March 20, 2016
Scriptures:
Scriptures:
Ministry:
The first hymn we sang talked about forgetting; the second spoke of remembering. Read Genesis 40:14a & 23. This story is about Joseph asking the butler to remember him; but the butler forgot him. We often think of Joseph as a picture of the Lord. We read in Song of Solomon and Isaiah about remembering the Lord’s love. Read Psalm 111:1 - 4 & 9. The Lord was faithful to deliver Israel, to bring them through the Red Sea and Jordan: all earthly blessings. But what has He accomplished for us?
We are here this morning to remember His love and His work at Calvary. Hannah knew what it was to rejoice in the Lord. Read I Samuel 2:1 & 2. That is why we are here: to remember and to give thanks for our salvation. Our brother reminded us earlier not only to remember what He has done for us in the past, but also all that He is doing for us now and what He will do for us in the future. Read vv. 8. He brought us out and now we have a portion; we are looking forward to reigning with Him. We have that portion because of the cross. “Remember me when it is well with thee.” What a wondrous blessing we have, both earthly and heavenly and it is ours because of the cross. All He asks for is for us to remember Him, let’s not be like the butler. We owe all our privileges to Him.
Hymn 345 - Jesus loves the little children
Prayer
We have seen how Jesus had a visit from Nicodemus, and how He talked to the woman at the well. Jesus had told Nicodemus that he had to be born again by the water and of the Spirit. It’s the only way to see the kingdom of God. This has to do with salvation: the washing of the water by the Word. It is by God’s Word that we know the way of salvation. It is His revelation to us; it tells the need of salvation and how to be saved; we all know John 3:16. His Word is applied through the Spirit of God.
We are made up of body, soul, and spirit. Jesus had told Nicodemus he had to be born again, but He was not talking about a physical birth. The Word of God was applied to Nicodemus’s soul, and then he had a new life and nature.
Jesus mentions water again with the woman at the well. We find here it not only brings new life and nature, but also a channel of worship in spirit and truth. It is a way of communication with God. (John 4:10, 14, 23, 24)
This week we will be looking at a couple of verses in John 7, but first we are going to get some background. The Jewish calendar has several feasts in it, and they were celebrated throughout the year. These celebrations were the remembrance of events that had happened in their history.
The Feast of Tabernacles was the biggest and greatest feast they had. It was an example of the future; the time when the Lord would return.
Jesus’ brothers were wondering if Jesus was going to go up to the feast. The problem was that the Jewish leaders had added so many things to the feast it was no longer the feast of Jehovah, but rather the feast of the Jews. Jesus didn’t go up to the feast. He went up to Jerusalem, but not to the feast.
John 7:37-39
The last day of the feast was supposed to be the greatest day of the year. They were to be rejoicing in what God had done, and what He would do. Jesus stood looking over the people who were supposed to be happy, but the feast had been lowered so much it had been completely ruined, and no one was happy at all.
This is just like people today. They go after everything hoping to find a bit of joy or peace. It may be in family, jobs, sports, or hobbies; anything. But Jesus told the people in our story, ” If any man thirst, let him come unto Me and drink”. You thirst because you need a drink; you’re parched. You can’t find satisfaction anywhere else, but in Christ. Jesus is saying, “I made you. I know what you need, and I’ve got it.”
Here we have the Spirit of God active again. When one believes on Jesus, he receives God’s Spirit. This is the same Spirit that gave a new life and nature to Nicodemus, put the artesian well of worship in the women, and now it offers to put a river flowing out in testimony or services within those who believe.
So we see in these chapters the reference to the Spirit of God that works through the washing of the water by the word. We can rejoice in the communion we have through these things, and should seek to be a testimony to God wherever we are. It is nice to see these things happening as they should be. We must allow the Spirit of God to work in us, so it can work out of us.
Philippians 2:12-23
Last week’s “wherefore” brought before us the working out of our salvation. The results of this—we called it the Process (v.12)—should be evident to those around us. A process has an input, and transformation, and an output. What is the input for this process? From us it is obedience, possibly prayer, and time spent in the Word. God will contribute the power, and the willingness to do His will. It is then that we get the transformation from the natural life to the life that is pleasing to God.
God will work in us to will and to do His pleasure, but only if we interact with Him. We should be relating to Him every day and every minute. We need His power from above, and need to realize that it is available to us.
Paul didn’t say much that was negative to the Philippians; but they must have been murmuring and disputing a bit, because he told them that they—and we—must do “all things” without murmuring and disputing. This is so we can be blameless and harmless, or harmless and simple as Darby puts it. It’s part of the humility that Paul was talking about earlier. Are we harmless? How do we affect others? We should act as God sees us in Christ. That’s how to be without rebuke.
The world was already crooked and perverse in Paul’s time. Unbelievers don’t have the process of sanctification that we do, so that’s expected. It’s sad, though, when they notice inconsistency in us. We are Sons of God; we should act like it! This world is darkness, and many are spiritually blind; may we have the grace to be the lights that Paul talks about. The Word of life is one beacon that we can shine into the darkness.
Continuing with the “P” outline that we started, verse 16 gives us “Prospects, Future”. Paul knew that he would rejoice in the Philippians in the day of Christ. They were lights in the world, and possibly his children in the gospel. We may not see the fruit of our work now, like Paul did, but we will one day.
Lastly in the “Ps”, verse 17 gives us “Prospects, Present”. Paul makes out like that the gift Philippians gave him was a major offering, and his life was like the oil of the drink offering: a small bit poured on top. He felt unworthy of the sacrifice they made for him, considering what he had done for them. They had given to the apostle’s needs, and served him. Paul gives them full credit for this, and all of them rejoiced in it. What fellowship! They were all part of this sacrifice to God. Giving to Paul was like giving to the Lord, and Paul’s work for them was really work for the Lord. This is also the last point in another outline: we’ve seen the work of Christ for us (salvation, vv.6-11), in us (sanctification vv.12-16), and by us (service vv.17-18).
Paul was going to send Timothy to the Philippians, because he would be uneasy until he saw how they were getting on. He had no one likeminded like Timothy who would naturally care for their state. We’ve seen Paul’s exhortations to likemindedness and humility, and apparently Timothy would be a good example. We need to have these things as the center of our life, and seek the things of Christ as Timothy did. They make the difference between a self-centered life, and a Christ-centered life. It’s very easy to let self get big!
Hymn 341 - Jesus bids us shine
Prayer