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Ezekiel 9 Let the judgements of God now begin! The Wicked Are Slain 1 Then He called out in my hearing with a loud voice, saying, “Let those who have charge over the city draw near, each with a deadly weapon in his hand.” 2 And suddenly six men came from the direction of the upper gate, which faces north, each with his battle-ax in his hand. One man among them was clothed with linen and had a writer’s inkhorn at his side. They went in and stood beside the bronze altar. God instructs his angelic warriors (watchers) who ironically would have been involved in the protection of the city to prepare their weapons of destruction to conduct his judgement. The deadly weapons the six angels carried were literally ‘shattering weapons’ or ‘slaughter-weapons’. Matthew Henry suggests the number of angels (six) was the same number as the six main gates of Jerusalem. There was amongst the six angels another one who was clothed in linen which was the type of garment worn by the priests. This person also had an ink horn like an ancient lawyer and was there to assist by marking some people for mercy. The presence of a priestly person makes us think of Jesus as the great High Priest and Mediator who saves humankind from divine justice. Some think that what Ezekiel is seeing here is prophetic of what the Chaldeans will do to Jerusalem some five years later. 3 Now the glory of the God of Israel had gone up from the cherub, where it had been, to the threshold of the temple.[a] And He called to the man clothed with linen, who had the writer’s inkhorn at his side; 4 and the Lord said to him, “Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and put a mark on the foreheads of the men who sigh and cry over all the abominations that are done within it.” The divine glory had moved up from the mercy seat to the temple threshold indicating that the Lord was moving from mercy into judgement. The Lord summoned the seventh angel and instructed him to put a mark like a cross on the foreheads of those who mourned over the sins of those who were defiling the temple. Those who had the X mark (Hebrew taw) on their foreheads would be spared as a righteous remnant from the coming judgement. 5 To the others He said in my hearing, “Go after him through the city and kill; do not let your eye spare, nor have any pity. 6 Utterly slay old and young men, maidens and little children and women; but do not come near anyone on whom is the mark; and begin at My sanctuary.” So they began with the elders who were before the temple. 7 Then He said to them, “Defile the temple, and fill the courts with the slain. Go out!” And they went out and killed in the city. The six warrior angels are commanded to destroy the idolaters with the single exception of those marked by the angel with the inkhorn as above. The angels are commanded to show no mercy on the guilty irrespective of age or gender and were to begin at the sanctuary which had been profaned by the guilty. The angels started with the elders who were at the temple. The angels were told to further defile the holy temple by filling its courts with the dead bodies of those whom they had executed. 8 So it was, that while they were killing them, I was left alone; and I fell on my face and cried out, and said, “Ah, Lord God! Will You destroy all the remnant of Israel in pouring out Your fury on Jerusalem?” Ezekiel falls on his face and begins to intercede for the guilty people who are being put to death by the six angels. He appeals to the Lord God of Israel asking him to remember to save a remnant of his people as he pours out his fury on Jerusalem. 9 Then He said to me, “The iniquity of the house of Israel and Judah is exceedingly great, and the land is full of bloodshed, and the city full of perversity; for they say, ‘The Lord has forsaken the land, and the Lord does not see!’ 10 And as for Me also, My eye will neither spare, nor will I have pity, but I will recompense their deeds on their own head.” God replies to Ezekiel’s intercession that the children of Israel were too far gone into sin that it was now appropriate that the Lord God was compelled to judge them. The Israelites could not be allowed to continue there many heinous sins including the shedding of innocent blood, their perversity, and thinking that the Lord God did not see how they were living in the depths of sin. The Lord states because of the depth of sin being committed that he will not show any mercy on the guilty irrespective of age or gender as he had commanded the six angels. 11 Just then, the man clothed with linen, who had the inkhorn at his side, reported back and said, “I have done as You commanded me.” The seventh angel with the inkhorn now reports back to the Lord that he has completed the marking of the remnant who are to be excluded from this terrible judgement. Footnotes: Ezekiel 9:3 Literally house

The prayers of the Apostle Paul a) The prayer in Ephesians 3:14-21 (read) This prayer contains a progressive revelation. Please note there are five main steps in this prayer. Step 1 Verse 16; To be strengthened with might by His Spirit in the inner man. This strengthening with might in your inner man is an essential prerequisite before partaking of steps 2-5. For it is only through the ‘dynamite’ power of the Holy Spirit in us that we can progress spiritually. Step 2 Verse 17; Tells us that consequences of Christ dwelling in our hearts by faith is that we become rooted like a tree in love and grounded like a building, with Jesus Christ as your foundation. This means our Christian walk of obedience to Christ is based upon our responding in love to his love which Jesus gave first. Step 3 Verse 18; When we are strengthened with might in our inner man, and Christ is dwelling in our hearts by faith and we grow rooted and grounded in love then we are in the position to begin to comprehend or discern spiritually the dimensions of God`s love where it surpasses humanly discerned knowledge. Things to consider about the dimensions of God’s love. Breadth – boundless Length – endless Depth – fathomless Height [1] – measureless Even to describe God’s love as a sea is inadequate since seas have limits. Step 4 Verse 19 We must experience the love of Christ, each one of us. That agape love that the Holy Spirit sheds abroad in our hearts (Romans 5:5). When we are filled to overflowing with his divine love then we attain the fourth step of the progression, which is that we have the richest measure of the divine presence and we become a body wholly filled and flooded with God himself. If this is true, it is possible that we can experience the richest measure of the divine presence! Wow! The Greek rendering of ‘filled with all the fullness’ suggests a continuous process, a progressive enlarging experience like a vessel being filled to the brim. Then the vessel expands, and the process goes on and on. Thus, our hearts will grow and take in more and more of Him. Amen. Step 5 Verse 20 Paul then goes on to say after having given us such a tremendous revelation of the word, that the Lord can do infinitely more than all that we dare ask or think, infinitely above our highest hopes, prayers, desires, thoughts, or dreams. Wow! Fellow saints, the word of God tells us that the fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much (James 5:16). Would you dare to make such a prayer as this, a prayer for yourself and for those you lead, would you dare to pray this prayer right now? In verse 20 did Paul get carried away with himself? Or was the Holy Spirit showing the church how we also ought to pray for ourselves and others, so that we can aim for the summit of God`s fullness in us in bodily form. If we ask Him for bread will he give us stone or snake for a fish? He knows what good gifts to give to His children. Matthew 5:6 Conclusion Would you dare to ask God for his best for yourself and others, or do you think that the Lord can only just keep you saved? See Ephesians 3:10 concerning the multi-faceted wisdom of God. The Word of God says that the fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much (James 5:16). Will you dare make such a spirit anointed prayer your fervent prayer. Dare to pray this prayer! Father God we bow our knees to you in the name of Jesus Christ. We ask that you grant us, according to your riches, that we might be strengthened with your mighty power in our inner man. We pray that Christ may be dwelling in our hearts by faith, and that we are becoming rooted and grounded in your divine love. We ask that we may be able to comprehend with all your saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height of your love, and to come to truly know your love which surpasses human knowledge, that we might be filled with the love of God as you are Lord. Lord, we know you can do much more above all we can ask or even think because your power is at work in us and we say Amen and Glory to your name. [1] Height How high does God`s love extend? Look at the privileges we now enjoy and those the Lord has promised will come. See I Samuel 2:8 Isaiah 56:5 Romans 8:16-17 I John 3:1 Revelation 22:4-5

The practicalities of loving one another We have considered a number of 'love one another' scriptures. In this part we have two more of them followed by some practical suggestions as to how we can put 'loving one another into practice. Ephesians 4:32 Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. God has forgiven each one of us our total huge debts. Remember the parable of the big debtor who was forgiven his massive debt, yet he refused to forgive someone else a comparatively small debt. He received a suitable punishment. 1 Peter 1:22 Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for each other, love one another deeply, from the heart. Our love must be sincere and from the heart. If you cannot feel it then ask God to give it to you, for it is his will. Remember how Corrie Ten Boom was able to forgive a concentration camp officer where her family were murdered. She could only do it with God’s power. How do we put ‘loving one another into practice? Here are some suggestions. Serving one another – what does the person need that you can supply. A listening ear. Time together-company. Practical help – meals, garden, household chores, and tasks etc. Give whatever they need if you can- it is not necessarily financial but whatever our brother/sister needs. Give them a kind memory even in times of trouble/sadness. Amen Personal Prayer

We are commanded to love You will recall that Christians’ fellowship (koinonia) is the sharing our lives with each other. It means we ought to become involved in each other's lives. Christianity is a team game that needs every player taking part. We saw previously in our Body Ministry message that every part of the body of Christ has its unique part to play. No believer is independent of each other but rather we all are inter-dependent on each other, and we will only reach full maturity in the faith by working with each other. You will have certainly realised by now that Christianity is all about love meaning that our Christianity means for us to love God and to love our fellow man. New Testament Commandments Jesus commanded his followers to keep his commandments. John 14:15 “If you love Me, keep My commandments. 16 And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever. They are not suggestions or helpful hints, but they are Jesus' express commands to his followers and as such apply to us as part of his church. We are going to have a quick reminder as to what his commandments are. The two greatest commandments Matthew 22:36 “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?” 37 Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbour as yourself.’ 40 On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.” Matthew 22:40 is a verse in the Bible that says, "On these two - hang all the law and the prophets. This means that the two great commandments, loving God with everything in our being and loving our neighbours as ourselves, are like the first and last links of a chain, and all the intermediate ones depend on them. Jesus upholds Deuteronomy 6:5 (the Shema), indicating that loving God with everything within us, is the great and first commandment. Think of the cross; Loving God is the vertical dimension and the loving our neighbours as ourselves is the horizontal dimension of our love. Who is your neighbour? As explained in the parable of the Good Samaritan, our neighbour is anyone who needs our help! A new Commandment John 13:33 Little children, I shall be with you a little while longer. You will seek Me; and as I said to the Jews, ‘Where I am going, you cannot come,’ so now I say to you. 34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. 35 By this all will know that you are My disciples if you have love for one another.” Well, how does Jesus love his followers? Take a moment to think. He loves us unto death! His love was so great that he gave his life’s blood that we might be forgiven and reconciled to God. Jesus expects that our love for each will be sacrificial putting the needs of one another ahead of our own. In the early Church, Tertullian tells us that the witness of Christian love, struck pagans. “See how they love one another!” they would remark. I wonder if any people today could look at us today say the same thing as Tertullian. Our love for one another should be the hallmark of our Christian faith and be the major characteristic of how we deal with one another. Amen Personal Prayer In Part 2 we consider some scriptures that tell how to deal with one another, relating to each other, and things we do together.

Learning to show love from example We are continuing to consider scriptures that inspire us to love one another. Hebrews 10:24 And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, 25 not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching. v24 How can we spur one another towards love and good works? I think the best approach by our own Godly example. When I was aged 11 or 12, I crashed my elder brother’s bike and buckled the wheels. I went back to my Christian Aunt’s for help, and she tended to my wounds and gave me 10 shillings (big amount) which helped to pacify my brother. I cannot recall my accident without remembering her love and kindness and it still inspires me today. What I learned from my Aunt was when something bad happens in someone’s life try to find a way to bless them that becomes part of the overall memory. v25 We can only walk the Christian faith together meaning we need each other to grow in the faith. Sometimes we think we could do better without any involvement of our fellow believers-but this is the opposite of the truth because God designed us to be a family that is inter-dependent. We might not be able to get to every church meeting- but our hearts should want to be there. We need to be careful that by not attending the church meetings that we are being lured away from the place of safety – remember what happens to lone wagons and when the enemy attacks. It is much safer when the wagons circle! 1 John 3: 22 And whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight. 23And this is His commandment: that we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ and love one another, as He gave us commandment. Again, we are commanded to love one another! 1 John 4:7 Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. 8 He who does not love does not know God, for God is love. 9 In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. 10 In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. Love is giving as illustrated in John 3:16. God initiated this giving of love. Propitiation: means to turns away the wrath of God. If God so loved us, we ought to love one another. Romans 12:10 Be devoted to one another in brotherly love; give preference to one another in honour, We must try to enhance each other’s lives and ministries by bringing out the best in each other. Romans 12:16 Be of the same mind toward one another. Do not set your mind on high things, but associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own opinion. Each of us belong to our own church and we should have unity of purpose including. loving God, loving each other, loving those in the world and be willing to associate with the poor and lowly and never to be condescending to anyone. Galatians 5:13 You, my brothers, and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love. It is our duty and indeed our privilege to give loving service to each other. This means we should seek to meet each other's needs. Amen Personal Prayer In Part 4 (final) we consider the practicalities of loving one another.

Practical advice for dealing with rejection There are 100+ scriptures in the New Testament that refer to ‘one another’, or to ‘each other’, or ‘together’. For example there are such references in the last 5 chapters of Romans. So we are spoiled for choice in studying what the scriptures say about loving one another. Here is a selection of them. Romans 15:7 Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God. Our basis for accepting each other as brothers and sisters in Christ is that the Lord himself has already accepted each one of us. There can be no higher recommendation than the approval of Jesus Christ. Most of our lives we can struggle to be accepted because many groups, teams and clubs, like you to be good at something e.g. golf, football, hockey, chess, bowling etc., but we accept each other in Christ. We are now going on a slight detour to discuss what non-acceptance means. Acceptance versus Rejection Acts 4:8 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “Rulers of the people and elders of Israel: 9 If we this day are judged for a good deed done to a helpless man, by what means he has been made well, 10 let it be known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, by Him this man stands here before you whole. 11 This is the ‘stone, which was rejected by you builders, which has become the chief cornerstone.’ 12 Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” Most of us at some time in life will experience some form of rejection. Family or so-called friends might decide to terminate their relationship with us under various circumstances. We might feel let-down, bewildered and angry that people can be as unkind, but it is a lesson unfortunately we need to learn in this world. Even when we go for a job interview or some selection process for sports or team ventures, we might be rejected. In all these forms of rejection we must be humble, forgiving and fight any tendency towards bitterness. This what Jesus Christ himself experienced. The one people in the world who should have known who and what the Son of God would be like, were the Jews. But when He came to them, most of them including their secular and religious leaders rejected and dismissed Him as an impostor. He was the precious stone which the builders rejected yet he was and still is the most important stone in the building known as the church, which is the cornerstone! The corner-stone or capstone is usually laid at a ceremony in honour of a new building. All the other stones fit in around the cornerstone. So, is there someone whose judgement that we can trust? When we look at people we can be so influenced by external things, such as their appearance, demeanour, dress sense, personality etc. But when God considers a person, He looks right into their heart. A clear example of this was when the Lord sent Samuel the prophet to anoint one of the sons of Jesse as King over Israel. Samuel considered each one of them from the natural point of view, how tall or handsome that they were. But God makes it quite clear in 1 Samuel 6:7 that He is interested in a person’s heart. The inner qualities not the external are much more important. So, what does this mean in practice for us in our day to day lives? Firstly, when we are rejected and put down, our loving heavenly Abba Father is always there to remind us of our true value, which is that you are valuable and precious to Him. So much so that He gave His only begotten Son…John 3:16. The world’s value system is superficial and dangerous. Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light! Do not trust outward appearances, Jesus told the Pharisees that they were white-washed tombstones, white on the inside but inside dark and horrible, full of dead men’s bones! Secondly, we must ask the Lord for discernment in all the appropriate areas of life. The wrong choice of a marriage or business partner can easily ruin someone’s life. Running with the wrong crowd of friends has also caused unnecessary suffering and grief in some lives. We can take a good example from the disciples after the resurrection when they gathered to choose a replacement for the traitor Judas Iscariot. They prayed indicating that only God Himself truly knows what is in a man’s heart and therefore they asked the Lord to show who His choice for the vacant position was. The Lord then spoke to the hearts of the disciples, and they chose whom they believed that the Lord had already chosen. In conclusion, no matter what people say or do to you, God will always love you and never let you down. Since only God truly knows a person’s heart, we must ask Him to guide us in all our decisions involving people. We might not always get the answer we want or like, but we can console ourselves by the knowledge that the Lord’s choice will always be the right one! Amen Personal Prayer In Part 3 we return to those wonderful ‘one another’ scriptures.

By praying In Part 2 we looked at how we should give to poor and saw that secrecy was vital and not to look from the approval of other people. Likewise today in Part 3 your prayers ought to be strictly between you and the Lord. You motive is crucial. Matthew 6: 5 “And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. 6 But when you pray, go into your room, close the door, and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. 7 And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. 8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. v5 If your intention when you pray is to be publicly noticed by man then you are a hypocrite. The praise of man is all you can expect. Pray in secret and store up treasure in heaven. v6 Your prayer should be done in private place away from the gaze of others. This is the kind of prayer Abba Father delights to reward. v7 God is not impressed by our babbling prayers like the unbelievers nor is he impressed by repetitive prayers because he heard you first time. v8 Abba Father knows exactly what you need, even if sometimes you don't. He already knows. Secret praying is seen by God. Public praying is seen by man. Like our giving, our praying seems to work best when offered in private not public. Behaving religiously in public does not impress God one bit! Amen Your Closing Prayer

New 5 part mini-series This week our mini-series topic will be storing up treasure in heaven. Keynote scripture Matthew 6:19-21 (NIV) 19 “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Worldly mindedness focuses on material things Heavenly mindedness dwells on the invisible and should in the main be hidden from public view. What earthly treasures does this scripture refer to? What can be destroyed by moths and mice? What can be stolen by thieves breaking into our property? It seems to me that the only thing we can take to heaven are people (especially our families), and this is only achievable by love as exercised in its many and various forms…prayer, giving, sacrifice, fasting, kindness and forgiveness etc. These actions when empowered by your love (see 1 Corinthians 13) which will influence the people who we meet in life e.g. When you love, you show mercy. When you love, you forgive. When you love, you forbear. When you love, you are kind. When you love, you are patient. Where does the love come from? Romans 5:5 And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us. Day by day, minute by minute the Holy Spirit is pouring God's agape love into each believer's heart. Let it show! Let it flow! Let it produce the fruit of the Spirit in your life! Amen Your closing prayer. Love is the only thing that we can carry with us when we go, and it makes the end so easy Louisa May Alcott, Little Women (1868)

A study of Mark 9:1, Mark 13:30, and Matthew 10:23. Craig L Blomberg [1] has suggested another approach to Matthew 10 Blomberg suggests we need to focus in on the larger context of Matthew 10:23 (within Jesus’ sermon) on the mission described by Jesus in Matthew 10. Vv. 5–15 seem limited to the immediate circumstances of Jesus sending out the disciples without going with them. Many of the teaching points in these eleven verses surely cannot refer to the longer-term mission of Jesus’s followers. Specifically, when Jesus applies the restriction to going anywhere among the Samaritans and Gentiles but only to the lost people in Israel (vv. 5–6) this contrasts with the instruction (to make disciples of all nations) that Jesus gives in his Great Commission in Matthew 28:19-20. It is also unlikely that Jesus intended his followers to never take money or extra provisions with them (vv. 9–10) in their later missionary activity, nor always to rely on others’ hospitality for their room and board (vv. 11–12). So it appears that as far into his message as verse 15, he is still speaking of the literal towns in first-century Israel. In verse 16, however, he segways into a longer-term perspective. While it is always true that Christ’s followers should be as “wise as snakes” yet “as innocent as doves” (v. 16), this is particularly relevant for their ministry after his death and resurrection. Verses 17–42 contain warnings against rejection, persecution, hostility, arrest, imprisonment, beatings and even martyrdom for allegiance to Jesus (see esp. vv. 17–23a). Most of the above forms of persecution did not begin until after Jesus’s death, resurrection, and the sending of the Spirit, although it has sadly continued in various parts of the world ever since. The Great Commission to make disciples of all nations includes Israel just as much as any other of the world’s nations. Since verse 23b appears in this precise context, within the same verse as the prediction of persecution, it is best to understand Jesus as teaching the ongoing incomplete nature of the mission to the Jews, with “cities of Israel” is to be understood both literally and (by implication) to refer to all Jewish people everywhere. The Great Commission to make disciples of all nations (or people groups) includes Israel just as much as the rest of the world’s nations. Blomberg then argues that in practical terms the meaning of Matthew 10:23 is that all believers should keep busy being about the Father’s business until the ‘Son of Man’ comes back. Conclusion Our closer look at the above 3 verses clearly demonstrates that Jesus did not claim he would return to earth during his first follower’s lifetime. Further, as far as these three verses are concerned, it is clear that the internal consistency of the bible remains intact and that there is no evidence of Jesus’ words proving unreliable. Amen [1] Craig L. Blomberg is distinguished professor of New Testament at Denver Seminary in Littleton, Colorado.

A celebration of Holy Communion: 1st Corinthians 11:23-25 Reading John chapter 6 recently it struck me that this chapter is all about bread. As I read it, things just kept jumping out at me and I feel compelled to write them down. While we are preparing for Communion, we are used to hearing the words of 1 Cor 11:23-25 being read out “…. on the same night in which He was betrayed took bread……….do this as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” I think the words of Jesus in this chapter will help us to gain a deeper understanding of the significance of the Communion and make it a richer experience. We begin with the parable of the Loaves and Fishes. We are told early on in the chapter that. the Pesach (the Passover) was nearby. Jesus sees the crowds and asks Philip where they can buy bread to feed them. My first thought was - as it was near Passover, where the Jews clean their houses of all hametz. (yeast) would there be a shortage of bread? My second thought was – Jesus is the Bread of Life. Was He asking this, knowing ‘I am the bread. I will feed them’? After Jesus crossed over the Galilee to Capernaum people came looking for him, and he challenged them. Beginning with the phrase which is translated ‘most assuredly,’ (in Hebrew ‘Amen Amen’ or ‘yes indeed’) which means ‘listen very carefully’/listen up, he says to them. that they were seeking him because they ate the bread, not because they saw the signs. Then He opens up this deep teaching on the bread. “Do not work for the food which passes away but for the food that stays on into eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For this is the one on whom God the Father has put His seal.” The people then ask Jesus for a sign and say “our fathers ate the manna in the desert as it is. written (says in the Tanakh), ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’ When Jesus replies, he says again ‘most assuredly’ ‘yes indeed’ “Moses did not give you the bread from heaven, by my Father gives you the true bread from heaven. For the Bread of God is He who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” Jesus continues by explaining that He is the bread of life and all who believe in Him will never. hunger or thirst and that everyone who believes in Him, He will raise up on the last day. Again Jesus says, ‘most assuredly’ ‘yes indeed’ He who believes in me has eternal life. I am the bread of life. Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness and are dead. This is the bread which came down from heaven, that one may eat of it and not die. I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever, and the bread that I shall give is my flesh, which I shall give for the life of the world.” And then again, He says ‘most assuredly’ yes indeed’ (listen up!) “unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you. Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. For My flesh is food indeed, and My blood is drink indeed. He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him. (Leviticus 17:11 says that the life of the flesh is in the blood) John 6v58 “This is the bread which came down from heaven – not as your fathers ate the manna, and are dead. He who eats this bread will live forever.” What if we thought on this as we prepare to take Communion! Would not it take us so much deeper into the meaning of it and give us so much more? This was not even Jesus’s last Passover. The next chapter goes on to say that Sukkot (the Feast of Tabernacles was near) so Jesus is still around then. He was preparing the people ahead of his death! 1 Corinthians 11 v26 “For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death till He comes.” Here is David Stern’s commentary on this verse: - At Passover Jews all over the world retell the story of the plagues and the Exodus and thus proclaim the central fact on which their peoplehood is founded. Likewise, members of the Messianic Community (Believers of Jesus) are to proclaim the death of the Lord as them. exodus from sin and as the basis for their existence. Both proclamations look not only back toward a past redemption but also forward to a future one; hence the proclamation is until He comes the second time.” Jewish New Testament Commentary, David H. Stern By guest blogger Batnabas aka Linda Morris

Jesus explains it to Nicodemus We are reading from the Gospel of John chapter 3 3:1-2 There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews:2 The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that you do, except God be with him. This important man was probably part of the rich and powerful Gurion family. His name was Nicodemus, and he was highly influential Pharisee and religious leader you could say a top man in Israel. Nicodemus addresses Jesus with respect calling him ‘Rabbi or teacher’. Nicodemus thinks that because of the miracles Jesus had performed that God must be with him. 3:3 Jesus anticipates Nicodemus direction of conversation but cuts straight to the chase by saying ‘unless a man is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Jesus is telling Nicodemus and in a sense all mankind that a second birth is necessary to enter all God’s ways , purposes, and blessings here on earth. The natural birth gives us the 5 senses and the second birth opens our spiritual senses of hearing, seeing, and sensing the things of God. Without the new spiritual senses how can anyone experience the joys of God’s kingdom or God’s rule in our lives? 3:4 Nicodemus replies Jesus ‘How can a man be born when he is old, can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb and be born’? The idea here is that Nicodemus is saying to Jesus surely you are not suggesting a second physical birth! 3:5 Jesus answered Truly, truly , I tell you that ‘Unless a man be born of water [1] and of the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God’. This means each person who is born in a natural biological and physical birth must also experience a second supernatural spiritual birth as to enable them to enter all the joy and blessings of life in God’s kingdom. 3:6 Jesus now describes the rules of natural and spiritual generation, that which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Jesus is saying that the sinful human nature (the flesh) transmits its fallenness to each baby born through natural childbirth. However, the new spiritual nature can only be transmitted to a person by the Holy Spirit. 3:7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. Jesus tells the puzzled Nicodemus, do not be amazed, or surprised or begin to wonder why it is that (Jesus insists) that he must be born again (born anew). As a religious leader Nicodemus was well acquainted with salvation through keeping the torah yet this person Jesus was clearly saying that it was mandatory to be born again to be able to enter God’s kingdom. Something had to happen via the Holy Spirit working on Nicodemus’ heart so that his eyes could open to the Kingdom of God. 3:8 The wind blows where it chooses, and you hear the sound of it, but canst you cannot tell where it comes from, or where it goes: so is every one that is born of the Spirit. Jesus now gives an illustration or metaphor to help Nicodemus understand what he means. We cannot see the wind, yet we are clearly aware of the effects of the wind. We can hear it and we can see its effects on leaves and trees and plants. In the same way when the wind of the Holy Spirit blows on your soul or mind, we cannot see it but are aware in hearts that new things are taking place. Maybe we can feel compassion or love as never before, or perhaps a new generosity of spirit. The Holy Spirit moves in and through the born-again hearts in a mysterious way as he wills. Nicodemus would be stunned to hear this as he was still focused on keeping the Law. 3:9 Nicodemus answered and said unto him, how can these things be? Yet again the stunned Nicodemus asks, ‘how can this be so’? It is clear he had not a clue about how God intended salvation to work. Perhaps his strict training in the Law immunized him to the Gospel? We break off the story at this point to consider what does this mean to you and me? If you are a follower of Jesus, then this story is a good way to introduce Jesus in a conversation that could lead to that person coming to Christ. If you are not yet a follower of Christ , you must realize that Jesus’ stark message to Nicodemus is that we must be born again to enter into God’s realm and enjoy all his wonderful benefits including forgiveness of all your sins. But you say, how can I do it, The bible is clear (Romans 10) says 9 that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. We now need to turn this belief into a prayer spoken from your heart. You can find such a prayer in the link below https://www.psalmonesermons.com/post/jesus-explains-the-new-birth

You must be born again In John's gospel chapter 3 there is a fascinating discussion between Jesus and Nicodemus which we can follow through verse by verse. 3:1-2 There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews:2 The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that you do, except God be with him. This important man was probably part of the rich and powerful Gurion family. His name was Nicodemus, and he was highly influential Pharisee and religious leader you could say the 'top man' in Israel. Nicodemus addresses Jesus with respect calling him ‘Rabbi or teacher.’ Nicodemus thinks that because of the miracles Jesus had performed that God must be with him. 3:3 Jesus anticipates Nicodemus direction of conversation but cuts straight to the chase by saying ‘unless a man is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Jesus is telling Nicodemus and in a sense all humanity that a second birth is necessary to enter all God’s ways, purposes, and blessings here on earth. The natural birth gives us the 5 senses and the second birth open our spiritual senses of hearing, seeing, and sensing the things of God. Without the new spiritual senses how can anyone experience the joys of God’s kingdom or God’s rule in our lives? 3:4 Nicodemus replies Jesus ‘How can a man be born when he is old, can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb and be born’? The idea here is that Nicodemus is saying to Jesus surely you are not suggesting a second physical birth! 3:5 Jesus answered Truly, truly , I tell you that ‘Unless a man be born of water [1] and of the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.’ This means each person who is born in a natural biological and physical birth must also experience a second supernatural spiritual birth that will enable them to enter all the joy and blessings of life in God’s kingdom. 3:6 Jesus now describes the rules of natural and spiritual generation, that which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Jesus is saying that the sinful human nature (the flesh) transmits its fallenness to each baby born through natural childbirth. However, the new spiritual nature can only be transmitted to a person by the Holy Spirit. 3:7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.Jesus tells the puzzled Nicodemus, do not be amazed, or surprised or begin to wonder why it is that (Jesus insists) that he must be born again (born anew). As a religious leader Nicodemus was well acquainted with salvation through keeping the torah yet this person Jesus was clearly saying that it was mandatory to be born again to be able to enter God’s kingdom. Something had to happen via the Holy Spirit working on Nicodemus’ heart so that his eyes could open to the Kingdom of God. 3:8 The wind blows where it chooses, and you hear the sound of it, but canst you cannot tell where it comes from, or where it goes: so is every one that is born of the Spirit. Jesus now gives an illustration or metaphor to help Nicodemus understand what he means. We cannot see the wind, yet we are clearly aware of the effects of the wind. We can hear it and we can see its effects on leaves, trees, and plants. In the same way when the wind of the Holy Spirit blows on your soul or mind, we cannot see it but are aware in hearts that new things are taking place. We can feel compassion or love as never before, or a new generosity of spirit. The Holy Spirit moves in and through the born-again hearts in a mysterious way as he wills. Nicodemus would be stunned to hear this as he was still focused on keeping the Law. 3:9 Nicodemus answered and said unto him, how can these things be? Yet again the stunned Nicodemus asks, ‘how can this be so’? It is clear he had not a clue about how God intended salvation to work. Perhaps his strict training in the Law immunized him to the Gospel? We break off the story at this point to consider what does this mean to you and me? If you are a follower of Jesus, then this story is an effective way to introduce Jesus in a conversation that could lead to that person coming to faith in Christ. If you are not yet a follower of Christ, you must realize that Jesus’ stark message to Nicodemus is that we must be born again to enter God’s realm and enjoy all his wonderful benefits including forgiveness of all your sins. But you say, how can I do it, The bible is clear (Romans 10:9) says that 'if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation'. We now need to turn this belief into a prayer spoken from your heart. Dear Jesus , thank you for taking my punishment on the cross, which I deserve for all the wrong things I have done in the past. Help me turn away (repent) from the ways of this world and all its the false promises. I ask now for your forgiveness and a fresh start in my life. I invite the Holy Spirit into my heart and mind to show me how to live from this time on. Amen If you have prayed this prayer for the first time and meant it, you now need to start praying, reading your bible and find a church where they teach and believe the bible. Bless you , the angels in heaven are rejoicing over your decision to turn to God. Amen Personal Prayer [1] The likely picture here to Nicodemus would be like a mikvah (bath for ritual cleansing) which although enough for physical cleanliness was not enough to cleanse in a spiritual sense,