Chocolate Spread

All photos courtesy of Unsplash 

My inspiration for today’s message comes from our two sons who are rather partial to some chocolate spread on toast. We go through a few jars of chocolate spread in a year. Needless to say that they do not spread sparingly. Oh no, they lavishly spread the chocolate over the toast. I sometimes think that they have chocolate spread with a bit of toast. 

The word lavish is a lovely word and is not used a lot these days. As an adjective, the dictionary defines it as ‘sumptuously rich, elaborate or luxurious’.

Final Post on Headship - Col 2:19 - Christ the Head - To be honoured

Days portion for reading  - Col 2:11-23

Christ the Head – to be honoured – Colossians 2:19

This is the last post in our studies about Christ – the Head. Has it made a difference to you as you have learned or rediscovered something of the wonders of this truth about the saviour? Did it make you bow in worship as you realised the way God has so carefully organised things? Was your reaction one of joy and gratitude when you realised that God has included you in all of his purposes because of your links with the Lord Jesus. Our reaction should have been all of these things at the very least.

Christ the Head of principalities and powers – Colossians 2:10

Days portion for reading  - Col 2:1-10

Christ the Head of principalities and powers – Colossians 2:10

It is a wise thing to be clear in your thinking about the Lord Jesus. The men who had come to Colosse were determined to undervalue the Lord Jesus Christ. They taught, among other things, that the Lord Jesus was just an angel who had come down to earth and that he certainly was not God. Some taught that the Lord Jesus had become ‘Messiah’ or God at his baptism and that he was only endued with divine power for the three-year period of his public ministry.  Paul writes, guided by the Holy Spirit, and makes it very clear that the Lord Jesus is the living God, full stop. No question, no argument. We have seen the evidence provided in chapter one to support this. In chapter two we are confronted with the fact that presently the ‘fullness of the Godhead’ dwells in the Lord Jesus. In other words, this is still the case long after he returned to heaven. When we add the evidence of chapter one to this truth stated in chapter two it is clearly seen that the Lord Jesus is eternally God.

CHRISTmas TRADING

During the Christmas season, vast amounts of money pass through the high street banks. This world is all about money. Making it, keeping it and spending it. And in order to get it, you usually have to work.

Shortly before His sacrificial death and triumphant resurrection, the Lord Jesus talked to His disciples about trading in the kingdom of heaven (Matt. 25.14-30). He compared Himself to a businessman who gave varying amounts of money to people to look after while He was away. He wanted them to use the money to do business i.e. to trade. The word trade actually means to 'work or toil'. The Lord gave His servants resources to work with and He expected a 100% growth rate! The servant given five talents made five more, and the servant given two talents made two more. The Lord commended them for their faithfulness and gave them proportionate responsibility in His heavenly kingdom.

But there was a third servant who the Lord draws our attention to. He dug a hole and put his talent into the ground and on the Lord's return, presented it back to Him, untouched. His excuse was that the Lord was hard, austere and oppressive. That lazy servant got a stern rebuke and was cast out into outer darkness. At the very least he should have put the money in the bank to gain interest, let alone worked with it to make it multiply to full advantage. So, the Lord took the money given to the lazy servant and gave it instead, to the servant who had worked the hardest. He knew that it would then be used to full effect.

Serving the Lord begins when a person gets saved, when a person is born again and is filled with His Spirit (Eph. 1.13). An account is instantly opened in the ‘Bank of Heaven’ and the Christian starts the work of investing in heaven’s currency. It is hard work and the rewards are not measured in the currency of this world - money and material things. Instead the Lord Jesus expects us to make full use of the gifts and resources He gives us to show to others His love, like He showed God's love to us. That involves getting to know God as your Father, and behaving in this world like the Lord Jesus did. He did not seek high status even though He is the King of Kings (Rev. 19.6). Instead, in humility and godly fear, He served others, ministering to their needs and in purity of thought and action, demonstrating the principles of God's heavenly Kingdom. It is not possible to be made redundant from that job, or to be underpaid. And the rewards far surpass anything that can be accumulated in this world and are eternal (not left behind at the gates of death as the treasures of this world are). God promises to call all those who are born again His Sons (Rom. 8.15), not just his servants. He gives them eternal life immediately and promises the splendour of heaven in the future. In addition He rewards their faithful service with 'crowns of righteousness' (2 Tim. 4.8) and positions of authority in His future worldwide administration.  It is not possible to serve two masters; it is either the true God or the god of this world i.e. the devil (Matthew 6.24).

Why not make 2014 the time when you choose to serve the Lord and invest in wealth that lasts forever?

Written for FTMP by a guest blogger. 

For more information, videos, podcast visit www.seekthetruth.org.uk 

Busy Summer

It is over a month since I wrote a blog. Apart from going on a guilt trip I can't believe how the time has flown. The summer while not good for weather was excellent and exciting for me in so many other ways. I visited Cornwall to work with a Christian Youth Camp for a week, my wife and I went to Scotland for a week while I conducted Bible Studies at Family Holiday week. 

Locally where we live we ran a weeks Holiday Bible Club and enjoyed once again telling children about the love of God and the great Saviour that we have.

After all that I wonder how many people this summer took advantage of the opportunity to turn from their wrongdoing (we all do wrong) and to confess Jesus Christ as Lord. We as Christians pray constantly that people will do this.

There is an ancient saying in the Bible - "the harvest is past, the summer is ended and we are not saved". I trust that saying doesn't apply to you.

Have a good week.

Stephen

For more info, videos, podcasts etc visit www.seekthetruth.org.uk.