Bernard Gabbott - Sunday, 25 June 2023
Identity Matters
Scripture References: Malachi 2:10-16, Psalms 23:1-6, Deuteronomy 7:1-6
Gathering Growing Going
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CloseThe LORD loves His people. The LORD’s people doubt His love. This affects their worship of Him – does He really deserve our best? And this affects their relationships with each other – if the LORD doesn’t really love us, why should we be faithful to each other? This is the scenario that Malachi confronts in Malachi 2:10-16. Three points are worth remembering. • First, this is a prophecy against God’s people, not a statement about the wider world. • Second, this is a reminder that how we live as God’s mob reflects what we think about God – our vertical life is expressed in our horizontal life. • And, third, God has given us daily images of His faithfulness towards us – daily covenants. Do we live in such a way here that we honour Him?
Scripture References: Malachi 2:10-16, Psalms 23:1-6, Deuteronomy 7:1-6
Related Topics: Minor Prophet | More Messages from Bernard Gabbott | Download Audio
Jesus deals with the question of ‘Who belongs in the kingdom?’ Is it children? Is it the good? Is it the godly? And, how and what does this look like? This question of ‘belonging’ is one that is constant in our lives – where do I belong, do I belong, what does belonging look like? And Jesus is very clear: the kingdom of heaven is made up of the dependent, the reliant, the weak – just like children.
The book of Esther recounts a period where God's people are in exile, aliens in a foreign land. Sounds like our time doesn't it? Even when God seems absent, He is at work. The great reversal of power at the heart of the universe has already taken place. Jesus won victory over death on the cross and in His resurrection. Satan the great enemy of God and His people, has been defeated. We wait in the now but not yet. Waiting for the Lord Jesus to return and give His people relief and rest. But as we wait, we share the good news of the gospel, call people to faith in Jesus, faithfully endure persecution, knowing that our deliverance is assured.
We love a turning point. Whether it is a story or a football game. Hope dawning at the darkest time. Where is the great turning point in Esther? It could be our memory verse, when Esther is persuaded by Mordecai to act to save her people. It could be when the king looks with favour upon Esther and holds out the golden scepter to her. It could be when Haman is forced to lead Mordecai through the city mounted on the king’s horse and proclaims that he is the man the king delights to honour. They are major events in the story of Esther. They are turning points of a sort. But the writer of Esther points us to another event. That looks so trivial.
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