BIBLE READING

Read / study the Bible

We should read and study the Bible because it is God's Word to us. The Bible is literally "God-breathed" (2 Timothy 3:16). In other words, it is God's very words to us. There are so many questions that philosophers have asked that God answers for us in Scripture. What is the purpose to life? Where did I come from? Is there life after death? How do I get to heaven? Why is the world full of evil? Why do I struggle to do good? In addition to these "big" questions, the Bible gives much practical advice in areas such as: What do I look for in a mate? How can I have a successful marriage? How can I be a good friend? How can I be a good parent? What is success and how do I achieve it? How can I change? What really matters in life? How can I live so that I do not look back with regret? How can I handle the unfair circumstances and bad events of life victoriously?

We should read and study the Bible because it is totally reliable and without error. The Bible is unique among so-called "holy" books in that it does not merely give moral teaching and say, "Trust me." Rather, we have the ability to test it by checking the hundreds of detailed prophecies that it makes, by checking the historical accounts it records, and by checking the scientific facts it relates. Those who say the Bible has errors have their ears closed to the truth. Jesus once asked which is easier to say, "Your sins are forgiven you," or "Rise, take up your bed and walk." Then He proved He had the ability to forgive sins (something we cannot see with our eyes) by healing the paralytic (something those around Him could test with their eyes). Similarly, we are given assurance that God's Word is true when it discusses spiritual areas that we cannot test with our senses by showing itself true in those areas that we can test, such as historical accuracy, scientific accuracy, and prophetic accuracy.

We should read and study the Bible because God does not change and because mankind's nature does not change; it is as relevant for us as it was when it was written. While technology changes, mankind's nature and desires do not change. We find, as we read the pages of biblical history, that whether we are talking about one-on-one relationships or societies, "there is nothing new under the sun" (Ecclesiastes 1:9). And while mankind as a whole continues to seek love and satisfaction in all of the wrong places, God—our good and gracious Creator—tells us what will bring us lasting joy. His revealed Word, the Bible, is so important that Jesus said of it, "Man does not live on bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God" (Matthew 4:4). In other words, if we want to live life to the fullest, as God intended, we must listen to and heed God's written Word. 

We should read and study the Bible because there is so much false teaching. The Bible gives us the measuring stick by which we can distinguish truth from error. It tells us what God is like. To have a wrong impression of God is to worship an idol or false god. We are worshiping something that He is not. The Bible tells us how one truly gets to heaven, and it is not by being good or by being baptized or by anything else we do (John 14:6; Ephesians 2:1-10; Isaiah 53:6; Romans 3:10-18, 5:8, 6:23, 10:9-13). Along this line, God's Word shows us just how much God loves us (Romans 5:6-8; John 3:16). And it is in learning this that we are drawn to love Him in return (1 John 4:19).

The Bible equips us to serve God (2 Timothy 3:17; Ephesians 6:17; Hebrews 4:12). It helps us know how to be saved from our sin and its ultimate consequence (2 Timothy 3:15). Meditating on God’s Word and obeying its teachings will bring success in life (Joshua 1:8; James 1:25). God’s Word helps us see sin in our lives and helps us get rid of it (Psalm 119:9, 11). It gives us guidance in life, making us wiser than our teachers (Psalm 32:8, 119:99; Proverbs 1:6). The Bible keeps us from wasting years of our lives on that which does not matter and will not last (Matthew 7:24-27).

Reading and studying the Bible helps us see beyond the attractive "bait" to the painful "hook" in sinful temptations, so that we can learn from others' mistakes rather than making them ourselves. Experience is a great teacher, but when it comes to learning from sin, it is a terribly hard teacher. It is so much better to learn from others' mistakes. There are so many Bible characters to learn from, some of whom can serve as both positive and negative role models at different times in their lives. For example, David, in his defeat of Goliath, teaches us that God is greater than anything He asks us to face (1 Samuel 17), while his giving in to the temptation to commit adultery with Bathsheba reveals just how long-lasting and terrible the consequences of a moment's sinful pleasure can be (2 Samuel 11). 

The Bible is a book that is not merely for reading. It is a book for studying so that it can be applied. Otherwise, it is like swallowing food without chewing and then spitting it back out again—no nutritional value is gained by it. The Bible is God's Word. As such, it is as binding as the laws of nature. We can ignore it, but we do so to our own detriment, just as we would if we ignored the law of gravity. It cannot be emphasized strongly enough just how important the Bible is to our lives. Studying the Bible can be compared to mining for gold. If we make little effort and merely "sift through the pebbles in a stream," we will only find a little gold dust. But the more we make an effort to really dig into it, the more reward we will gain for our effort.

WATCHING AND PRAYING

WATCHING AND PRAYING

Matthew 26:39-41  Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, 'My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.' Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. 'Couldn't you men keep watch with me for one hour?' he asked Peter. 'Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.' (NIVUK)
 

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You can read the verses around this Bible passage from the Internet Bible: - in English, and many other languages

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Jesus had taken Peter, James and John into the Garden of Gethsemane that Passover night. The other disciples were left sitting at the gateway, but the three trainee apostles were witnesses to the agony which Jesus was going through. He also wanted them to be prayerful supporters lest Satan should gain the upper hand in the battle. As Jesus stepped further into the darkness, away from the light of flickering torches, His voice could be heard praying to His Father.

His tone was urgent. Jesus was pleading that if there was a way to avoid the cross, then Father God would authorise it. But He was not arguing, or criticising the divine plan of salvation which He had already agreed to carry out. It was a simple request to avoid suffering, but not if that contradicted the Father's will. The enormity of the suffering which lay ahead would include the only separation in the Godhead for all eternity. The agony would be literally excruciating, but Jesus would not make an independent decision about the mission of salvation: although it must have been a temptation, He was determined not to overrule His Father.

The three men, a few metres away, should have been praying as well. But they were soon asleep. It had been a long and emotional day. They were exhausted and afraid and so they opted out of the spiritual battle. What could they do to help Jesus? Although the primary battle was His, they too would face serious temptation to desert or deny their Lord. Should they not also have been praying for strength and wisdom, discernment and boldness? If they had, would they have deserted Jesus and would Peter have denied that he ever knew the Master?

Often the best lessons are learned after the biggest failures. The disciples were a huge disappointment to Jesus that night, but in the years to come they remembered that Jesus told them to watch and pray, or be trapped by Satan. After Pentecost, the church learned to pray as though their lives depended on it – and often they did. They prayed in worship, in persecution and in practical decisions. They knew that unless they referred everything to God, Satan would find a way of neutralising and discrediting the gospel: instead of serving the Lord they would end up working against Him. So keep alert, there is spiritual danger: keep praying, there is spiritual protection as we entrust ourselves to the Lord.

Prayer:  God of power and grace. Thank You for hearing the cries of Your people and answering them, as You always answered the prayers of Jesus. Forgive me for my laziness and indiscipline in having such a low priority for prayer, when You have commanded Your people to speak to You about everything. Please help me to keep spiritually alert, and please give me the resources to deal with temptation as I tell You everything about my life and respond to what You are saying to me. In Jesus' Name. Amen. 
 

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BAPTISM OF JESUS CHRIST

BAPTISM OF JESUS

Penitential Rite: We are human and often become victims of our concupiscence, another word for self-centredness. Thus we break the covenant with God made at our baptism. But our Heavenly Father offers us forgiveness.

Let us approach his forgiveness by honestly acknowledging our sinfulness.

THE HOMILY           Let me begin by telling you the story of the Protestant pastor in England, the Rev. Potty Mcgoo. He wanted to improve the quality of the singing for the Sunday services. So he hired a luxury coach to bring the young people twice a week and drop them home after practice. This went on for a few weeks; but then the pastor suddenly decided to stop the whole thing. A parishioner asked him why. “Because,” explained the pastor, “these young people are belting out party songs on their way back, like ‘Roll out the barrel…the gang’s all here’”  “My dear pastor,” replied the parishioner, “what you should do is to get into the barrel yourself and sing along with them. When the gang sees that, they’ll sing better in church.”

            So it was with Jesus who reached down and became one of the crowd in the Jordan. Perhaps there was some embarrassment of Jesus going needlessly down to the Jordan. Imagine him standing in line with those rogues and street women! But clearly it was the Father’s will that Jesus should share life with us. He proved true to his name – “Emmanuel” God with us. He reached down into our self-centredness and shame so that he could draw us out with him into a new beginning, empowered by the same Spirit that he received at his Baptism. Jesus’ logic was simple and honest. Since he had assumed humanity, he had taken on our sinful condition without, though, committing a personal sin. It’s like when you jump in to rescue somebody sinking in the mud, you’ve got to be ready to be muddied all over.

            So at his baptism Jesus foreshadowed the humiliation of his crucifixion. Removing his garments to step into the water, he was stripping himself of all divine prerogatives, humbly taking his place in the queue alongside mere mortals who truly need repentance and rebirth. There is a singularly unassuming quality about this “servant of Yahweh”. He is not preceded by fanfares or spectacular stunts of clowns and tumblers, and is soon launched into his mission – opening the eyes of the blind and setting captives free. How much we need to be healed of our blindness and set free from our sinful habits.

            Today’s feast tells us that God can be found in the very darkness of our sinfulness. This is what we state in the profession of faith: “he descended into hell” – the hell of our sin and isolation. God will not allow the sinner to remain in his isolation; he will get to him even if it entails crucifixion.

            Unhappily we can get so familiar with God’s closeness to us that we can forget him or take him for granted. You want to hear about the absent-minded professor. This absent-minded professor came down for breakfast one morning and found the milk jug empty. Just then the doorbell rang. With milk on his mind, he got up and opened the door to see a middle-aged woman holding a bottle of milk. He looked at her and asked, “Do you come here often?” And she answered, “I’m your wife, you silly.” In a similar way we are preoccupied with small things and ignore God’s intimate presence to us.

            There is no area in our lives that Jesus cannot engage with and heal. Jesus has the power to break the hold of anything that grips us. We can bring to him everything that is not yet in the light or that still holds us in bondage.

            Just visualise once again Jesus standing in solidarity with sinners in the Jordan. If we could begin to take on board the wonder of God’s solidarity with us we would see ourselves and our neighbours in a different light. The great spiritual writer, Thomas Merton, had such an experience. After spending many years in a strictly enclosed Trappist monastery, he had to go to Louisville. To his amazement he was overwhelmed by the goodness he saw in total strangers. He described them as walking around shining like the sun, seeing the core of their reality, the person that each one is in God’s eyes. If only they could see themselves as they really are. If we could see others that way all the time, there would be no more war, hatred, cruelty and greed. We would mysteriously hear God saying to each one: “You are my child, my beloved; my favour rests on you.” I’m sure that many of you have heard that voice some time or other in your life.

PRAYER 

Lord Jesus, by plunging into the Jordan waters you have made the waters of the earth baptismally clean. By your solidarity with us sinners, raise us to the level of your grace and holiness. Jesus, we acknowledge your authority and power over all areas of our life. Help us to link our lives with those who grieve about the injustice in human life; to break from the chains of past wrongs; to be ready to face your age, be renewed by your Spirit and anointed to preach the Good News to the poor, the oppressed and the prisoner. And bring us more fully into your life and truth. Amen.


When John baptized by Jordan’s river,
In faith and hope the people came,
That John and Jordan might deliver
Their troubled souls from sin and shame.
They came to seek a new beginning,
The human spirit’s ageless quest:
Repentance and an end of sinning,
Renouncing every wrong confessed.

There as the Lord, baptized and praying,
Rose from the stream the sinless One,
A voice was heard from Heaven saying,
This is My own beloved Son.
There as the Father’s word was spoken,
Not in the power of wind and flame,
But of His love and peace the token,
Seen as a dove, the Spirit came.

O Son of Man, our nature sharing,
In whose obedience all are blest,
Savior, our sins and sorrows bearing,
Hear us and grant us this request:
Daily to grow, by grace defended,
Filled with the Spirit from above,
In Christ baptized, beloved, befriended,
Children of God in peace and love.

BAPTISM OF THE LORD

THE BAPTISM OF THE LORD

Cycle “A”

We are so familiar with the story of Jesus’ baptism that it is hard to think of him starting his ministry in any other way. He could have succumbed to the devil’s temptation in the desert and immediately risen to fame by trotting out sensational miracles, or he could have exerted the power of his personality among the leaders of the nation. Usually, people in the world, especially politicians, want to start their careers with attention-grabbing headlines. Films stars have got used to having a crazy crowd following them, and they can be devastated if they are not taken notice of. But our dear Lord and Master, Jesus Christ, deliberately chose to be one of the crowd of penitents, waist-deep in the Jordan. (Quite a dirty river, I must tell you). He mingled with those who were humbly presenting themselves for baptism, forgiveness and cleansing.

You must have, of late, read or heard about the Harry Potter novels written by J. W. Rowling. The stories are a great hit with young readers who identify with the schoolboy Harry and his schoolmates, because Harry and friends want to escape from the straitjacket of adult discipline and religious conformity. They want their own way to freedom, and their own way to fight evil. Harry Potter finally has to fight against the sinister Lord Voldemort, an arch-wizard, bent on global domination. Young Harry and friends don’t mind making use of sorcery and magical animals in their fight, which is why certain religious people have condemned the books. Actually Harry and friends want to save the world, even if it entails turning it upside down. It is essentially their youthful joy of life, “joie de vivre”, against the controlling mind of the overbearing adult, white magic against black, good against evil  -  and guess who wins in the end.

Children have an entirely healthy desire to turn the world upside down. And this desire is an echo of the Good News of Jesus Christ. Like Jesus, the young Harry Potter rejects totally all worldly power and success. Here is an echo of Jesus’ option to join the sinners in the Jordan, standing in solidarity with their alienation, their disappointment with themselves, their moral confusion and sinful shame; and there in the mess he was recognised by the Father very pleased with his beloved Son. This is followed immediately by Jesus’ rejection of both political and religious power in the desert, and finally his rejecting of the use of force at Gethsemane and as he stood before the powers that were, Pontius Pilate and the mad king, Herod. He could have smashed them with an act of his will, but he preferred to remain the Suffering Servant, making way for the Father to take over.

 My dear friends, in a world that is still reeling from global terrorism and the shock of the horrific events of 11^th. September  -  a dark day for humanity  -  we need to look and learn from Jesus in the Jordan. There we see penitence, reconcilement and godly happiness. This is a far cry from worldly power and intimidation. There is no foundation for terrorism in the Christian, Jewish and Muslim faiths; and revenge will only allow the perpetrators to set the moral tone of the world’s agenda. This is not to extol the agents of violence and murder, since they must be brought to justice. At the same time Pope John Paul II in his New Year message reminds us that forgiveness can co-exist with justice. Forgiveness can co-exist with justice.

May the light of Christ help us to expose the violence lurking within our own hearts with their prejudices, if any, and hopefully guide us and our world on a new journey of respectful tolerance and peace.

PRAYER (after the Chaldean Rite):

O Christ, you humbled yourself and received baptism at the hands of your friend and cousin, John, showing us the way of humility,

help us to follow you and never to be encumbered with pride.

O Christ, by your baptism, you took our humanity into the cleansing waters;

give us new birth, and lead us into life as sons and daughters of God.

O Christ, by your baptism the material world became charged with your holiness,

make us instruments of your transformation in this our world.

O Christ, by your baptism you revealed the Trinity, your Father calling you his beloved Son, and the Spirit descending upon you like a dove;

renew our worship, rededicate us in the spirit of our baptism, and mould us into our true nature, in the image of God.

For your love’s sake.

BAPTISM OF OUR LORD

BAPTISM OF OUR LORD JESUS

   Cycle  “B”: Mk. 1, 7 – 11

PENITENTIAL RITE:             We are human and often become victims of our concupiscence, another word for self-centredness. Thus we break the covenant with God made at our baptism. But our Heavenly Father offers us forgiveness. Let us appropriate his forgiveness by acknowledging our sinfulness.

THE HOMILY:

Have you ever witnessed a baptism in the Oriental Church ?

The baby is completely stripped and swung, like a pendulum into the baptismal water, totally immersed, and then swung out again.  Something like the water chute you have in Nicco Park. The dunking is performed three times in honour of the three divine Persons of the Trinity, during which the child’s parents and friends recite the profession of faith in which the infant also participates with shrieks and squeals. I only hope the water is warm enough in winter. This dunking business is not a Christian or Jewish innovation. You remember the Greek warrior, Achilles, or, if you prefer the Greek sound, “AKHILES”. As an infant, he was held by the heel and dipped in the Styx, a stinking river, by his mother. By dunking him in this manner, she thought to make him invulnerable (if she didn’t drown him), but clumsily left an unwashed patch on his heel, where she was holding on to the little squimer. Thus the  origin of the well-known expression “Achilles heel”, the weak point that each one has.

Was Jesus dunked in the Jordan ?  He definitely was  -  all the four Gospels testify to it.  What were the effects ?  Well, it seems Jesus was prepared to make a fool of himself, since he was absolutely sinless and invulnerable and didn’t need to be baptised.  Which leads to the second effect, namely, he plunged into the bad company of fools and thugs, also known as men and women. And the third effect was that the dirty water became clean, clean enough for future baptisms till the end of the world.

Water is ambivalent. Water can bring destruction but also new life. It can irrigate the earth but also engulf and kill. Water is the object of sacred terror and poetic attraction. It is the lair of monsters and devouring jaws. Yet within water lies the mystery of innocence and immortality. Since Jesus went into the Jordan river, water has become a means of grace.

The word “baptism” is from the Greek word “bapto”, meaning “to immerse.” So when the minister of baptism says, “I baptise you”  he’s actually saying “I immerse you.”  The name stands for the person. So when he says, “I baptise you in the name of the Father...”, he means “I immerse you in the person of the Father, in the person of the Son and in the person of the Holy Spirit.”  Just consider if anything could be greater and more beneficial than to be immersed in the Holy Trinity. And that was made possible by the Son of God immersing himself into sinful humanity. He stands in solidarity with us sinners, every man and woman with his or her “Achilles heel.”  Today’s feast tells us that God can be found in the very darkness of our sinfulness. That is what we state in the profession of  faith: “He descended into hell.”

Unhappily, we can get so familiar with God’s closeness to us that we can forget him or take him for granted. Take the story about an earthly king. This king wanted to be absolute ruler. He succeeded  in removing all obstacle to his complete control, except one: the people still put their ancient god above the king. So he asked his advisors where he might remove this god to make it vanish from their lives. One advisor suggested putting away the god on the highest mountain. The king said that might have the opposite effect. Another advised throwing it into the bottom of the sea. The king rejected that idea as well: the people would probe the ocean’s depths to find their ancient god again. Finally, the king accepted the third and wisest advice:     hide the people’s god somewhere in their everyday lives. There they will never find it.”

Or do you want to hear about that absent minded professor.  This absent minded professor came down for breakfast and found the milk jug empty. Just then the door bell rang. With milk on his mind he got up and opened the door to see a middle-aged woman holding a bottle of milk. He looked at her and asked, “Do you come here often ?” And she answered,  “I’m your wife, you stupid !”  In a similar way we are preoccupied with small things and forget God’s intimate presence to us. There is no area in our lives that Jesus cannot heal and set free. We suffer injustice wherever the power of the devil keeps us captive; we enjoy justice as Jesus opens our eyes to the truth and sets us free to live in the light. Jesus has the power to break the hold of anything that grips us. Therefore we can bring to him everything that is not yet in the light or that stills holds us in bondage.

There is one final message from today’s feast. Apart from his baptism in the Jordan, Jesus also looked forward to the baptism he would have to undergo on the cross, which he foretold,  “I have a baptism to be baptised with, and how I am constrained until it is accomplished “ (Lk 12, 50).  In our baptism we are joined to Jesus, and share in his death and resurrection. We must die in order to live. We descend into the water with Jesus and rise with him to receive the Holy Spirit and live a new life free from sin.

PRAYER:

Lord Jesus Christ, we acknowledge your power and authority over all areas of our life.

 Help us to follow you deep into the waters of baptism; to link our lives with all those who grieve about the injustice in human life; to break free from the chain of past wrongs; to become ready to face your coming age; and be renewed by your Spirit, and anointed to preach Good News to the poor, the oppressed and the prisoner.  Lord and Master, help us to follow you, and bring us more fully into your life and truth.
 When John baptized by Jordan’s river,
In faith and hope the people came,
That John and Jordan might deliver
Their troubled souls from sin and shame.
They came to seek a new beginning,
The human spirit’s ageless quest:
Repentance and an end of sinning,
Renouncing every wrong confessed.

There as the Lord, baptized and praying,
Rose from the stream the sinless One,
A voice was heard from Heaven saying,
This is My own beloved Son.
There as the Father’s word was spoken,
Not in the power of wind and flame,
But of His love and peace the token,
Seen as a dove, the Spirit came.

O Son of Man, our nature sharing,
In whose obedience all are blest,
Savior, our sins and sorrows bearing,
Hear us and grant us this request:
Daily to grow, by grace defended,
Filled with the Spirit from above,
In Christ baptized, beloved, befriended,
Children of God in peace and love.

BAPTISM OF JESUS

THE BAPTISM OF THE LORD JESUS

            Imagine someone lingering on death row, guilty of a heinous crime. The wheels are in motion to carry out the death penalty, but suddenly an innocent man steps forward and offers to take their place. Such a notion is shocking. The idea that an innocent man could identify with and ultimately become a substitute for a guilty one offends our sense of natural justice. The point is that the baptism of Jesus isn’t about natural justice, but God’s justice. Jesus’ baptism was a defining moment; immersed in the water of Jordan, he embraced his vocation. By accepting John’s baptism of repentance, Jesus is identifying himself with John’s movement of national repentance for unfaithfulness to the Covenant. Besides that, in Jesus’ baptism we are brought into the very heart of two profound mysteries of our faith: firstly, the depth of Jesus’ identification with the human race, and secondly, a revelation of the triune God. Today’s Gospel helps us marvel at God’s plan for our salvation.

            The baptism that Jesus received was one of repentance (Mark 1,4) which is why John tried to deter him   -  he was clearly shocked at the suggestion that Jesus should be baptised. But Jesus’ logic was simple and honest. Since he had assumed humanity he had taken on our sinful condition, without, though committing a personal sin. It’s like when you jump in to rescue somebody from sinking in the mud you’ve got to be ready to get muddied all over. He who had no sin had no need to repent. We can’t really understand what it would be like to be sinless. To be free of pride, jealousy, self-seeking and all the other pervasive drives inside us is something we cannot know. In fact, there is a human tendency that means that once conscious of any moral or spiritual strength we seek to elevate ourselves above our fellow human beings. We’re only deluding ourselves. For example, over the years I had read so many books on high spirituality and mysticism that I thought I was a mystic. But I discovered in a hurry that I was not a mystic but a mistake!

God’s love for us, however, is revealed by his desire to identify with us with all our failures and mistakes; and concentration on our failures may distract us from this tremendous truth that God is one with us in our very sinfulness. We heard that beautiful expression of the Heavenly Father: “My favour rests on him.” That expression comes from Isaiah 42.1 and refers to the suffering servant who, though innocent, has to bear the sins of his people. We see Jesus as the chosen, anointed one who, as a suffering Messiah, will free his people from their sins.

            Baptism gives us a share in the life of Christ so that we can begin to restore the image of God that we have tarnished to its original splendour. If we could begin to take on board the wonder of God’s solidarity with us and his invitation to all in Christ we would see ourselves and our neighbours in a different light. The great spiritual writer, Thomas Merton, had such an experience. After spending many years in a strictly enclosed Trappist monastery, he had to go to Louisville.

 To his amazement he was overwhelmed by the goodness in saw in total strangers. He described them as walking around shining like the sun, seeing the core of their reality, the person that each one is in God’s eyes. If only they could all see themselves as they really are. If only we could see other that way all the time. There would be no more war, hatred, cruelty and greed. We would mysteriously hear God saying to each one: “you are my child, my beloved; my favour rests on you.” I’m sure that many of you here have heard that voice some time or other in your life.

As we begin our walk with God in 2011 we need to guard our hearts against certain attitudes that will keep us far from His heart. These include the mind of the proud who wants to know it all; the opinion of the critic who wants to judge it all; the attitude of the narcissist who wants to be it all; the desire of the covetous who wants to have it all.

Instead, walk with God in 2011 as a child. Never lose the simplicity of trust and the world of wonder that a child lives in from day to day. Walk with your eyes on your Father—happy in His presence, content in His care, awed by His greatness, delighted by His surprises, secure in His love.

Let your prayer be similar to one spoken by Vance Havner, “Lord, let me never get used to living. Keep afresh in my heart a childlike wonder. Above all, let me never get used to being a Christian. Let me walk with a constant sense of surprise and expectancy. Why should there be a dull moment in the life of a Christian when every hour is a fresh adventure in faith and love?”

The following quote became the signature of the life of Gypsy Smith, the well known evangelist who lived into his eighties, “I have never lost the wonder.” May you never lose the simplicity of trusting His love and the wonder of watching Him work in marvellous ways.

When John baptised by Jordan'e river,

In faith and hope the people came,
That John and Jordan might deliver
Their troubled souls from sin and shame.
They came to seek a new beginning,
The human spirit’s ageless quest:
Repentance and an end of sinning,
Renouncing every wrong confessed.

There as the Lord, baptized and praying,
Rose from the stream the sinless One,
A voice was heard from Heaven saying,
This is My own beloved Son.
There as the Father’s word was spoken,
Not in the power of wind and flame,
But of His love and peace the token,
Seen as a dove, the Spirit came.

O Son of Man, our nature sharing,
In whose obedience all are blest,
Savior, our sins and sorrows bearing,
Hear us and grant us this request:
Daily to grow, by grace defended,
Filled with the Spirit from above,
In Christ baptized, beloved, befriended,
Children of God in peace and love.

“

JESUS: THE NEW MOSES

Jesus: The New Moses

Jesus, the messiah of the Jewish prophecies, is closely foreshadowed by many Old-Testament Jewish figures, but the one that most resembles him is Moses. Moses had several roles that correspond to Jesus’: priest, mediator, miracle worker, lawgiver, and deliverer. In each of these roles are several instances where an act of Moses prefigures one of Jesus. 

            The most obvious link between Jesus and Moses was that they both were mediators of a covenant between God and his children. This is also seen with Adam, Noah, Abraham and David, under different signs like the Passover, rainbow, circumcision, and the Eucharist.

             One of Moses’ most traditional roles was that of a priest. One of the things that come to mind when thinking of Moses as a priest is the Passover. Moses and the Israelites, in celebrating the first Passover, killed one lamb for every household and sprinkled its blood on the doorposts of the house. This was meant to remind the Angel of Death to “pass over” the house and spare the firstborn inside. Jesus, on the other hand, was both the priest and the lamb for his sacrifice. He saved not only the firstborn but the world.  This similarity in roles can be seen in the Old Testament, in Ex. 24:8:  Then Moses took the blood in the bowls and threw it on the people. He said, “This is the blood that seals the covenant which the Lord made with you when he gave all these commands.”   Moses’ act is only a foreshadowing of what Jesus did at the last supper in the Gospels; Mat. 26:28: “Drink this, all of you” he said; “this is my blood, which seals God’s covenant, my blood poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.”  This covenant was brought in full when Jesus was crucified.

             Even the mere fact that both Jesus and Moses performed miracles links them together. One miracle, in particular, shows the relationship between Jesus and Moses: the water from the rock. It prefigures the water from the side of Christ after his crucifixion, as well as his giving of life, or “water”, to those who followed him. 1 Cor. 10:3-4 says: All ate the same spiritual bread and drank the same spiritual drink. They drank from the spiritual rock that went with them; and that rock was Christ himself.  This is foreshadowed by Ex. 17:6:  “Strike the rock, and water will come out of it for the people to drink.” Moses did so in the presence of the leaders of Israel.

Moses, like Jesus, also acted as a leader and savior. This role can be seen in the entire book of Exodus, which narrates the story of the Israelites’ flight from Egypt.  Like Jesus, Moses protected and led his people. After they worshipped the golden calf, Moses asked God to spare them (Ex. 32:31-32). God did, but at a price: Moses would not be allowed to see God’s face again afterwards (Ex. 33:7-11). This was, for Moses, just a small price to pay to save his people. As we know already, Jesus’ death was needed to save mankind.

            There were many Old Testament figures that foreshadowed Jesus, but Moses prefigured Him most closely. Moses even prophesied that the Messiah would be like himself! Deut. 18:18 says:  I will send them a prophet like you from among their own people; I will tell him what to say, and he will tell the people everything I command.

MOSES AND JESUS

MOSES AND JESUS

The Law as a schoolmaster is no problem with faith and grace because there is a transfer directly into the New Covenant. But the Law as compulsory obligations of practice is wrong. The whole New Covenant is that which the Old Covenant was a type so we should see some similar characteristics. What so many want is for the Law to be the "true light" and it was only a shadow of that to come. Jesus is the true light on the righteousness of God. What this means is, it was the eternal purpose of God from before the foundation of the world that the New Covenant be the means of salvation for the world.

The Law was not the eternal purpose of God. It was a temporary measure brought in because of transgressions that were going on without personal accountability. The highest law governing men is to love God and others as you love yourself.  When men failed these two simple obligations God chose men to be Prophets to warn the people of their ungodly ways and ungodly spirits. It is men who rejected God and the messengers of God who have shoved the world to the brink of hell. It was from traditions received from the Patriarchs or from a person's own inner soul to be Godly or do that which was right. So, the Law became "Thus Saith The LORD" in a different manner. It was written down in stone and in a book so every man could speak for God and not a few Prophets. No man could fight this Law with his personal liberal opinions and hatred of the Prophets. And besides, there was no judicial procedure to punish sinners and the wicked before the Law, except by Divine judgment and wrath. The Law provided for a means of punishments all the way to the death penalty.
The Law was a stop-gap measure to provide a means for there to be a holy people through whom the Messiah would come and reign upon the earth and in the Kingdom of God.
I forgot a very valuable lesson on the Commandments of Jesus and I want to share them with you here.
Moses went up into the mountain.
Moses took Aaron up as the representative of the Priesthood.
Moses received and taught the sayings of God (Commandments of God).
The people received them with astonishment but said we will obey all that God has said.
The Covenant was sealed in the Law of Ten Commandments.
The Law was established upon the rock mountain of Horeb (Sinai).
Jesus went up into a high mountain (Matt. 51; Luke 612)
Jesus took the twelve Apostles up on the mountain as representatives of the New Testament Priesthood.
Jesus taught the sayings of God (New Covenant Commandments).
The people were astonished at his doctrine (Commandments, teachings).
The New Covenant is sealed in the Commandments of Jesus.
Jesus said they who kept his sayings (Commandments) would be like a wise man who built his house upon a rock.

Matt 51-48
Commandments or sayings of Jesus.
Verse# given first
3-1.) Blessed are the poor in spirit.
4-2.) Blessed are they that mourn.
5-3.) Blessed are the meek.
6-4.) Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousness.
7-5.) Blessed are the merciful.
8-6.) Blessed are the pure in heart.
9-7.) Blessed are the peacemakers.
10-8.) Blessed are those who are persecuted.
11-9.) Blessed are those who are evil spoken of.
12-10.) rejoice and be exceeding glad of your reward in heaven.
These are not ten literal Commandments, but wow, they number ten. It is understood that those who fill this bill of goods are already devoted to One God and there is no need for a Commandment in that regard. Other Commandments or teachings in Matthew chapter 5.
16.) Commanded to let light shine (good works includes both toward God and man).
20.) Commanded to be righteous and exceed the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees.
22.) Commanded to honor father and mother and not use Jewish "raca" as an excuse to be mean and hateful.
24.) Commanded to be reconciled to a person and then offer up gifts.
25.) Commanded to agree with adversaries.
28.) Commanded that to look upon a woman to lust is adultery.
29.) Commanded to pluck out eyes if they cause us to be lost.
30.) Commanded to cut off hand if it would cause us to be lost.
32.) Commanded that there be no divorce and remarriage except for fornication (so this is against adultery and fornication.)
34.) Commanded not to swear at all (this includes cursing of all types).
39.) Commanded not to resist evil but to turn the cheek.
40.) Commanded to let those who sue you to have what they want.
42.) Commanded to give to those who ask (alms).
44.) Commanded to love your enemies.
48.) Commanded to be perfect (this is an awesome Commandment that consolidates all the righteousness of God.
Chapter 6
Verse #
1.) Commanded not to give alms as a public display.
5.) Commanded to pray in secret (not at all times but when special needs are requested deserving of a private prayer).
7.) Commanded not to use vain repetitions.
8.) Commanded the Lord's Prayer.
a.) recognition of one God and his sovereignty.
b.) recognition of a personal sins and trespasses.
c.) forgiveness of others of their sins (this is a big one).
19.) Commanded not to gather material goods to store up wealth.
24.) Commanded that a person cannot serve God and mammon (money).
25.) Commanded not to take thought of food and raiment.
33.) Commanded to seek first the Kingdom of God.
Chapter 7
Verse #
1.) Commanded to judge not.
6.) Commanded not to give that which is holy to dogs or pearls to swine.
7.) Commanded to ask God in faith for things needed.
13.) Commanded to enter into the strait gate.
15.) Commanded to beware of false prophets.
Verse 24 gives us the importance of these three chapters. Jesus said that the man who "heareth" and "doeth" these "sayings" (Commandments are sayings), he is a wise man who has built his house upon a rock. That rock is figurative of the base foundation upon which a man's spiritual life will be constructed. The man's spiritual house is built upon this rock, all other ground is sinking sand.
All of the teachings of Jesus, his other Commandments, the doctrines of the Apostles, and the teachings of the New Covenant, flow out of these three chapters. There are some translations of words in these chapters in other versions and in lexicons that make these three chapters the cornerstone of the whole New Testament.
These are by no means the conclusive and totality of the Commandments of Jesus Messiah, but they set the entire Kingdom of God on the foundation of righteousness. And the Law and the Ten Commandments are not hinted at all for the faith and practice of those who will "hear" and "do" his sayings (Commandments).
The New Testament rule on sin is Be not deceived, God is not mocked for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting (Gal. 67-8).
Let us go without the camp and bear his reproach. Let us join ourselves to Mount Calvary and there embrace the New Covenant. Let us receive the grace and mercy of the supreme atonement and then go into a lost world and tell them Jesus Saves.