Christians Together Haslingden

 Jesus the strong arm of God  

A  policeman stopped the young speeding motorist. “I’ve been waiting for you coming,” The young motorist said, “Well, I got here as fast  as I could.”                                                

The Policeman  as he gave him a speeding ticket said, “3 of these and you get a bycle.”                                                                                                           

The word the Lord gave me for today  Isaiah 63: 12 “The Lord who caused his glorious arm to go at the right hand of Moses.” The strong arm of God held the rod in Moses’ hand. 

The rod was made of almond wood, and it was used to demonstrate the power of God in defeating the Egyptian gods and when he lifted up the rod the Dead Sea parted.                                                                                                                                                      

So the strong arm of the Lord is where God takes hold of a situation and uses his almighty power to bring victory.   

’The arm of the Lord,’ is one of a number of titles of the Messiah, “To whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed,” Isaiah 53: 1

Jesus is the arm of God. 

He demonstrated his power over the spirit behind the idolatry, in the wilderness he was tempted by the devil to worship him. The devil offered him all the kingdoms of the world if he would fall down and worship him. Jesus responded, “Be gone Satan! “For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God and him only shall you serve.” Matthew 4: 8-10. 

Jesus the arm of God has the power to heal, “And the crowd sought to touch him, for power came forth from him and he healed them all." 

The woman with a hemorrhage, it ceased when she touched Jesus’ garments. “And perceiving in himself that power had gone forth from him immediately turned about in the crowd and said, “Who touched my garments.” Mark 5: 25-34. 

In saying that Jesus was the strong hand of the Lord, Isaiah wrote that the Christ would be gentle and kind. “A bruised reed he wouldn’t break.” In his ministry his power was used to witness that God’s hand was at work, to bear the fruit of love. But the Jews were expecting the Messiah to bring in the ruling rod of iron. 

Psalm 2: 8 “Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage, and the ends of the earth your possession. You shall break them with a rod of iron." 

Isaiah 11: 4 “He will smite the nations, with the rod of his mouth." 

Psalm 98: 1-9 “His right hand and his holy arm have worked salvation for him." 

Due to this expectation the Jews were dubious about Jesus.”How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ tell us plainly.” John 10: 24. 

John quoted from Isaiah 53: 1 “Who has believed what we have heard? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed,” John 12: 38. 

The Messiah’s Secret Revealed. The Jews had not understood what Jesus was about, it was hidden from them. 
Paul wrote in his first  letter to the Corinthians 2: 7,8 “But we impart a secret and hidden wisdom of God, which God decreed before the ages for our glorification. None of the rulers of this age understood this: for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory." 

Jesus is the strong arm of the Lord; He was God’s means of victory over him who held the power over death, the devil. He bore all the sins of the world and was victorious in his death and resurrection.                                                                                                                                                   

The church the body of Christ, Jesus the strong arm of God lifts up the crucified church.  

The wooden cross like the rod of Moses has been used by God to do the most amazing thing that could happen to anyone. Through repentance and faith in Jesus crucified, we receive sins forgiven and the door to eternal life opens. The Holy Spirit is working in the world drawing people to hear the message of the cross.                                                                                                       

Lord, inspire us in ways that will bring people to faith in Jesus, open a window of opportunity to tell of his dying love, his faithfulness, his abundant blessings and our hope in eternal life. In Jesus name. Amen

Messiah’s Secret Revealed Continued 

The strong arm of God was seen in action in the life of the early church.  

On the evening of the day of his resurrection in the upper room Jesus breathed on his disciples the Holy Spirit and he gave them authority to retain or forgive the sins of any. John 20: 23. 

Sins retained was carried out by Peter when Ananias and Sapphira lied over the proceeds of the sale of the land. They had agreed to give the proceeds to the community at Jerusalem. They in turn came before Peter and fell down and died at Peter's feet. (Adam and Eve of the New Testament) Acts 5

Was this the ruling rod of iron? Jesus had left his servants in charge until he returned. Mark 13: 34 

The early church had this expectation that Jesus would return soon after Pentecost bringing in the kingdom of God taking up again with Israel and rule the nations with a rod of iron.  

Jesus had said, that there were some standing here who would see the kingdom come in power. He also said, “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.” Mark 9: 1. 13: 32  

His return was dependent on Israel’s leaders accepting him as the Messiah after Pentecost. Peter standing outside the Gate Beautiful with John said to the crowd, that they and their rulers had acted in ignorance when they crucified their Messiah and if they would repent their sins would be blotted out and he would bring in the times of refreshing and the appointed Christ, Jesus. Acts 3: 17-21.                                                                                                                                                                                                   

The times of refreshing the restoration of the throne and kingdom of King David the year of the Jubilee.

The Jews today are in the year of Jubilee and are celebrating Passover this week.

Clearly the early churches expectation did not happen Jesus did not return within the life time of the apostles and the ruling rod of iron is not part of the churches ministry today. 

John in his book Revelation wrote of Jesus’ return accompanied with “The armies of heaven, arrayed in fine linen, white and pure, followed him on the white horse. From his mouth issues a sharp sword with which he will smite the nations and he will rule them with a rod of iron.” Revelation 19: 14, 15.  This has yet to be fulfilled.

The Messiah’s Secret – Jesus at the Centre

On the chocolate box we find descriptions of what each chocolate contains, but first we have to remove the wrapper.

The wrappings we have to remove first: remind us of God’s love, To find God’s  love for ourselves, we have to take a look at Jesus..

The chocolate that surrounds the delicious centre ­– reminds us of the Holy Spirit, he directs us to Jesus and we learn about Jesus  in the Bible.

The centre – Jesus at the centre he is our Saviour and he is the one who saves us by taking our wrongdoings against God upon himself which caused him to die instead of us. 

Through our faith in Jesus we can be made right with God.

Luke 24: 36 – 49. 

The disciples were lost without Jesus, he was the centre of their lives.  

After his death they were fearful and troubled, but when he came and stood in the midst of his disciples in the house Jerusalem their fears melted away.                      

They were were not quite sure whether it was a manifestation of a spirit or really Jesus, he showed them where the nails and the spear had pierced his flesh, Luke records that he said, “Handle me, and see, for a spirit has not flesh and bones as you see I have.” There is no mention of blood, his resurrected body had no blood, no blood circulating the oxygen and nutriments to his body, but still he ate grilled fish.

His body wrapped with flesh and bones, the life which supported the body from a different structure of molecules, but at its centre Jesus, the same personality and  characteristics that he had before his death and resurrection. 

The same warm personality reaching out to Mary Magdalene Jesus was the centre of her life too, at the tomb she stood weeping. Jesus said to her, ‘Women why are you weeping? Whom do you seek?” Supposing she was speaking to the gardener, she said that some one had stolen Jesus’ body. Then she heard the familiar voice of Jesus saying her name, “Mary, Mary” she turned and realised that Jesus was risen, he was alive. 

Mary saw the reality of that hope we have when we die. We therefore have the assurance, as Jesus always spoke the truth, that he has prepared a place in his Father’s house for his family of believers. Where he is, we are also. 

Jesus’ engaging character was experienced by the two men were on the road to Emmaus, perhaps he saw how discouraged they were and came alongside and discussed the scriptures with them. They invited the stranger to stay with them, and as they sat to eat, Jesus revealed himself through the breaking of bread. 

In our reading, in the upper room where all his followers gathered, he opened up the scriptures to them revealing that the Christ had to suffer and be raised from the dead.

The Messiah’s Secret Revealed 
Jesus opened the disciples’ minds to understand the parables, but concerning his death and resurrection they could not grasp what he was saying and after his death we read they did not believe in the resurrection. Matthew 16: 22. Mark 9: 32.John 20: 9.

Jesus in his steadfastness will be coming  along side someone today, opening their eyes of understanding to his presence in the scriptures.  

Madge the eyes of her understanding were opened when at a Bible study she understood in her spirit about the blood of Jesus cleansing her from her sin, sins forgiven through Jesus’ blood being poured out at Calvary for the sins of the whole world. Madge’s head knowledge became heart knowledge. Jesus gave substance and reality to her faith. 

The Holy Spirit reveals Jesus’ strength of character when the disciples saw this figure on shore of the Sea of Tiberias. They heard him shout in a commanding voice. “Cast your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some.” When they counted the fish there were 153, the significance of this number, the Hebrew language consists of letters and numbers.  The Hebrew word ‘Beni ha-Elohim adds up to 153 and translated means, ‘Sons of God.’  Jesus wanted to bless them and confirm his word to them, that they would be fishers of men. The sign of the fish became a prominent symbol in the early church. 

Jesus at the centre of his church. Jesus said, that those who believe in Him, he and his Father would come and make their home within that person, Jesus in the midst of a person.

When in faith we ask Jesus into our heart, God’s Spirit transforms our human soul/spirit.  

In the King James version the translator uses the word ‘quickened’ and I relate that to when I was pregnant at round about three months the baby began to move in the womb. The term used was ‘quickening’ and from my experience God quickens our human living soul with his Spirit and it reminded me of the first movement of the baby.  

So that we are now one with God our Father, Jesus and the Holy Spirit.   

Like generations of Christians before us we have been changed like a car that has a new engine, the appearance of the car is the same.

Our appearance is the same, but the old state of mind has gone. 

The law is written in our heart, so we feel how God feels about sin, he loves the sinner but hates the sin.  

Now we find that our own concerns take a back seat and we begin to think and feel about what concerns Jesus. The plight of the poor in our community, the young people under pressure to follow the course of the world. The widening gulf between rich and poor.  

Many people in Rossendale are struggling to cope and need to depend on the Food Bank to tide them over a bad period. At their Annual General Meeting last week, what came across strongly was neighbourly kindness. Even with all the technology, people enjoy and need personal contact.

Jesus’ love continues to impact today’s world. The gospel of good news is transforming lives. 

The Holy Spirit reveals Jesus to those who seek him, and the church  continues to see Jesus at its centre.