Saturday September 29, 2012

What are your thoughts about the Old         Testament?  Plan to read through at least one book of the Old Testament in October.

 

Read Mark 14:12-26

 

Have you ever realised that all of the gospel writers except John, who doesn’t really deal with the Last Supper, stress that it is the Pass Over meal that Jesus is eating as His Last Supper? There are many reason for this. Can you think of any before we move on?

 

Jesus chooses to have His last supper at this time because this meal with the disciples will be used to reinterpret the Pass Over. It will be fulfilled in Christ. That is why He is called the Passover Lamb in 1 Corinthians 5:7. Jesus and the salvation wrought by Him at the cross is all that the Pass Over meal prefigured and looked forward to. On that day a lamb was to be sacrificed as a suitable substitute for the people. Jesus is the fulfilment of that sacrifice and is the true Passover meal. He is the one that brings freedom from sin as opposed to freedom from captivity in Egypt. Again, it’s a fulfilment motif. In the Old Testament a covenant began when God freed Egypt and now, through the blood of Christ a New Covenant is inaugurated. The Old Covenant allowed people to meet with God but required regular sacrifice for sin and the mediation of a High Priest. Now sin is dealt with once for all and The Great High Priest allows us to meet with God at any time. No earthly High Priest is needed because Jesus is our mediator before God. We can approach the throne of grace with confidence.  The Old Covenant opened the door for the people to enter into the Promised Land. Jesus, through the New Covenant opens the door for the people to enter into the heavenly Promised Land. Again it’s a fulfilment motif. The Old is fulfilled. The New has begun.

 

In studying the Old Testament we see the character of God and we learn more of His eternal plan of salvation through Christ Jesus. Let no one ever tell you that the Old Testament is irrelevant. Turn to 2 Tim 3:16-17 and read what it says. If you can, make a poster of this verse and stick it somewhere prominent so that you'll never forget that all Scripture, all Scripture from Genesis to Revelation, is the inspired Word of God and is useful for us.

Prayer:

As you engage in adoration, confession and thanksgiving see if you can focus your prayers on the Lord’s Supper and what it really means.

 

How will you be praying today???

 

Adoration:

 

Confession:

 

Thanks:

 

 

Supplication:

¨ Pray that Straight Talk Ministries will be blessed with more open doors in schools to share the value of abstinence before marriage. Pray that many young children and students will not only understand this and commit to purity but also that we would see many come to know Christ as their Lord and Saviour. Pray that Jim and Faye would be greatly blessed by the Lord for their service.

¨ Pray for the Reformed Bible College in Burma. Pray that God’s Holy Spirit would be working powerfully in and among the students.  Ask God to grow and mature the students in their faith, their knowledge and their desire to spread the Word. Pray that we would see a transformation in their society as more people come to Christ for salvation.