1Corinthians 13 - A Praise of Love [snippets of talk]

"The 1Corinthians 13 passage is the nice passage we hear in weddings, funerals and poetry recitals. But it has been butchered and torn to bits because we often don't look at the context of Paul's words on love. We must ask: Why does Paul tell the Corinthians about love? Why does he do it here? What has been said before and after? The reason why Paul tells the Corinthians about love here is that Paul wants them to be serving each other at church in love. Yes, the reason of love is serving and the target of love is other brothers and sisters at church..."

"So we have to ask what does love look like? If we are to pursue life in the most excellent way we must know what love is and what it looks like. I would suggest that from the profile of love in verses 4-7, love is essentially other-person-seeking. Verse 5 gives me a summary: love is not self-seeking. The object of love is the good of others. If we start from that we can work out a beautiful portrait of love as all other features of love fit under this..."

"But we must not idolise love at this point and turn love into an idea we worship. Neither should we look inwardly at our hearts or around us to our loved ones to find what true love is. Paul and many other Apostles, such as John and Peter, have already given a definition of love. Love is what God has shown us in Jesus. We often call this story of love the gospel. If anyone asks me what is the greatest act of love I have experienced or known of, I would say what John said, that God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. Or something like... Love is when our creator God pursues us like a Father who's lost His precious Son. Love is when God comes to be with us in our dirt, shame, sin, bondage, disease, sickness, suffering and death in the person of Jesus. Love is when God gave us all of Himself in Jesus in sacrifice, to people who have rejected Him and spat on Him and swore at Him. Love is when Jesus willingly laid down His life for you and me so that we could be free from the guilt and punishment of our rebellious lives. Love is when God paid freely and completely for our debt in sin. Love is when God reconciles the whole world to Himself through Jesus even when we weren't willing to lift a finger to say sorry. Love is when God promises us the hope of new life from this crass and fallen world through Jesus' Resurrection. Love is when God by his Spirit grants us all that we need for living now under His rule as we wait for His return. Love will be when we children of God get to meet Him, the Creator, Judge, Saviour, Friend and Father, face to face forever in His glorious light. Do you wonder why John calls God love and that love and mercy is the character of God to Moses? Brothers and sisters, if you still are not moved by this love, pray that you do, or else you cannot taste the sweetness of Paul's words on living life in love. Our love depends on God's love for us, it starts and ends with Him. And His love seeks our good at His cost..."

"The greatest thing that separates love from other spiritual gifts and characteristics is that love never 'fails' according verse 8, or love never ends. Paul is speaking of the end times here. Love exists love as God has shown us, and the way of love will continue to exist when He returns, and when we live in eternity with Him. The excellent of way does not disappear but reappears and lasts for ever, even beyond this lifetime. Nothing else does, not any of our spiritual gifts. Love, however, does not end. God does not cease to be loving in Heaven, He displays greater and even more love in other ways, just you wait. We've tasted His love on the Cross, we'll feast on His love at the Resurrection, and in eternity we continue to celebrate and experience His love when we see him face to face. This is how we understand 'love never fails' in verse 8..."

"But love never fails, love never ends. It is the only thing that does not cease. Bible studies cease, tongues cease, teaching ceases, talks cease. But God's love and His way of other-person-seeking love, does not end. What we participate now is a part of God's eternal nature. As we seek the good of others now, we experience what God will eternally grant to us in heaven. You want a taste of heaven, love your brother or sister now. This experience I guarantee you from God's word, is a taste of eternity and all its joys. That is why even faith and hope give way to love as spiritual characteristics. As Christians we hope for the coming of perfection, but when perfection comes, we no longer need to hope but we celebrate the consummation of all our hopes. As Christians, we trust and depend on God's promises through faith. But when God's promises are fulfilled, our trust is made complete and we celebrate God's gift of trust to us. But as we love one another because we have tasted God's love, we begin an eternal work, experience and enterprise that never ends. Will God stop showing us His love in heaven, certainly not! Will we stop delighting in the loves shown to us by other children of God, never! You cannot get enough of this love. Will there be less opportunities to seek the good of others in the future, never. You will have all the time, energy, creativity to pour out your love for others and for God. We will find it easier to love, boast in each other, give thanks for each other, serve one another, even as God has served us. Love does not end but continues in eternity as the most excellent way to live with each other to praise of God."

These are some snippets of the talk, click the opening sentence for the link to a google doc. There were quite a few youth at Clay.NSCCCS today. I was again impressed by the presentation of the songs: there were background pictures to every song, not just a coloured page. Roberta even wrote one herself.

BTW I think we are in dire need of confessional songs or songs about repentance and turning back. Anyone interested in writing one with me?

Talk on John 14: The Holy Spirit

Just a link to a talk at NSCCCS (an australian-asian church in gordon) on the Holy Spirit.

http://docs.google.com/doc?id=df75wq87_25g6d958fk

I was most encouraged to see an old acquaintance who is now doing part time GP work and youth pastoring at this Church. Hopefully this is something I can do in the future. Life's getting on and the Bible keeps telling me that time is short, so I need  to make every opportunity to make Him known in every way.

Also, a promise to bring more photo images and interesting links to this blog.

God's Wisdom: a Talk

Proverbs 8-9 NSCCCS Talk 2007-10-21

William Ng

"The Blue Pill or Red Pill? AKA: Wisdom or Folly?"

Outline:
1) Wisdom's Beginnings (Proverbs 8)

2) Wisdom versus Folly (Proverbs 9)

3) Wisdom in Practice (Proverbs 6; Choice Words 10:20; Beauty 11:22; Sober Minded 12:9; Taking Criticism 13:18; Real Labour 14:23; Worldly Pleasure 15:17; Planning 16:9; Home 17:1; Loose Speech 18:19; Fair Trade 20:17; Wife 21:9; Children 22:6)

4) Wisdom in Eternity of Ecclesiastes

Wisdom: Knowing and fearing God by living with spiritual and practical intelligence. Its characteristics are seen in 1:1-7

Main Point: Live in Wisdom because God’s world is made by God’s Wisdom and Wisdom is practical, useful and joyful.

Sub-Points: Wisdom leads to a full life and favour with God.

Folly leads to ruin and death.

Jesus is God’s Wisdom and His Life & Work shows God’s Wisdom best.

Wisdom is in Fearing and Obeying God.

Ecclesiastes: World cannot be completely understood by wisdom for this life.

This world – Death, brevity of Life and cyclical Time – seem to contradict living wisely, but the eternal God’s Judgement makes wise living meaningful.

1. Wisdom's Beginnings

8:22-31 Creator, Eternity, Joy of God.

Jesus is God’s Wisdom .1Cor. 1:30-31 and Col 1:15-17.

2. Wisdom versus Folly

9:1-6 Attractive Opportunity

(Also 8:1-21 Invitation to Wisdom and Treasures in Wisdom; 3:1-12 Fear of the Lord)

9:13-18 Attractive Lies

(Also 8:32-36 Death for the Foolish)

3. Wisdom in Practice

Adultery 6:20-35

Repaying Debts 6:1-5

Miscellaneous Wisdom

Choice Words 10:20; Beauty 11:22; Sober Minded 12:9; Taking Criticism 13:18; Real Labour 14:23; Worldly Pleasure 15:17; Planning 16:9; Home 17:1; Loose Speech 18:19; Status 19:10; Fair Trade 20:17; Wife 21:9; Children 22:6

4. Wisdom in Eternity of Ecclesiastes

1:1-2 Meaningless

1:16-18 Wisdom brings Frustration

3:9-22 Time for death for all, so enjoy the present. NB Eternity in Man’s heart 3:11.

4-10 Meaninglessness of Wisdom: injustice, fools in world, frustrations of the wise)

11-12:8 Rejoice in One’s Years before Death

12:9-14 Fear of the Lord and His Judgement gives Meaning.

1) Wisdom’s Beginnings

Have you been really attracted to a person who excites you? Or mesmerized by a scene in a movie? Or fascinated by a new idea? Or have you been to a place that frees your mind and gives you a buzz whenever you walk into it? Well, Wisdom in the Book of Proverbs is that person, place, time and event that is trying to attract you and me, Wisdom is parading her best and finest wares in front of our eyes, Wisdom is singing a lovely tune that is teasing our ears in Proverbs 8.

Wisdom first blows us away by telling us when she began. Wisdom was with God before the Creation. Have a look at 8:22-23. Verse 23 says Wisdom was there from Eternity and given a special position in God’s grand plan, that’s what appointed means. Verse 22 may seem to say that Wisdom was the first of God’s work, but the verse is better understood as saying Wisdom was brought forward before the first of God’s work. Certainly this emphasis on Wisdom at God’s side before He made the world reads well with the other verses.

Wisdom was with God during His powerful production of the waters, springs and oceans, the mountains and the hills, the Earth and the fields. Wisdom witnessed the incredible separation of vast spaces in verses 27-29, the heavens above from the waters below, the clouds from the oceans and the continents and the seas. Isn’t this saying that Wisdom was there in the days of Genesis, the beginning of the universe?

But Wisdom was also in the creation process with God, she was not standing back. By Wisdom God did every one of His incredible feats, by Wisdom God made the world¹; Wisdom was “the craftsman” getting His hands dirty besides God. That’s why God had a great time with Wisdom as they shared the work and took pride in the work they’d done together, Wisdom in return gave God much pride and joy.

So we know that Wisdom has a big CV. Wisdom was there before the creation, during the creative process of Genesis and was the means by which God made the World: so great is God’s Wisdom we are taught to think of Wisdom as a co-creator along side God.

[Aside on Jesus as God’s Wisdom: Colossians 1:15-17; 1Corinthians 1:30-31; Romans 16:5-27]

2) Wisdom versus Folly

Wisdom is not the only one calling or attracting us. There is an equally attractive and alluring person called Folly. Wisdom and Folly are both calling for our attention, our vote and our personal choice. Just like an election, we are asked to make a definite choice between two parties, we have to choose John or Kevin, we can take the blue pill or the red pill, and we either choose Wisdom or follow Folly. Each party has their attraction, but each choice is followed by a set of consequences and fruits.

Wisdom continues to blow us away by giving us understanding and life. Look at the way she calls. She spares no expense at inviting any passers by, and willing travellers. You cannot miss Wisdom’s calls because she is shouting at the top of the mountain and you cannot miss her because there are a host of other maidens at the hilltop. Wisdom has a great feast prepared for those who are willing to come in to dine with her. Actually she has been planning for this feast with such enthusiasm she has built a whole new diner to seat her guests. What she offers is prime. The food is fine, and the wine supreme. Wisdom offers a full and fruitful, blessed life to her followers. Her ways educate, prepare and discipline the simple and naïve, so they are experienced and prepared for the living in this world. She is like a TAFE course geared to preparing people for trade and a “hands on” training degree that actually prepares someone for work after they graduate. She educates people on how to live and live life to the full. [Invitation and Rewards 8:1-21]

Folly on the other hand puts up an equally good show to get our vote. She is loud and speaks with a megaphone on the top of the mountain. She too is desperate to get people to come into her home. But Her way is distinctively different to Wisdom’s. She loves deceit, things done in secret, as if hiding the truth from God’s sight. She likes to tempt the simple and the naïve into the easy way, the morally dubious way, by enjoying stolen wine and shameful deeds done in the dark. She is a dodge. But the trick is that she seems to offer the same outcomes and fruits that lure people to Wisdom. So she is a dodge and an imitation of Wisdom and it’s easy to choose her because her offer seems equally attractive. But what’s inside the house of Folly? Like a dodgey Chinese Ferrari that you wish you’d never bought, Folly’s house is full of rotten corpses, blazing hellfire in 9:18. Those who dine with Folly, eat to their own death.

Wisdom is distinguished by her trademark: the Fear of the Lord and obedience to His commands. [Andrew Law has talked about this?

Key of Wisdom in Fear of the Lord:

Acknowledging He is the Creator, Lord and Ruler.

The only way to the Wise Life.]

So both Wisdom and Folly are polling for our vote and we must vote Wisdom, we must choose Wisdom and accept her invitation.

3) Wisdom in Practice

So it’s not surprising that Wisdom is practical. If by God’s Wisdom He made this world, if Wisdom was overseeing the making and running of this world then it’s no wonder that living by Wisdom leads to a full, fruitful² and joyful life. Wisdom is for living because life is designed by Wisdom. Wisdom is practical. So the rest of this talk, just like the rest of Proverbs 10-31, will be a short and sweet guide on how to live in Wisdom from reading Proverbs 10-31 and how to be practically Wise in God’s world.

Now we’ve gone through proverbs 1-9 briefly, I’ll bring in a working definition of Wisdom having explained Wisdom’s awesome credentials and her rewards: Wisdom is “knowing and fearing God by living in His world with spiritual and practical intelligence.” This is a working definition and is not perfect. We know that Wisdom begins with our right relationship with God, in fear and obedience to the Creator who wisely made this world and wisely saves us for eternity. That is knowing and fearing God. Spiritual intelligence is scattered throughout the Proverbs just as practical advice is laid out through the book. Spiritual matters include moral matters, matters of eternal consequences like the Judgement of God, matters of right living by God’s laws. Practical matters touch on all walks of life, from sex, to marriage, to economics, to trade, to ethics, to friendship, even to running a city or country. So when we read through Proverbs, especially 10-31, we see that God’s Wisdom is not only good for spiritual matters but also for practical living. Christianity is not only doctrine and knowledge of historical and eternal truths; it’s also living wisely in God’s world now. Doctrine and Living is a conversation, Theology and Christian Practice go hand in hand. Wisdom is practical.

Let’s take a couple of situations in life on which Wisdom educates us.

Firstly listening, paying attention, accepting Wisdom 9:7-12. The most practical question is do I want to listen to Wisdom. It’s a choice entirely, and God gives us an invitation to choose Wisdom or to reject Her. But Listening to Wisdom takes a bit out of our ego, because we have to admit that God is wiser. It is no easy for a lot of people, in fact for anyone. The difficulty may lie in receiving correction, rebuke, or criticism. Most of the world don’t like to receive rebuke, and certainly never publicly. Who wants others to know that we have made a mistake, we’ve been a fool, we’ve made wrong choices? Even fools have pride, and even the poor have egos. Our world oddly admires people who simply have a passion for things even if that person is passionately and stubbornly wrong. The scoffer is always around. But Wisdom calls us to humble ourselves, accept wise discipline and listen to good advice. Sometimes our parents may just know a little better than our friends, then what the movies tell us³. Our friend who spoils our fun at parties, might just be that person that saves us from committing mistakes of drunkenness. Our God who doesn’t grant us our desires, might be just trying to teach us what’s important. Wisdom calls us to listen, to pay attention and accept good advice.

Secondly Wisdom in saving sex for marriage only 5:1-23. This is honest, Father to Son advice and it’s repeated with different imageries, many times in chapters 1-9. The lure of premarital sex, extramarital sex, sex with a strange but attractive lover is great. Our world cannot resist it: it knows how much we can be attracted by the idea free, non-contractual sexual relations. The ads we see are smooth, sassy and sexy. The scenes from movies are beautifully crafted, washed over with heart-throbbing music. Our own minds create fantasies of relations with others. But the Father’s advice is to stick to love, sex and relations within our marriages. Believe it or not, through the toil, work and commitment of marriage, you may actually find love in your wife or your husband to be. Here in chapter 5 are lovely images of fresh, sweet cool water that satisfies our thirst, and that of a lovely animal, pleasurable to look at and play with: such is the love of our own wife or husband. The pleasure of marriage and physical love in marriage actually outweigh the fun of promiscuity.

We’ll briefly sketch through a few more humorous practical wisdoms throughout 9-22, the Proverbs of Solomon.

[Choice Words 10:20; Beauty 11:22; Sober Minded 12:9; Taking Criticism 13:18; Real Labour 14:23; Worldly Pleasure 15:17; Planning 16:9; Home 17:1; Loose Speech 18:19; Fitting Status 19:10; Fair Trade 20:17; Wife 21:9; Children 22:6. NB 23-24 are longer Father to Son advices.]

Back to our working definition of Wisdom: Wisdom is “knowing and fearing God by living in His world with spiritual and practical intelligence.” God is Wise and through His Wisdom made this world, so we are called to live by this Wisdom in order to live a fulfilling, fruitful and joyful life in His world.

4) Wisdom in Eternity of Ecclesiastes

To Get a balanced view of Wisdom, we are meant to read Proverbs and Ecclesiastes together. We need to know the meaning God gives to living in the world now in light of His eternity, or else things seem meaningless, living wisely is pointless, and we’ll be unprepared for frustrations in this world. Briefly

Meaningless of Life and Wisdom

1:1-2 Meaningless

1:16-18 Wisdom brings Frustration

Frustrations of Life despite Wisdom

3:9-22 Time for death for all, so enjoy the present. NB Eternity in Man’s heart 3:11.

4-10 Meaninglessness of Wisdom and Frustration despite Wisdom: injustice, fools in world, frustrations of the wise)

Living Wisely because of God’s Judgement

11-12:8 Rejoice in One’s Years before Death

12:9-14 Fear of the Lord and His Judgement gives Meaning.

1 Creation by Wisdom, see Proverbs 3:19-20

2 See how Wisdom celebrates life in Proverbs 3:13-18.

3 Note how in Ch 1-9, advice begins with the words “My Son.”

1

The Lord's Prayer: a talk

Matthew 6:1-18 God’s Secret Service Talk @NSCCCS 20070325
William Ng

Main Point: We only live to please God and not people.

Sub Point: God will justly repay what is done, whether in secret or in open.

1. Fresh organization (Matthew 6:9-10; 5:1-10, 48)

2. For His eyes only (6:1-4, 5-8, 16-18)

3. Forgiveness, the essential response to God (6:12-15)

4. Our secret service

1"Be careful not to do your 'acts of righteousness' before men, to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.

2"So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. 3But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

5"And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. 6But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. 7And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. 8Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.

9"This, then, is how you should pray:
" 'Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
10your kingdom come,
your will be done
on earth as it is in heaven.
11Give us today our daily bread.
12Forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
13And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from the evil one.^[a]' 14For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.

16"When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show men they are fasting. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. 17But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, 18so that it will not be obvious to men that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you…”

Matthew 6:1-18 “God’s Secret Service”

1. Fresh organization (Matthew 6:9-10; 5:1-10, 48)

Fresh Organization

We should always shudder with fear and excitement when we listen to Jesus’ words in the Sermon on the Mount. Because Jesus is showing to His dearest friends and followers a fresh organization of our present world. He tells us what this organization, or God’s new kingdom looks like, feels like and what the people act like. And we see from the middle of this passage that the standard of God’s new kingdom is perfect.

It’s in verses 9-10:

“…'Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
10your kingdom come,
your will be done
on earth as it is in heaven…”

What is heaven like? It’s perfect! God is bringing that heavenly world to our present earth. That’s a world being organized by God, a world under His rule with people listening to His ways. That is exciting news. But it is fearful news, because we as Jesus’ friends, we hear what we are to be like. The opening of the Sermon on the Mount called Jesus’ friends blessed, remember those poor in spirit, those who mourn, those who are meek, who thirst and hunger for the right, the merciful, the pure, the peacemakers and those persecuted for following Jesus. In summary, 5:48 tells us that Jesus’ friends, who are part of this new kingdom are to be “perfect, therefore, as [our] heavenly Father is perfect.”

God’s people will be willing

A massive part of our lives will be to respond to God’s teachings and be willing to be His people of the new kingdom and work out His teachings in our lives. Jesus wanted our active will and participation in this kingdom when He asked us to pray the Lord’s prayer:

“…'Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
10your kingdom come,
your will be done
on earth as it is in heaven…”

But because it’s God’s kingdom, which He’s bringing, and we are weak humans who cannot meet His standards, we must ask for His help. So why don’t you pray with me:

[Prayer. Note this prayer is important as we bring the hearers to depend on God’s grace and mercy.]

2. For His eyes only (6:1-4, 5-8, 16-18)

Good works for His eyes only

Jesus wants us to be doers of good, but more than that, He wants us to have God as our only audience. We are to do all our work for His eyes only. And we do not want to please our peers, friends or even leaders or parents. Instead we please God alone and God is our only audience. 6:1 tells us clearly:

“Be careful not to do your 'acts of righteousness' before men, to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.”

How to give, pray and fast

And Jesus mentions three righteous acts of giving money to the poor, praying to God and fasting, where we are to avoid a public audience.

Have a look at 6:2-4. In those days, the temptation was to boast in how much you could give to the poor. The synagogue was an organization that would have the role of looking after the needs of the poor. They didn’t have social services then. And on top of the tenth of what they earned given as offertory, people would give more to meet the needs of the poor. But it is easy to brag, to let the neighbours know how much you are giving, to ask the Rabbi to make a special announcement or to publicly shower food and coins to a blind man on the market street.

But Jesus says that when we give we don’t need to tell the whole world, we don’t even want the person sitting next to us to know how much we give, and if we could help it we don’t even want our left hand know what our right hand is doing. So secret is our giving that only God our Father, who sees everything we do, is to know! He is our only audience.

Similarly from vv.5-6, we don’t shout on top of our voices and kneel in the middle of our rooms to pray. We are to find a private room, close the door and pray to our Father, who is our only audience when we pray. There is no need either, in vv. 7-8, to use fancy words, complex sentences to manipulate God into giving us our needs. God sees our hearts, and He knows our needs already when we pray to Him. So our prayers can be short, straight to the point and we can use our own words to pray to God, our only audience.

And it’s the same when we fast. Now I know not many of us fast, but Jesus treats it as something that His disciples do normally. Fasting teaches us that we depend on God¹. But when we fast, it’s not public, we don’t mess up our hair, forget to wash our faces and write on our T-shirts “Holy Man Fasting”, but it’s a matter between us and God, because He is our only audience.

God justly repays

The reason to choose God as our only audience our friends, peers and leaders is that God rewards justly. Look at what happens when giving is done in secret, verse 4b: “…then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.” It is repeated again in v.6, “Then [our] Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward [us].” And just in case we missed it, Jesus tells us again when we fast in v.18, “[so] that it will not be obvious to men that [we] are fasting, but only to [our] Father, who is unseen; and [our] Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward [us].”

You see, when we live for other peoples’ praise, “Ooh, look how generous he is,” or “Hey, isn’t so and so a great prayer?” or “Did you know that this leader fasts 3x a week?”, God gives us what we asked for: the praise of other people. If we only look for boasting in this life time, that is what we will get and no more. The congratulations, the high from feeling great about ourselves and our paper certificates, will turn to dust and burn with the end of this world. Men’s praise will be forgotten, useless and empty.

But our Father in heaven loves to reward things done for His eyes only. He will say, “Well done, my good and faithful servant²,” when we see Him face to face at the coming of the new world. Because He sees right into our hearts and looks for the attitude that aims to please Him and Him alone.

Jesus isn’t talking about earning our favour with God, or pleasing our perfect Father so that He pays our good work with salvation. That’s blasphemous, contrary to Jesus’ teaching and His work. No, Jesus is saying that those who are already in God’s kingdom and saved, they are the ones who will want to please God alone, they are to say no to the temptation to gain earthly praise at the loss of God’s own praise³.

So when we work for God alone, He sees our hearts, and will justly reward us with the praise He so enjoys giving to His children. He is to be our only audience and the only audience that matters.

3. Forgiveness, the essential response to God (6:12-15)

Forgiveness is our basic need

Our Father, understands our deepest need and this is in the centre of the whole Sermon and in the middle of the prayer that Jesus modelled for us. We are ignoring the prayer as a whole because that is another challenging lesson by itself. Concentrating on vv.12-15, we see that our deepest need is the forgiveness that comes from our Father. Our most urgent prayer is that God will cancel the debt that we owe to Him as we sin against Him, fail to do His will, forget to honour Him, and even as we fail in our relationships with other people because He cares for the ones we sin against.

Once forgiven, we will forgive others

But Jesus told us to pray, “Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.” Why does Jesus expect that God’s people to have already forgiven others who owe them, who sin against them, who have hurt them? Because those, who experience the deep, wide, long and broad forgiveness of God, have the capacity to forgive other people. And an unforgiving heart is a sign that we have not tasted the forgiveness of God.

Try a little mental test with me. Think of someone who’s hurt, sinned against or mistreated you. Turn all your energy into hating that person with your heart and mind… do you notice what’s happening? We do not remember or feel the love of God, the mercy of God and His forgiveness whilst we are hating our sister/brother like that. It’s like trying to move and be still at the same time, to sleep and be awake in the same moment, it cannot be done.

But on the other hand, think now, and give thanks with your heart for the love of God shown towards you, freely and deeply. When you remember this, you can extend the same forgiveness toward your enemy. These two attitudes, thoughts and emotions are compatible, but an unforgiving heart, is incompatible with an understanding of God’s kindness to us. So we pray to our Father “Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.”

4. Our secret service

Today’s challenge to live with God as our only audience from Jesus’ lips is real in so many ways.

a) CLAY parallels: Giving, serving, leading

Empty Praise

Do all ministries for God, do them well,

Do not minister for our own good, own name, own reputation…

Face is not only big in Chinese cultures, it’s big in all earthly cultures…

Empty, useless rewards, waste of our lives…

Does not result in good ministries…

Godly Freedom [to serve God]

I think there is incredible freedom when we reject peer pressure, peer review and peer judgement…

Instead, use our freedom to serve God… because His reward and praise is best and sweet.

E.g. Unrewarding ministries, hard ministries, dangerous ministries, unwise ministries…

b) Private time = secret service to God

Not Sunday time, not fellowship time, but every other time…

Esp. in relationships with others away from home, away from Christian circles, away from CLAY because He sees all, delights most in our daily walk with Him.

c) Care in our study and work

School work, uni-work and work-work…

Work as though we are working for the Lord.

d) Attitude of forgiveness

Forgiveness…

Whom do we need to forgive?

1 Must find biblical support apart from Matthew.

2 Matthew 25:21-23.

3 Luke 17:7-10. Even when we do God’s will, God does not necessarily need to give us praise, yet He delights in praising His servants, cf. Matthew 5, 25.

Labourers for the Gospel: a Talk from Romans 16

Romans 16:1-27 "Labourers for the Gospel" 2006-12-17

William Ng

1. Structure

   1. Commendations (1-2)

   2. Greetings to the church in Rome(3-16)

   3. Warnings (17-20)

   4. Greetings from Corinth (21-23)

   5. Doxology (24-27)

2. Points

   1. Main point: Those who labour for the Gospel are honoured by God

   2. Sub-point 1: Gentiles, Jews and all kinds of people have been brought into God’s church

   3. Sub-point 2: God triumphs over Satan’s attempt to break the church

   4. Sub-point 3: The Gospel must be made known to everyone

3. Applications

   1. Support people who preach and tell others about Jesus

   2. Welcome all people into the church

   3. Do not welcome self-serving people who lead others away from God

   4. Praise God for His great power and wisdom shown in the Gospel

   5. Labour for the Gospel this Christmas by evangelising everyone

Talk Outline

1. Greetings to the church in Rome

   1. Honour to the labourers

   2. One Family

2. Warnings to the church

3. God’s power and wisdom

   1. Gospel Revealed in Christ

   2. Gospel made known to everyone

Talk Romans 16 (17^th Dec 2006)

When we hear talks that explain to us the full picture of the Gospel and talks that urge us to live godly lives because of the Gospel, we might forget that Paul was not actually giving a sermon. All this time, in Corinth, Paul was dictating a letter to his friend Tertius (verse 22), that was going to be posted – Palestinian style – to the church in Rome. This letter was to be delivered by hand, and the lady mentioned in verses 1 & 2, Phoebe, was most likely the bearer of this letter. Snail mail back then was slow, long and dangerous: journeys had to be made over land, and sometimes even by ship, before a letter could be delivered. Phoebe would have needed a certificate or letter of commendation from Paul, so that she could travel safely through cities and towns. This long letter of Romans eventually got there, and was treasured by those at church there, or else I don’t think they would have made copies of it, to keep, to read, to reread and to share with other churches. In this last section of the letter, we are learning about the real person carrying the letter, about those Christians actually receiving the letter and about Paul’s relationship with these Christians. Let’s look in detail at how Paul greeted the church in Rome!

1. Greetings: church in Rome (1-16)

Honour to the labourers

The first thing you will notice is that Paul gives great honour to the labourers of the Gospel. Look at how Paul describes Phoebe in verses 1 & 2. She is a servant of the church at Cenchrea, she has been a great help to Paul. And we can imagine that apart from physically bearing this letter to Rome herself, she was likely a women of some wealth, who used her money, her influence and assets to help Paul and other Christians who worked for the Gospel. Paul asks for the church in Rome to welcome her, as a dear sister, and to supply whatever she needed, to treat her as one of the saints, which means someone from God’s own chosen family. Why? Because she is one who labours, and worked hard and gave up herself, her money and power, to help Paul and others tell the gospel.

And it’s not only Phoebe who worked hard, other labourers of the Gospel in Rome were also known to Paul, and he greeted them with great joy and fondness. Look at Priscilla and Aquilla in verses 3-4. This couple literally risked their lives for Paul while they travelled with him on one of his missionary trips around Corinth. Not only Paul but also the Gentile – the Christians of non-Jewish background – Gentile churches also owed a whole lot to this couple, and their labour (verse 4).

Andronicus (verse 7) was a fellow-prisoner, Urbanus (verse 9) was a fellow-worker. Paul showed so much appreciation and honour to those who have shared in the Gospel work. He greets them individually, by name, with high praises, and it is obvious that he is full of thanks and joy, that he prays for them regularly¹, because of their hard work.

And did you also notice that the women mentioned in this list of greetings were given high praise as well? In a society where women did not often get recognition, Paul highlights their achievement and labour for the Gospel. Mary (verse 6) worked hard for the church in Rome, Junia (verse 7) also shared suffering as a prisoner with Paul, Tryphena and Tryphosa (verse 12) were both workers in the Lord, Paul called Persis (verse 12) “beloved” for her hard work, and Rufus’ mother (verse 13) was like a mother to Paul. Paul praised all these women and thanked God for their hard work, alongside himself and other Christians. Paul was hardly a chauvinist, but he gave due honour to everyone who worked hard for the Gospel.

[In our local church, we are to give thanks for those who work hard for our sakes. I have a church friend who doesn’t say much, and isn’t the most popular person at church, but he is always helping set-up, pack-up, and he leaves early after church to save seats for church lunch at Macquarie Centre. We are to remember and appreciate people like this friend of mine, who quietly labours for the gospel.]

God also esteems these workers, He views them highly and their efforts are forever commemorated in His word. How do you view those who labour for the gospel? Do we care for our missionaries that we send overseas? Are we generous in giving to their needs? Do we take an interest in their lives? Do we read their prayer letters and pray for them regularly? When we hear about gospel work in beach missions, in outreaches, are we excited?

More often, we take more interest lives of anti-christian stars. We think highly of smart people, rich and successful people, good-looking people, but we don’t look twice at those who give up things to work for the gospel, to teach Sunday school, to set-up community churches. But we have been given God’s goggles through Paul’s greetings. Let’s change our minds and eyes so that we delight in giving thanks for gospel workers and labourers, let’s give them our prayers, our time and help and money, because the work that they do is God’s priority.

One Family, Different Members

The second thing to notice in the language of Paul’s greeting is that God’s church is a close-knit family, even though there are many different members. The members have come from different social groups, different ethnic and racial groups, and are made up of different sexes. Paul calls Andronicus and Junia (Verse 7) and Herodion (Verse 11) “his relatives”, which is his way of saying they were like him: Jewish. I can assure you that there were more Jewish Christians in the church in Rome apart from the few mentioned here. To have Jewish and Gentile people worship together then is like having Lebanese Muslims and Chinese Christians together in the same place, all praising the Lord Jesus now. The Jews and Gentiles were different culturally, in customs and traditions. Yet they were in the church together.

The members also came from different ranks in society. As I’ve mentioned before there were certainly some slaves, or ex-slaves who were liberated, in the congregation of Rome. They met with bigger names like Narcissus² (Verse 11) and Aristobulus (Verse 10), who had households of Christians. These influential and wealthy Christians met with slaves and ex-slaves. Imagine churching with President Bush? Or the Murdochs? Or the Costellos?

We finally see that through Paul’s language, God’s church in Rome is a family to Paul. Paul can’t help himself but to speak affectionately of those that he knew well in the church, he uses the words beloved or “dear friend” for Epaenetus, Ampliatus, Persis and Stachys. Priscilla, Aquilla, Andronicus, Junias, Urbanus are his “fellow workers”. He deliberately calls everyone else dear “brothers” and “sisters”. Paul tells them to greet one another just as he greets them, warmly, from their hearts and with “holy kisses” (Verse 16), which back then was customary and acceptable for close relatives and friends, much like our pats of backs/shoulders and firm handshakes now.

The Gospel was able to break down so many barriers in Rome. Has the gospel done this in our local church, or in our Sydney churches? It pains God so much to see little ghettoes, little groups, people who only associate with their “in” group and exclude the “out” group. It grieves God to see people who make much of themselves whether they are rich or poor, people who make judgements and slander others on looks, on accents, on tastes. It annoys God to see people divide over traditions, customs, or even races and colour of skin. And all these things are happening in our local churches, even in our own congregations.

The Gospel must change our expectations of the church and drive our relationships within and without. We Christians in this room are in Jesus, we are each other’s brothers and sisters, we are working together, we are to welcome each other all the time, with friendship, warmth and help. We are to relate to our christian brothers and sisters from other congregations, and take an active interest in them and pray for them. And the Gospel doesn’t just stop there. It brings together people from different races, so we are to welcome Whites, Blacks and Browns into our church home, we are to open ourselves to Arabic customs, including their Muslim, or even Orthodox Christian customs, so that they can hear the Gospel. We are to welcome the poor, the intellectually disabled, as well as the mega-rich and the powerful. Anyone who walked from the streets of Sydney, can feel welcomed here, as we let the Gospel teach us that in Jesus, everyone can become a child of God.

[Start small…]

2. Warnings to the church (17-20)

[Paul also warned the church about self-serving people who are Satan’s workers, from verses 17 to 20. These people are good talkers, because they can deceive with “smooth words and flattery” (verse 18). Their end goal is to serve their own appetites, this means their physical and sexual desires and probably their own egos as well. And with this group of people, there is no need for welcome, but the opposite, the church in Rome is to keep away from them (verse 17). Instead, they are to lead lives of godliness, which means ones of obedience (verse 19).

To encourage the church, Paul asks them to remember that God will soon bring about the complete defeat of Satan (verse 20). God will achieve peace by eventually destroying all evil. And the christians there are to trust in this God. They will also need the grace that is in Jesus Himself (verse 20), because without God’s help in Jesus, we will not survive Satan’s attacks, nor will we have power of the Spirit to lead us to obedient lives.

So be on the look out. Trust in the God who brought peace to all man kind through Jesus’ death for sins. When evil attacks us, within the church, ask for God to give us His grace. From the Bible, we know that attacks do come. But from the same word, we know that God has triumphed over Satan and evil, and the final day of victory will be “soon”!]

3. God’s power and wisdom (25-27)

In the last sentence of letter to the Romans, Paul condenses all the gospel goodness into one chunk. It looks long, but all it is is a doxology or praise to God. [Look at the red letters] Praise for what? Verse 25 tells us that it is for the gospel, the proclamation of Jesus Christ.

Gospel Revealed in Christ

The Gospel that we have was hidden, it was a mystery but now it is revealed in Jesus, through the writings of God Himself in the Old Testament. You see, God had always wanted to send His Son Jesus into the world, to save His chosen people, the Jews, from all their sins. But from the time of Adam, to Abraham, to David, God’s people have been unable to come into relationship with Him because of sin. So God’s writing always promised that one day, He would come to save His people from their sins³. He made these promises through His prophets. When Jesus came, when He bore the sins of everyone on His on back, when He gave up Himself to die on the Cross and take on the punishment for all sins on Himself, when He rose to life as Victor over sin and death for all, He revealed the Gospel story that the Old Testament Law, Psalms and Prophets pointed to.

Do you know how precious that Christmas story is? The true meaning behind Christmas, is that God loved the world so much, that He would come into the world as a humble baby boy, to grow as one of man, and to sacrifice Himself at Easter for all of man’s sins! That’s why the Herald Angel sings! That’s why Glory belongs to the newborn King at Christmas! Because that long awaited Son of God was born, to fulfil the prophecies made in the Old Testament, so that God could bring the whole world into friendship, unity and peace with Himself and each other! That’s why there is Joy to our world, because at Christmas 2000 years ago, the Lord Jesus has come, the Saviour now reigns, No more will sins and sorrows grow and Jesus rules with Truth and Grace! And for this Good News of Christmas in the Gospel, we praise the God who sent Jesus, for His power and wisdom.

Gospel made known to everyone

And so we must be a labourer of the Gospel ourselves, starting from this Christmas. In verse 26 we know that the Gospel is now made known by God’s command, so that all nations might “believe and obey”. God sent out this Gospel to the nations, all nations, that means all our friends, all our relatives, all our workmates, all our neighbours could believe and obey the Gospel. We have heard that God honours those who work hard in the Gospel, we have heard why the Gospel shows God’s power and wisdom, so our response is to be a Gospel labourer.

This December is a great season, because no Christmas is ever dull or meaningless. No Christmas is ever about shopping dully for our appetites, or meaningless partying. Christmas is always about Jesus the Christ, the King. When we meet at family dinners, pray for opportunities to explain the Gospel. Be a labourer for the Gospel when we spend time with our little cousins, with our school friends, and even with our shop-keepers. Is there a Christmas message being explained somewhere? Let’s take our friends to it! Are our friends twiddling their thumbs on Christmas eve? Throw a party for them and explain the gospel to them. God’s Gospel is made known to the whole world, and our prayer is that this Christmas, they may have eternal life, joy and peace with our God through our labour for the Gospel.

1 Ro 1:8.

2 Though they are probably dead at the time, their wealthy households had Christians who attended church.

3 Jer 31:31-34 is a classic example.

Romans 16

Personal Greetings

1I commend to you our sister Phoebe, a servant^[a] of the church in Cenchrea. 2I ask you to receive her in the Lord in a way worthy of the saints and to give her any help she may need from you, for she has been a great help to many people, including me. 3Greet Priscilla^[b] and Aquila, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus. 4They risked their lives for me. Not only I but all the churches of the Gentiles are grateful to them. 5Greet also the church that meets at their house. Greet my dear friend Epenetus, who was the first convert to Christ in the province of Asia. 6Greet Mary, who worked very hard for you. 7Greet Andronicus and Junias, my relatives who have been in prison with me. They are outstanding among the apostles, and they were in Christ before I was. 8Greet Ampliatus, whom I love in the Lord. 9Greet Urbanus, our fellow worker in Christ, and my dear friend Stachys. 10Greet Apelles, tested and approved in Christ. Greet those who belong to the household of Aristobulus. 11Greet Herodion, my relative. Greet those in the household of Narcissus who are in the Lord. 12Greet Tryphena and Tryphosa, those women who work hard in the Lord. Greet my dear friend Persis, another woman who has worked very hard in the Lord. 13Greet Rufus, chosen in the Lord, and his mother, who has been a mother to me, too. 14Greet Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermes, Patrobas, Hermas and the brothers with them. 15Greet Philologus, Julia, Nereus and his sister, and Olympas and all the saints with them. 16Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the churches of Christ send greetings.

17I urge you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way that are contrary to the teaching you have learned. Keep away from them. 18For such people are not serving our Lord Christ, but their own appetites. By smooth talk and flattery they deceive the minds of naive people. 19Everyone has heard about your obedience, so I am full of joy over you; but I want you to be wise about what is good, and innocent about what is evil.

20The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet.
The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.

21Timothy, my fellow worker, sends his greetings to you, as do Lucius, Jason and Sosipater, my relatives.

22I, Tertius, who wrote down this letter, greet you in the Lord.

23Gaius, whose hospitality I and the whole church here enjoy, sends you his greetings.
Erastus, who is the city's director of public works, and our brother Quartus send you their greetings.^[c]

25Now to him who is able to establish you by my gospel and the proclamation of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery hidden for long ages past, 26but now revealed and made known through the prophetic writings by the command of the eternal God, so that all nations might believe and obey him— 27to the only wise God be glory forever through Jesus Christ! Amen.

Footnotes:

1. Romans 16:1 Or deaconess

2. Romans 16:3 Greek Prisca, a variant of Priscilla

3. Romans 16:23 Some manuscripts their greetings. 24 May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with all of you. Amen.

Day of Atonement: a talk from Leviticus 16

Leviticus 16 Day of Atonement Talk for NSCCCS 2006-04-09
William Ng

Structure

1-2: Warning about God’s holiness

3-5: How to enter relationship with God

6-22: Dealing with sin (6-10)

• Atonement for Aaron’s sin (11-14)

• Atonement for People’s sin (15-19)

• Sending away their sin (20-22)

23-28: Returning to daily relationship with God

• Aaron

• Burnt Offerings

• Goat-bearer

29-34: Lasting Ordinance

Hebrews 7-10: Jesus our Atonement - Priest, Sacrifice, Holy Place & Lasting Covenant

The Day of Atonement, from a God who forgives all sins

Talk Outline

1) A holy God and a sinful people.

• Warning: Abihu & Nadab

• Death

• How to enter Most Holy Place?

2) A sacrifice and a scapegoat.

• Blood is payment for sin

  • Priest

  • People : MHP, Tent, Altar

• Sin is removed from camp

  • Transferance

  • Sending out evil

3) An annual and lasting ordinance?

• Yearly Reminders: why?

  • Psalm 40:6-10  Future Godly sacrifice in Man after God’s heart/laws

  • Isaiah 53:5-6; Ezekiel 36:23-25; Jeremiah 31:34b  Future atonement of sins

• Jesus the true sacrifice

• Jesus the sin-bearer

• Jesus’ sacrifice once-for-all

4) A holy God and a holy people.

• Our eternal guiltless, sinless holy states

• Access to the Father

• Jewish friends, Catholic friends

• Our inmost beings

• What to do with our holy lives?

  • Moses’ obedience

Talk on Leviticus 16: The Day of Atonement, from a God who forgives all sins

1) A holy God and a sinful people.

You may remember one of the Bible’s little quirky events. This time, in verse one, it’s Nadab and Abihu. Who? Exactly, not many know of this event, but it goes like this. Aaron, Moses’ brother, has been chosen to be the priest of God’s altar. He has these 2 sons, Nadab and Abihu, their names sound pretty quirky already. They go into the Tent of Meeting, borrow some of those pots and pans made for cooking the sacrifices, and they start a fire. Little bit of incense, little bit of spice here and there. They merrily heat up their pans, probably for some deep-fried quail, Israeli style… suddenly this huge flame spills out from their fire and engulfs them, they fry, alive, and painfully and slowly, they are reduced to ashes, dead, not even the bones are left.

God, is a holy God. Anyone who enters into relationship with God must watch out. A holy God cannot stand sinful people. Nadab and Aibhu graphically illustrate the consequences of sinful people encountering the holy God, that is death.

Now this must have caused some terror in the camp. Can you imagine the news spreading in the camp, “Did you hear that Aaron’s two eldest sons got burnt alive because they showed contempt to God?” The Israelites would think twice before entering the Tent of Meeting to offer their sacrifices to God.

But God wants a relationship with these sinful Israelites. Imagine an onion, with God being in the very centre, where He symbolically dwells in the Ark. The next layer is the Most Holy Place, separated from the next layer, the Holy Place, by a curtain. This is surrounded by the whole yard within the Tent of Meeting. Lastly, the outermost layer around the Tent is the Israelite community.

How could this sinful people enter into relationship with their Holy God? Sure it’s fantastic to be near God, close to God, comfortable with God, talking with God, but what good is it when anyone who draws near to Him is consumed, burnt up and totally destroyed? The answer is provided by God, He provides the Day of Atonement for the Israelites so that “atonement is made once a year for all the sins of the Israelites.” (v.34) And on this Day, sacrifices of goat, bull and ram are made for the atonement for all the sins of the Israelites.

2) A sacrifice and a scapegoat.

We’re up to point 2, a sacrifice and a scapegoat. We’re going to concentrate on these two goats in verse 7 and follow their paths to death and exile. Because they are a substitute for the people of Israel. Verses 8 to 10 tell us that both are for atonement of sin. If you understand the fate of these goats, you will understand what God means by atonement.

The goats are chosen perfect, without defect and acceptable offerings in God’s sight. The first goat is slaughtered by the High Priest and its blood, the blood that signifies the death of a perfect substitute- its blood is sprinkled on the Ark in the MHP, on the Tent of meeting and on the Altar. Verse 16 says “In this way he will make atonement for the MHP because of the uncleanness and rebellion of the Israelites, whatever their sins have been.”

For some of you animal lovers out there, Dr Harry and DoLittles, this death is brutal, cruel and gross. Why so much blood shed? The reason for blood or death is because sin & rebellion are serious to the holy God. The wages of sin is death. The payment for all the sins of the Israelites is the blood of the perfect sacrificial animal.

We must understand how unclean the rebellion of all the Israelites is to God. Their sins collected, hour after hour, day after day, all the lies they’ve told in that year, their foolish thoughts, their lustful hearts, their meanness to each other. God has not forgotten any of these sins. That’s why the Holy place, the Tent and every other part is unclean (v.16) to the holy God. Every single sin, let alone the compilation of all their sins and rebellion, deserve death.

But atonement, that is the paying¹ for the penalty of sin and the turning away of God’s holy anger² from sinful people- atonement is achieved when the substitute goat dies on Israel’s behalf for their sins and its blood sprinkled on the parts of the Tabernacle to make it acceptable in God’s sight. Without this atonement, God would have consumed the whole Israelite camp with a holy wrath greater than the fiery lava of a volcanic eruption. It’s just like how His holy fire consumed Nadab and Abihu! But by the blood of the goat “he will make atonement for the MHP because of the uncleanness and rebellion of the Israelites, whatever their sins have been.”

Now to the second goat, commonly called the scape goat. He is exactly like our own rubbish tips. Think of the stink of the rubbish tip: week in, week out, we dump our food scraps, babies’ nappies, our tissues filled with the exciting stuff from our noses. Think of the stink. This scape goat is like that rubbish tip, but worse. Imagine what would a physical rubbish tip that contained a year’s worth of refuse look and smell like? That’s what’s happening on the Day of Atonement. When the High Priest lays his hands on the goat’s head, all the wickedness and rebellion of Israel, is dumped into it. Every single act of rebellion, not of one week, but of a whole year’s worth is transferred to the goat. And it’s not only of one family, but of a whole nation. It is an absolute stink in the Holy God’s eyes.

Yet when the scapegoat, who bears the sins of the whole nation is sent out from the Tent, out through the surrounding camp of the different tribes, out into the desert- Israel’s sins are taken away. God provides the scapegoat, so that “all their sins” may be ridden off on this Day.

3) An annual and lasting ordinance?

[Example of Lucy-Smith: she comes back week-in, week-out. Useless suturing jobs, reminders of our failure to treat]?

This annual ritual is to be a lasting ordinance for the people of God. But if you look through the writings in the Psalms and the Prophets, God hints at the obsolescence of this ritual, or the use-by-date of the ritual.

Psalm 40:6-10

• David

• God does not desire goats, bulls…

Isaiah 53:1-6

• Servant

• Bear the iniquity of us all

• Pierced (slaughtered) for our sin

So if the Levitican Day of Atonement doesn’t really work, how can it be lasting? Why have a yearly reminder of sins if those goats, bulls and rams can not atone for sins? The reason is these are shadows of the real thing, the real sacrificial lamb and the real sinbearing scapegoat. These are shadows of the Lord Jesus.

Hebrews 10:1-4

• Shadows

• Not effective

Hebrews 10:5-10

• Jesus, the real thing

• Effective sacrifice for sins

When Jesus died in Easter, he showed us, all of us, that he is the true sacrifice for sins. Because the perfect Son of God was slaughtered as our substitute for our sins. That’s how the holy God punishes the wickedness and rebellion of us sinful people. Only Jesus’ perfect sacrifice can pay for the sins of the whole world for all time. Jesus is the sacrificial lamb, whose blood and death atoned for our sin.

Jesus is also the true scapegoat. It was Jesus who took on our wickedness and rebellion on Himself³. It was Jesus who was led outside of Jerusalem to be crucified at Easter. It was Jesus who was banished by God into the Hell of God’s judgement. Jesus is the true sin-bearer, whose death took our sins away from us.

And the best thing about Jesus’s sacrifice is that it’s once-for-all, completed, finished, forever. Verse 10, “we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.” So perfect was Jesus’ body, so pure was His heart, so precious was His life that His sacrifice was once-for-all, one life for all sinful lives of the the world, one time for all the time of the world’s existence. Christians have been made holy, once-for-all, acceptable, right and with clean hearts and minds (consciences) in the sight of God. We can finally enter into relationship⁴ with the holy, awesome and righteous God.

4) A holy God and a holy people.

• Trust. Easter. Do not miss out.

• Thanks. Our eternal guiltless, sinless holy states

• Use our access to the Father⁵

  • Pray

  • Read

  • Draw near

• Jesus’ sacrifice: answer to friends

  • Jewish friends (yearly reminder).

  • Catholic friends (mass as reenactment of sacrifices. Helpful or unhelpful?),

  • Religious/good works friends (good works aren’t sufficient offerings to God),

  • Chinese friends. (offerings to gods vs. Jesus is the offering to the Most Holy God)

• Warning

  • Hebrews 10:26

  • God has not changed

  • Our conscience sins: pray

  • Fear and gratefulness

• Our inmost beings: made clean, realise the cleanliness in holiness⁶.

  • Speech

  • Eyes

  • Not greedy but generous

  • Not bitter but gracious

• We can do these because our Holy God has cleansed our consciences by Jesus, who is our sacrifice and scapegoat, whose death has made atonement for all our sins forever⁷, so that we may serve our Holy God.

Prayer

• Holy God

• Day of Atonement

• Jesus true sacrifice & scapegoat

• Once-for-all

• Help

  • Trust

  • Draw near

  • Fear & respect

  • Away with personal sins

  • Live out our holy lives

• Easter:

Psalm Slide

Psalm 40:6-10 (NIV)

6 Sacrifice and offering you did not desire,
but my ears you have pierced ^[a];
burnt offerings and sin offerings
you did not require.

7 Then I said, "Here I am, I have come—
it is written about me in the scroll.

8 I desire to do your will, O my God;
your law is within my heart."

9 I proclaim righteousness in the great assembly;
I do not seal my lips,
as you know, O LORD.

10 I do not hide your righteousness in my heart;
I speak of your faithfulness and salvation.
I do not conceal your love and your truth
from the great assembly.

Footnotes:

1. Psalm 40:6 Hebrew; Septuagint but a body you have prepared for me (see also Symmachus and Theodotion)

Isaiah Slide

Isaiah 53:1-6 (NIV)

1 Who has believed our message
and to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?

2 He grew up before him like a tender shoot,
and like a root out of dry ground.
He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him,
nothing in his appearance that we should desire him.

3 He was despised and rejected by men,
a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering.
Like one from whom men hide their faces
he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

4 Surely he took up our infirmities
and carried our sorrows,
yet we considered him stricken by God,
smitten by him, and afflicted.

5 But he was pierced for our transgressions,
he was crushed for our iniquities;
the punishment that brought us peace was upon him,
and by his wounds we are healed.

6 We all, like sheep, have gone astray,
each of us has turned to his own way;
and the LORD has laid on him
the iniquity of us all.

Hebrews Slide 1

Hebrews 10:1-10 (NIV)

1The law is only a shadow of the good things that are coming—not the realities themselves. For this reason it can never, by the same sacrifices repeated endlessly year after year, make perfect those who draw near to worship. 2If it could, would they not have stopped being offered? For the worshipers would have been cleansed once for all, and would no longer have felt guilty for their sins. 3But those sacrifices are an annual reminder of sins, 4because it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. …

Hebrews Slide 2

Hebrews 10:1-10 (NIV)

… 5Therefore, when Christ came into the world, he said:
"Sacrifice and offering you did not desire,
but a body you prepared for me;
6with burnt offerings and sin offerings
you were not pleased.
7Then I said, 'Here I am—it is written about me in the scroll—
I have come to do your will, O God.' "^[a] 8First he said, "Sacrifices and offerings, burnt offerings and sin offerings you did not desire, nor were you pleased with them" (although the law required them to be made). 9Then he said, "Here I am, I have come to do your will." He sets aside the first to establish the second. 10And by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

Hebrews Slide 3

Hebrews 10:26-29 (NIV)

26If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, 27but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God. 28Anyone who rejected the law of Moses died without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. 29How much more severely do you think a man deserves to be punished who has trampled the Son of God under foot, who has treated as an unholy thing the blood of the covenant that sanctified him, and who has insulted the Spirit of grace?

1 Mark 10:45b

2 Romans 3:25

3 Hebrews 9:28

4 Matthew 27:51

5 Hebrews 10:22

6 Mark 7:23

7 Hebrews 9:14

Leviticus 16: The Day of Atonement (NIV)

1 The LORD spoke to Moses after the death of the two sons of Aaron who died when they approached the LORD. 2 The LORD said to Moses: "Tell your brother Aaron not to come whenever he chooses into the Most Holy Place behind the curtain in front of the atonement cover on the ark, or else he will die, because I appear in the cloud over the atonement cover.

3 "This is how Aaron is to enter the sanctuary area: with a young bull for a sin offering and a ram for a burnt offering. 4 He is to put on the sacred linen tunic, with linen undergarments next to his body; he is to tie the linen sash around him and put on the linen turban. These are sacred garments; so he must bathe himself with water before he puts them on. 5 From the Israelite community he is to take two male goats for a sin offering and a ram for a burnt offering.

6 "Aaron is to offer the bull for his own sin offering to make atonement for himself and his household. 7 Then he is to take the two goats and present them before the LORD at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting. 8 He is to cast lots for the two goats—one lot for the LORD and the other for the scapegoat. ^[a] 9 Aaron shall bring the goat whose lot falls to the LORD and sacrifice it for a sin offering. 10 But the goat chosen by lot as the scapegoat shall be presented alive before the LORD to be used for making atonement by sending it into the desert as a scapegoat.

11 "Aaron shall bring the bull for his own sin offering to make atonement for himself and his household, and he is to slaughter the bull for his own sin offering. 12 He is to take a censer full of burning coals from the altar before the LORD and two handfuls of finely ground fragrant incense and take them behind the curtain. 13 He is to put the incense on the fire before the LORD, and the smoke of the incense will conceal the atonement cover above the Testimony, so that he will not die. 14 He is to take some of the bull's blood and with his finger sprinkle it on the front of the atonement cover; then he shall sprinkle some of it with his finger seven times before the atonement cover.

15 "He shall then slaughter the goat for the sin offering for the people and take its blood behind the curtain and do with it as he did with the bull's blood: He shall sprinkle it on the atonement cover and in front of it. 16 In this way he will make atonement for the Most Holy Place because of the uncleanness and rebellion of the Israelites, whatever their sins have been. He is to do the same for the Tent of Meeting, which is among them in the midst of their uncleanness. 17 No one is to be in the Tent of Meeting from the time Aaron goes in to make atonement in the Most Holy Place until he comes out, having made atonement for himself, his household and the whole community of Israel.

18 "Then he shall come out to the altar that is before the LORD and make atonement for it. He shall take some of the bull's blood and some of the goat's blood and put it on all the horns of the altar. 19 He shall sprinkle some of the blood on it with his finger seven times to cleanse it and to consecrate it from the uncleanness of the Israelites.

20 "When Aaron has finished making atonement for the Most Holy Place, the Tent of Meeting and the altar, he shall bring forward the live goat. 21 He is to lay both hands on the head of the live goat and confess over it all the wickedness and rebellion of the Israelites—all their sins—and put them on the goat's head. He shall send the goat away into the desert in the care of a man appointed for the task. 22 The goat will carry on itself all their sins to a solitary place; and the man shall release it in the desert.

23 "Then Aaron is to go into the Tent of Meeting and take off the linen garments he put on before he entered the Most Holy Place, and he is to leave them there. 24 He shall bathe himself with water in a holy place and put on his regular garments. Then he shall come out and sacrifice the burnt offering for himself and the burnt offering for the people, to make atonement for himself and for the people. 25 He shall also burn the fat of the sin offering on the altar.

26 "The man who releases the goat as a scapegoat must wash his clothes and bathe himself with water; afterward he may come into the camp. 27 The bull and the goat for the sin offerings, whose blood was brought into the Most Holy Place to make atonement, must be taken outside the camp; their hides, flesh and offal are to be burned up. 28 The man who burns them must wash his clothes and bathe himself with water; afterward he may come into the camp.

29 "This is to be a lasting ordinance for you: On the tenth day of the seventh month you must deny yourselves ^[b] and not do any work—whether native-born or an alien living among you- 30 because on this day atonement will be made for you, to cleanse you. Then, before the LORD, you will be clean from all your sins. 31 It is a sabbath of rest, and you must deny yourselves; it is a lasting ordinance. 32 The priest who is anointed and ordained to succeed his father as high priest is to make atonement. He is to put on the sacred linen garments 33 and make atonement for the Most Holy Place, for the Tent of Meeting and the altar, and for the priests and all the people of the community.

34 "This is to be a lasting ordinance for you: Atonement is to be made once a year for all the sins of the Israelites."
And it was done, as the LORD commanded Moses.

Footnotes:

1. Leviticus 16:8 That is, the goat of removal; Hebrew azazel ; also in verses 10 and 26

2. Leviticus 16:29 Or must fast ; also in verse 31