Thank you for the opportunity to be here and to teach God's word here today. I know that you're very accustomed to a Celtic accent from this lectern already so I hope that if I have one at all that it won't be too challenging.
There have been many happy coincidences here already in my visit, my first visit to IPC. I believe in coincidence. I just don't believe in mere coincidence.
And God is the ruler of all coincidences and it's been really good to be part of this service not least because of the free church connection.
But the happiest coincidence is really that I had intended to pitch this morning on a subject very closely related to the whole theme of baptism in the Bible.
And I want to begin at this point, although we're going to focus on the passage from Acts that was already read, I want to begin by reading about the baptism of Jesus in the Gospel of Matthew and chapter 3.
So if you have a Bible, you can turn to Matthew chapter 3 and we're going to read verses 13 to 17.
Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John to be baptized by him.
John would have prevented him saying, I need to be baptized by you and do you come to me?
But Jesus answered him, let it be so now for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.
Then he consented.
And when Jesus was baptized, immediately he went up from the water and behold the heavens were opened to him.
And he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him.
And behold a voice from heaven said, this is my beloved Son with whom I am well pleased.
And the words that I want to focus on are to be found in Acts chapter 10 and at verse 38.
Which is, I think, one of the best one-line summaries of the whole ministry of Jesus that we have anywhere in the New Testament.
God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power.
He went above doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil for God was with him.
If you want a one-line summary of all the material of the four Gospels, there it is.
God anointed Jesus with the Holy Spirit and with power as a consequence of which he went about doing good,
healing those who were oppressed by the devil and God was with him.
I'm sure they're familiar words and I'm sure the context in which they are found is equally familiar.
They are spoken by the Apostle Peter in the course of a great sermon in the book of Acts.
Peter was a great preacher, not least in the book of Acts.
And here he is preaching the Gospel.
And the events that have led to this occasion are themselves remarkable and arresting.
Peter is preaching in the home of Cornelius, who is a Roman centurion, a Roman soldier.
The Bible describes him as a devout man who feared God with all his household
and gave generously to the people and prayed continually to God.
And we're told that Cornelius had had a vision and God sent through Cornelius for Peter,
who was 40 miles south in a place called Joppa, just because he was going everywhere preaching the Gospel.
And Peter too had had a remarkable supernatural vision of a sheet coming down from heaven
with all kinds of animals on it, clean and unclean.
And Peter was told to rise and kill and eat.
But he responded instinctively,
I have never eaten anything that is common or unclean, so I'm not going to do what you're asking.
And a voice said to him,
Listen, what God has called clean or made clean, don't call common.
And it's remarkable, it happened three times and then the vision disappeared.
And Cornelius, in response to God, has sent men to Joppa for Peter
and they come and they tell what has happened and Peter is taken then by them up to Joppa.
And that story is so important in the book of Acts that it's referred to in the following chapter
and again referred to in chapter 15.
Because it's all about the enlargement of the Gospel circle.
That's really the theme of these chapters.
As we were reminded in baptism, the Gospel came to Abraham and his descendants
and it was very much identified with the nation that descended from Abraham.
But it was never God's intention to keep the light of the Gospel within the immediate, ordinary, natural family of Abraham.
Even in the covenant promise that God gave to Abraham,
there was more than a passing hint that the Gospel would reach to the ends of the earth
because of God's call of Abraham.
In fact, as one theologian puts it, the call of Abraham was a particular means for a universal end.
It was the call of one man, a particular means through whom all the families of the earth would be blessed.
And if you are familiar with the Great Commission, at the close of Matthew's Gospel,
go into all the world and make disciples of all the nations,
that is really simply the Christianizing of the Abrahamic promise.
It is, just to put a spin on words,
it is the baptizing of the covenant promise in the name of Christ.
Who is now bringing the covenant promise into its own
and making that particular means of the Old Testament
now to be fruitful to the ends of the earth.
So we are mandated to go into the whole world to pitch the Gospel because of that promise.
But it took a while for the people of God in the New Testament era,
after the resurrection of Jesus, just to realize what was happening.
And now God is directing the Gospel to be preached wonderfully and powerfully to the Gentiles.
Which is why the Holy Spirit comes down on this occasion,
just as he had come down on a previous occasion in Jerusalem.
The descent of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost in Jerusalem.
And then again in Samaria, where Peter was preaching.
And now again in the household of Cornelius, where Peter again is preaching.
The Gentile Pentecost of which we read here is simply reminding us
of what Jesus said at the beginning of the Book of Acts,
that the Gospel would be preached in his name beginning at Jerusalem,
and then in Samaria, and then to the ends of the earth.
So the Spirit coming down at this point in the Book of Acts,
in the household of Cornelius, is the marker that now the Gospel is going to be proclaimed all over the world.
And the purpose of the vision that Peter saw was that these unclean Gentiles
were no longer regarded so in God's scheme of things.
So now Peter comes and he preaches the Gospel.
He tells them about Jesus.
And about the good news that God gave first of all to Israel, verse 36,
and then through Jesus Christ,
you yourselves know what happened throughout all Judea,
beginning from Galilee after the baptism that John proclaimed.
Here is our text.
God anointed Jesus of Nazareth, you know this,
with the Holy Spirit and with power.
He went about doing good and so on.
Now, I suppose that I'm coming here today,
preaching this message, and I can say,
you know this.
If you don't know this, then listen carefully.
If you do know this, then listen carefully.
Because every one of us needs this great message
of the Gospel
that is personalized in Jesus
and that is proclaimed in His Word
and in His Gospel
all over the world.
We need it.
We are all sinners before God.
We need the good news of God's salvation.
And it is, for us,
wrapped up
and bound up
in the person
and in the work
of Jesus Christ.
And in this summary,
Peter is really emphasizing two things,
isn't he?
He's telling us,
first of all,
what God did
to Jesus.
God anointed
Jesus of Nazareth
with the Holy Spirit
and with power.
And then he's telling us
what God did
through Jesus.
As a consequence
of that
anointing,
Jesus went about
doing good
and healing
because God
was with him.
So I want,
very simply,
to think about
these two things
today.
What God did
to Jesus
and what God did
through Jesus.
So what did God
do to Jesus?
God, we are told,
anointed
Jesus of Nazareth
with the Holy Spirit
and with power.
Now, one of my interests
in coming to this statement
is to see
what it is telling us
about God himself.
It is about the gospel.
But the gospel
is rooted
in the doctrine
of God
who is
Father
and Son
and Holy Spirit.
We were reminded
of that
in baptism too.
Baptizing them
in the name
singular
of the Father
and the Son
and the Holy Spirit.
We only have one God.
There is
only
one God.
God,
our God,
is numerically
one.
But the Christian
name
of God
is
Father
and Son
and Holy Spirit.
It is a great mystery.
It is a mystery
around which
our finite minds
cannot wrap themselves.
But here is
the remarkable thing
of the unfolding
revelation
of the scriptures
that when one
person
of the Godhead,
that is the Son
of God,
when he becomes
man,
when he takes
our nature
in addition
to his own,
so that now
he appears,
this divine person
appears in the world,
the Son of God
and the Son
of Mary,
these two distinct
natures
in this one
person forever,
when he
becomes
man,
he enlarges
our understanding
of the
triune God.
it takes
the incarnation
of one
person
of the
Trinity
to enlarge
our understanding
of who God
actually is,
that God
is Father
and Son
and Holy Spirit.
No one
has seen
God at any
time,
but the only
begotten
Son
who is
in the
bosom
of the
Father,
he has
shown
God
and revealed
God
to us.
and in
his
incarnation
we see
the glory
of God
as
Father
and Son
and Holy
Spirit.
And actually
that is what
undergives
this remarkable
statement
of Peter's
in Acts
10.38.
Who
is doing
the anointing?
Well,
God is doing
the anointing.
He's the subject
of the
verbo.
Who is being
anointed?
Jesus
of Nazareth
is being
anointed.
And who is
he?
According to
the testimony
of scripture,
he is
himself
God.
He was
in the
beginning
with God
and in
the beginning
and now
and always
is
God.
So God
is anointing.
God
in the
person of
Jesus
is being
anointed
and
with
whom
is
God
anointing
God.
He's
anointing
him
with
the
Holy
Spirit.
And who
or what
is the
Holy Spirit?
Is that
just some
kind
of
ephemeral
power
that
operates
in human
experience?
Well,
not at all.
the Holy
Spirit
is also
God.
The
testimony
of
scripture
is that
the
language
that
applies
to
the
Father
and
applies
to
the
Son
also
applies
to
the
Holy
Spirit.
One
God,
Father and
Son and
Holy Spirit.
And God
the Father,
according to
the testimony
of Peter,
anoints
God the
Son in
the person
of Jesus
of Nazareth
with
God the
Holy
Spirit
and
with
power.
So this
remarkable
phenomenon,
this
remarkable
fact of
the
anointing
of
Jesus
actually
shows us
the
whole
Godhead
at work
for us
and for
our
salvation.
And when
does that
anointing
take place?
Well,
it takes
place at
the point
of Jesus'
baptism,
at the
inaugural
point of
his public
ministry.
He had
had the
Holy Spirit
right from
the very
beginning
of his
existence
in the
world.
Through
the Holy
Spirit,
he is
conceived
in the
womb
of his
mother,
he is
filled
with the
Spirit
without
measure,
he is
a
spiritual
man,
this
Son of
Mary.
But at
his baptism,
he receives
the Spirit
by way
of
anointing.
Now,
that itself
is remarkable,
that itself
draws on a
whole trajectory
of Old
Testament
teaching and
theology.
Because in
the Old
Testament,
all the
important
functionaries
and officials
and office
bearers of
God's
covenant
and God's
kingdom,
they were
anointed.
There was a
recipe given
to Moses
for the
making of
special
anointing
oil.
It had to
be done
God's way,
engineered
God's way,
and it
could be
used for
no other
purpose but
to be
poured out
on the
head of
kings and
priests and
prophets who
would function
in an
official capacity
for God's
people and
for God's
service.
And now,
drawing on that
remarkable
strand of
Old Testament
teaching,
this is what I
read about
Jesus.
He is
anointed.
God
anoints
him,
not with
specially
created
oil,
because that
oil,
like so much
else in
the Old
Testament,
only spoke
of something
greater and
signified
something
greater.
He is
anointed
with the
Holy Spirit
and he
needs to be
anointed
because he
too has
come to
be an
official
and a
functionary
and an
office
bearer
for God
in God's
kingdom
and for
God's
people.
And he's
beginning a
public ministry
of three
years that
will culminate
in the
cross and
for this
ministry
Jesus of
Nazareth
is set
apart and
he's equipped
and empowered
with this
outpouring
at his
baptism in
the River
Jordan.
So there
is the
closest connection
between Peter's
statement and
the baptism
of Jesus.
Now let's
just go there
for a moment
because that's
a remarkable
occasion isn't
it?
When Jesus
comes to
the River
Jordan to
be baptized
by John.
Well what's
happening at
the River
Jordan?
John has
been preaching
all about
sin and
the need for
repentance and
turning away
from sin and
trusting in
God and
people have
been convicted
of their
sin and
they come
now to
the Jordan
to be
baptized.
A
baptism of
repentance
for the
forgiveness
of sins.
So if
you can
just imagine
that for a
moment in
the River
Jordan there
is John
the Baptist
and he's
baptizing people
who have
come to
hate their
sin and
they want
to get rid
of their
sin.
They don't
want to
live in
sin any
longer or
for sin
any longer.
They want
to find
sin put
away.
And into
this drama
of the
crowd in
the Jordan
comes Jesus.
I want
that baptism
too.
Well you
can understand
why John
said no
I'm not
going to
baptize
you.
You have
no sin.
I'm the
sinner I
need to be
baptized by
you.
Why are you
coming to
me?
Here is this
remarkable
Jesus of
Nazareth
who had
committed
no sin
for which
repentance
was necessary.
It's one of
the great
things isn't
it?
I have a
savior who
is absolutely
flawless,
blameless,
sinless.
There was no
fault in this
man, no
guile in his
mouth, there
was no action
on his part
that could not
be defended
in the light
of God's
word and
God's law.
There was not
one word of
his tongue
that he wished
he could
recall, there
was not one
thought in
his mind that
was impure,
not one
motive in
his heart
of self
interest.
Everything
that he
was,
everything
that he
could be
was committed
entirely to
God to
do your
will, I
take delight.
That's how
he came into
the world.
By that
will, says
the writer
to the
Hebrews, you
are sanctified.
Because he
came down
from heaven
to do the
will of
the God
who sent
him.
Do you
know today
your entire
salvation and
your perseverance
in grace and
your entrance
into glory at
last all hinges
on the
uncompromised
obedience of
the Lord
Jesus Christ.
And so he
is perfect
and sinless
and flawless
and he does
not need to
repent.
And yet here
he is
at the
Jordan
numbered
among the
transgressors
standing
where sinners
are standing
coming into
these waters
where sinners
are wanting
to be baptized.
What's he
doing there?
He doesn't
need to be
there.
He doesn't
need to
repent.
But you
see, they
want to
get rid of
their sins.
And he
comes in
order to
take their
sins on.
He comes
to be
identified with
them and
numbered among
them because
he's going to
bear these
sins at last
in his body
to the
key of
Calvary.
And that's
going to be
for him a
different kind
of baptism
by his own
admission when
he offers
himself without
spot through
the eternal
spirit to
God.
And for
this task
he needs
an anointing.
He needs
a public
declarative
empowering
from heaven
both to
show that
he is
God's
savior
and to
show that
he is
the sinner's
savior.
And actually
in a
remarkable
way if
you want
to defend
the uniqueness
of Jesus
and therefore
the uniqueness
of Christianity
the stand
aloneness
of the
gospel
you know
that Christ
is the only
way to God
because God
anointed
him.
There's a
sense in
which anointing
means
means pointing
It's almost
as if when
God
anoints
someone
he points
to him.
He
anoints a
king
he points
to the king
that's my
chosen king.
When he
anoints a
priest he
points to
him.
And the
oil of
anointing
drips off
the finger
of God
onto the
head of
the official
and God
says this
is my
man.
And that's
what's
happening at
Jordan among
other things.
God is
pointing at
Jesus of
Nazareth
and the
pointing is
in the
anointing
and God
is saying
this is
my man.
So I
look at
all the
religions
of the
world
with all
the promised
saviors
and all
the offers
of salvation
that these
religions
give me
and I
say but
God hasn't
pointed to
any of
them.
God only
ever
pointed at
Jesus.
And if I
want to
get to
God and
find my
way to
heaven I
can't go
looking around
the marketplace
of religions
and simply
choosing the
one that
appeals to
me.
It's no
use me
pointing out
the religion
that I
think will
get me to
God.
I need
God to
point out
the way
to himself.
And that's
what he
does at
the Jordan.
magnificently
publicly
declaring
this is
my beloved
son in
whom I
am well
pleased.
You want
a savior?
I give you
a savior.
I'm
pointing at
Jesus of
Nazareth.
Actually God
had been
pointing to
him all
through the
Old Testament.
And now
the great
words of
Isaiah come
into their
own.
Do you
remember
these great
declarative
words of
God in
chapter 42
of Isaiah?
Behold my
servant whom
I uphold,
my elect
one in
whom my
soul delights.
I have
put my
spirit upon
him.
And the
gospel writers
recognize that
now in
Christ these
words have
their fulfillment
and at the
Jordan God
is anointing
Jesus of
Nazareth and
saying behold
my servant
whom I
uphold.
And what
happens at
the Jordan?
God,
God the
Father,
whom we
hear but
whom we
do not
see,
he says
this is
my son.
And
Jesus,
the son of
God,
in the
rivers of
Jordan with
his robes
dripping from
the water
of the
river,
we see
him and
hear him
and he
wears the
anointing
and carries
the anointing
with all
the dignity
of God's
great king
and God's
promised
Messiah and
God's
great saviour,
his only
Christ,
with the
Holy Spirit
whom we
see but
do not
hear as
he descends
in the
form of
a dove.
And in
that one
action of
anointing,
Father and
Son and
Holy Spirit
are engaged
for us
and for
our
salvation.
It's
remarkable.
It's
actually one
of the
greatest
moments
of the
revelation
of the
triune
God of
Scripture.
In this
remarkable
spot
of
baptism
that
becomes
the
inauguration
of the
ministry
in public
of Jesus
of Nazareth
who has
been concealed
from our
view up
until this
time but
now the
heavens are
opened.
Remarkable
word actually
that is
used of the
veil of the
temple when
Jesus dies,
the same
word,
torn apart
so that
the Spirit
will come
down on
the head
of Jesus
and at
last he's
going to
die so
that through
the open
veil we
will enter
into
heaven.
So what
does God
do for
Jesus?
To Jesus?
He
anoints him
with the
Holy Spirit
and with
power.
And I
want you to
see one of
two things
in that
great act
of anointing.
I want you
to see how
serious
sin
actually is.
What will
wash away
my sin?
What will
get rid of
the stain
on my
conscience?
The shedding
of my blood
won't do it.
The
reformation
of my life
won't do it.
Filling
my mind
with good
doctrine
won't do it.
What is
going to
deal
with my
sin?
Sin is
such an
immovable
object
that it
actually
requires
the
combined
weight
of the
three
persons
of the
Godhead
to act
together
in a
confederacy
and to
work
covenantally
for me
and for
my
salvation.
God
the
father
will
not
send
God
the
son
if
God
the
son
will
not
come
into
the
world
to
be
a
savior
if
God
the
Holy
Spirit
will
not
be
willing
to
be
poured
out
by
one
person
onto
the
head
of
another
person
if
this
doesn't
happen
I
will
not
and
cannot
ever
be
saved.
My
sin
is of
such
magnitude
that
God
literally
must
move
heaven
and
earth
in
order
that
I
might
be
atoned
for
and
reconciled
and
my
sin
dealt
with.
And
that's
exactly
what
he
does.
In
eternity
past
God
not
simply
in
his
oneness
not
simply
in
his
undifferentiated
oneness
but
in
the
unity
and
fullness
of
his
triune
being
covenanted
to
save
sinners.
God
said to
the son
you
go.
He
had
said to
man
in
paradise
at the
very
beginning
when
Adam
sinned
he
had
said
to
man
go
out
of
paradise
into
the
wilderness
world
you've
made.
But
he
said
it
to
his
own
son
too
go
out
of
paradise
into
that
wilderness
world
and
God
sends
the
only
begotten
son
into
the
far
country
to
rescue
prodigal
sons
who
had
wandered
far
away
from
him.
And
so
the
son
comes
I'm
in
the
world
he
says
in
John's
gospel
as
the
one
sent.
I'm
here
as
the
one
sent.
I
came
but I
came
as
the
missionary.
I
came
as
the
one
who
was
given
the
command
to
go
not
by way
of
banishment
but
by way
of
rescue
to
save
sinners
and
so
the
son
of
God
appears
and
he
needs
the
empowering
and
anointing
of the
Holy
Spirit
for
that
task
and
I
come
before
this
great
moment
and
this
great
fact
of
revelation
and
I
realize
that
for
the
salvation
of
me
in
my
sin
it
takes
the
whole
of
God
to
move
don't
ever
think
that
it's
an easy
thing
to get
to
heaven
it
took
heaven
to
come
to
earth
for
that
to be
remotely
possible
and
on
earth
it
now
takes
the
engagement
of
the
triune
God
to
make
it
actual
and
real
and
when
I
get
to
heaven
it
will
be
in
praise
of
father
son
and
holy
spirit
who
acted
in
this
way
and
cooperated
in
this
covenant
of
redemption
for me
and for
my
salvation
my
praise
today
is
of
Jesus
because
in
him
is
concentrated
the
entire
work
of
God
so
I
want
you
to
see
the
seriousness
of
sin
but
I
want
you
to
see
too
the
sovereignty
of
grace
I
want
you
to
see
that
here
is
God
willing
to
do
all
that
is
necessary
for
you
and
your
salvation
here
is
God
the
father
willing
to
send
his
son
he
did
not
spare
him
says
Paul
in
Romans
I
could
think
of
any
number
of
reasons
why
he
might
have
spared
him
why
he
might
have
kept
his
beloved
son
back
from
the
hell
of
Calvary
back
from
the
bitterness
of
the
cup
that
he
had
to
drink
back
from
the
curse
of
judgment
that
is
poured
out
on
my
head
he
has
done
nothing
worthy
of
death
but
he
didn't
spare
!
a
human
body
didn't
spare
him
the
infinitesimally
small
space
in which
he is
incarnated
in the
womb of
Mary
didn't
spare
him
the
sufferings
of
this
world
didn't
spare
him
the
ignominy
of a
bad
reputation
we
were not
born of
immorality
said the
Pharisees
we know
that Mary
wasn't
married
when you
were
conceived
we were
not
born of
immorality
God
didn't
spare
him
the
shame
of
that
disgrace
that
reputation
so
ill
deserved
so
ill
founded
God
didn't
spare
him
the
loneliness
of
long
nights
God
didn't
spare
him
the
sufferings
of
friendless
days
God
didn't
spare
him
the
experience
of
betrayal
it's a
terrible
thing
to
betray
a
friend
God
didn't
spare
!
His
son
that
experience
didn't
spare
him
the
sufferings
of
the
garden
didn't
spare
him
at
last
from
the
cross
no
he
delivered
him
he
was
willing
to
do
that
and
the
son
willing
to
come
willing
to
have
a
veil
drawn
over
his
glory
didn't
stand
on
his
own
rights
as
Philippians
2
puts
it
didn't
say
I'll
come
into
the
world
unconditioned
that
they
recognize
me
for
the
God
I
am
he
didn't
come
into
the
world
insisting
that
every
knee
should
bow
and
every
tongue
confess
that
he
was
Lord
came
into
the
world
with
a
veil
covering
his
glory
so
that
if
you
met
him
on
the
street
you
would
not
know
who
he
really
was
but
he
was
willing
to
empty
himself
willing
to
be
humbled
even
to
the
death
of
the
cross
and
the
Holy
Spirit
willing
to
come
in
the
councils
of
redemption
from
all
eternity
the
father
sent
the
son
said
to
the
son
go
will
you
go
yes
I'll
go
said
to
the
Holy
Spirit
are
you
willing
to
go
down
not
by
the
road
of
humiliation
the
son
of
God
the
second
person
he's
going
to
come
down
and
be
humbled
in
doing
so
the
Holy
Spirit
is
going
to
come
down
but
not
so
as
to
be
humbled
his
glory
is
not
veiled
in
fact
the
simplicity
of
the
moment
is
so
remarkable
as
the
dove
!
waters
of
judgment
had
already
engulfed
the
word
and
a
dove
appeared
to
say
all
is
well
and
now
in
the
form
of
a
dove
the
Holy
Spirit
comes
down
to
say
all
is
well
to
empower
and
equip
this
saviour
for
the
task
ahead
of
him
and
he
is
willing
to
come
God
is
willing
to
come
if
there
is
any
reason
at
all
why
you
are
not
a
Christian
today
it's
on
your
part
it's
not
on
God's
part
because
he's
willing
to
save
you
look
at
what
he
did
he
anointed
Jesus
with
power
by
the
Holy
Spirit
all
that
was
necessary
was
done
and
I
want
you
to
see
to
not
just
the
sovereignty
of
grace
but
the
sheer
sufficiency
of
God's
atoning
work
what
more
is
needed
than
this
it's
all
here
God
has
done
all
that
is
necessary
well
the
time
is
moving
on
that's
what
God
did
to
Jesus
he
anointed
him
with
his
spirit
and
his
power
what
did
God
do
through
Jesus
just
in a
moment
number
one
he
went
about
doing
good
I
love
the
simplicity
of that
statement
Jesus
went
about
he
didn't
just
stay at
Jordan
or
Nazareth
or Galilee
he
went
about
he
was
here
there
and
everywhere
he
was
in
different
places
went
into
different
situations
I
tell
you
he
is
still
going
about
in
the
gospel
he
is
still
going
about
he
is
going
about
through
Scotland
and
England
and
Ireland
and
Wales
he
is
going
about
through
London
and
Lewis
he
is
going
about
through
Europe
and
Asia
and
America
he
is
still
going
about
and
where
he
goes
he
does
!
He
only
ever
always
did
good
they
couldn't
see it
could
they
crucified
him
between
malefactors
that's
the old
version
for
the
translation
people
who
had
done
evil
malefactors
and
yet
all the
time
he
had
been
the
great
benefactor
he
had
only
done
good
and
they
crucified
him
between
people
who
did
evil
but
you
ask
any
Christian
in here
today
what
did
Jesus
ever
do
for
you
nothing
but
good
nothing
but
good
sometimes
we
think
in our
foolishness
that
we
need to
get good
things
from him
to know
that he's
doing good
to us
but that's
not the
case
is it
you know
that sometimes
he sends
difficult
things
bad
things
but he
only ever
sends
good
things
even
when they
are
wrapped
up
in
difficult
wrapping
there are
blessings
even
in these
difficulties
he goes
about
doing
good
you need
Jesus
to get
the good
and he
went about
healing
those who
were oppressed
by the
devil
well he
himself
was attacked
by the
devil
as soon as
he came
out of
the waters
of baptism
he entered
into the
waters of
temptation
and conflict
with the
devil
he had
actually
come
to destroy
the devil's
kingdom
and in a
sense
from the
moment
of his
anointing
he is
on the
attack
against
the devil
isn't
he
the prince
of the
world
is coming
that's
what he
says
as he
looks out
of the
upper
room
towards
the
cross
the
great
battle
is about
to be
fought
he is
going to
meet
the devil
to topple
him
definitively
from his
throne
that he
might
rule
no longer
in the
lives
of men
and women
Jesus
is still
attacking
the devil
according
to Hebrews
the son
of God
was manifest
in order
to destroy
the works
of the
devil
to destroy
him that
had the
power of
death
that is
the devil
so my
dear friends
today every
time the
gospel is
preached
every time
you pray
for your
loved ones
every time
you witness
to Jesus
Christ
you are
engaged
in the
conflict
of the
ages
and Jesus
is still
through the
gospel
healing
those who
are oppressed
!
by the
devil
and even
when his
people
are the
object of
Satan's
attacks
and Satan's
ambush
he says
I have
prayed for
you
that your
faith will
not fail
and he's
still healing
those who
are oppressed
by the
devil
and through
Jesus
says Peter
the presence
of God
was manifest
God
was with
him
and you
can have
all the
assurance
in the
world
today
that
in
Christ
God
will be
with
you
too
until
the day
comes
when
at last
he will
take his
people
home
and through
the great
work of
the triune
God
we shall
go
to be
with him
and then
we shall
know only
good
and be
finally healed
and the
God of
peace
will crush
Satan
under our
feet
shortly
all
because
the
triune
God
is our
saviour
in Christ
and I
want to
know
today
is he
your
saviour
you
need to
be in
him
we
call him
Christ
because
that
means
anointed
I
love
the
words
of
the
Heidelberg
Catechism
where it
describes
Christ
as the
anointed
one
and then
asks
so why
are you
called
Christian
he's
called
Christ
because
he's
anointed
why
are you
called
Christian
because
you
share
in
his
anointed
and
in
him
you
too
have
the
Holy
Spirit
and
in
him
you
are
complete
and
in
him
you
will
know
the
blessing
and
the
power
of
God's
salvation
complete
in
Christ
and
if
you're
not
a
Christian
today
you
look
to
Jesus
you
need
to
get
out
of
yourself
and
into
him
you
need
to
be
united
to
him
by
grace
through
faith
and
that
is
all
our
salvation
and
I
hope
all
our
desire
we
would
see
Jesus
the
anointed
Christ
of
God
to
whom
God
points
today
and
says
you
need
a
savior
I
give
you
Jesus
of
Nazareth
through
the
power
of
the
spirit
offering
himself
without
spot
to
God
that
you
might
be
saved
Amen
let's
pray