Quote for Sunday 19 May 2024   ^#161

Even the best men and best kings are still just men. We see that bad kings sometimes did good things, and good kings sometimes did bad things. Much the same as Peter, as much as he loved the Lord, said some bad things in betrayal of his faith.

Ezekiel is the prophet of the glory of God. He is one of the "major" prophets, along with Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Daniel. He was born during the time of Josiah's revival, approximately 600 years before Christ. His ministry ran from 593 BC to 571 BC, and many believe that he lived from 623 BC to 559 BC (~64 years).

At age 25 he was taken captive in 597 BC by Nebuchadnezzar along with the cream of Judian nobility. Daniel was taken in 605 BC, so Ezekiel was part of a second wave of deportations into Babylon.

God calls him and says, I'm not sending you to a people of a strange language, they would listen to you, but I'm sending you to your own people and they won't listen to you. His name means, God strengthens. When God calls a person to service he will himself enable the one whom he calls to fulfil that service.

In this introduction we will look at several parallel between Ezekiel and the apostle John, and two possible outlines for the chapter.

We were looking at three different laws in this chapter. Paul teaches us that those enamored with the Mosaic law should consider the law of Christ (v1-5), the law of the harvest (v6-10), and the law of the new creation (v11-18). This final portion of Galatians can be divided into three parts: the concern of Paul (v11), the value of circumcision (v12-15), and Paul's closing remarks (v16-18).

Does our ministry, like Paul's, flow out of burden for the spiritual well-being of God's people? Or are we just filling a calendar, keeping busy? What a difference it makes when a preacher has a heart for the people listening.

We see the Pharisees reborn in Galatia. That system is back again. "They desire to have you circumcised that they may glory in your flesh": They want people to know how many have responded to their ministry.

When someone comes to know Christ and comes to realise the wonder of the cross, a lot of their former companions don't want anything to do with it. So in a sense the world is crucified, the cross has alienated him from his former companions, religious and otherwise. The cross brings a great divide with the world.

The sign over Jesus says this is what the world did to the Son of God.
• In Hebrew it spoke to the religious world; outward religion was at its max at that time.
• The Latin (INRI) speaks of the world of politics, the Romans: they joined and cooperated in crucifying him.
• The Greek speaks of culture and learning; they aren't directly involved in the cross, but what does the world of art and culture think of Christ? They are often the ones promoting forms of perversion.

Some believe the Israel of God is the true church. The reformed view sees one people of God, but the repetition of "upon" or "to" ("and upon the Israel of God") indicates that we are talking about two different groups: the new creation and the Israel of God.

Downloads: 01

Readings from Matthew 26:36-50 and 27:33-53

Downloads: 01

Date is unknown. The cassette says Bible Tape Ministry, Glenwood, RR No. 1, Yarmouth Co., NS B0W 1W0

A stark contrast between sin and the divine excellence of God. First we see the psalmist's concern about perverseness against God and his people. Then there is a seeking of relief in looking to Heaven, and finally consolation in prayer.

Priority in prayer, passion in prayer, perseverance in prayer. Priorities are set by our Lord through whom our prayers are heard. The honour of God is utmost in prayer. We must persevere.

Downloads: 01

First we will look at the works of the flesh, then move from the polluting factory into the luscious orchard. We will follow a grouping of the sins that some others have proposed: sexual sins, religious sins, and social sins. The sexual sins we covered last time, so we begin today with the religious sins of idolatry and witchcraft.

When we think of the flesh we tend not to think of religious sins, but it was religious flesh that crucified Christ. Religious flesh launched the Crusades, the inquisition, the growth of Islam, we can see religious flesh on display in many places.

Witchcraft: pharmakeia in Greek, from which we get words like pharmacy and pharmaceuticals. A secret tampering with and a worship of the powers of evil, aided through drugs. Drugs get you into connection with the spirit world. Drugs somehow provide a portal to the demonic world.

Finally we look at the social sins of drunkenness and revellings,

The assembly in Corinth was made up of people who were once practising all of these sins. Imagine what the testimony meeting would have been like, describing what their lives were like and how they got saved. Jesus cleansed, justified, set them apart. It's what they used to be; they are not any longer.

Yet the flesh does not get eradicated at conversion, so we must depend on the in-dwelling Spirit. So now we look at what the Spirit of God offers to us.

The introductory readings are from I Kings 15 and Luke 1. Today we look at Ahijam (also known as Abijah). With him we have somewhat of a contradiction because he confronted Jeroboam in a marvellous way, preaching to them, and yet he allows that which is evil, walking in all the sins of his father. This sort of contradiction lasts to this day: people will give some respect to the things of God, and yet live entirely ungodly lives.

Scripture tells us there is a fearful judgment to come. Consider the power of the voice of Christ, which raises the dead. Jesus himself faced the terror of the Lord. We must tell of it.