An audio lesson or sermon from various contributors
Episodes
Tuesday Apr 06, 2021
Tuesday Apr 06, 2021
Heinrich spoke for our Easter Sunday service. He helped us to grow in our confidence of God's acceptance. Our heavenly father is searching for us, and for all those who would love him.
Please add your comments on this week’s topic. We learn best when we learn in community.
Do you have a question about teaching the Bible? Is it theological, technical, practical? Send me your questions or suggestions. Here’s the email: [malcolm@malcolmcox.org](mailto:malcolm@malcolmcox.org).
Please pass the link on, subscribe, leave a review.
“Worship the LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful songs.” (Psalms 100:2 NIV11)
God bless, Malcolm
Tuesday Apr 06, 2021
Tuesday Apr 06, 2021
Simon gives us the benefit of his expertise in the area of apologetics to refresh our faith and resource us to share about the resurrection with our friends.
This is the first of two classes. The second will be by Rob Payne.
Please add your comments on this week’s topic. We learn best when we learn in community.
Do you have a question about teaching the Bible? Is it theological, technical, practical? Send me your questions or suggestions. Here’s the email: [malcolm@malcolmcox.org](mailto:malcolm@malcolmcox.org).
If you’d like a copy of my free eBook on spiritual disciplines, “How God grows His people”, sign up at my website: http://[www.malcolmcox.org](http://www.malcolmcox.org/).
Please pass the link on, subscribe, leave a review.
“Worship the LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful songs.” (Psalms 100:2 NIV11)
God bless, Malcolm
Tuesday Mar 16, 2021
Tuesday Mar 16, 2021
1. Stewardship
- What is the mandate God gave us?
“Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may **rule** over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.” So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.
God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.”” Gen 1:26–28
“The LORD God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to **work** it and **take care** of it.” Gen 2:15
- How is this meant to be carried out?
- The word ‘work’ or ‘leodah’, can also be translated ‘tend’… or ‘serve’… And the word ‘care’ or ‘lesomrah’ as ‘guard’.
- Similar words are used of the Priesthood in the book of Leviticus. The priesthood were not called to take advantage of the Israelites they were leading.
- The example of the ‘rule’ of Jesus: “But you are not to be like that. Instead, the greatest among you should be like the youngest, and the one who rules like the one who serves.” Lk 22:26
- Caretakers - does not belong to you; on loan
“The earth is the LORD’S, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it;” Ps 24:1
- Plastic in breast milk?
““if my land cries out against me and all its furrows are wet with tears, if I have devoured its yield without payment or broken the spirit of its tenants, then let briers come up instead of wheat and stinkweed instead of barley.”” (Job 31:38–40)
- For benefit of all....
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2. Compassion for humans and animals
- Sabbath
- For the land, the animals, your workers, yourselves
““For six years you are to sow your fields and harvest the crops, but during the seventh year let the land lie unplowed and unused. Then the poor among your people may get food from it, and the wild animals may eat what is left. Do the same with your vineyard and your olive grove. “Six days do your work, but on the seventh day do not work, so that your ox and your donkey may rest, and so that the slave born in your household and the foreigner living among you may be refreshed.” Ex 23:10–12
- Caring for animals: Treading out the grain, “Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain.” Deut 25:4
- Faith:
The average Israelite village experienced a shortfall of 15,000,000 cal per year… 60 days of food per family… Although this sort of hungry season is not a surprise to the anthropologist, it certainly helps the modern reader to humanise the experience of our biblical ancestors....I hope you are beginning to realise that when God commands the Israelites not to muzzle his 800 pound working bovine, he is talking to a man who is hungry. And the 5 to 7 pound of grain that an ox would consume over a single day of threshing made a difference. P34-35
- Vulnerable
“Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter— when you see the naked, to clothe them, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?” Is 58:7
“But let justice roll on like a river, righteousness like a never-failing stream!” Amos 5:24
“Woe to those who make unjust laws, to those who issue oppressive decrees, to deprive the poor of their rights and withhold justice from the oppressed of my people, making widows their prey and robbing the fatherless.” Is 10:1–2
"When you reap the harvest of your land, do not reap to the very edges of your field or gather the gleanings of your harvest. Leave them for the poor and for the foreigner residing among you. I am the LORD your God.” Lev 23:22
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Conclusion
- To say we love God but trash what he made is hypocritical
“I used to think that the top environmental problems were biodiversity loss, ecosystem collapse and climate change. I thought that 30 years of good science could address these problems. I was wrong. The top environmental problems are selfishness, greed and apathy, and to deal with these we need a cultural and spiritual transformation. And we scientists don't know how to do that.“ Quote from Gus Speth. P106
“If I were to summarise the message of the old Testament regarding creation care into a single proverb it would be this: the Earth is the Lord's and all it contains; you may make use of it in your need, but you shall not abuse it in your greed.” 108
“Short-term, desperation management that exhaust current resources in answer to the cry of the urgent was not acceptable in Israel, and it cannot be acceptable to us either.” 109
- Your response?
- How we spend our money has an impact on the environment in general, animals and vulnerable humans.
- Educate yourself on the environment, animal welfare and the human impact of how we use our resources
Please add your comments on this week’s topic. We learn best when we learn in community.
God bless, Malcolm
Sunday Mar 07, 2021
Sunday Mar 07, 2021
Obi brought us a refreshing sermon on the value of trials from James 1:1-8.
If you would like to know more about our work, send us an email: tvcochrist@gmail.com.
God bless, Malcolm
Tuesday Mar 02, 2021
Tuesday Mar 02, 2021
- Pandemic revealed our frailty
- Sir David Attenborough - “Perfect Planet”. He has a vision. What is ours?
- Started “good”, “God saw all that He had made, and behold, it was very good.” (Genesis 1:31 NAS95)
- Will end “good”, “On either side of the river was the tree of life, bearing twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit every month; and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. There will no longer be any curse;” (Revelation 22:2–3 NAS95)
- If the start is good, and the end is good, how should we treat what we have in the meantime?
- Traditional Christian interpretation is to avoid the question by:
- Focussing on where we are going - ‘to heaven’.
- Dismissing what is going on down here - it will all burn anyway.
- Is this true and accurate?
- What is the impact of such thinking?
- I’m going to argue three things in the second class:
- We are responsible for the impact of our choices regarding how we use this creation
- “Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress” (James 1:27 NIV11)
- We have an opportunity to partner with God in his desire to draw people to himself through his creation
- “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they reveal knowledge. They have no speech, they use no words; no sound is heard from them. Yet their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world.” (Psalm 19:1–4 NIV11).
- We have an opportunity to honour God by sharing in his joy at his creation
- “God saw all that He had made, and behold, it was very good.” (Genesis 1:31 NAS95)
- We will address these issues more specifically in the next lesson
- In today’s class we will start by gaining a better theological perspective on the topic of how we should treat God’s creation - in other words, God’s vision
- The language
- Apocalyptic language
- Associated with God intervening, usually in judgment and bringing justice
- “Day of the Lord - 2 Peter 3:10. More on this to come.
- Associated with God intervening, usually in judgment and bringing justice
- Highly dramatic, imagery-rich and poetic
- Legal document written in Rap lyric style?
- “When Israel came out of Egypt, Jacob from a people of foreign tongue, Judah became God’s sanctuary, Israel his dominion. The sea looked and fled, the Jordan turned back; the mountains leaped like rams, the hills like lambs. Why was it, sea, that you fled? Why, Jordan, did you turn back? Why, mountains, did you leap like rams, you hills, like lambs? Tremble, earth, at the presence of the Lord, at the presence of the God of Jacob, who turned the rock into a pool, the hard rock into springs of water.” (Psalm 114:1–8 NIV11)
- Daniel: Prophets
- NT: Revelation and others
- Therefore - be careful of literal interpretation of such passages
- The day of the LORD
- Decisive action of God - ending some things and beginning others
- Gen 3 - judgment and grace
- Noah - flood and rainbow
- Day of judgement and mercy always attended by terrifying signs in the earth and sky. See:
- “Raise a banner on a bare hilltop, shout to them; beckon to them to enter the gates of the nobles. I have commanded those I prepared for battle; I have summoned my warriors to carry out my wrath—those who rejoice in my triumph. Listen, a noise on the mountains, like that of a great multitude! Listen, an uproar among the kingdoms, like nations massing together! The LORD Almighty is mustering an army for war. They come from faraway lands, from the ends of the heavens—the LORD and the weapons of his wrath—to destroy the whole country. Wail, for the day of the LORD is near; it will come like destruction from the Almighty. Because of this, all hands will go limp, every heart will melt with fear. Terror will seize them, pain and anguish will grip them; they will writhe like a woman in labor. They will look aghast at each other, their faces aflame. See, the day of the LORD is coming -a cruel day, with wrath and fierce anger—to make the land desolate and destroy the sinners within it. The stars of heaven and their constellations will not show their light. The rising sun will be darkened and the moon will not give its light. I will punish the world for its evil, the wicked for their sins. I will put an end to the arrogance of the haughty and will humble the pride of the ruthless. I will make people scarcer than pure gold, more rare than the gold of Ophir. Therefore I will make the heavens tremble; and the earth will shake from its place at the wrath of the LORD Almighty, in the day of his burning anger.” (Isaiah 13:2–13 NIV11)
- Judgement, Justice and Mercy leading to liberation, peace and prosperity (see also Jeremiah 46:10; Ezekiel 7:10; 13:5; 30:6; Daniel 2:31-35; Joel 1:15; 2:1, 11; 3:4, 14; Amos 5:18, 20; Obadiah 15; Zephaniah 1:7, 14; Malachi 4:1, 5…).
- Is. 65:17-25 “See, I will create new heavens and a new earth. The former things will not be remembered, nor will they come to mind. But be glad and rejoice forever in what I will create, for I will create Jerusalem to be a delight and its people a joy. I will rejoice over Jerusalem and take delight in my people; the sound of weeping and of crying will be heard in it no more. “Never again will there be in it an infant who lives but a few days, or an old man who does not live out his years; the one who dies at a hundred will be thought a mere child; the one who fails to reach a hundred will be considered accursed. They will build houses and dwell in them; they will plant vineyards and eat their fruit. No longer will they build houses and others live in them, or plant and others eat. For as the days of a tree, so will be the days of my people; my chosen ones will long enjoy the work of their hands. They will not labour in vain, nor will they bear children doomed to misfortune; for they will be a people blessed by the LORD, they and their descendants with them. Before they call I will answer; while they are still speaking I will hear. The wolf and the lamb will feed together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox, and dust will be the serpent’s food. They will neither harm nor destroy on all my holy mountain,” says the LORD. (See also Isaiah 11:6-9; Hosea 2:18.)
- Future era of blessing for God’s people in new harmonious creation.
- End to sorrow, pain and premature death - vv19-20.
- Self-sufficiency, prosperity and fulfilment - vv21-23.
- Intimacy with God - v24.
- Ecological balance - v25.
- Not literal, but a radical remaking of the natural order returning to Eden. What is the substance of this vision?
- OT “day of the LORD” is looking forward to a newness which is a renewal and a return
- The coming of the Christ
- Parousia - Jesus is coming back
- Late great planet earth; Left Behind series - created much confusion
- Pre-mill; post-Mill; a-mill: many-millenialisms….
- Whatever the details…something climactic is coming when things will change
- A climatic day will bring what has been begun to completion:
- “But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything done in it will be laid bare. Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming. That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat. But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness dwells.” (2 Peter 3:10–13 NIV11)
- Context: decisive cleansing judgement, evil destroyed, God’s creation purified. Judgment will refine, purify, renew.
- Parallel with Noah’s flood (vv5-7) makes it clear. Earth not destroyed in flood. “The picture is of selective judgement, not complete destruction. Just as the water of the flood cleansed the earth, so the refiner’s fire of verse seven will purify the world from evil, but not annihilate it.” Page 126.
- ‘Elements’ - not periodic table, elemental forces of the universe, the distorted powers which have thwarted God’s rule on earth.
- Earth not burned up, but ‘laid bare’ or disclosed.
- Jesus came to show us how to live in harmony with creation as it was meant to be, not how to escape it.
- New isn’t new
- New / renew
- Rev 21/22
- “Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,” for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God.‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”” (Revelation 21:1–4 NIV11)
- “He said to me: “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To the thirsty I will give water without cost from the spring of the water of life.Those who are victorious will inherit all this, and I will be their God and they will be my children.” (Revelation 21:6–7 NIV11)
- Verse one - annihilation of present and earth, replacement by new? No, three reasons:
- Poetic language - see the rest of Revelation. “The emphasis of the symbolic language is not on destroying the old, but on “making everything new” (21:5) as God comes down from heaven, removing sin and chaos (the sea being a common old Testament metaphor for the forces of chaos), and makes his home with humanity.” Page 124.
- Clear links with new earth of Isaiah 65, and first creation, Genesis 1-2. Paradise regained. Tree of life (Genesis 2:9) was inaccessible after fall, now provides healing and fruit (Revelation 22:2).
- “On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations.” (Revelation 22:2 NIV11)
- The curse replaced by new intimacy.
- New does not necessarily mean brand-new but renewed. New Testament Greek, two words for new, neos - totally new, kainos - new as to form or quality. Bible consistently uses latter for new creation (Revelation 3:12; 21:2; 21 1; 2 Peter 3:13; Revelation 21:5). See similar imagery 2 Corinthians 5:17.
- “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!” (2 Corinthians 5:17 NIV11)
- “In the same way that God recycles broken, scarred, twisted human beings into new creations in Christ, so the “old” earth will be recycled into God’s new creation, where “the kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he will reign for ever and ever” (Revelation 11:15). Page 125.
- ‘Heaven’ is the new heaven and new earth, new Jerusalem, Revelation 21:1-2.
- Beautiful, safe, lit up, fruit. Sounds like Eden. Heaven is in reality Eden restored.
- The new city will be a “green” city:
- “Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him. They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads.There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign for ever and ever.” (Revelation 22:1–5 NIV11)
- The frustrated liberated, Rom 8
- “I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. For the creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed. For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the freedom and glory of the children of God. We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption to sonship, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.” (Romans 8:18–25 NIV11)
- Not obliterated but resurrection.
- All creation suffered because of rebellion in Eden. Waiting for relief of its frustration. “The Greek in this passage suggests that “creation has been unable to attain the purpose for which it was created.” Why? Because the adama (the cultivated soil) was subjected to ineffectiveness because of the rebellion of adam…. Creation experiences the same “bondage of decay” as does the human race.”
- Death defeated, curse repealed, reconciliation with God and Eden. Romans 8 juxtaposes resurrection of humanity with the resurrection of creation. Nature, like humankind, not destined for destruction but transformation.
- God’s dream is the liberation of creation from decay.
- Therefore we should participate in liberating creation from decay - not speed it up!
- “We are fuelled by a moral perspective, not simply a pragmatic one. We cannot fix everything, but we can be bold in our difference. A light in the darkness, a leaven in the lump.” Sandra Richter, Stewards of Eden
- God created something beautiful. We’re called to imitate God. The least we can do is try to reverse the uglification of creation. This means we must not be guilty of making things worse, but better. It is not acceptable to be passive, but imperative to be healing the damage done to this world by ignorance and violence.
- When you pray the Lord's prayer perhaps think a bit differently about "your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven”
- Next time: Compassion and justice for the vulnerable; creation evangelism and God’s joy
Please add your comments on this week’s topic. We learn best when we learn in community.
Do you have a question about teaching the Bible? Is it theological, technical, practical? Send me your questions or suggestions. Here’s the email: [malcolm@malcolmcox.org](mailto:malcolm@malcolmcox.org).
If you’d like a copy of my free eBook on spiritual disciplines, “How God grows His people”, sign up at my website: http://[www.malcolmcox.org](http://www.malcolmcox.org/).
Please pass the link on, subscribe, leave a review.
“Worship the LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful songs.” (Psalms 100:2 NIV11)
God bless, Malcolm
Saturday Feb 20, 2021
Saturday Feb 20, 2021
Ben Dannatt takes us on a tour of the events of Genesis 18 and 19, focusing on the privilege of intimacy with God in prayer.
Tuesday Feb 16, 2021
Tuesday Feb 16, 2021
The Dannatt family bring us some lessons on parenting from the lives of Abraham and those who accompanied him on his life of faith.
Friday Feb 05, 2021
Friday Feb 05, 2021
Would you like to learn more about faith? You've come to the right person. No, not me, Abraham. This is a daily devotional podcast supporting a teaching series for the Watford church of Christ and the Thames Valley churches of Christ called "Adventures in faith with Abraham". It is also part of my quiet time coaching series.
What is it about Abraham which is so admirable? Many things. But perhaps above all else his adventurous faith, “By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going.” (Hebrews 11:8 NIV11)
Join me as we step out on a faith adventure with Abraham.
Episode 40
Today we start chapter 20.
“Now Abraham moved on from there into the region of the Negev and lived between Kadesh and Shur. For a while he stayed in Gerar, and there Abraham said of his wife Sarah, “She is my sister.” Then Abimelek king of Gerar sent for Sarah and took her.” (Genesis 20:1–2 NIV11)
What are we seeing here? A sin pattern.
We don’t know why Abraham moved into the Negev. Perhaps it was the shock of the situation regarding Sodom, Gomorrah and Lot. It could be that word of what Lot’s daughters had done reached him. Bad news regarding family might be the most disturbing news of all.
It is notable that although he goes to the Negev he doesn’t carry on as far as Egypt this time. Perhaps he has learned at least one lesson – Egypt is not a safe refuge (Genesis 12:9-10).
Abraham stays in Gerar on the South Eastern border of Canaan. There he repeats a half-truth - the most dangerous truth of all. Yes, Sarah is his ‘sister’ in one sense (Genesis 20:12), but, Abraham is fully aware that her status as his wife outweighs any other designation. Neither lies nor half-lies fool God. They fool Abimelek - temporarily.
Devotional thought for today
We will unpack the detail of what happens in Gerar in the following podcasts. Today let’s consider an unfortunate reality. You and I repeat sins. Some rarely. Some frequently.
I remember a talk I heard many years ago. It might have been Mike Tolliver. He opined that we never ultimately overcome all sins. Not in this life:
“If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.” (1 John 1:8 NIV11)
Yet, Mike said, it should be possible to eliminate some sins completely. If we believe in the power of the Spirit, and the ever-increasing Christ-likeness God is growing in us, then is it not possible to overcome some sins?
“And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.” (2 Corinthians 3:18 NIV11)
What do you think? Do you have a vision to conquer a sin?
Prayer point for today
Ask God to help you develop the faith to defeat a repeated sin in your life
If you have any questions or feedback please contact me: malcolm@malcolmcox.org.
The apostle Paul said of Abraham, “He is the father of us all.” (Romans 4:16 NIV11) Let's allow him to be the father of Faith to you and me in January and February 2021.
Many thanks for listening today. See you tomorrow as we continue our adventure of faith with Abraham.
Take care and God bless, Malcolm
Thursday Feb 04, 2021
Thursday Feb 04, 2021
Episode 39
Today we conclude chapter 19.
“Lot and his two daughters left Zoar and settled in the mountains, for he was afraid to stay in Zoar. He and his two daughters lived in a cave. One day the older daughter said to the younger, “Our father is old, and there is no man around here to give us children—as is the custom all over the earth. Let’s get our father to drink wine and then sleep with him and preserve our family line through our father.” That night they got their father to drink wine, and the older daughter went in and slept with him. He was not aware of it when she lay down or when she got up. The next day the older daughter said to the younger, “Last night I slept with my father. Let’s get him to drink wine again tonight, and you go in and sleep with him so we can preserve our family line through our father.” So they got their father to drink wine that night also, and the younger daughter went in and slept with him. Again he was not aware of it when she lay down or when she got up. So both of Lot’s daughters became pregnant by their father. The older daughter had a son, and she named him Moab; he is the father of the Moabites of today. The younger daughter also had a son, and she named him Ben-Ammi; he is the father of the Ammonites of today.” (Genesis 19:30–38 NIV11)
What are we seeing here? The consequences of being dominated by greed and fear.
Lot could have stayed close to Abraham but the allure of the fertile land excited his greed and he moved away. Now he lives in a cave - the home of refugees and the dead.
The mountains, a destination of safety when offered by God, are now a location of family tragedy. Lot went to Zoar out of fear, and then left Zoar out of fear, not faith.
The LORD “remembered Abraham” in verse 29 and rescued Lot. In this account there is no mention of the LORD. Lot’s daughters attempt to ‘rescue’ their future with disastrous results.
Devotional thought for today
Greed and fear are fearsome forces. We master them, or we are destroyed by them. The temptations to greed and fear drive us to God for strength, or they drive a wedge between us and our Heavenly Father.
“Then he said to them, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.”” (Luke 12:15 NIV11)
We are all afraid from time to time. Feeling fear is not the problem - giving in to fear is. The reality is God’s love, not the disaster scenario we have concocted in our heads.
“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” (John 14:27 NIV11)
Take your greed temptation to God. Take your fears to your Heavenly Father. He will give you the faith of Abraham and quell the fear of Lot if you let him.
Wednesday Feb 03, 2021
Wednesday Feb 03, 2021