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Thoughts on the readings for April 26th (Deuteronomy 12, Ecclesiastes 5, Acts 2) Apr 24, 2025

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Verses 1-28 describe acceptable worship in this place and speak of the rules around sacrifice and the disposal of the blood.

These verses counsel Israel to exercise diligence and care in the observance of their Sovereign's commandments. Verses 29-32 stress by way of warning the importance of avoiding the evils of idolatry.

Ecclesiastes 5 addresses two linked themes- the need to reverence the Almighty, found in verses 1-7; and, the futility of wealth and honour, seen in verses 8-20. As the reader, to focus on these messages of the first two verses and so here is the message, "Guard your steps when you go to the house of God. To draw near to listen is better than to give the sacrifice of fools, for they do not know that they are doing evil. Be not rash with your mouth, nor let your heart be hasty to utter a word before God, for God is in heaven and you on earth. Therefore let your words be few." (ESV). These words agree with James 1 were he tells us to be "swift to hear ... slow to speak", verse 19. We lack wisdom and so we come desiring to learn from God's Word. When we babble on we reveal our foolishness. Verses 4-7 tell us to take care in what we promise to do for the Almighty. Verses 8-9 inform us that no wicked deed is unnoticed. Rulers who oppress will themselves be held to account by their Sovereign. Verses 10-12 describe the curse of covetousness. The diligence of a common labourer induces sweet sleep. This contrasts with the restless mind of the covetous as verses 13-17 tell. The conclusion of the chapter is to enjoy the simple pleasures of life. God gives this gift to all who disentangle themselves from the complications of self seeking.

Acts 2 speaks of the day that commenced Pentecost - literally 50 days after the waiving of the sheaf of the first fruits on the third day after the Passover. Pentecost is known by the Jews as 'The Feast of Weeks' (the day following the marking off of seven weeks from Passover). Multitudes from every known country in the Roman world had been in Jerusalem for Passover (Edersheim suggests that there may have been three and a half million people present at that time). It was the perfect day to start witnessing for Christ. The phenomenon of the pouring out and resting of the Holy Spirit, in the form of a mighty rushing wind and resting on the Apostles in the form of cloven tongues of fir, was witnessed by many. The Apostles then began to speak in the dialects of the visitors to Jerusalem - at least 15 are named - as a sign to the assembled multitude that what the multitude were witnessing was from God. Verses 6, 8 and 11 indicate that the miraculous event was that of hearing. The crowds thought that the Apostles were drunk. Peter says that this could not be the case, but rather the phenomenon was a fulfilment of the prophecy of Joel 2:28-32. Read aloud those verses from Joel - pause and ponder. Peter preaches Christ as approved among them by God in the witness of miracles and a sinless and raised Saviour in the evidence of the empty tomb. Jesus is indeed the LORD's Holy One. A repentant response was needed from the conscience smitten crowd and this is evident in their plea of verse 37. Peter instructs those seeking a covering for sins to repent and be baptised ie be fully immersed in water and they would receive the promise of the spirit ie salvation (consider Joel 2:32). Three thousand respond and join the community of believers who constantly met in fellowship and unity. The ecclesia's expectations are outlined in verses 42-47.

Thoughts on the readings for April 25th (Deuteronomy 10, 11, Ecclesiastes 4, Acts 1) Apr 24, 2025

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Acts is Luke’s second account – compare Acts 1 verse 1-3 with Luke 1 verse 1-4. Luke 24 closes with Jesus’ ascension compare that to account the Acts 1 account which commences with the same event. Luke’s first record closes with Jesus praying as he is taken to heaven as does Acts 1. For 40 days Jesus spoke with his disciples of the kingdom of God on earth, as the reconstituted kingdom of Israel. The only question the Apostles had was “Is the time for the kingdom now?” The time, as verse 7 indicates, is known only by Jesus’ Father. By AD 96 when the book of Revelation is written Jesus then knew this time. But based on Jesus’ commission for them to preach to the entire world it would obviously be some time distant. And following the words of the angels in recorded in verses 9-11 that kingdom would not come until our Lord’s return to earth. From verses 12 to 26 a replacement is appointed for Judas, whose behaviour was the subject of prophecy – Psalm 109 verse 8 (in fact it is instructive to read the entire Psalm as it will provide us with an insight as to what motivated Judas). That successor is named as Matthias.

Thoughts on the readings for April 24th (Deuteronomy 8, 9, Ecclesiastes 3, John 20, 21) Apr 23, 2025

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In John 20 we find Jesus risen from the dead, as discovered by the women who arrived early at his tomb. The women tell the Apostles, who remain sceptical. Peter and John ran to the sepulchre and find it empty (the younger John outrunning the older Peter). John stands at the sepulchre’s entrance, taking in what he observes. But the ever impetuous and baffled Peter goes in. John sees evidence of the Lord’s resurrection in the way the grave clothes were laying. Jesus’ first appearance following his resurrection is to Mary Magdalene, who mistakes him for the gardener (an apt error as he is the one through whom Eden ie the paradise, or garden of God – will be restored). Our Lord tells her not to hinder ie delay him since he has not yet ascended to his Father. Read aloud verse 17 – pause and ponder. Jesus was not God – he was a grand, incomparable and glorious man (read Psalm 45: and Hebrews 2). Later that night Jesus appears to his Apostles and gives them the Holy Spirit. “Doubting” Thomas is not with them and refuses to believe their report without physically putting his fingers into the wounds in Jesus’ hands and side. Eight days later our Lord provides Thomas with that proof. Verses 30-31 state the objective of the narrative written. Slowly read those verses aloud and ponder their words. Chapter 21 contains the eighth sign John outlines in the catching of the 153 great fish. It occurs in Galilee and the chapter also deals with our Lord’s resolution with Peter over Peter’s threefold denial of his Master. The miracle reflects the time of the Apostle’s call to follow the Lord. The 153 fish certainly represent those who are saved in the gospel net. The gematria of the Hebrew expression “the sons of God” is 153 and may be the intended message. Peter is three times asked by his Lord as to whether he has a love for Jesus. Christ asks Peter whether his love for his Master exceeds that of the other Apostles. The first two times Jesus uses the Greek word ” agape” and Peter responds with Greek word “phileo” – meaning to have affection, or to be a friend. Peter is grieved when on the third occasion Jesus asks whether Peter has a ‘strong affection’ (phileo) for Jesus. An exchange occurs between Jesus and John as our Lord prophesies the manner of Peter’s death. John concludes his record by stating how vast were the Lord’s acts and that what was recorded was but a small sample.

Daily Readings & Thought for April 22nd. “VANITY OF VANITIES” Apr 22, 2025

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Today we began reading Ecclesiastes – it says it was written by “the preacher, the son of David, king of Jerusalem [1 v.1]. We know this is Solomon and his first words are, “Vanity of vanities, all is vanity”

What does vanity mean? The lexicon says the Hebrew word means, transitory, emptiness. Solomon is reviewing, apparently in his old age, all that he has accomplished in his life, he is overwhelmed by the feeling that in the final analysis it was all just “vanity” – he had accomplished nothing lasting.

He reflects, “all things are full of weariness” [v.8], observing, “my heart has had great experience of wisdom and knowledge” [v.16] but he saw it as “a striving after wind”. [v.17]. Tomorrow we will read his words, “then I considered all that my hands had done and all the toil I had expended in doing it, and behold, all was vanity” [2 v.11]

We wonder to what extent today we will (or already are) look back on a lifetime of striving to make and then spend money – and see it in the end as simply “vanity”? Also, those who fill so much of their ‘spare’ time with tweeting and twittering and relaxation with TV and DVDs for entertainment will see the ultimate emptiness of time spent in this way?

In contrast we saw today in John’s Gospel the intensity of thought and meaning in the prayer of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane. As it reaches its climax his mind is centred on his disciples, “Holy Father keep them in your name … that they may be one, even as we are one.” [17 v.11] Unity of mind, how wonderful!

Jesus continues, “they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. And for their sake I consecrate myself, that they also may be sanctified in truth” [v. 17-19].

God’s word is “truth,” it alone reveals the ultimate meaning of life and takes us – in thought – beyond “this world”.. Sanctify means to “be set apart” from the world so that the main focus of our minds – is on God and his ways and what is really true – in an everlasting sense. It is a truth we then take into our hearts and it becomes part of us.

Finally, how meaningful are the words of Jesus to Pilate, “You say that I am a king. For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world – to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice” [18 v.37]. Sceptically Pilate asks, “What is truth?” [v.38]. Let us not be sceptical but read and “listen” to what we read and aim to fully possess “the wisdom from above” (James 3 v.17) so that our lives are “sanctified in truth.”

Thoughts on the readings for April 23 Deuteronomy 6-7, Ecclesiastes 2, John 19 Apr 22, 2025

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John 19 told of Jesus’ crucifixion. It followed brutal treatment at the hands of Pilate’s soldiers including thrusting a crown of thorns upon his head and putting a purple robe on him in mockery. How apt that in his dying he would remove the curse brought by Adam upon the earth; and would be like the ram caught by his horns in Genesis 22. When Pilate heard their claim that Jesus was the Son of God his fear intensified and he sought the Lord’s release. Jesus made it crystal clear to Pilate that Pilate was without power against Jesus and the great sin lay with the Jewish rulers. They clamoured even more that Pilate should cooperate with their designs. If not Caesar would hear of it. Pilate caved in under pressure and allowed Jesus to be led away to be crucified. “We have no king but Caesar”, they cried; and forty years later their king came and destroyed Jerusalem because of their blood guiltiness. The crucifixion occurred in the place of the skull – Golgotha (the location where David buried Goliath’s skull, as told in 1 Samuel 17). He was crucified between two thieves- no doubt these were Barabbas’ men. In the three languages operating in Judea at the Aramaic, Greek and Latin was inscribed on his cross, “Jesus of Nazareth, king of the Jews”. The Jews protested Pilate’s writing; but he, no doubt, gloried in this small victory over them. The soldiers divided his clothes between them and they cast lots for his vesture in fulfilment of Psalm 22:18. The beloved women in his life eventually came near to see his death; and at this time he committed his mother into the care of his beloved Apostle John. He died with his final words being a citation of Psalm 31:5 the quotation being completed when he emerged from the tomb after three days. His side was pierced by a Roman spear and out came blood and water indicating he had died of a broken heart. Unlike the thieves not a bone of him was broken – he was the Passover Lamb of Exodus 12 and the subject of the prophecy in Psalm 34:20-22. And the Scripture in Revelation 1:7 will be true at his coming kingdom. Jesus’ body was secured from Pilate by Joseph of Arimathea. Jesus’ body was placed by Joseph and Nicodemas in a new and unused garden tomb owned by the rich man Joseph.

The Bride of Christ: #5 'The Bride of Christ'' with Stephen Hyndman Apr 22, 2025

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A @Christadelphians Video: The bride of Christ has its origin back in the Garden of Eden. Adam was first formed by God, then Eve was formed from his side. Adam suffered, as a rib was taken from his side to create Eve, his bride. This first marriage was a symbol of Christ and his bride, the Ecclesia. Christ, too, suffered on the cross to bring forth his bride. He, too, was pierced in his side. While Adam failed through sin and disobedience and so he and Eve were banished from the Garden of Eden, Jesus Christ succeeded in living a perfect sinless life. His mission is to bring his Bride back into the Garden – to reverse the curse of sin and mortality and bring his Ecclesia to life and immortality.

The Bride of Christ: #4 ''All Glorious within'' with Stephen Hyndman Apr 21, 2025

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Daily Readings & Thought for April 21st. “GREATER LOVE HAS NO MAN THAN THIS” Apr 21, 2025

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Today’s readings.. (Deuteronomy 4), (Proverbs 31), (John 15,16)

Love is probably the most common word in both Christian and non-Christian literature. It is used in a wide range of situations with many different meanings. It is usually used in common speech today in a very casual way! Are those who read God’s word influenced by this?

If we are – it will undermine our appreciation of what this word means in Scripture? In the Greek there are two different words and the one we focus on is ‘agape’ which occurs so much in the Gospel of John; he uses it 27 times; 9 times in today’s chapters (15 &16).

Chapter 13 contains a key statement of the Master, “A new commandment I have given you, that you love one another; just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.” [v.34]. So how did Jesus love them? How did he set an example?

What events and words show this? He washed their feet and he used this as an example of how to serve one another; however few of us tramp dusty roads in sandals with bare feet. to make a ritual of this would destroy the lesson as we commented yesterday. It was one example of love and humility toward one another. Jesus said, “I have given you an example that you also should do as I have done to you.” [v.15].

Not many hours later he would tell them of the ultimate act of “love” soon to occur – saying greater love has no man than this” [15 v.13]

Jesus asked, “Who is the greater, one who reclines at table, or one who serves? I am among you as one who serves” [Luke 22 v.27] So the love that Jesus showed was one of serving, he came as a servant – but will return as a King. In serving Jesus, we must ourselves seek to show love by what we do.

There will be times when we need to be gentle as he was with his disciples when they faltered, and he said “O you of little faith” [Luke 12 v28]; but read v.22-31 and appreciate the context and our Master’s final point, “For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.”. We might think of what we want, but our heavenly Father knows what we need.

He did not send anyone away, they went away themselves when they found his sayings “hard” [John 6 v.60,66] When John, years later, wrote his epistles he made one particular point which echoed these words of Jesus, “let us not love in word or talk, but in deed and in truth” [1 John 3 v.18] or as the NEB version puts it, “love must be genuine and show itself by actions.”

Thoughts on the readings for April 22nd (Deuteronomy 5, Ecclesiastes 1, John 17, 18) Apr 21, 2025

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John 17 outlines Jesus’ wonderful prayer for unity with himself and his Father. Having struggled to subject his will to the Father in Gethsemane and being strengthened by an angel to do that, the victory had been won, and all that remained were the trials, scourging and crucifixion which our Master would endure. So the prayer began with an acknowledgment of the coming glory – verse 4 the glory that the Father had planned for the Son before creation. Then followed a plea for men to know the Father and the servant Son sent into the world to reveal the Father’s character; and in that “knowing” would come life eternal. The prayer was to preserve the believers in that truth and so save them. None would be lost save Judas, the ‘son of destruction’. Eventually everyone sanctified by the truth would be united with the Father in the same way His Son was. John chapter 18 records the betrayal and arrest of the Lord in the garden of Gethsemane. Judas arrived with a heavily armed contingent of temple thugs; who when they asked the Lord, who they sought, they fell to the ground illustrating that where he was they could not come (John 7:36). He gave himself voluntarily into their hands after miraculously restoring the severed ear of Malchus- the high priest’s servant and rebuking Peter who had mistakenly tried to protect his Lord. Jesus faced Annas and Caiaphas in trial. Peter’s first denial followed. Then Jesus is placed under oath by the high priest, who contrary to the law commanded our Master to be struck and was rightly rebuked by Jesus. Peter’s second denial followed. The rulers attempted to force from Pilate, the Roman Governor, during the night, the death sentence – another illegality – on the unproven charge of treason. Pilate questioned Jesus and it was clear that our Lord had total mastery of the situation and it was Pontius Pilate who quailed in the presence of the Son of God. Jesus bore witness to the Truth that he came into the world to be “King of the Jews” (see 1 Timothy 6:12-16). Pilate declared him to be innocent of the charge; but the rulers clamoured for his death and the acquittal of Barabbas.

Daily Readings & Thought for April 20th. “AND IT WAS NIGHT” Apr 20, 2025

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Our readings in the Gospel of John from today forward appear to be an almost verbatim account of conversations of Jesus with his disciples covering just a few hours. Ch. 13 tells us of our Lord washing his disciples feet – setting an example of serving one another – but it was not a command for regular foot washing as it would have just become a ritual. After this Jesus tells them, “one of you will betray me” [v.21] causing much heart searching – and that is not a bad thing! We all need to ask ourselves, ‘Am I letting Christ down in something I do?’

Jesus hands Judas a “morsel of bread, he immediately went out. And it was night.” [v.30] Darkness had fallen, it was probably about 7 pm. Today is spiritual night – the darkness is becoming really dark – are we taking regular morsels of God’s word? Or are we going out into the night? We should be constantly seeking the fellowship and strength of the faithful. But are the faithful themselves feeling the chill of the night and the darkness?

The end of ch. 13 tells us how Jesus said to Peter, “Truly, truly, I say to you, the rooster will not crow till you have denied me three times.” So this is the final night of darkness in the mortal life of Jesus, by the time darkness comes again he will be dead. The next few chapters must be a largely verbatim account of what happened in the next few hours. Jesus tells them they are to receiver a ‘Helper’ “even the Spirit of truth … the Holy Spirit” [14 v.16,17,26] which, among other things, will enable you to “bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.”

John’s own gospel wonderfully illustrates this – from here to the end of ch. 17 are some of the most heart searching and challenging words in the whole of Scripture!

Ch. 18 tells us they then went to where there “was a garden which he and his disciples entered.” [v.1] The other Gospels tell us what happened in that garden and how the 3 disciples closest to him were nearby, but kept falling asleep. But not so Jesus! Imagine the intensity of his mind as that night progressed!!

In the middle of the night comes a “band of soldiers with lanterns, torches and weapons … “[18 v.3] There were still hours to go before the cock would crow three times! What a night that was – how the disciples were frightened out of their wits by it all.

It is night now! How are we coping? Peter who was so crushed in spirit by the events of that night was to later write of the night that confronts us. “But the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night, and then the heavens (rulers) will pass away with a roar … the earth and the works that are done in it will be exposed. Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness”

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