Dave spoke from Eph 1:4-5 last night on the theme of redemption – which means to restore something that has been lost. Adam and Eve were created perfect (God said His creation of mankind was ‘very good’), but because of their disobedience, sin entered the world (Rom 5:12) and the perfect relationship with God was lost. Thankfully, He had a rescue plan!

Redemption is entirely of God
2 Cor 5:19 shows how God took the initiative in this plan of redemption. God didn’t abandon mankind but sent His only Son to save us.

Redemption was planned before the creation of the world.
Redemption is no ‘plan B’, no alternative method to ‘fix the mess’. Eph 1:4, Acts 2:23, 1 Cor 2:7, 1 Pet 1:20 and Rev 13:8 are just some indications of the fact that this redemption planned by God was in His mind even before the world was made, even before man had first sinned.

Redemption is a proper, perfect plan
This plan is according to God’s will and was planned for the right time (see Gal 4:4). We may not understand God’s timing, but we can be confident that no power of man or hell will stop God.

The plan is centred on Jesus
Eph 1:10 tells us that all things will be brought together ‘under one head, even Christ’. Salvation is only possible through Christ (John 14:6). From the prophecy in Genesis that the seed of woman would crush Satan’s head to the last book in the Old Testament when we read about the ‘sun of righteousness’ (Mal 4:2-3), the Bible is full of Jesus and all He will do in this great plan of redemption.

The plan is complete in Jesus
The angel proclaimed that this Messiah would be called Jesus, for ‘He will save His people from their sins’ (Matt 1:20-21) Throughout His earthly life, we see Him developing and ministering in the power of God’s Spirit. The Babe of Bethlehem, the child from Nazareth, the teacher and healer was fully human (experiencing tiredness, thirst, hunger, sorrow, anguish, being tempted in every way as we are and yet not sinning) and was able to accomplish our rescue, crying ‘It is finished’ from the Cross. The plan of redemption was completed – a fact proved by His resurrection from the dead.

Our sins, though red as scarlet, have been made white as snow – we are as pure as the most beautiful bride in white. All because of God’s marvellous redemption!

Stephen continued his journey through Genesis this morning, looking at Genesis 4:25-26: “at that time men began to call on the name of the Lord.”

This highlights the need for communication and relationships. God always intended to have a relationship with His creation and that involves communication. For us to foster that relationship, we have to call on the name of the Lord, which activates the communication channel.

Do we only call on the name of the Lord at church? Stephen highlighted several occasions and attitudes in the Bible which illustrate the need for ongoing communication with God:

Gen 12:8
Abraham built an altar and called on the name of the Lord. God had called him to venture out in faith and so he left his familiar home and began a journey of faith.

1 Kings 18:24
The fire of God fell on Elijah’s sacrifice as he called on God in faith; the prophets of Baal were unable to get any response from their god!

Ps 116:17
We call on God’s name with thanksgiving and humility.

Joel 2:32, Acts 2:21
Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. There is redemption and salvation for those who learn to communicate with God. God hears and answers.

1 Cor 1:2
We are called to be holy; those who call on the name of the Lord are part of God’s worldwide family. God may well already know about our situations and problems, but He wants to know us in a personal way and longs to communicate with us. Communicating with Him needs to become a way of life for us. We may call to Him in the day of our troubles (Ps 86:7), but we need to learn to call on Him in every situation and at all times – from early in the morning to late at night!

I’m getting quite good at blogging about things I don’t know personally… I obviously have a spy in the camp!

Last night, many of the men from church gathered for food and films. Free from women’s cooking, they went to the local takeaway:


Apart from food, they settled down to watch a couple of ‘men’s films’. And before anyone takes that the wrong way, I’d better name the films:
Eagle Eye
Despicable Me

There’s hope for them yet!

We will hopefully be introducing the song ‘Our God’ shortly in church. I couldn’t possibly conclude a Bible study on Romans 8 without some reference to it. I hope this whets your appetite to learn it!

Last year, as some of you may remember, I had the privilege of volunteering at Passion London, a conference for university students led by the Passion movement (Louie Giglio, Matt Redman, Chris Tomlin, David Crowder, Francis Chan, Beth Moore and Kristian Stanfill are all involved in this mission to reach out to and equip students). If you’re interested, you can see photos and read about the event at http://268generation.com/blog/2010/05/ (scroll down the page to get to May 15 and there’s even a photo of the back of me in an orange T-shirt, but I doubt you’d recognise me!)

It was such a privilege to worship with over 1500 students on the Friday and Saturday evenings of that event and to sing ‘Our God’, to declare the truths of Romans 8 with the lyrics:

“And if our God is for us, then who could ever stop us
And if our God is with us, then what can stand against?
And if our God is for us, then who could ever stop us
And if our God is with us, then what can stand against?
What can stand against?” (“Our God”, Chris Tomlin & Matt Redman)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zlA5IDnpGhc

But in the months since that event, when Louie Giglio preached powerfully from this same chapter we have been studying over recent months, a lot of water has gone under the bridge and there have been times when it’s been difficult to hold onto these words. Nonetheless, we stand firm. God’s Word is true. No matter what our experiences, no matter what comes against us, we know that if God is for us, who can stand against us? We know that nothing can separate us from the love of Christ. And so we have peace and security.

I loved singing my heart out with all those students. But I love singing my heart out on my own as well, with the tears streaming down my face, when everything isn’t as rosy as it could be. Because no matter what the circumstances, God is over all and in all and is with His people and is greater and stronger and higher than any other. To Him be all the glory!

Romans 8 marks the end of a major doctrinal section in Romans, as Paul goes on to write about Israel in chapters 9 and 10. This week’s Bible study saw the completion of the study on Romans 8, looking at vs 31-39.

These verses have been used to build doctrines and denominations over the years. Whilst it is easy to debate these things (Calvinism vs Arminianism, the idea of man’s free will versus God’s sovereignty), it’s probably true to say that a balance is needed rather than extremism. There are numerous examples of God choosing in the Bible (see Neh 9:7, Ps 47:3-5, Ps 78:70, Jer 1:5, Ps 105:26, Matt 22:14, John 15:16, for example), but equally there are many passages showing us man’s response (1 Kings 8:46-48, Jer 15:19, Ezek 14:6, Luke 13:2-4, Acts 28:24, 1 Pet 1:1-2, 1 John 3:23).

It appears that both views have truth in them: God chooses; people decide to respond. Whatever our theology, however, these verses in Romans 8 point to the ultimate security of God’s people. Paul asks a series of questions (an interesting technique, since it forces us to think for answers ourselves, rather than simply being presented with facts), starting with “If God is for us, who can be against us?” God will not withhold any good thing from us. “Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen?” It is God who justifies – so no one can bring any charge against us.

“Who then is the one who condemns?” No one can condemn (as Paul has stated in Romans 8:1), because Jesus Christ is interceding for us. We have freedom from condemnation!

“Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?” Paul lists a whole host of things that might be thought to have the potential to separate us from God, but he is unequivocal in his assertion that NOTHING can separate us from the love of God:

“For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

We don’t need anything else, really, do we?!

Just as we can improve our natural memories using things like mnemonics and acrostics, so we can improve our spiritual memories through regular exercise!

Meditating on God’s Word

God’s Word is living and active (Heb 4:12) and can shape our thinking and living. We need to read it regularly, feasting on it, gnawing on it, letting it into every part of our lives (Ps 119:9-16). We can meditate on it by memorising it (starting with something short and easy like 1 John 4:8 ‘God is love’) and can learn it by singing it! When we think of all translators have gone through to give us God’s Word in our native language or what some Christians face in getting hold of God’s Word in countries where the Bible is banned, we should be eager to make the most of every opportunity to read and study God’s living Word.

Dwelling on truth

Phil 4:8 tells us “whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.” It’s important to win the battle of the mind, by refusing to allow wrong thoughts to have a home in our minds. If we win the battle of the mind, we will be able to remember God more effectively and recall His truths when we need them. There is no room for half-heartedness in this; as Paul told the Ephesians, we are not to be like the Gentiles in the ‘futility of their thinking’, but must fix our minds and thoughts on the Lord.



Using visual aids to remember

The Passover in the Old Testament and taking Communion in the New Testament are the chief ways we remember what God has done. In Communion, we remember all God has done to purchase our salvation and we look ahead to His promise to return for His bride. In the Old Testament, God gave the people many visual aids to memory (tassels on clothes, phylacteries with Scripture in them to wear on their heads, memorial stones in the River Jordan to commemorate how God parted the waters, for example.) What visual aids are we using to remember all God has done and pass this on to the next generation?

Obedience

The more we obey God’s commands – even when they make us squirm! – the more we see God and are blessed by Him. It’s vital we learn to do what God says. There are no shortcuts in this matter, but regular obedience helps us to remember all that God is and has done.

What are we remembering for?!

What’s the point of remembering? What do we gain from all these efforts to remember Jesus Christ, descended from David, raised from the dead? The more we learn to remember who God is, what He has done and what He has promised, the more equipped we will be for all that life throws at us. We will be able to stand the trials and tests of life.



“When shadows fall on us,

We will not fear.

We will remember.

When darkness falls on us,

We will not fear.

We will remember.

When all seems lost,

When we’re thrown and we’re tossed,

We’ll remember the cost.

We’re resting in the shadow of the cross.”

(‘Shadows’, David Crowder*Band)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7TF35CmGB4k