five in the inner sanctuary in the temple. 1 Kings 6. 23 – 27.

Six: God created man on the sixth day. Genesis 1: 26

Seven: Seven days in the week, number 7 associated with perfection. Genesis 1. 2:3

Eight. Rainbow has eight colours.  Genesis 9: 13

Nine: Finality or conclusion or .come to the end or completeness. Jesus said on the cross, “It is finished.” John 19: 30

Ten: Two tablets of stone with the commandments on them.

Exodus 32: 15

Eleven: Jesus appeared before the eleven after his resurrection.

Mark 16: 14

Twelve: Twelve disciples Mark 3: 17 – 19.