A Statement of Christian Faith - (17) By His death on the Cross and by His resurrection, He has triumphed over evil.

This is a Church of Scotland statement of faith. The commentary which follows is my own.

—–

We believe in one God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. God is love. We praise God the Father; who created the universe and keeps it in being. He has made us his sons and daughters to share his joy, living together in justice and peace, caring for the world and for each other.

We proclaim Jesus Christ, God the Son:
born of Mary,
by the power of the Holy Spirit,
He became one of us,
sharing our life and our death.
he made known God’s compassion and mercy,
giving hope and declaring forgiveness of sin,
offering healing and wholeness to all.
By His death on the cross and by His resurrection,
He has triumphed over evil.
Jesus is Lord of life and of all creation.

We trust God the Holy Spirit:
who unites us to Christ
and gives life to the church;
who brings us to repentance
and assures us of forgiveness.
The Spirit guides us
in our understanding of the Bible,
renews us in the sacraments,
and calls us to serve God in the world.

We rejoice in the gift of eternal life:
we have sure and certain hope of
resurrection through Christ,
and we look for His coming again
to judge the world.
Then all things will be made new;
and creation will rejoice
in worshipping the Father,
through the Son,
in the power of the Spirit,
One God, blessed for ever.
Amen.

—–

By His death on the Cross and by His resurrection, He has triumphed over evil (John 2:13-25).

With a view to emphasizing what the Lord Jesus Christ has done for us, we begin with the conversation which took place after the cleansing of the temple (John 2:18-22).
By cleansing the temple, Jesus provoked an immediate reaction from His critics. They challenged Him, “What right have you to do this?” They said to Him, “If you have this authority from God, show us a miracle to prove it” (John 2:18).
Jesus answered them with a curious statement. They completely misunderstood Him.
He said to them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up” (John 2:19).
The Jews were quick to let Jesus know what they thought of this statement - “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and will you raise it up in three days?” (John 2:20).
What they didn’t realize was this - Jesus was speaking about “the temple of His body” (John 2:21). He wasn’t threatening to tear down the Temple of Jerusalem. His words were prophetic. He was speaking of His death and resurrection.
This is made clear in John 2:22 - “When therefore He was raised from the dead, His disciples remembered that He had said this; and they believed the Scripture and the Word which Jesus had spoken.”
When Jesus cleansed the temple, this was not merely an action of moral outrage. Jesus was preaching the Gospel. He was proclaiming the Good News that salvation would be freely offered to all people through His death on the Cross and His resurrection from the dead.
By cleansing the temple, Jesus was saying this: “the repeated, animal, sacrificial offerings of Judaism would would be replaced by the one and once-for-all offering of Himself by Jesus Christ, the Son of God, in death and resurrection” (John Marsh, Saint John, p. 161).
When Jesus cleansed the temple, He was saying that the sacrifices of sheep and oxen would no longer be required since our salvation does not depend on such sacrifices. Rather, it depends on the atoning Sacrifice of our Saviour, Jesus Christ, who died for our sins and was raised again so that we might have eternal life through faith in Him.
This is the true and deeper significance of the cleansing of the temple.
The Temple at Jerusalem was concerned with many sacrifices - the sacrifices of sheep and oxen. The Cross of Christ sets before us one Sacrifice - “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world”(John 1:29).
This is how we are to understand our worship. We do not worship God by bringing to Him sacrifices of animals. We worship God by accepting the great Sacrifice which Christ has made for us.
* We come humbly before the Cross, and we say, with the Apostle Paul, “God forbid that I should glory save in the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Galatians 6:14).
* We come humbly before the empty tomb, making Paul’s prayer our very own: “that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection” (Philippians 3:10).

 

Mission and Discipleship Council

e-news

Edition No 23, July 2008

Welcome to e-news! We appreciate receiving material for inclusion, with the aim of providing information on events, resources, websites etc that may be of interest to church leaders throughout Scotland. We recognise that some of the Conferences and Events listed are outwith Scotland, but consider it important to keep you abreast of what is happening elsewhere and to offer you the opportunity of accessing additional information through website links.

The intention is to be ecumenical, both in content and readership, so please forward e-news to friends and colleagues who may also find it helpful. If introduced to e-news by someone else forwarding it to you, please contact us and we will add you to our distribution list. If you would prefer to be removed from our distribution list, please e-mail “UNSUBSCRIBE E-NEWS” to sreeves@cofscotland.org.uk

Conferences and Events

AMBASSADORS FOR PEACE: SERVING LOCALLY, EMBRACING THE WORLD A one-day seminar promoted by the Universal Peace Foundation, featuring sessions on ‘Realising the Dream’, ‘The Foundations for Lasting Peace’, ‘One World Under God: The Global Peace Festival’ and ‘Ambassadors for Peace’. 19 July, 10am – 4pm, Deer Park Golf and Country Club, Golf Course Road, Livingston EH54 8AB. For further information, contact Christine Webster

EAST-WEST BRIDGES OF FAITH AND PEACE This Europe–Asia dialogue for peace by faith traditions will include contributions from Christians, Buddhists and others. 24 July, 7.30pm, 28 Great King Street, Edinburgh. For further information, contact Brian Cooper on 0131 446 9545.

FAMILY STORY CIRCLE summer season Each week throughout July a host storyteller will share their favourite tales and songs for 5-7 year olds, in this series of family-friendly events. There will also be ‘Tiny Tales’ for babies and toddlers. Scottish Storytelling Centre, 43-45 High Street, Edinburgh EH1 1SR. For further information, contact the Box Office on 0131 556 9579 or visit www.scottishstorytellingcentre.co.uk

TALES FROM AN ENCHANTED FOREST Storytelling takes centre stage during the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in August. Amongst puppetry and powerful theatre, three storytellers perform live in the Scottish Storytelling Centre. Oral storytelling makes for a unique experience each time and with three different performers and a world of stories, no two Enchanted Forest shows are the same. Click here to join the mailing list or, for further information, visit www.scottishstorytellingcentre.co.uk

PROM PRAISE SCOTLAND 2008 will feature London’s All Souls Orchestra whose distinctive music style is described as ‘a splendid light-touch introduction to the Christian faith’. 16 August, 7.30pm, Beach Ballroom, Aberdeen (to book, phone 01224 641122); 19 August, 7.30pm, Eden Court Theatre, Inverness (01463 234234); 21 August, 7.30pm, Caird Hall, Dundee (01382 434940); 23 August, 2.30pm and 7.30pm, Royal Concert Hall, Glasgow (0141 353 8000). For further information, contact 0141 956 3230 or jim_mcnair@btinernet.com

PARISH NURSING SYMPOSIUUM is for people who want to hear inspiring speakers, engage with God’s intentions for the church and fullness of life and meet Parish Nurses to learn how projects develop. 14-15 September, Hothorpe Hall, Leicestershire. Full details and a booking form are available at www.parishnursing.co.uk/events.htm#UK%20Symposium%202008

ARE YOU REALLY MANAGING? How to overcome barriers to being a great manager is a day of learning and practical management solutions aimed specifically at those in Christian community work. It is being run by Livability Community Mission and the Diocese of London on 17 September, 9.45am – 3.30pm, at London Diocesan House. For more information or to book, contact Jill Clark on 020 7452 2018 or jclark@livability.org.uk, or visit www.livability.org.uk/event.asp?tip=1&id=1410

USE AND RE-USE OF RURAL CHURCH BUILDINGS is the title of a conference which is one of a number of events taking place to coincide with Glasgow’s Built Heritage Festival, which runs from 15 to 21 September. 19 September, 10am – 4.00pm, St Andrew’s in the Square, St Andrew’s Square, Glasgow G1 5PP. For further information, contact Karen Dunn on 0141 559 5360 or karendunn@g1businesscentre.co.uk There will be more than 120 buildings open and 30 walks available to the public without charge, and many more interesting things to see and do. To find out more about Doors Open Day Glasgow 2008, phone 0141 221 6061 or visit www.gbpt.org

CONNECTING COMMUNITIES CONFERENCE Livability Community Mission and Faith Action believe that the church has a unique role to play in service and leadership to its local community. 19 September, 10am – 4pm, Freedom Centre International, Peckham, London SE15 4ST. For further information, contact James Alexander on 020 7452 2029 or jalexander@livability.org.uk To book an individual place (£25), click here to pay online To book a group (£20/person if booking five people), contact Jill Clark on 020 7452 2018 or jclark@livability.org.uk Livability is the new face of John Grooms and the Shaftesbury Society

www.livability.org.uk/communitymission

JESUS AND OTHER FAITHS This study day in the “Christianity and Scotland’s Other Faiths” series will consider the questions “What can Christians learn about Jesus from other faiths?” and “Mission and Dialogue – are they compatible?” 25 September, 10.30am – 3pm, Scottish Churches’ House, Dunblane. Cost £20. For further information and details of how to register (before 18 September), visit www.acts-scotland.org/cairs/downloads/jaof.pdf

SACRED BRITAIN – NEW HORIZONS The Churches Tourism Association’s 2008 Convention is a must for all involved in promoting our heritage and helping to make our churches more accessible and welcoming to visitors. Keynote speakers, case studies and workshops will highlight best practice, ideas and the latest research. 24-26 November, The Hayes Conference Centre, Swanwick, Derbyshire. There is an early booking discount available until 4 August. For further information and to book, visit www.churchestourismassociation.info

Resources

GOOD NEWS is a monthly publication from the Church of Scotland’s Media Relations Unit which provides local parish editors and webmasters with a one-stop guide to all the latest news and events from the Kirk, for use in congregational publications and websites. Editors can also use the contents of the online press releases and photo galleries free of charge. Download a copy from www.churchofscotland.org.uk/news/newsgoodnews.htm

IN HOUSE CHRISTIAN RESOURCES is holding a sale of surplus books, tapes, videos, video courses etc (eg the old Emmaus course, old Alpha material, out of print CPAS video packages, youth resources, theological books and commentaries). 22 – 23 August, 9.30am – 4pm, at The Manna House, 240 Old High Street, Perth PH1 5QJ. For further information, contact 01738 440877 or info@inhouseresources.org

RELATIONS WITH OTHER FAITHS The August edition of this newsletter from Iain Stewart, Inter-Faith Support Worker, features the Hindu festival of Krishna Janmashtami which celebrates the birth of the Hindu God Krishna. The newsletter also includes links to recent comments made by Bishop Michael Nazir Ali and Tony Blair. Download it from

www.churchofscotland.org.uk/extranet/xmissiondisciple/xmdresources.htm#rwof

Rural Church

GOD’S OWN COUNTRY – a new, practical resource for rural churches – is now available. Prepared by the Church of Scotland for use by all Christian denominations in Scotland, the aim is to affirm, encourage and inspire rural Christian congregations to feel confident in their role as faith-sharers in the local community. The easy-to-use resource pack – designed by rural people for rural people – contains a Community Value Toolkit with a wide range of supporting discussion material and project ideas. £6.99, including postage. For further information and to order (payment can be made by credit card or cheque), contact Sheila Reeves on 0131 225 5722, sreeves@cofscotland.org.uk or order online at www.madstuff.biz

IRCA – the International Rural Church Association is a network of rural Christians around the world who seek to support one another in their mission of connecting the gospel and rural life in their own context. Visit www.irca.is for information and links.

Please pray for farmers and others in the Midwest of the USA who have been seriously affected by the recent rain and resulting floods. 38,000 families were forced from their homes in Iowa and a substantial area of cropland will need to be replanted, with expected decline in yields.

VALUE ADDED CHURCH – the role of the church in rural community life is the title of the Mission and Discipleship Council Rural Church Conference, which will consider how rural congregations can impact on their communities and also provide an occasion to share together, which previous attendees have found extremely useful. The Keynote Speaker will be Mr Sandy Cumming, Chief Executive of Highlands & Islands Enterprise and a Church of Scotland elder. Also taking part will be Rev Ivor MacDonald, author of ‘Land of the Living: Christian Reflections on the Countryside’ and Mr Dale London, Regional Development Officer with a rural remit. In addition, there will be a choice of workshops, and the Regional Development Officers will lead worship and provide chaplaincy. Presbyteries have been invited to send a specific number of delegates, and additional places are available for any other paying participants at a subsidised rate of £55. 31 October – 1 November, lunchtime-lunchtime, Tulliallan Police College, Kincardine-on-Forth. For further information and to book, contact Sheila Reeves on 0131 225 5722 or sreeves@cofscotland.org.uk

Help Required / Vacancies

HOPE 08 The HOPE Scotland Co-ordinator would appreciate information from churches that are running events or projects in connection with HOPE, for inclusion on its website. Please contact Becky Frank on 07745 732622 or office@hope08scotland.org.uk

SCALING NEW HEIGHTS FOR INDIA’S LOWEST Despite India’s recent economic advancement, its 250 million Dalits face extreme poverty and discrimination. Please pray for them and also Philip Rose (a Church of Scotland elder) and his wife Sharon (who serves with Christian charity Operation Mobilisation), who will depart on 13 September to trek in the Himalayas to raise funds for the building of a new Dalit Education Centre. Those wishing to offer sponsorship can visit www.uk.om.org or email pkrose2u@aol.com or sharon.rose@uk.om.org

UNUSED MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS Dunscore Church of Scotland has recently ‘twinned’ with a lively congregation in Zambia. To assist a project to create a marching band for the Zambian congregations’s very keen 300-strong Boy’s Brigade Company, they require donations of musical instruments. If you can help, please ring John Drabble on 01387 820480 or 820356. Collection/transport can be arranged.

Trusts/Funding

BURSARY FUND provides students with bursaries and travelling expenses.

PUBLICATIONS FUND provides money for the production of publications.

Enquiries and requests for application forms for the above trusts should be directed to Rev Douglas Nicol, dnicol@cofscotland.org.uk or his PA, Mrs Eva Elder, eelder@cofscotland.org.uk

THE NOVUM TRUST provides small short-term grants – typically between £200 and £2,500 – to initiate projects in Christian research and action which cannot readily be financed from other sources. Special consideration is given to proposals aimed at the welfare of young people, investment in training, new ways of communicating the faith, and work in association with overseas Churches or on behalf of immigrants in Scotland. The Trust cannot support large building projects or individuals applying for maintenance during courses or training. The Trustees next meet in November and the deadline for completed applications is 31 October. For an application form and guidance notes, contact Sheila Reeves on 0131 225 5722 or sreeves@cofscotland.org.uk

The Rozelle Trust has launched a new website to enable better access to its annual grants of £250,000, which are made to smaller Scottish charities, working with children and young people, and people with disabilities or in poverty. As well as information on how to apply, there is an online application form.

Some Websites to Explore

www.careforthefamily.org.uk/email/EngageToday/658/ carries the latest news from Care for the Family, ‘a Christian response to a world of need’.

www.greenpastureshousing.co.uk Green Pastures is an ethical investment company, based in Southport, Merseyside. With strong Christian foundations, they house the homeless and poor without discrimination or favour.

www.hopenews.co.uk to see examples of Hours of Kindness.

www.hope08.com/Group/Group.aspx?id=74208 Read about and see pictures of a reception at Clarence House hosted by the Prince of Wales to thank Hope08 people.

www.thegoodbook.co.uk provides carefully selected Christian books, Christian bible studies and resources to help churches and individuals grow in their understanding of the Christian faith, with a current focus on books for the Summer.

 

A Statement of Christian Faith - (16) He made known God’s compassion and mercy, giving hope and declaring forgiveness of sin, offering healing and wholeness to all.

This is a Church of Scotland statement of faith. The commentary which follows is my own.

—–

We believe in one God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. God is love. We praise God the Father; who created the universe and keeps it in being. He has made us his sons and daughters to share his joy, living together in justice and peace, caring for the world and for each other.

We proclaim Jesus Christ, God the Son:
born of Mary,
by the power of the Holy Spirit,
He became one of us,
sharing our life and our death.
he made known God’s compassion and mercy,
giving hope and declaring forgiveness of sin,
offering healing and wholeness to all.
By His death on the cross and by His resurrection,
He has triumphed over evil.
Jesus is Lord of life and of all creation.

We trust God the Holy Spirit:
who unites us to Christ
and gives life to the church;
who brings us to repentance
and assures us of forgiveness.
The Spirit guides us
in our understanding of the Bible,
renews us in the sacraments,
and calls us to serve God in the world.

We rejoice in the gift of eternal life:
we have sure and certain hope of
resurrection through Christ,
and we look for His coming again
to judge the world.
Then all things will be made new;
and creation will rejoice
in worshipping the Father,
through the Son,
in the power of the Spirit,
One God, blessed for ever.
Amen.

—–

He made known God’s compassion and mercy, giving hope and declaring forgiveness of sin, offering healing and wholeness to all (John 2:1-12).

The miracle of turning water into wine is described in John 2:11 as “the first of His signs.”
The word, “sign”, is the word which is normally used in the Gospel of John to describe the miracles of Jesus. It is a word which stresses the spiritual significance of Christ’s miracles.
As we read the miracle-stories, we must learn to look for what they teach us concerning salvation in Jesus Christ.
John describes Jesus’ signs with a view to leading us to faith in the Lord Jesus Christ: “these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His Name” (John 20:31).
When we read the story of the turning of water into wine, we must seek to learn what God is teaching us concerning the new wine of the Spirit.
The contrast between water and wine speaks to us of the contrast between what we were before Christ came into our lives and what we have become through the love and power of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Think of what you were before coming to Christ. Think of what Christ has done for you and give all the glory to Him.
Before coming to the Saviour, we were lost. In Him, we have been found. Before trusting the Lord Jesus, we were guilty. In Him, we are forgiven. Before coming to the Lord, we were in bondage to sin. In Him, we are free.
This is the new wine of the Spirit - found, forgiven and free.

(1) Found

In Christ, we are found.
Sometimes, we hear people saying, “I’ve really found myself.” This is not, however, the testimony of the Christian. The believer does not say, “I’ve found myself.” Our testimony is this: “I’ve found the Lord.”
There is a sense in which we’ve found ourselves. We’ve found the meaning and purpose of our lives. Nevertheless, it must be emphasized that the meaning and purpose of our life is found in Christ.
When we think more deeply about our experience of finding the Lord, it is not so much that we have found Him. He has found us.
The water did not turn itself into wine. Jesus turned the water into wine.
This is how it is with salvation. This is how it is with the new wine of the Spirit. We do not turn ourselves into Christians. It is the Lord who performs a miracle in our hearts - the miracle of the new birth.
Until Jesus performed this miracle, the water remained water. It would never be anything other than water. When Jesus performed this miracle, the water became wine.
This is how it is with the new birth, the new wine of the Spirit.
By ourselves, we are guilty sinners, suffering from a sickness which is, humanly speaking, incurable. This sickness, the Bible calls sin. It is a terminal illness. there is no way of recovering from it, unless the Lord performs a miracle of His grace. We cannot cure ourselves. We can only be cured by the love and power of the Lord.
Without Christ, we have no hope.. The truth concerning our life without Christ is this: “the wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23).
Once the Lord has found us, a new story of our life has been written: “the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 6:23).
When the Lord Jesus Christ celebrated the Last Supper with His disciples, He said to them, “I tell you I shall not drink again of the fruit of the vine until that Day when I drink it with you in my Father’s Kingdom” (Matthew 26:29).
The new wine of the Spirit is not merely something which belongs to this earthly world. It is the beginning of a heavenly life, which we will share with the Lord forever in His eternal Kingdom.
Those who have been found by the Lord Jesus Christ shall never again be lost. Jesus says, “I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish, and no one shall snatch them out of My hand” (John 10:28).

(2) Forgiven

Found by the Lord, we are also forgiven by Him. You cannot forgive yourself. You have to be forgiven by someone else.
When you sin against someone else - a husband, wife, brother, sister, friend, neighbour - you cannot simply say, “I forgive myself.” You need to be forgiven by the person you’ve sinned against. You cannot givr forgiveness to yourself. You can only receive it as a gift.
It is the same with God’s forgiveness. We have sinned against God. We need to be forgiven by God.
Forgiveness is an essential part of what we may call the new wine of the Spirit.
When, at the Last Supper, Jesus gave His disciples wine to drink, He said to them, “this is My blood of the new covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins” (Matthew 26:28).
The water could only be turned to wine by Jesus. Our sins can only be forgiven by Jesus
Jesus turned the water into wine. Jesus turns guilty sinners into forgiven sinners.
This is the new wine of the Spirit.

(3) Free

In Christ, we are found. In Christ, we are forgiven. In Christ, we are free.
The freedom which we have received in Christ is not a freedom to do as we please.
* We are set free for obedience, set free to obey the Lord in a way that we could never do before.
* We are set free for service, set free to serve the Lord in a way that we have never served him before.
Christian freedom is like the freedom of the prisoner of war. We are no longer defeated, captive and taken out of the battle. We are now free to fight for the Lord, to fight in His strength and win victories for Him.
In the story of the turning of water into wine, we read of water being turned into a strong drink.
When we receive the new wine of the Spirit, we receive strength, strength to live for Jesus. We are able to live for Him in a way that we could not do before we came to Christ.
The contrast between the old life and the new life is highlighted in Ephesians 5:18, where the Apostle Paul writes, “do not get drunk with wine … but be filled with the Spirit.”
The world’s way is the way of getting drunk with wine. It is the way of “debauchery.”
The Lord’s way is the way of the new wine of the Spirit.
The contrast between being filled with the world’s wine and being filled with the new wine of the Spirit is both encouraging and challenging.
* We are encouraged. We have not received the spirit of ‘Johnnie Walker’ (or ‘Jack Daniels’). We have received the Spirit of Jesus Christ.
* We are challenged. We are not to be filled with the spirit of ‘Johnnie Walker’ (or ‘Jack Daniels’). We are to be filled with the Spirit of Jesus Christ.
Being filled with the new wine of the Spirit may not be the world’s idea of a ‘good time.’ It is the way to true happiness.
Found, forgiven and free - this is the Gospel’s description of a Christian.
Are you a Christian? - found by Christ, forgiven by Christ, free in Christ.

 

A Statement of Christian Faith - (15) He made kmown God’s compassion and mercy, giving hope and declaring forgiveness of sin, offering healing and wholeness to all.

This is a Church of Scotland statement of faith. The commentary which follows is my own.

—–

We believe in one God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. God is love. We praise God the Father; who created the universe and keeps it in being. He has made us his sons and daughters to share his joy, living together in justice and peace, caring for the world and for each other.

We proclaim Jesus Christ, God the Son:
born of Mary,
by the power of the Holy Spirit,
He became one of us,
sharing our life and our death.
he made known God’s compassion and mercy,
giving hope and declaring forgiveness of sin,
offering healing and wholeness to all.
By His death on the cross and by His resurrection,
He has triumphed over evil.
Jesus is Lord of life and of all creation.

We trust God the Holy Spirit:
who unites us to Christ
and gives life to the church;
who brings us to repentance
and assures us of forgiveness.
The Spirit guides us
in our understanding of the Bible,
renews us in the sacraments,
and calls us to serve God in the world.

We rejoice in the gift of eternal life:
we have sure and certain hope of
resurrection through Christ,
and we look for His coming again
to judge the world.
Then all things will be made new;
and creation will rejoice
in worshipping the Father,
through the Son,
in the power of the Spirit,
One God, blessed for ever.
Amen.

—–

He made known God’s compassion and mercy, giving hope and declaring forgiveness of sin, offering healing and wholeness to all.

To understand the Christian message, we must do more than simply telling the story of Jesus.
We must ask the question, “What does this mean for us today?”
To answer this question, we need to read our Bibles, listening for the voice of God Himself.
As we read God’s Word, allowing His Good News to reach our hearts, we will discover that Jesus Christ brings peace and hope.

Jesus brings us peace.

* First, there is the peace which comes from knowing that our sins have been forgiven.
* Second, there is the peace which comes from knowing that Jesus Christ, “the Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6), has some to live in our hearts.
We have peace because of who Jesus is.
* Jesus is our Saviour (Matthew 1:21). Since He is our Saviour, He is able to forgive our sins.
* Jesus is “Emmanuel” (”God with us”) (Matthew 1:23). Since He is Emmanuel (God with us), He is able to live in our hearts.

Jesus gives us hope.

* First, there is the hope which comes from the assurance that we’re on our way to heaven.
* Second, there is the hope which comes from the assurance that Jesus is with us every step of the way.
We have hope because of who Jesus is.
He is the King - the King of glory and the King of love.

*We know that Jesus is able to bring us safely to heaven because He Himself came from heaven.”

“He came down to earth from heaven, who is God and Lord of all.”

“Who came down from heaven to earth? Jesus Christ our Saviour!”

“Who is He in yonder stall, at whose feet the shepherds fall?
‘Tis the Lord! O wondrous story! ‘Tis the Lord, the King of Glory!”

* We know that Jesus will be with us every step of the way because we know that He Himself has travelled the way of the Cross. Through Jesus’ death on the Cross, we have the assurance that He is the King of love.
Whatever our circumstances, we rejoice that the Lord is there beside us and His Cross is there to guide us.

This is the Source of our hope - Jesus Christ, the King of glory and the King of love.
To know Jesus as the Saviour, Emmanuel (God with us), the King of glory and the King of love is to enjoy the blessings of His peace and hope.

May these blessings be ours today and every day.

 

A Statement of Christian Faith - (14) born of Mary, by the power of the Holy Spirit, He became one of us, sharing our life and our death.

This is a Church of Scotland statement of faith. The commentary which follows is my own.

—–

We believe in one God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. God is love. We praise God the Father; who created the universe and keeps it in being. He has made us his sons and daughters to share his joy, living together in justice and peace, caring for the world and for each other.

We proclaim Jesus Christ, God the Son:
born of Mary,
by the power of the Holy Spirit,
He became one of us,
sharing our life and our death.
he made known God’s compassion and mercy,
giving hope and declaring forgiveness of sin,
offering healing and wholeness to all.
By His death on the cross and by His resurrection,
He has triumphed over evil.
Jesus is Lord of life and of all creation.

We trust God the Holy Spirit:
who unites us to Christ
and gives life to the church;
who brings us to repentance
and assures us of forgiveness.
The Spirit guides us
in our understanding of the Bible,
renews us in the sacraments,
and calls us to serve God in the world.

We rejoice in the gift of eternal life:
we have sure and certain hope of
resurrection through Christ,
and we look for His coming again
to judge the world.
Then all things will be made new;
and creation will rejoice
in worshipping the Father,
through the Son,
in the power of the Spirit,
One God, blessed for ever.
Amen.

—–

Born of Mary, by the power of the Holy Spirit, He became one of us, sharing our life and our death (John 3:16; Luke 2:10-11; Galatians 2:20; Luke 1:30-35; Luke 1:37-38; Luke 1:35; Luke 1:46-50; Luke 2:13-14, 20; 2 Corinthians 9:15).

John 3:16

The Gospel is for the whole world. the story of the shepherds tells us that the Gospel is for the Jews. The story of the wise men tells us that the Gospel is for the Gentiles.

The story of the shepherds tells us that the Gospel is for the poor. The story of the wise men tells us that the Gospel is for the rich.

To every one, God says, “I bring you Good News of a great joy … “ (Luke 2:10-11).

Luke 1:30-35

The baby was to be called Jesus - Saviour (Luke 1:31). He was to be called the Son of God (Luke 1:35).

Jesus Christ is both God’s Son and our Saviour. If we are to have a true understanding of both who Christ is and what He has done for us, we must never forget these are the great features: He is God’s Son and He is our Saviour.

the Apostle Paul sums this up very well - “the Son of God loved me and gave himself for me” (Galatians 2:20).

Luke 1:37-38

When worldly, unbelieving people read the words of the angel in Luke 1:35, they become uncomfortable. They are not too keen on all this talk about the holy Spirit.

We are to respond in faith to the Word of God, allowing the Holy Spirit to work in our lives the miracle of the new birth,

As we remember Christ’s miraculous and holy birth, we are saying to God, “For with God nothing is impossible.”

As we consider what God wants to do in our lives, here and now, we are saying to God, “Let it be to me according to Your Word.”

Luke 1:46-50; Luke 2:13-14; Luke 2:20

When we consider the miracle of Christ’s holy birth, our hearts are to be filled with praise to God, sharing in Mary’s song of joy: “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour” (Luke 1:46-47).

We are to praise God, echoing the song of the angels: “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased” (Luke 2:14).

We are to join with the shepherds in “glorifying and praising God for all that we have heard” concerning our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

From our hearts, we can truly say with the Apostle Paul: “Thanks be to God for His inexpressible gift!” (2 Corinthians 9:15).

 

A Statement of Christian Faith - (13) born of Mary, by the power of the Holy Spirit, He became one of us, sharing our life and our death.

This is a Church of Scotland statement of faith. The commentary which follows is my own.

—–

We believe in one God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. God is love. We praise God the Father; who created the universe and keeps it in being. He has made us his sons and daughters to share his joy, living together in justice and peace, caring for the world and for each other.

We proclaim Jesus Christ, God the Son:
born of Mary,
by the power of the Holy Spirit,
He became one of us,
sharing our life and our death.
he made known God’s compassion and mercy,
giving hope and declaring forgiveness of sin,
offering healing and wholeness to all.
By His death on the cross and by His resurrection,
He has triumphed over evil.
Jesus is Lord of life and of all creation.

We trust God the Holy Spirit:
who unites us to Christ
and gives life to the church;
who brings us to repentance
and assures us of forgiveness.
The Spirit guides us
in our understanding of the Bible,
renews us in the sacraments,
and calls us to serve God in the world.

We rejoice in the gift of eternal life:
we have sure and certain hope of
resurrection through Christ,
and we look for His coming again
to judge the world.
Then all things will be made new;
and creation will rejoice
in worshipping the Father,
through the Son,
in the power of the Spirit,
One God, blessed for ever.
Amen.

—–

Born of Mary, by the power of the Holy Spirit, He became one of us, sharing our life and our death (Isaiah 9:6-7; 61:1-3; 52:13-53:12).

If we are to come to a true understanding of the story of Jesus Christ, we must not begin by opening our Bibles at the beginning of the New Testament - Matthew 1:1.

We must go back into the Old Testament. We must seek to understand what the prophets said, as they looked forward to the coming of Jesus Christ, the saviour.

We must also point out that a true understanding of the story of Jesus Christ will not leave us in the first two chapters of the Gospels of Matthew and Luke. We need to move beyond the story of Jesus’ birth at Bethlehem, led on to a deeper understanding of all that Jesus came to do for us.

From Bethlehem, then, we look back to learn from the prophets and we look forward to learn from the rest of the New Testament story.

With great prophetic insight, Isaiah spoke of the coming Christ. He speaks of Christ’s birth, ministry, death and resurrection. From Isaiah, we learn of who Jesus was, what He did and what was done to Him.

When we come to Isaiah’s prophecy concerning the birth of Christ (9:6-7), we may well come with the question, “Who was Jesus?”

When we come to study the life of a historical character, we ask our questions in the past tense: Who was Julius Caesar? Who was William Shakespeare? Who was Robert Burns?

When, however, we learn more about Jesus, we discover that He is more than a figure from the past. He is the risen Christ. He is the living Lord.

As we learn of Jesus’ mighty resurrection from the dead, we come to think of Him in a different way. he is different from other characters from the past.

We no longer ask the question, “Who was Jesus?” We ask, “Who is Jesus?

In Isaiah 9:6, we have a tremendous description of Jesus Christ - “His Name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”

If, after reading this amazing description of Jesus Christ, we are still tempted to think of Him as no more than a figure from the past, we must go on to read the first few words of verse 7 - “Of the increase of His government and of peace there will be no end.”

Jesus Christ is alive today. he is with us now. He wants to draw out, from our hearts, the confession of faith, “My Lord and my God.” He wants to give us the peace which comes from knowing that our sins have been forgiven. He wants to give us the hope which comes from receiving the gift of eternal life. He wants to be our Friend, leading us ever more deeply into a closer friendship with Him.

What will be your response to Jesus Christ? He stands among us, calling for the response of faith?

As we look to the words of Isaiah 61:1-3, words which Jesus Himself used to describe His ministry, we discover that the Lord Jesus Christ, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, began His ministry with a profound awareness of the power of the Holy Spirit in His life: “The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me” (v. 1).

When we ask the question, “What did Jesus do while He was on earth?”, we find a helpful summary in these verses. Without looking at each phrase in detail, we might draw special attention to these phrases: Jesus came “to bring good tidings”, “to give … the oil of gladness” and “the mantle of praise” (vs. 1, 3).

This is the message which was brought by the angels to the shepherds on the night of Christ’s birth: “I bring you good news of a great joy which will come to all the people; for to you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour who is Christ the Lord” (Luke 2: 10-11).

This is the message which Jesus brought to men and women during His earthly ministry. this is the message which He brings to us today.

Have you received the Good News of Christ? Have you learned to rejoice in the Lord? Are you learning to praise the Lord?

Let the Good News of Christ lead you to praise Him with joy, giving thanks to God for Jesus, your Saviour and Lord.

There’s a Christmas song which contains the words. “Man will live forevermore because of Christmas Day.”

If, however, we are to have a true understanding of the way to eternal life, we must move beyond Christmas Day to Good Friday and easter Sunday, and we must move on from there to the day concerning which the hymnwriter speaks, ” O happy day! that fixed my choice on Thee, my Saviour and my God! O happy day! O happy day! when Jesus washed my sins away.”

The Gospel speaks not only of the Babe of Bethlehem. It speaks also of the Christ of Calvary and the risen lord.

When the Gospel speaks of Christ’s death and resurrection, it does not suggest that these events carry with them an automatic guarantee of eternal life.

The Gospel draws our attention to the Christ who was “crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men”, after which He was raised from the dead by God (Acts 2:23-24). The Gospel does not, however, tell us only about what was done to Jesus - He was crucified by men and raised by God.

It also sets before us the question: What will you do to Jesus? Will you receive Him? Or will you reject Him?

“Joy to the world; the Lord is come! Let earth receive her King; Let ev’ry heart prepare Him room, and heaven and nature sing.”

“O come to my heart, Lord Jesus! There is room in my heart for Thee.”

Is there room in you heart for Jesus?

 

A Statement of Christian Faith - (12) We proclaim Jesus Christ, God the Son.

This is a Church of Scotland statement of faith. The commentary which follows is my own.

—–

We believe in one God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. God is love. We praise God the Father; who created the universe and keeps it in being. He has made us his sons and daughters to share his joy, living together in justice and peace, caring for the world and for each other.

We proclaim Jesus Christ, God the Son:
born of Mary,
by the power of the Holy Spirit,
He became one of us,
sharing our life and our death.
he made known God’s compassion and mercy,
giving hope and declaring forgiveness of sin,
offering healing and wholeness to all.
By His death on the cross and by His resurrection,
He has triumphed over evil.
Jesus is Lord of life and of all creation.

We trust God the Holy Spirit:
who unites us to Christ
and gives life to the church;
who brings us to repentance
and assures us of forgiveness.
The Spirit guides us
in our understanding of the Bible,
renews us in the sacraments,
and calls us to serve God in the world.

We rejoice in the gift of eternal life:
we have sure and certain hope of
resurrection through Christ,
and we look for His coming again
to judge the world.
Then all things will be made new;
and creation will rejoice
in worshipping the Father,
through the Son,
in the power of the Spirit,
One God, blessed for ever.
Amen.

—–

We proclaim Jesus Christ, God the Son (John 1:19-51).

The story of Jesus Christ begins with the word, “In the beginning” (John 1:1).

The Old Testament prophets paved the way for Jesus Christ. They spoke of His coming.

According to John 1:45, Jesus Christ is “Him of whom Moses in the law and also the prophets wrote.”

When we come into the New Testament, we find that the first preacher is not Jesus the Saviour. It is John the Baptist.

John was the forerunner of Christ. he was the last in a long list of men sent from God to prepare the way of the Lord. John was not the Son of God. He was the Lord’s messenger, pointing his hearers to the Son of God. John was not the Lamb of God. He was the preacher who directed attention to the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29).

In the opening chapter of John’s Gospel, we read much about John the Baptist, but our main focus of attention is to be on the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God who became the Lamb of God.

In this chapter, Jesus is described as both “the Son of God” and “the Lamb of God” (vs. 34, 49 / vs. 29, 36).

This is the story of Jesus Christ. The Son of God became the Lamb of God.

The story of Jesus Christ takes us from Bethlehem to Calvary. It tells us the story of how the Son of God became the Lamb of God.

Coming in faith to Jesus Christ, we acknowledge Him to be both the Son of God and the Lamb of God.

As we come to Christ, confessing Him as God’s Son and trusting Him as our Saviour, we receive the gift of the holy Spirit (v.33).

Christ gives the Holy Spirit to all who trust Him. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, we are enabled to confess Christ before men and to live as His witnesses.

We can learn a great deal about what the Holy Spirit seeks to do in our lives, as we look at four of the first followers of Jesus,

(1) John the Baptist (v. 36)

(2) Andrew (v. 41)

(3) Peter (v. 42)

(4) Nathaniel (v. 51).

First, in our witnessing for Christ, we are to point people to the Saviour of sinners.

Second, we are to give our personal testimony - “We have found the Messiah.” He has fulfilled the meaning and purpose of our lives.

Third, we are to give the testimony of transformed lives, lives which are founded on Christ, the Rock of our salvation.

Fourth, we are to live and speak as a people of hope, looking to Christ who is our Hope of glory.

As we approach the Lord’s Table, let us ponder all that Christ is - the Son of God, the Lamb of God, the Coming King. Let us ponder the cradle, the cross and the crown, and let our hearts go out to Him in praise and worship.

 

A Statement of Christian Faith - (11) We proclaim Jesus Christ, God the Son.

This is a Church of Scotland statement of faith. The commentary which follows is my own.

—–

We believe in one God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. God is love. We praise God the Father; who created the universe and keeps it in being. He has made us his sons and daughters to share his joy, living together in justice and peace, caring for the world and for each other.

We proclaim Jesus Christ, God the Son:
born of Mary,
by the power of the Holy Spirit,
He became one of us,
sharing our life and our death.
he made known God’s compassion and mercy,
giving hope and declaring forgiveness of sin,
offering healing and wholeness to all.
By His death on the cross and by His resurrection,
He has triumphed over evil.
Jesus is Lord of life and of all creation.

We trust God the Holy Spirit:
who unites us to Christ
and gives life to the church;
who brings us to repentance
and assures us of forgiveness.
The Spirit guides us
in our understanding of the Bible,
renews us in the sacraments,
and calls us to serve God in the world.

We rejoice in the gift of eternal life:
we have sure and certain hope of
resurrection through Christ,
and we look for His coming again
to judge the world.
Then all things will be made new;
and creation will rejoice
in worshipping the Father,
through the Son,
in the power of the Spirit,
One God, blessed for ever.
Amen.

—–

We proclaim Jesus Christ, God the Son (Matthew 10:32-33; 16:15-17; Romans 10:8-17).

There was a time when you stood before this congregation to make confession of your faith in Jesus Christ.

I wonder what the story of your life has been since that time. Has it been a story of confessing Christ with ever-increasing boldness, or has it been a story of denying Christ, as you have drifted away from Him?

Whatever the past may have been, the future can be a new future, a future renewed by Christ, a future of confessing Christ as your Saviour and Lord.

Some of you made confession of your faith when you brought your children for baptism. At that time, you confessed your faith in God as your Heavenly Father, in Jesus Christ as your Saviour and lord, and in the Holy Spirit as your Sanctifier.

You promised, in dependence on divine grace, to teach your children the truths and duties of the Christian Faith. You promised that, by prayer, precept and example, you would bring your children up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord, and in the ways of the Church of God.

Do you now renew the faith you confessed and the promises you made at the time of your children’s baptism?

May the Lord bless you and your children and give you grace to be faithful in your fulfilment of these promises.

Some of you made confession of your faith when you were baptized as an adult. At that time, you confessed your faith in God as your Heavenly Father, in Jesus Christ as your Saviour and your Lord, and in the Holy Spirit as your Sanctifier. You repented of your sins with a humble and contrite heart. You put your trust in the mercy of God, which is in Jesus Christ. You promised to make diligent use of the means of grace - worshipping regularly, reading God’s Word faithfully, praying faithfully. You promised to be a faithful member of the Church of God, giving a fitting proportion of your time, talents and money for the Church’s work in the world. You promised, depending on the grace of God, to confess Christ before men, to serve Him in your daily wotk, and to walk in His ways all the days of your life.

Do you now renew renew the faith which you confessed and the promises you made at the time of your baptism?

May the Lord bless you and keep you in the faith of Christ crucified. May you be Christ’s faithful soldier and servant until your life’s end.

Some of you made a public confession of faith in Christ when you were admitted to full Church membership. At that time, you confessed your faith in God - the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. You avcknowledged Jesus Christ as your Saviour and Lord. You promised, in dependence on divine grace, to serve the Lord and to walk in His ways all the days of your life. You promised to make diligent use of the means of grace - speaking to God in prayer and allowing Him to speak to you through His Word. You promised to share dutifully in the worship and service of the Church. You promised to give of your substance, as the lord prospered you, for the advancement of His Kingdom throughout the world.

Do you now renew the faith which you confessed and the promises which you made when you were admitted to full Church membership?

May the God of all grace, who has called you to His eternal glory, confirm you to the end, that you may be blameless at the day of our Lord.

As we, the congregation, have heard your confession, we are saying to you: This is not only your faith. It is also our faith. It is the faith.

The confession of our faith is one element of what happens when we gather together to celebrate the Lord’s Supper: “For as often as you proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes” (1 Corinthians 11:26).

In the Lord’s Supper, we confess our faith in Christ by recalling that He is the foundation of our faith.

The faith, which we confess, involves two things:

First, there is believing the truths of the Christian Faith, as they are taught in God’s Word.

Second, there is practising the duties of the Christian Faith.

Together, we confess our faith and renew our vows.

First, we will confess our faith in the words of the Apostles’ Creed. After this, we will, together, renew our vows to the Lord.

(1) The Apostles’ Creed

I BELIEVE in God the Father Almighty,

Maker of heaven and earth:

And in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord:

Who was conceived by the Holy Ghost,

Born of the Virgin Mary:

Suffered under Pontius Pilate,

Was crucified, dead, and buried:

He descended into hell;

The third day he rose again from the dead:

He ascended into heaven,

And sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty:

From thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Ghost:

The holy Catholic (universal) Church;

The Communion of Saints:

The Forgiveness of sins:

The Resurrection of the body,

And the Life everlasting.

Amen.

(2) Let us offer ourselves anew to Almighty God. let us recall and renew the vows and promises we have each made as members of Christ’s Church.

We believe in one God / Father, Son and Holy Spirit /

We confess Jesus Christ as our Saviour and Lord /

We promise to worship regularly / with our fellow Christians / on the Lord’s Day/

We promise to be faithful / in reading the Bible and in prayer /

We promise to give a fitting proportion / of our time / talents / and money / for the Church’s work in the world /

We promise / depending on the grace of God / to confess Christ before men / to serve Him in our daily work / and to walk in His ways all the days of our life.

These things we have each vowed and promised. Let us acknowledge before God our failure asstewards of his grace, asking that He will forgive what we have been, change what we are, and direct what we shall be.

Let us all pray:

Lord, we believe in You / Increase our faith / Renew our hope / Help us to live in lilove / through Jesus Christ our Lord / Amen.

Having confessed our faith in Christ and renewed our commitment to Christ, let us now come, in faith and obedience, to Him, as we come to His Table.

 

A Statement of Christian Faith - (10) He has made us His sons and daughters to share His joy, living together in justice and peace, caring for His world and for each other.

This is a Church of Scotland statement of faith. The commentary which follows is my own.

—–

We believe in one God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. God is love. We praise God the Father; who created the universe and keeps it in being. He has made us his sons and daughters to share his joy, living together in justice and peace, caring for the world and for each other.

We proclaim Jesus Christ, God the Son:
born of Mary,
by the power of the Holy Spirit,
He became one of us,
sharing our life and our death.
he made known God’s compassion and mercy,
giving hope and declaring forgiveness of sin,
offering healing and wholeness to all.
By His death on the cross and by His resurrection,
He has triumphed over evil.
Jesus is Lord of life and of all creation.

We trust God the Holy Spirit:
who unites us to Christ
and gives life to the church;
who brings us to repentance
and assures us of forgiveness.
The Spirit guides us
in our understanding of the Bible,
renews us in the sacraments,
and calls us to serve God in the world.

We rejoice in the gift of eternal life:
we have sure and certain hope of
resurrection through Christ,
and we look for His coming again
to judge the world.
Then all things will be made new;
and creation will rejoice
in worshipping the Father,
through the Son,
in the power of the Spirit,
One God, blessed for ever.
Amen.

—–

He has made us His sons and daughters to share His joy, living together in justice and peace, caring for the world and for each other (John 1:14-18; 2 Corinthians 3:4-6, 15-18; 1 Peter 1:3-9).

Through receiving Jesus Christ in faith, we become God’s children. we are no longer merely God’s creatures. We have entered into a new relationship with God. He is our Father. We are His children. Through becoming God’s children, we come to enjoy His joy and peace. If our experience of this joy and peace is to be an ever-deepening experience, we must turn our attention, again and again, to Jesus Christ.

As we look to Christ, we ask three questions.

* Who is Jesus Christ?

* What does He give to us?

* How do we receive His blessings?

1) Who is Jesus Christ?

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” (John 1:1).

“And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, full of grace and truth” (John 1:14).

Jesus Christ is described as “the Word.”

What do we use words for? We use words to communicate with one another. We use words to speak to one another.

What does it mean to say, “Jesus Christ is the Word”? It means this - God is speaking to us.

God is communicating Himself to us. He is not a God who keeps His silence. In Jesus Christ, God speaks to us. He introduces Himself to us as the God who is “full of grace and truth” (John 1:14).

If we are to get to know God, we must come to Him by way of Jesus Christ (John 1:18).

Jesus is the Way to God the Father. He is the true and living Way. Through Christ, we are brought to a true knowledge of God and a living experience of God.

(2) What does He give to us?

“And from His fullness have we all received, grace upon grace” (John 1:16).

“Grace and truth came through Jesus Christ” (John 1:17).

In grace, God pours blessings into our lives. They are blessings which we don’t deserve.

How does He do this? He brings Gospel truth to our attention. He speaks to us the Gospel promises, inviting us to come and receive the Saviour and the blessings which come with Him.

The Lord’s blessings are very precious.

Think of the joy which He gives to us. Think of the peace which He brings into our lives.

We rejoice in God’s gifts. More than that, however, we rejoice in the Giver.

“My goal is God Himself, not joy, nor peace, nor even blessing, but Himself, my God.”

There is no true joy apart from the lord Jesus. He is our joy. He is our peace. We do not rest in our feelings. We trust in the Lord. He is the real reason for our rejoicing. Without Him, we have nothing. Without him, we live defeated lives. The joy is not there. The peace is not there.

Why? - Because Jesus is not there.

When Jesus is in our lives, everything has changed. Our circumstances may remain the same. Scripture speaks about the “various trials” we must face (1 Peter 1:6). Through Christ, we are able to face these trials with joy - a joy that is not superficial, a joy which is deeply and securely grounded in the peace which comes from knowing that the Lord Himself is there with us, no matter how difficult life may be.

The joy which the Lord gives is described as “unutterable and exalted joy” or “joy unspeakable and full of glory” (1 Peter 1:8).

The joy and the peace of the Lord becomes ours when the glory of the Lord breaks through into our lives.

“Heaven came down and glory filled my soul when, at the Cross, the Saviour made me whole. My sins were washed away and my night was turned to day. Heaven came down and glory filled my soul.”

(3) How do we receive His blessings?

We receive His blessings by receiving Him.

The Lord Himself is among us. He is speaking to us through His Word. His Spirit is bringing Christ to us. The Lord is giving us a glimpse of His glory. Jesus stands among us as the risen Lord. He invites us to begin a new life with Him.

Jesus comes to us with the Gospel. He comes to us with Good News. That’s what the word, “Gospel”, means - Good News!

A little girl was asked if she had ever received Good News. She said that she received Good News when she received the “Yes” replies to the birthday party invitations she had sent to her friends.

This little girl’s answer tells us something very precious about the Lord’s love for us.

We receive joy when we come to Jesus: !”If I come to Jesus, He will make me glad.” There is, however, another joy. It is the joy which we bring to the Lord when we come to Jesus: “there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents” (Luke 15:10). We come to Jesus and we receive the joy of the Lord. We come to Jesus, and we bring joy to the heart of the Lord.

Christ asks us, “Do you want to receive joy?” He also asks us, “Do you want to bring joy to the heart of God?”

We may answer the first question selfishly, concerned only with what we can get out of Christ. The second question challenges us to seek God’s glory rather that simply seeking our own pleasure.

“What is the chief end of man?” - “Man’s chief end is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever. ” Notice the order - first, God’s glory and, then, our joy.

The hymn, “Amazing grace”, contains a fine combination of receiving from the Lord and giving glory to Him - “I once was lost, but now am found, was blind, but now I see … singing God’s praise.” These words provide us an echo of the words of Luke 18:43, where we read of a blind man receiving his sight, following Jesus and praising God.

Have you received God’s salvation? Have you begun to glorify God?

Having received God’s salvation, having begun to glorify God, let us go on to follow Jesus, “living together in justice and peace, caring for the world and for each other.

 

A Statement of Christian Faith - (9) He has made us His sons and daughters to share His joy, living together in justice and peace, caring for His world and for each other.

This is a Church of Scotland statement of faith. The commentary which follows is my own.

—–

We believe in one God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. God is love. We praise God the Father; who created the universe and keeps it in being. He has made us his sons and daughters to share his joy, living together in justice and peace, caring for the world and for each other.

We proclaim Jesus Christ, God the Son:
born of Mary,
by the power of the Holy Spirit,
He became one of us,
sharing our life and our death.
he made known God’s compassion and mercy,
giving hope and declaring forgiveness of sin,
offering healing and wholeness to all.
By His death on the cross and by His resurrection,
He has triumphed over evil.
Jesus is Lord of life and of all creation.

We trust God the Holy Spirit:
who unites us to Christ
and gives life to the church;
who brings us to repentance
and assures us of forgiveness.
The Spirit guides us
in our understanding of the Bible,
renews us in the sacraments,
and calls us to serve God in the world.

We rejoice in the gift of eternal life:
we have sure and certain hope of
resurrection through Christ,
and we look for His coming again
to judge the world.
Then all things will be made new;
and creation will rejoice
in worshipping the Father,
through the Son,
in the power of the Spirit,
One God, blessed for ever.
Amen.

—–

He has made us His sons and daughters to share His joy, living together in justice and peace, caring for the world and for each other (Philippians 4:4-7, 10-13; 1 John 5:1-5; 3:1-3).

Joy and peace are elusive qualities. We seek for them, but we don’t find them. Why do we find it so difficult to discover joy and peace? Is it not because we see them as human qualities rather than God’s gifts?

Within ourselves, we look for joy and peace, but they are not there.

What we must learn is this: If we are to discover joy and peace, we must look away from ourselves to the Lord jesus Christ.

When we find Christ, we also find joy and peace.

“O Christ, in Thee my soul hath found, and found in Thee alone, the peace, the joy I sought so long, the bliss till now unknown. Now none but Christ can satisfy, none other name for me. There’s love and life and lasting joy, Lord Jesus, found in Thee.”

This is what must be emphasized. Joy and peace are gifts of God, received through faith in Jesus Christ.

Through Jesus Christ, God has given us the privilege of being His sons and daughters. We do not take it upon ourselves to call ourselves God’s children. God, in love, calls us His children: “See what love the Father has given us, that we should be called God’s children” (1 John 3:1).

Through faith in Jesus Christ, we become God’s children: “Every one who believes that Jesus is the Christ is a child of God” (1 John 5:1).

What is the joy and peace which we receive through faith in the Lord Jesus?

- It is joy in the Lord (Philippians 4:4).

- It is the peace of God (Philippians 4:7).

When the Apostle Paul calls us to rejoice. he does not say, “Pull yourself together.” He says, “Rejoice in the Lord.”

The Lord is the Source of true joy. Joy is the Lord’s gift to those who put their trust in Him.

It has been pointed out that there is an important difference between joy and happiness. Happiness depends on what happens. Joy depends on the Lord.

Happiness comes and goes, as our circumstances change. Our feelings go up and down, as we go from happy times to sad times.

What about true joy, the joy of the Lord?

It does not depend on changing circumstances. It depends only on the Lord whose love for us is unchanged, unchanging and unchangeable.

To know that we are loved with a love which will not let us go - this is the source of true joy.

To know that we are loved with an everlasting love - this is our basis for rejoicing in the Lord.

Whatever may happen to us, we can say, with gladness of heart, “The joy of the Lord is my strength.”

Such joy is so different from the fleeting pleasures of this world:

“Fading is the worldling’s pleasure, all his boasted pomp and show; solid joys and lasting treasure, none but Zion’s children know.”

The contrast between life without Christ and life with Christ is well expressed in the words of the hymn: “All my life long I had panted for a draught from some cool spring, that I hoped would quench the burning of the thirst I felt within. Hallelujah! I have found Him, whom my soul so long has craved! Jesus satisfies my longings. Through His blood I now am saved.”

In the testimony of the believer, there is a striking contrast between the emptiness of life without the Lord Jesus and the joy of knowing Him as Saviour.

“Feeding on the huska around me , till my strength was almost gone, longed my soul for something better, only still to hunger on. Poor I was, and sought for riches, something that would satisfy, but the dust I gathered round me only mocked my soul’s sad cry.”

This is an apt description of life without Christ. It is a life of emptiness, a life which does not satisfy.

Those who have found the Saviour rejoice in a better life, a fuller life, a life of joy and peace.

“Well of water, ever springing, Bread of life so rich and free, untold wealth that never faileth, my Redeemer is to me. Hallelujah! I have found Him, whom my soul so long has craved! Jesus satisfies my longings. Through His blood I now am saved.”

From the beginning of the life of faith, we are to go on, trusting the Lord and enjoying His joy and peace. Jesus says to us, “Come to Me, all who labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28).

He speaks these words to us at the beginning of our new life in Him. He continues to offer us His peace, as we walk with Him day-by-day.

Paul says to us, “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything; tell God your needs and don’t forget to thank Him for all His answers. If you do this you will experience God’s peace” (Philippians 4:6-7).

If we are to grow in our experience of Christ’s joy and peace, we must practise the words of the children’s chorus: “Read your Bible, pray every day, and you’ll grow, grow, grow.”

However much we may grow in our experience of Christ’s joy and peace, we must never lose sight of our heavenly hope.

We look forward to enjoying the joy and peace of the Lord in a richer, deeper and greater fuullness than we can ever know here on earth: “we are God’s children now; it does not yet appear what we shall be … when He appears we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as he is” (1 John 3:2).

We are not there yet, but we are on the way. With our eyes fixed on Jesus Christ, we will be led in the way of joy and peace.

In Jesus Christ, we rejoice. In Jesus Christ, we have peace.

Let us rejoice in Him. Let us rest in His peace.

Rejoicing in Him and resting in His peace, we will be changed by Him. We will learn more of what it means to live together in justice and peace, caring for His world and for each other.