Stephen spoke tonight on the theme ‘Signed, Sealed and Delivered.’ This idiom refers to a legal deed, which to be valid had to be signed by the seller, sealed with a wax seal, and delivered to the new owner. It’s often used in contracts (e.g. to buy a house or a car), but could also be said to refer to what God has done for each believer.
John 6:35 reminds us that Jesus is the Bread of Life. Faith in Jesus is the starting point for our spiritual journey. The centurion’s encounter with Jesus demonstrated a faith Jesus had rarely seen in Israel (Matt 8:8-10), and faith is the starting point for us, akin to signing a contract and promising to follow Jesus all our lives.
For us to grow, we need to be contented in Christ, and this comes as we digest God’s word, taking it in and allowing it to direct our lives, giving meaning and focus to all that we do. God’s word shines light into every situation and is our total guarantee for life. It seals us and guarantees that all God’s promises can be fulfilled in our lives. We find in this book all the answers to our burdens and woes and receive the guidance we need as we learn to absorb God’s word into every area of our lives.
Christ is our Deliverer and our Redeemer; He starts His good work in us and will complete that work. (Phil 1:6) 2 Cor 1:10 reminds us that God has delivered us from peril in the past and will continue to deliver us. 1 Cor 1:30 reminds us that Christ has become for us wisdom, holiness and righteousness. We know that we are sealed with God’s Holy Spirit (Eph 1:13-14) and 2 Cor 5:1-10 reminds us that God has not left us on our own. He has given us His Spirit and His word to lead us through life. Life may seem to beat us down at times, but we do not have to fear, for the deal has been finalised and we can trust God to deliver all He has promised us.
