"The Church United by Love", Class 2, "Your God reigns", Chris Birtles, Thames Valley churches of Christ

The Return of the LORD

Isaiah 52:7,8

How beautiful upon the mountains
are the feet of the messenger who announces peace,
who brings good news,
who announces salvation,
who says to Zion, “Your God reigns.”
Listen! Your sentinels lift up their voices,
together they sing for joy; 
for in plain sight they see
the return of the LORD to Zion.

 

Class 1: Rebellion & Reconciliation

God made humans in His image to be stewards of Creation

From the Fall onwards humans rebelled against God

Even the covenant people rebelled and were sent to Babylon

Only God Himself could offer the faithful obedience necessary to end the exile

 

The Good News: Your God Reigns

Jesus is king

But the Romans are still here?

Daniel 2:44

How do we explain this?

 

How Will New Kingdom Arise?

The conquest of the Promised Land followed established pattern of strength over weakness

The Jews anticipated the new kingdom would follow the same pattern

YHWH would be king so Israel would reign supreme

Psalm 2:10,11- "Now therefore, O kings, be wise;
be warned, O rulers of the earth.
Serve the LORD with fear,
with trembling kiss his feet,"

 

The Final Journey to Jerusalem

Luke 19:11-27   The Parable of the Ten Pounds

Luke 19:28-40   Jesus’ Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem

Luke 19:41-44    Jesus Weeps Over Jerusalem

Luke 19:45-48    Jesus Cleanses the Temple

 

Jesus Weeps Over Jerusalem

Luke 19:41-45

 

Visitation - Episkope

Episkope: that act by which God looks into and searches out the ways, deeds character, of men, in order to adjudge them their lot accordingly, whether joyous or sad  NRSV Concordance

Parable of the ten pounds/minas

Parable of the talents

Parable of the wicked tenants

 

The Return of the LORD

Jesus sees His final journey to Jerusalem as embodying the return of God to Zion

The cross is the ultimate sign that Israel has rejected its king

Jesus’ Temple-action shows that Israel now stands condemned

 

The Real Enemy

Israel is apostate and as much the problem as Rome

Israel defeating Rome will not solve the problem

The real enemy is sin and death - Satan

 

The Lord’s Supper

If the Temple is corrupted so too are its rites

Luke 22:15-19

Jesus sees His imminent death as sacrificial – replacing the Temple-rites

 

The Plan of Battle

In Jesus’ eyes the battle would be fought and the kingdom inaugurated through His death

Jesus would let the enemy do its worst and prevail

Why Passover rather than Day of Atonement?

 

The Enemies of God Crushed

Daniel 2:44

When?

 

The First-fruits

Celebrated day after Sabbath

Sadducees: First Sunday after Passover

Pharisees: Celebrated the day after the Passover

John 19:31

…that sabbath was a day of great solemnity.

Barley harvest – a sheath offered to YHWH before harvest collected

So Jesus was the Passover Lamb and the first-fruits of the harvest

 

Now But Not Yet

The resurrection points towards a future fulfilment

1 Corinthians 15:20-24

 

The Enemies of God Crushed

Daniel 2:44

 

Now But Not Yet

So where and when are we?

 

Familiar narrative

Triumphal entry

Betrayal

Arrest

Trial

Crucifixion

 

The Hidden Narrative -NTW

Mary and Joseph trek from north to south because of a Roman decree

Jesus is born in Bethlehem

Micah 5:2

N.T. Wright: How God Became King – The clash of the kingdoms

 

Good Friday - the Sixth Day

Genesis 1:27,31

John 19:5

God takes on the image of man and becomes the man who truly bears the image of God

 

The Hidden Narrative

John 12:13,15

John 19:2

John 19:14

John 19:19

Matthew 28:2 - The Roman guard cannot contain Jesus

Paul – prisoner of Rome

Acts 28:16,30-32

Who is in control?

 

The Throne of the King of the Jews?

Mark 10:37-38,40 - The cross becomes the throne of Jesus

 

The Good News:Your God Reigns

A different kind of kingdom

Philippians 1:27

Symbols:

Faith

Love

Unity

Philippians 2:5

 

We will continue with the third class in two weeks’ time on 26th April 2019.

 

Thank you for listening to this podcast. You can find more episodes in our feed. Our web site is http://www.tvcoc.org.

Please add your comments on this week’s topic. We learn best when we learn in community.

Do you have a question about the Bible or the Christian faith? Is it theological, technical, practical? Send us your questions or suggestions. Here’s the email: tvcochrist@gmail.com.

Thanks again for listening. Have a super day.

God bless,

Malcolm

 

Reading, tvcoc, Thames Valley churches of Christ, ICOC, Tim Dannatt, Malcolm Cox, ICCM, Lower Earley, Southampton, Winchester, High Wycombe, Oxford, Deepcut, Frimley, Salisbury, Sunday School, Reading University, Youth Ministry, Bracknell, Bracknell Leisure Centre, Shevvy Dannatt, Churches of Christ, Christian churches near me, International church, churches close to me, Thames Valley, Thames Valley location, Thames Valley church of Christ, the Thames Valley