The Bible tells us God’s story of the world and the people in it, and there is a coherence to this story which demonstrates God is in ultimate control, working all things together for good. God’s plan of salvation is outlined in the first book (Genesis) and reaches its fulfilment in the last book (Revelation), but in the meantime, Jesus – hinted at, revealed in history and now working through the church – is found in all the other books too! This week, we have started looking at Messianic Psalms, those psalms which give us a foreshadowing of God’s Messiah way before His arrival on earth.

The Messiah, the Christ (in Greek), God’s anointed One, is God’s solution to the problem of sin, whose coming was first announced in Gen 3:15. The Messiah would be set apart for God, just as the priests were anointed for their duties (see Ex 29:7, Lev 21:10) and would also fulfil the role of prophet (see Deut 18:15) and king (see 2 Sam 11:7–16). Quite how this could be in one person was not easy to grasp, and the failure of the religious leaders to understand this can be said to have directly led to their rejection of Jesus as the Messiah. We have the benefit of hindsight and fulfilled prophecy, thankfully!

Some of the Messianic psalms clearly refer to situations experienced by the psalmists and also look beyond this experience, whereas others seem to refer to situations outside the psalmists’ experience, pointing directly to the Messiah. There are Messianic references in 25 of the 150 psalms and many of these psalms are also quoted in the New Testament, showing us, as one commentator has said, that ‘Messianic prophecy is at the core of all prophecy.’ Peter tells us, ‘We also have the prophetic message as something completely reliable, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts. Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation of things. For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit. (2 Pet 1:19-21) Prophecy enables us to see beyond our present situations to the final act of the story and we can be encouraged by studying these psalms as we realise just how many of these prophecies have already been fulfilled and can draw comfort that the remaining prophecies will also be fulfilled in God’s timing. God is in control of history; His sovereignty is a fundamental fact, as Ps 2:1-3 makes plain, this fact enables us to hold on to His faithfulness as we await the culmination of His majestic works.

Mark gave the epilogue at tonight’s family service, speaking from Matthew 7:13-14. Often, we feel that if life is narrow and difficult, it must be because we are on the wrong path or have misheard God, but the way of following Christ involves difficulties and persecution, and we should not be surprised that life is not as easy as others declare (see also Ps 73). Life has its shares of ups and downs, and we must not immediately assume that if difficulties are present, God has abandoned us or is punishing us. The narrow path leads to life, but the broad path leads to destruction. The path to God requires vigour and our total attention; we must be prepared to accept the difficult parts as well as the joyful ones.

Following God requires us to make choices. God opens doors and closes them; we will know times of great blessing and also times of great trial. We should not be surprised at these things, but must continue to follow Him faithfully, wherever the path leads.

The activity at tonight’s family service tonight involved questions about roadsigns (including describing what these signs meant):

We also had to answer questions about the compass (did you know that in the Middle Ages, maps used the compass point ‘East’ (not North) and that the Latin word for this, ‘oriens’, is where our term ‘orienteering’ comes from?) and about cartography (including the difference between maps and charts).

Interspersed with these questions were clues to a treasure hunt, where people had to use a map of the church (imaginatively redesigned to include street names such as Providence Path and Charis Crescent) to find helpful hints for a life with God – a reminder that U-turns are allowed, a reminder that God leads and guides us (Is 30:21) and a framed map with Psalm 19:8 in the Message version reminding us that the life-maps of God are right, leading us to joy.

Tonight’s family service looked at the theme of ‘Directions For the Year’. If we want to be people who follow God, we need to stay on course on the path He has revealed (see Ps 119:1-5, The Message), running with perseverance the race marked out for us. (Heb 12:1-3) Nowadays, we use maps, signposts and SatNavs to direct us; God’s Word acts as a ‘life-map’ to us: ‘The signposts of God are clear and point out the right road. The life-maps of God are right, showing the way to joy.’ (Ps 19:7-8) We keep our way pure by living according to this Word: ‘How can a young person live a clean life?  By carefully reading the map of your Word.  I’m single-minded in pursuit of You; don’t let me miss the road signs you’ve posted. (Ps 119:9-10) 

In order to avoid detours, ditches and potholes on our journey towards God, we need to:

1. watch our step (Ps 119:101-102). It’s much easier to do this in the daytime, and we are urged to walk in the light as God is in the light (see 1 Jn 1:5-7, 1 Thess 5:6). God’s Word acts as a lamp for our feet (Ps 119:105), but we need to take heed of what He says and obey that word, not ignoring it.
2. choose God’s way. Jesus talks of the narrow path and the broad path (Matt 7:13-14) and we must be aware that there is a path that seems right to us, but actually leads to death (Prov 14:12) If we don’t choose God’s way, we risk making the same mistakes over and over again (rather like Clark Griswold driving round the roundabout in London over and over again in the film ‘National Lampoon’s European Vacation.) The way to avoid this is to constantly pray, as Jesus did, ‘not my will, but Yours be done.’ (Luke 22:42)
3. turn around when necessary. This phrase may strike dread into our hearts when uttered by a SatNav because it means admitting we have gone wrong, but repentance is the only way back to God (see Rev 2:5, Rev 3:15-18) Jer 31 tells us to ‘set up signposts to mark your trip home. Get a good map. Study the road conditions. The road out is the road back.’ (Jer 31:21) God wants us to change our behaviour (see Eph 4:22-32) and to allow His transformation to take place within us (2 Cor 3:18).

January is traditionally the time of sales, when shoppers go hunting for bargains. Items that once cost a certain amount are slashed in price, and people feel accomplished at the savings they make. God offers us a bargain which no shop can match, however: Isaiah 55:1-2 urges us to come and buy and be satisfied without any need for money exchanging at all!

Oscar Wilde once said, ‘A cynic knows the price of everything and the value of nothing’, and it is certainly true that we do not always recognise the value or worth of certain things (think of all thevaluable antiques dismissed as ‘junk’ or ‘rubbish’ by owners or the sentimental value attached by people to items that are perhaps not of any monetary value.) The price of something is usually determined by market values (refrigerants have greatly increased in price recently, for example), but Jesus’s advice to the rich young man (in Matt 19:21, Mark 10:21 and Luke 18:22) was paradoxical. Clearly, this man was not ‘complete’ or ‘perfect’; he recognised a lack in himself. He knew that his life was not complete, despite his great wealth; he knew that he needed something more. Yet Jesus advised him to let go of his possessions before he could gain the peace for which he longed.

Possessions are not intrinsically evil, but they can easily become obstacles and hindrances to us. Equally, despite our many possessions, we can feel there is a piece missing from our lives (like the jigsaw puzzle which cannot be completed without that missing piece), and the answer is to be found in a looser grip, not a tighter one. Everything in life is a luxury, Cesare Pavese commented, and for us to truly be complete, we have to take a long perspective. Peter, startled by the answer Jesus gave to the rich young man, said, ‘We have left everything to follow you! What then will there be for us?‘ (Matt 19;27) and was assured of an eternal reward. (Matt 19:28-30). Paul urged the Corinthians to view their current sufferings as ‘light and momentary troubles‘, urging them to look beyond the now to the eternal perspective. (1 Cor 4:16-18) Phil 3:7-11 underscores the idea that we have to let go of things in order to gain Christ. As we walk through 2018, the answer to the question, ‘is it worth it?’ is a resounding YES!, but we also need to understand that we have to view life not as a sales’ bargain, but in the light of eternity. We have to count up the cost (‘The Cost,’ Rend Collective) and re-evaluate our priorities if we are to know the completeness which the rich young man ultimately eschewed.

Services this Sunday (7th January) are at 10.30 a.m. and 6 p.m., with our family service looking at the theme ‘Directions For The Year.’ Come along for activities, worship and digging into the Word of God to find out how to keep to His paths in 2018.

Our church outreaches re-start this week (youth club on Monday at 6.30 p.m. and Parent & Toddler group on Friday at 9.30 a.m.) Please do pray for these groups and encourage people you know to attend them! The youth club provides fun games for children aged 5-11 (including table tennis, pool, table football and air hockey as well as crafts and Wii games) and the toddler group is suitable for babies to 3 year olds, with parents enjoying the chance for a chat with others!

On Tuesday 9th January we have our first ‘Churches Together’ prayer meeting of 2018 at the Salvation Army at 10.30 a.m. Join with Christians from other churches to seek God’s face for our community.

On Thursday 11th January, we will be having a Bible study at 7.30 p.m. when we will be continuing our studies on the Psalms. This week, we will start to look at the Messianic psalms, those which point us towards the life, ministry and sacrifice of our Lord Jesus Christ.

On Sunday 14th January, our morning service will be at Cherry Tree Court at 10.30 a.m.

We have received a letter recently from Bedline, the girl in Haiti we sponsor through Compassion. She will be 8 in March, and we have just had a new photo! Thank you for your faithful support for Bedline and for Amshika in India.