August 4, 2013
Scripture:
Scripture:
Scripture:
Hymn 352 - Oh, won’t you come to Jesus while you’re young
Prayer
We are going to begin looking at the kings of Judah. After King Solomon, the nation of Israel split into two kingdoms: Judah and Israel. In Judah, there were two tribes and in Israel, ten. Today we will look at Abijah.
We first hear of Abijah in 1 Kings 15, where he is called Abijam. We learn here that he sinned; he followed in the sins of his father. In Chronicles, we get a story about Abijah, where he shows great faith in the Lord.
2 Chronicles 13:1 - 3, 10 - 17
There was a war between Israel and Judah. King Jeroboam of Israel wanted to take control of the whole nation of Israel. When the battle started, Judah had 400,000 men and Israel had 800,000. With double the men, you would think that it would be easy for Israel to win. Before the battle started, Abijah reminded Jeroboam that God had promised David that the kingdom would never leave his line. Then he asked Jeroboam how he planned to win against them while he was serving idols; they were still serving God.
While Abijah was talking to Jeroboam, Jeroboam had half of his men go behind the army of Judah to create an ambush. Judah’s army was in the middle with Israel’s army all around them. Miraculously, Judah won the battle: God helped Judah fight and Israel lost 500,000 men. Judah trusted in God and He fought for them.
When the Lord is our Saviour, we can go through trials and know that the Lord is with us. Abijah knew that God was going to help them and it is a beautiful picture of trusting the Lord.
Luke 24:45-53
We get three different cities in this chapter: Emmaus, Jerusalem, and Bethany. Last week we saw how the Lord opened the understanding of the disciples in Jerusalem, just as He had opened the eyes of the two at Emmaus.
Jesus told His disciples that it was right that He had suffered. He suffered for our sins, rose from the dead, and then—we get it later on here—ascended into heaven. These are marvellous truths and form the basis of our salvation. And they weren’t just to be preached to Israel, but to all nations; starting in Jerusalem, where Christ was rejected and crucified.
The disciples were to preached repentance and remission of sins. Acts 2:38 shows us that they did. We must realize the sinful condition that we are in and turn from it. This is the message that Jesus wants us to preach, and it is for “all nations”—an expansion from just the Jews. Christ’s work is for “whosoever will”. The disciples were witnesses of all that had happened, they had seen the evidence and were able to give it to others.
Jesus sent the disciples to a city, not a university. They were going to be educated, but it was going to be from above, not from below. Matthew 28:16-18. In Luke Jesus gives the power to the disciples, while Matthew gives the more Jewish angle, with Jesus having the power. Matthew 28:19-20. Jesus has all the power, and we have all the work; but He gives us the power to do the work. Mark tells us that they went out, “the Lord working with them”. They had power from on high.
After this, Jesus took his disciples out to Bethany. This was a significant, special place to the Lord. This is where He went to be with his friends Mary, Martha, and Lazarus. This would now be the spot of His departure. He lead His disciples out to this place; and that’s significant. They left the center of Judaism. Jesus then assumed the role of High Priest and, lifting His hands, He blessed them. This was needed, because He would now be leaving them alone, without His physical presence on Earth. He had told them that He would be sending “another” comforter. He was their first comforter. The two disciples had left Jerusalem because they had lost the Lord. Now He was really leaving them; and left in front of all, in a public display.
Jesus’ life started in that manger in Bethlehem. God’s redemptive plan needed a man; but a man that was God. Man could die, while God could not. Jesus died, but came back to life, and finally left Earth—still as a man. Today He is not a spirit, but—in His body—the Man in the Glory.
The disciples—almost strangely for having just “lost” the Lord—returned to Jerusalem with joy. They praised God; their hearts were full!
The disciples watched the Lord rise until a cloud took Him out of their sight. But what was it like on the other—heavenly—side? Psalm 110 seems to give that to us. V1. As a man, Jesus glorified God perfectly in the question of sin. He made it possible for God to show love and grace and mercy to us. If the prodigal coming home got the best robe, then the Lord got a crown and heard His Father say, “Sit on my right hand until I make your enemies your footstool”. That’s where He is today. He is our High Priest and intercedes for us. There is an earthly side of things, and there is a heavenly side. Our Lord was caught up to the heavenly side. While we wait on this side, it behooves us to worship, praise, and bless God as the disciples did.
At the beginning of Luke, we saw Zachariah going into the presence of God, with the crowd worshiping outside. Moses went into the cloud to God while the multitude watched from below. This is the situation that we are in now. Christ has entered glory, but we remain on this side. Those of old worshiped God as their man entered His presence. We worship the One Who has entered glory.
Hymn 149–Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine
Prayer