Wednesday December 31, 2014

Read Luke 4:1-13

It’s New Years Eve. Tonight there’ll be partying and celebrating to see out the old and welcome in the new. People will, no doubt, drink themselves silly and gorge themselves on food. Each one of us will probably be tempted today/tonight to eat too much, to drink too much or to do/say things that displease God. We may be tempted to make exaggerated promises for the new year - promises that we never intend to keep. We may be tempted to act in stupid ways to please the crowd or to win favour with a member of the opposite sex. We may be tempted to egg others on to do similarly stupid things.

But be assured that Jesus is no stranger to temptation. After fasting for 40 days in the desert Jesus was tired, dehydrated and very, very hungry. The devil, often called the  tempter, came to Him and tempted Him to turn stones into bread. It wasn’t just the physical need that was tempted. Satan started the temptation  with words that attacked the very core of Jesus’ identity, ‘If you are the Son of God…’. Jesus could use His power for His own benefit to prove His identity, or He could deny His identity and starve to death. Either choice would entail sin against God. The devil thought he had Jesus caught between a rock and a hard place. Jesus, however, quoted the Word of God and stood by that Word as His final authority. He did the same in the second and third temptations.

When you are tempted, will you respond with the Word of God as your ultimate and final authority? Will you speak out the Word at the tempter and give him no room to play with your heart, mind and emotions?

Hebrews 4:15-16 assures us that we can go to Jesus, the Living Word, in our hour of temptation and need.

For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.

When Jesus came into our world it began the end of temptation and sin. It began the growth of holiness and righteousness in all who would believe in Him.  The coming of Jesus into our world dealt the death blow to temptation. That’s why we need Christ in Christmas.

 Thank you

Thank you for journeying with us throughout 2014 as we have studied God’s Word and sought to grow to be more like Him. We have seen how Scripture corrects some of the lies that we believe. We have seen God’s incredible mercy through the Gospel and how we are to respond as His people in Romans. And we have seen why we need Christ in Christmas and all the incredible things that Christ brings His people through the book of Colossians.

We pray that, along with us, you have grown over this year of studying God’s word. We pray that He has worked powerfully in your heart and mind to change you to be more like Him and that you have been challenged to share your life changing faith with all who will hear.

ChristLife Presbyterian Church's Daily Bible Reading Notes will return in February 2015 as we answer the question: Where Do I Fit?

For your spiritual nourishment during this time we recommend that you maintain a habit of regular Bible study and prayer. To assist with this you can source other devotional materials including Our Daily Bread which can be found at http://odb.org. An extensive back-catalogue of the ChristLife Presbyterian Church Daily Bible Reading Notes is also available at http://christlifedailybible.blogspot.com.au/

We pray that you will have a truly blessed New Year as you grow in relationship with our Saviour, Jesus Christ.

God’s richest blessings,

The ChristLife Office Team

Pastor Esa Hukkinen, Minister

Jane Walker, Children’s Coordinator

Brad Dewson, Youth Ministry Worker

Josh Rowe, MTN Trainee

Lois Ward, Administration Officer

Tuesday December 30, 2014

Read Luke 3:21-37

Oh no! Another genealogy!!!  I hope and pray that you actually read through the genealogy rather than skipping over it. When we read Matthew’s genealogy of Jesus we saw the transition from Abraham to King David to Jesus. This time we start from Joseph, the step-father of Jesus and work our way back to God Himself.

That is fascinating isn’t it? Matthew was written for a Jewish audience and naturally goes back to the key figures among the Jews, namely King David and Abraham. Dr Luke, who wrote the Gospel of Luke, was a Gentile (or a non–Jew) and wrote to Gentiles. He wants to show us that the good news of the Gospel is available to all mankind, even non-Jews. He wants to show us that God’s plan of salvation has always meant to include the entire world, not just one nation.

When God created the world He intended that the entire world would be under His blessing and rule. He intended that all mankind would live in a perfect paradise without sin in the world. Mankind was told to rule over the paradise and to tend it. They were to populate it with children who loved and served God as they themselves did.

But sin did enter the world and God’s paradise was ruined. God’s rule was not ruined though and God revealed that He would save the world through Jesus. That blessing of Jesus was foreshadowed to Abraham when God promised to bring blessing to all the nations/families of the world through one of his descendants - who turned out to be Jesus. Kind David was promised a ruler from his descendants that will rule over the entire world for all eternity. Again it turns out to be Jesus.

When Jesus comes into our world, it is said of Him that He is ‘the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world’ (John 1:29). He is the one that God gives to the world as a sacrifice to save the entire world (John 3:16). His name is to be preached to all nations (Matthew 28:18-20). Anyone from any nationality can believe in Jesus and receive God’s offer of salvation. Nationality does not come into consideration.

When Jesus was born, God began the final phase of His plan to bring His salvation to all corners of the earth. Christmas is so much more than Christmas trees, fairy lights and reindeer-driven snow ploughs. It’s about taking God’s salvation to the ends of the earth. That’s why we need Christ in Christmas.

Monday December 29, 2014

Read Luke 3:1-20

The time frame between Christmas and New Year for most people is about holidaying and relaxing and turning off from a busy year. Many people go away and enjoy a break from the routines of life. But as we work our way up to the new year let’s take time to keep reading the Gospel of Luke to see what our focus should be. Should it be holidaying and turning off or should it be growing in Christ Jesus?

When Jesus was about 30 years old a somewhat wild man, reminiscent of the great prophet Elijah, came out of the desert wearing camel-hair clothes and eating wild honey and locusts. People flocked into the desert to hear him, thinking he was the Messiah, the Christ who was to come. But John rebuked them sharply and denied being the Christ. In no uncertain terms he called them to repent and to follow the one who would come after him. This one, John said, is greater than him and would not baptise with water but with the Spirit and fire.

Jesus’ birth into the world opened the door for the coming of the Spirit into the world. Jesus was born, lived a sinless life and died on the cross under the curse of God. After He was resurrected to eternal life Jesus ascended to the right hand of God the Father and from there He sends the Holy Spirit to all who believe in Him. John the Baptist prefigures this when he talks about Jesus baptising with the Holy Spirit.

But John also tells us that Jesus will baptise with fire (vs 16) and that He will clear the winnowing floor. The chaff will be burned up with unquencable fire (vs 17). Both roads are clearly presented to us. We can either repent and believe in Jesus. God’s Word promises us that if we do, we WILL be baptised by the Holy Spirit and we will be saved from eternal condemnation. Or we can continue on our own merry way, doing our own thing. The Bible assures us that if we choose this path then judgement awaits us. There is nothing to expect except unquenchable fire.

This Christmas-New Year break will you gear up for a year of hard work, of making more money, of getting a better house or car etc? Or will you vow to follow Jesus with your heart, soul, mind and strength? Christmas is more than just another excuse to party hard and to get drunk. It’s about God’s salvation coming to us and our commitment to follow Jesus. That’s why we need Christ in Christmas.

Prayer:

Pray that everyone in your congregation would grow closer to Christ and willingly, even joyously, submit to His Lordship.

Saturday December 27, 2014

Read Luke 2:41-52

For many people December 26 is totally isolated from December 25. It’s a day to get over the hangover, to recuperate from all the food and to clean up the mess made by the friends and relatives. For these people, Jesus will be in the manger again next year and they will migrate back to the church to sing songs, listen to a nice talk and to say a prayer or two for world peace and love.

But interestingly, none of the Gospels stop at the birth of Jesus! It’s not the end of the story but the beginning. Jesus actually grows up.

In Luke 2:41-52 we see an event from His childhood. Jesus decides to stay in Jerusalem while His parents start the long and arduous trek back to Nazareth.

After the incident, in vs 52, we are given a summary of Jesus’ life until He’s about 30 years of age.

“And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and men.”

Jesus, as He grows, grows in wisdom - the knowledge of God and the ability to apply that knowledge to all of life. He also grows in stature - meaning that He’s growing in maturity. But even more than that, Jesus is growing in favour with God. He’s growing closer to God and more intimate with God.  People around him are noticing the God-likeness of this young man. 

Very soon Jesus will burst onto the scene being heralded by John the Baptist, calling people to repent and to follow Jesus as the God-sent King and ruler of all peoples. Jesus will go on to perform many miracles. He will heal many sick people and drive out many demons. He will give many signs and wonders and He will teach many wonderful things, all to prove that He is the King sent from God.

And on top of it all, Jesus will call people to worship Himself as the Son of God and offer people eternal life if they believe in His name and worship Him.

Christmas is more than about presents and singing carols. It’s about the giving of eternal life for all who come to Jesus. That’s why we need Christ in Christmas.

Friday December 26, 2014

Read Luke 2:1-40

Thursday December 25, 2014

Read Luke 1:1-18

Wednesday December 24, 2014

Read Matthew 2:1-23

The story of the Magi or wise men as they’re often called, is widely known and loved throughout the world. It’s even sung about in the old hymn ‘We Three Kings’. Yet even so, the focus of the story is often lost in the maze of gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh, the identity of the Magi and the journey they took.  As you read the narrative it is clear that the focus is on the birth of the King. The Magi declare as much in vs 2 as they ask: “Where is the one who has been born King of the Jews? We saw His star in the east and have come to worship Him.”

Herod and all the people of Judea are disturbed by the news of a new born King. Even the prophecies of old spoke about a ruler coming out of Judah. The Magi cottoned onto this new born King, not the prophets and scribes and teachers of the Law. Those who should have known didn’t and those who shouldn’t have known, did!

Herod seeks to find the location of the birth of this King under the feigned guise of worshipping Him. But as vs 13-18 show, his real desire is to eliminate any opposition or competition to his own throne. He calls the Israelite religious leaders to gather information and then calls the Magi to be his spies. Herod stops at nothing to find this baby King - not to worship Him but to wipe out His kingship.        
But God intervened again to save this new born child. The Magi who found Jesus and worshipped Him returned home via another route and avoided giving any information to Herod. Joseph and Mary hurried quickly under the cover of night to Egypt and stayed there until the evil King Herod was dead. Herod, who sought to wipe out Jesus’ Kingship, was himself destroyed.

Christmas is about more than a 1 hour church service and lunch/dinner with family and friends. It’s more than giving presents and seeing the delight on our children’s faces. Christmas is about worshipping and celebrating the true King –Jesus. It’s about kneeling before Him and giving Him all of our lives in selfless service. It’s about worshipping the one who truly deserves to be worshipped. That’s why we need Christ in Christmas.

Prayer:

Pray that your church service tomorrow would indeed be a time of worship of King Jesus. Pray that it would be a challenge to those who worship money, themselves or something else, to worship King Jesus with their entire lives.

Tuesday December 23, 2014

Read Matthew 1:18-25

 We live in a sexually loose world where adultery is considered trivial, unless we are the ones sinned against. Even churches have renamed adultery to make it sound less harsh. Ministers now are tempted by ‘moral failure’ or a ‘failure of the heart’, not adultery.

In Jewish times, adultery was serious and even engaged couples could be stoned to death for having sex outside of marriage. Joseph was a godly man confronted, so he thought, with the issue of adultery. His wife-to-be was found to be pregnant.

Joseph’s plan was simple. He planned to leave her quietly so that she would not be publicly humiliated and possibly stoned to death. He would break off the arrangements quietly and disappear from the scene. He had weighed it up, considered all his options and come up with the best possible plan, given the circumstances.

However, that night an angel appeared to Joseph in a dream. He was told to take Mary home as his wife because the child in her was conceived of the Holy Spirit. Mary was not an adulterer. God had given her the God-child. He is even told that Mary will give birth to a son and they are to name him Jesus. Jesus is the Greek equivalent to Joshua in the Hebrew language and means ‘God saves.’

Added to this, we are told in vs 22-23 that all of this was predicted by the prophet Isaiah some 800 years earlier. In that prophesy a virgin would be with a child and he would be called  Immanuel which means ‘God with us’.

Not only is this baby Jesus the fulfiller of all God’s promises and the one who destroys the enemies of God, He’s the one who will deal with mankind’s rebellion against God. He is God, come to us in the flesh to rescue us from our sins and from our rebellion against God.

Christmas is far more than a time of good cheer and merry making. It’s the time of year we pause to remember that God has sent His Son, His one and only Son, into the world to rescue us and to draw us to Himself in adoration and worship. That’s why we need Christ in Christmas!

Prayer:

As many people travel away from your local church this Christmas, ask the Lord to bring upon them conviction to be in a church on the Day we pause to remember the birth of our Lord and Saviour.

Monday December 22, 2014

Focus on Christmas

 Read Matthew 1:1-17

Matthew begins his gospel with a genealogy which in our day is considered boring and largely irrelevant. Our general tendency is to skip genealogies and move to the more interesting bits afterwards.

But having read through the genealogy (if you skipped it and moved straight to the reading notes, put the notes down and wade through it. You will be blessed) we can learn many things.

So what can we learn from this genealogy? More than I can fit into one or two pages of reading notes. The lineage beings by calling Jesus the Son of David and the Son of Abraham. God made great promises to both of these two OT figures. By linking these OT greats to Jesus we are being told that Christmas is more than just a coming of God into the world, as great as that is. Christmas is the fulfilment (or at least the start of the fulfilment) of all the promises of God.  The great promise to Abraham (see Genesis 12:1-3) to bring blessing to all the families of the earth and the great promise to King David to have a descendant to rule over his throne for all eternity is about to be fulfilled in this little baby born in a stable.

Secondly, the generation is commented upon in verse 17.

Thus there were fourteen generations in all from Abraham to David, fourteen from David to the exile to Babylon, and fourteen from the exile to the Christ.

While much could be said about the number 14, notice who comes after both sets of 14 generations. It’s not Jesus but Christ, or in Hebrew, Messiah. Messiah is a word in Hebrew that means anointed one. It speaks of a special “person” who has a unique relationship to God and according to Psalm 2 is the Son of God who will destroy the enemies of God. He is the one we are to kiss (ie give the kiss of peace to) and He is the one we are to find refuge in from the anger of the Lord.

Christmas is far more than presents and trees and lunches/dinners with family.

Christmas is the time we celebrate the coming of God’s Messiah into our world  to fulfil all of God’s promises. That’s why we need Christ in Christmas!

Prayer:

Ask the Lord to give you and your church the right perspective on Christmas. Pray that God would bless those who have very little this Christmas.

Saturday December 20, 2014

Read Colossians 1-4

As you read through Colossians as a single letter today, take time to reflect on all that you’ve learnt from God throughout this series.

Spend time in praise and adoration for who God is and all that you’ve learnt.

Friday December 19, 2014

Read Colossians 4:7-18

In the ancient world the law of association meant that if you were found associating with a known criminal then you could be charged with the same crime! The idea, of course, was to deter people from associating with criminals.

This becomes shocking when we realise that Christianity was a crime in many areas. Even so, we do not see Christians hiding away from each other or avoiding each other. We do not see Paul rotting in jail alone and forgotten.

As you read these verses it’s clear that such laws did very little to stop Christians from fellowshipping together and from supporting one another. Tychicus willingly took the news of Paul to the Colossians. Onesimus, a fellow Colossian, went joyfully with him. And from the church where Paul wrote, heartfelt greetings in the Lord were sent to the church in Colossae. Love was the key element in all relationships.

Of particular note is Epaphras who is also a Colossian, probably the one who initially took the Gospel to the city. We read about him in vs 12-13

Epaphras, who is one of you and a servant of Christ Jesus, sends greetings. He is always wrestling in prayer for you, that you may stand firm in all the will of God, mature and fully assured. I vouch for him that he is working hard for you and for those at Laodicea and Hierapolis.

The reality for the believers in the first century was that Christ came first, the family of God came second and everything else was placed down the list. Paul and others even put their own lives on the line for the sake of the Gospel. They were so convinced that Christ is the answer that they willingly loved each other and suffered for each other so that the answer might be proclaimed in all the earth.

In Australia we may not have such barbaric laws seeking to stop the spread of the Gospel but we have barriers none the less. Our busyness forms a barrier. Often we are too busy to fellowship, to pray together and to meet on the Lord’s Day. Our wrong priorities form a barrier. Our willingness to put God’s people way down the list and to miss church every second or third week prevents the Gospel from being spread to all the earth.

We need to recapture the love of God/Christ that Paul and the first century believers had. We need to recall that passion  and zeal that once pierced our hearts and drove us forward in Gospel ministry. How can we recapture that passion and zeal? Let’s start by meditating on the Word and by getting excited about Christmas. Let’s start by inviting as many people as we can to our Christmas service and seeking God’s conversion in their lives. Let’s start by spurring one another on to love and good deeds as we celebrate the coming of the Saviour into our world.

Prayer:

Based on today’s reading spend time in...

Adoration:

Confession:

Thanks:

Supplication:

à Ask the Lord to bring each person you invite to your Christmas service and to work powerfully in them, granting them repentance and faith in Jesus.

à Pray that churches across the land would faithfully proclaim Jesus this Christmas.

Witness Moment:

The way you fellowship with believers witnesses Christ to the world. Read John 13:34-35 and you’ll see the truth!