Redeemer reads Galatians 4
Today as we read Galatians 4 as a church, Ross & Hannah help to remind us it’s not about us, but all about Jesus, and that through him we are made heirs of God’s incredible promises!
Welcome! Over the next week we will be reading through the book of Galatians together as a church! We’ll be reading a chapter each week day, beginning on Friday the 15th of May, and concluding on Friday the 22nd. We’re following the reading plan in the CBR Journal, which can also be found HERE.
Each day a member of the Redeemer family will be sharing with us some thoughts in video form, which can be seen above, previous days videos can be found on our Youtube channel. We’ll also be publishing blogs with more thoughts on the passages we’ve read, along with some ideas for those who want to study the passage further. We’re really looking forward to seeing God bear fruit in and through us as a church as we read his word, even during this challenging time.
Today Ross & Hannah will be sharing with us their thoughts on Galatians 4 in the video above.
Today’s chapter of Galatians sees a continuation of Paul’s desire to prevent the Galatian church from coming back under the law, but he uses a new tactic! He has previously talked about justification, but now he begins to talk about freedom, and that the choice to live under the law is like choosing to return to being slaves! At the root of Paul’s argument here is the fundamental change in identity that occurs when we choose to believe the truth of the gospel. We are now children of God!
When Jesus won the victory over sin and death, he won for us adoption, out of the slavery we were living in, and into true freedom as God’s sons and daughters.
The first 11 verses of this chapter are split into two sections, verses 1-7 talk about how we have been brought into sonship by Christ. In verses 1-2 Paul explains how the Jewish people were like heirs who are children when they lived under the law, that they were being pointed in the direction of the true freedom they could one day receive, but still living lives similar to those lived by slaves, because of the rules they had to follow. But this status was changed when Jesus died, as he redeemed those who had been living under the law, and had not lived up to its impossible standard. As believers in Christ we are no longer living like children under the law, but instead are sons, and are guided by the Holy Spirit, the presence of the living Jesus is within us!
Verses 8-11 go on to talk about the temptation to return, which is not only about returning to being under the law, but is also aimed at those who are Gentiles (which includes us!), and warns them about returning to being enslaved to the false gods of this world. But there is also a threat that we can fall into the same trap as the Jewish people too, we can start to think that living as a Christian is about doing whatever you can to increase your own stature in the eyes of other christians and even in the eyes of God. It is so crucial that we don’t fall down this rabbit hole, but instead choose to use the truth in this passage to remind us that we don’t need to prove our worth to receive God’s incredible gift of grace to us.
Further Study
If you have enjoyed reading Galatians with us over the last week or so, but would like to spend more time studying the text and exploring it at a deeper theological level, then good news!
Dr. Douglas Moo, Professor of New Testament at Wheaton College Graduate School, is an acknowledged expert in the writings and theology of Paul. His commentary on Romans is among the best ever written, and he is working on a new commentary on Galatians. In the freely available course linked below, Professor Moo - in association with The Gospel Coalition - will walk you through the book of Galatians and will spend considerable time summarizing Paul’s basic theology.
Redeemer reads Galatians 3
This morning Logan shares with us as we read Galatians 3, challenging us not to live like modern day Pharisees but live full of the power of the Holy Spirit!
Welcome! Over the next week we will be reading through the book of Galatians together as a church! We’ll be reading a chapter each week day, beginning on Friday the 15th of May, and concluding on Friday the 22nd. We’re following the reading plan in the CBR Journal, which can also be found HERE.
Each day a member of the Redeemer family will be sharing with us some thoughts in video form, which can be seen above, previous days videos can be found on our Youtube channel. We’ll also be publishing blogs with more thoughts on the passages we’ve read, along with some ideas for those who want to study the passage further. We’re really looking forward to seeing God bear fruit in and through us as a church as we read his word, even during this challenging time.
Today Logan will be sharing with us his thoughts on Galatians 3 in the video above.
In these verses, Paul begins more directly to attack the distortions of the gospel that are “bewitching” the Galatian believers. It appears that the most prominent aspect of the false teachers’ message was that Gentile believers in Christ needed to observe the law of Moses in order to truly belong to the people of God. For Paul, this was unthinkable, since the law was given as a preparation, for the purpose of helping people die to the law (“through the law I died to the law”; Gal. 2:19). Now that Christ has come, the desire to return to something that was meant as a preparation for Christ reveals a deep misunderstanding of the very purpose of the law. In Galatians 3:1–14, Paul seeks to convince the Galatians of this by referring to experience, to the history of Israel (particularly regarding Abraham), and to what the Scriptures themselves say about law and faith.
Becoming members of God’s people and heirs of God’s promises does not come by observing the Jewish law, but by placing one’s faith in Christ! What a great reminder this morning!
When Paul seeks to convince the Galatians of how God’s blessings came to them entirely apart from their effort, he immediately speaks of the Spirit. The influence of the Holy Spirit in our lives is one of the chief ways we experience God’s grace. His work in us is not something we earn or achieve; inward change by the power of the Spirit is given to us who are united to Christ by faith. God joins every believer to himself by his Spirit and enables each of them to experience his redeeming power.
I pray that today will be a day of knowing God’s grace over your life, placing your faith in Christ, and experiencing the power of the Holy Spirit.
How Hope Carries Us Through This Pandemic
It’s been 8 weeks since we’ve been in lockdown in London and there are now talks of a lockdown being eased. As this happens, and off the back of this Sunday’s message at Redeemer, Ann Ajet talks to us about hope.
It’s been 8 weeks since we’ve been in lockdown in London and there are now talks of a lockdown being eased. My prevailing feelings of boredom, memories of the unfettered ways I could be enjoying my day is bubbling to a strong, heightened sense of longing. I most look forward to alfresco dining amidst the emerging summer breeze in the warm company of family & friends.
This is my Hope, a return to all the things I once found simple pleasure in.
It seems that hope has a purpose, it reframes our present. Hope is a feeling of expectation that something good will happen. Because the current pandemic causes us to press pause on the present, it focuses our attention on the future. It’s our envisioned future that helps us get through the now and suggests there’s something about our present that we are discontent with while we wait for what we want.
God created us as embodied social human beings who thrive off the energy of others, isolation has severely curtailed that for me. I miss the urban life and the kinetic buzz garnered from being in a room packed full of people. I miss the spontaneous vis-à-vis conversations, banter about everything from the frivolous to the deep. Yes, these still take place on zoom but it’s simply not the same as being in the same room as someone else. The fact is, we are humans that never stop longing for something, lockdown or no lockdown - our ever-evolving desires will never fade away. The pandemic has served to draw us back towards our basic human instinct - to survive and avoid catching CO-VID 19.
Perhaps the collective feeling that we are all in this together, is for many, a welcomed respite from FOMO - when we are all sanctioned to our homes there is less to miss out on. Or perhaps we welcome the withdrawal from the individualistic daily hustle to be someone and “make our mark in the world”. Confined to our homes, stripped of the superfluous and focussed on the essential, there’s no need to distinguish ourselves, to draw attention and compare.
Our basic need becomes food, water and shelter - the first few weeks has shown how quickly our human instinct kicks in when an unannounced deadly virus arrives on the scene. But as we are now experiencing, when the viral pandemic becomes more controlled and risks minimised - we start to turn our attention elsewhere. According to “Maslow Hierarchy of Needs”, secured of our basic needs - our new baseline for survival becomes the next rung; we look to get back on the dating scene; to find the partner of our dreams; we seek out our next career manoeuvre; we aim for 200 more followers on Instagram.
Our moving goal post shows we are hope-based humans.
We are continually moving along a spectrum of desires - an excellent education, a flourishing career, the perfect spouse, a granite kitchen top in our Pinterest home, well-behaved children. As the cyclical pattern begins again - we want the same for our children. We have endless desires that realistically won’t be fully met in our lifetime. None of these things are wrong, we were created with an impetus to build families, homes and careers. This pandemic is frustrating because it has become a glaring obstacle, an invasion of our plans.
We are fundamentally creatures with intrinsic desires that propel us to the next thing. Most of us are already daydreaming about what post-lockdown life will look like. But the landscape will not look the same for everyone. Economically, businesses unable to remain financially viable will perish and jobs will go. Until we find a vaccine, people will face severe health challenges and we will lose loved ones. Lockdown may have perhaps spurred you to re-evaluate your direction and question whether you’re building the right career or are in the right relationship.
Sooner or later, we face a time when our dreams don’t feel like they are coming to fruition, we face disappointment from our relationships, work and health. Disappointments are a direct confrontation of our broken world as we try to reconcile our ever-increasing hopes and desire versus the limitation of an imperfect word. This doesn’t mean we should give up, our desires reveal to us a greater vision of the good life, as CS Lewis summarise so well:
“Creatures are not born with desires unless satisfaction for those desires exists. A baby feels hunger: well there is such a thing as food. A duckling wants to swim: we, there is such a thing as water. Men feel sexual desire: well, there is such a thing as sex. If I find in myself a desire which no experience in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that I was made for another world.” [1]
We sense something other-worldly because we were wired by our maker to want to live forever. He has placed “eternity in the hearts of men so that we will seek him” (Ecclesiastes 3:11). On a conscious or subconscious level, we desire to be eternal – to make our mark in the world after we’re gone by chasing after things through recognition. Think about it, every endeavour we chase is a pursuit to be remembered forever, we try to do this by living on through our family or through our work. We’re summoned to do this because we think there is one life, as the current truism goes; we are implored to “to live our best life” now.
As the past few weeks have shown us, death doesn’t discriminate – rich or poor, famous or not – we are all subject to death. When the late Apple founder Steve Jobs faced mortality, he was able to distil this gnawing feeling we have to “be eternal”:
“It’s strange to think that you accumulate all this experience, and maybe a little wisdom, and it just goes away. So I really want to believe that something survives, that maybe your consciousness endures.” [2]
Jobs understood something about the coldness of death. Former first lady, Michelle Obama describes the sudden death of a close friend in a similar way, she says how death was “perverse, how the world just carried on”[3]. I believe Michelle Obama is spot on: death is perverse and unnatural, deep down we want to believe that we’re not some stat on a bell curve; that death is not an on-off switch and we’re gone.
Death is unnatural because God created us for something more. God has placed eternity in our hearts because an eternity exists. Jesus says “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die” (John 11:25).
Our Hope is not wishful thinking but a confident assurance in the only person in history to have raised himself from the dead, the only one that holds the keys to death and can give us true eternity.
By Ann Ajet
Ann is a major foodie and likes to explore street food markets with her husband and daughter. She also likes writing about deep stuff at Bread.
[1] Mere Christianity by CS Lewis
[2] Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson
[3] Becoming by Michelle Obama
Redeemer reads Galatians 2
This morning as we read Galatians 2 together Naomi encourages us to focus on Jesus and our faith in him, rather than our own works…
Welcome! Over the next week we will be reading through the book of Galatians together as a church! We’ll be reading a chapter each week day, beginning on Friday the 15th of May, and concluding on Friday the 22nd. We’re following the reading plan in the CBR Journal, which can also be found HERE.
Each day a member of the Redeemer family will be sharing with us some thoughts in video form, which can be seen above, previous days videos can be found on our Youtube channel. We’ll also be publishing blogs with more thoughts on the passages we’ve read, along with some ideas for those who want to study the passage further. We’re really looking forward to seeing God bear fruit in and through us as a church as we read his word, even during this challenging time.
Today Naomi will be sharing with us her thoughts on Galatians 2 in the video above.
On Friday Noble helped us to focus on Paul’s opening point in his letter to the Galatians - the fact that the gospel is so important because it hasn’t come from any man, but from God himself! There has clearly been some false teaching going on and we hear about it again today in verse 4 - This matter arose because some false believers had infiltrated our ranks to spy on the freedom we have in Christ Jesus and to make us slaves.
Today we read as Paul goes deeper into the gospel, and establishes just how it opposes these false teachings we’ve been hearing about. This is the cornerstone of Galatians, and it’s a fantastic passage!
One thing that I am challenged by in this passage is the actions of Peter, because it reminds me how important it is to understand the radical nature of God’s grace! It can be so easy as Christians to fall into the trap of thinking that Gods acceptance of us is dependent on our level of effort or achievement. When we truly understand grace we know that our ability to come before God is totally a work of Jesus, and not at all down to us! We are justified because we are IN Christ! We can never be more accepted by God than we are right now. This is a great encouragement for me, and I hope it is for you too, whatever kind of weekend you’ve had. Know that you can come before God right now and be met with his amazing grace!
Finally, as Naomi has highlighted in her video above, this passage is one that reminds me of God’s love! It is quite easy to imagine a God who loves those who follow him in a general, one size fits all kind of way, but the moment that the love of God really transforms you is when you realise it’s a personal love. At the end of this chapter Paul reveals this incredible truth in verse 20, which I hope brings you great joy as you start your week today.
I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
Galatians 2:20
Redeemer reads Galatians 1
This morning we’re starting the book of Galatians together, and Noble helps us to focus on the authenticity of the true gospel, challenging us not to get distracted by the world around us.
Welcome! Over the next week we will be reading through the book of Galatians together as a church! We’ll be reading a chapter each week day, beginning on Friday the 15th of May, and concluding on Friday the 22nd. We’re following the reading plan in the CBR Journal, which can also be found HERE.
Each day a member of the Redeemer family will be sharing with us some thoughts in video form, which can be seen above, previous days videos can be found on our Youtube channel. We’ll also be publishing blogs with more thoughts on the passages we’ve read, along with some ideas for those who want to study the passage further. We’re really looking forward to seeing God bear fruit in and through us as a church as we read his word, even during this challenging time.
Today Noble will be sharing with us his thoughts on Galatians 1 in the video above.
Paul isn’t always nice! At the very beginning of his letter, once we’ve read the initial introductions, we see Paul get straight down to the nitty gritty, and focus in on just where the Galatian church has got it wrong! They have been accepting the teachings of people which are disputing the truth of the gospel, so Paul can’t afford to be nice! He must get them off this course they have set for themselves as quickly as possible! Throughout this first chapter we are taught of the importance of reading and understanding the true gospel, which is encouraging for us reading now, as (I assume anyway) the fact you are reading this means you have taken the first step in learning the truth of the gospel, which is reading God’s word!
The language that Paul uses is blunt because it is of such importance, if we are convinced to pursue a man made version of the gospel rather than the truth, it can have devastating effects for our lives now, and for our eternal future. The only true gospel is that which we read in the Bible, that taught to us by Jesus Christ himself. This is incredible truth, that the words we have read this morning, and the words we will be reading over the next week together, are words which carry the power of God! How amazing that is!
When we discover the story of Jesus, the one who gave himself for us, we are invited into his family, we share in the hope that comes from being a child of God! In the same instant, as we accept that invitation, we are able to move out of the hopelessness of a life defined by our present circumstance. There is no human message that could ever achieve such an incredible miraculous transformation for us, which is why it’s great news that we’ll be able to discover even more of the gospel story together over the next week, I can’t wait!
Justin Wainscott is the pastor of First Baptist Church, Jackson, Tennessee and in his talk from February 2017 he further explores this topic from Galatians 1:10-24 in a message entitled - Not Man’s Gospel
“God turned a self-righteous Pharisee into one who would call himself the least of the apostles and the chief of sinners. . . . A man-made gospel will not do that.”
Redeemer reads 2 Corinthians 13
In our final day reading 2 Corinthians together, JC helps us to be thankful for the book, and we read of the way that the gospel should transform our relationships within the church!
Welcome! Today we finish reading 2 Corinthians together as a church! We’re encouraging everyone to read the passage, pray, and share with a few others what they felt God was pointing out to them in his word. Every day we’re going to be hearing from someone at Redeemer about what they felt God pointed out to them as they read the passage.
This morning JC is sharing with us, you can watch her video above. Read on to hear some more thoughts on the passage, and to get some ideas for further study.
Also, if you’re sad that this season of reading the bible together is over, then keep your eyes peeled for a special announcement later today!
It’s been amazing to read 2 Corinthians together over the last few weeks, I hope that these blogs and videos have really helped you to hear God’s voice and be encouraged and challenged by what he might be saying to you at this time! I know that for myself this has been a book of both reassurance in the sovereignty of God, but also a challenge as to how I am living out my faith right now, especially in the light of current circumstances.
Paul finishes this letter by giving off a similar vibe! He both emphasises that Christ has set the perfect example of strength in weakness by dying on the cross for us (verses 4-5), and also he calls on the church in Corinth to make sure that their faith is genuine and displayed in tangible ways!
In this chapter Paul’s words can seem harsh, especially in verse 2 when he says he will “not spare" those who oppose him! But in reality, it is not through harshness that Paul uses these words, instead it is clear that he cares for each one of them, that he won’t risk a single one of them slipping away from the truth of the gospel by failing to discipline them, even if that is a painful process!
Paul again in this passage refers to his own weakness, on two occasions, in verses 4 & 9. He just cannot get away from this main theme of the letter! But in this chapter he also encourages us that in our weakness we are made to be like Jesus Christ, who is alive today by God’s power! How transformative it would be for our lives if every time we experienced a reminder of our own weakness, we chose to celebrate the fact that we are alive today by the power of God, and that in our weakness we are reflecting more of Jesus to others!
Finally Paul finishes his letter with an inspiring picture of what church life should look like, and one which is a challenge to us today just as much as it was to the Corinthian church! I am lucky enough to be able to say that as part of the Redeemer family I feel I am part of a church which reflects Paul’s vision for the church in verse 11. But the reason that we are able to get close to this picture, is not because of our own strength, but because of the power of the gospel! As we experience the peace which comes from knowing Jesus and his victory, we are able to bring peace to others around us! One theme which runs through the entire New Testament is that our relationship with God should transform our relationships with one another. We are brought full circle at the end of chapter 13 as we are reminded of that verse that we read 2 weeks ago in chapter 1 - called to be those who “comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.” 2 Cor 1:4
Again, I hope you have been blessed by these blogs and videos over the last few weeks, I would encourage you to go back over the book again soon if you can, as there will be many ways in which God will continue to speak through his word! For now though, I leave you with the final verse in the book…
May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
2 Corinthians 13:14
Further Study
You may indeed be a passionate, fully devoted follower of Jesus. Or, you may be just a fan who admires Jesus but isn’t ready to let him cramp your style. Then again, maybe you’re not into Jesus.
Not a Fan is a book written by Kyle Idleman, a teaching pastor at Southeast Christian Church, in Louisville Kentucky, one of the largest churches in America. The book calls you to consider the demands and rewards of being a true disciple. With frankness sprinkled with humour, Idleman invites you to live the way Jesus lived, love the way he loved, pray the way he prayed, and never give up living for the One who gave his all for you.
Redeemer reads 2 Corinthians 12
As we read 2 Corinthians 12 together this morning, Jonathan helps us to see that God’s power is made perfect in our weakness.
Welcome! Over the week we are going to be reading 2 Corinthians together as a church, 1 chapter every week day. We’re encouraging everyone to read the passage, pray, and share with a few others what they felt God was pointing out to them in his word. Every day we’re going to be hearing from someone at Redeemer about what they felt God pointed out to them as they read the passage.
This morning Jonathan is sharing with us, you can watch his video above. Read on to hear some more thoughts on the passage, and to get some ideas for further study.
Back at the beginning of this series, in the introduction to 2 Corinthians, we heard two verses that were a key to the whole book, and we arrive at them in todays reading.
But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
2 Corinthians 12:9-10
When I am weak, then I am strong. This concept is the key theme which brings this whole book together. When we are shown to be powerLESS, God is revealed to be powerFULL, and in our inadequacy the wonder of his grace is revealed. This is a life defining truth which it is essential for all of us to grab hold of, especially in these challenging times.
To begin the passage Paul describes a vision he has had of heaven, a brief glimpse of the glory of things to come! What an incredible experience! It seems that the experience was so incredible, so clearly outside of anything earthly that it seemed as if Paul was observing it happening to someone else, hence the way he talks of himself in the third person in verses 2-4. What joy we have as believers knowing that we can look forward to having an eternal experience of somewhere as glorious as that!
Paul also talks of the thorn in his flesh, emphasising that it has been given to him to ‘keep him from becoming conceited’. Despite the fact that this seems to be something that Satan has given to Paul, he is certain that God is using it to bring humility. Paul also clearly believes that God can do something about it, as it is to God that Paul pleads for it to be taken away. God’s power is greater than any other power, and he can use anything to help us grow. It is so important for us in this time that we recognise God’s power to use any situation for his goodness.
Most of all, if we are to take anything away from this chapter, even from this book, it is this - when we are weak, God is strong. That is a truth we all need to focus on today.
Further Study
Jenny Salt is a former nurse and flight attendant who is now a lecturer in pastoral care and preaching at Sydney Missionary Bible College. She has spoken at many Christian events worldwide, including the 2012 Gospel Coalition Women’s Conference where she spoke on 2 Corinthians 12. You can watch the video of her talk below.
Redeemer reads 2 Corinthians 11
This morning Rachel helps us to understand how God is jealous for us, as we read 2 Corinthians 11 together
Welcome! Over the week we are going to be reading 2 Corinthians together as a church, 1 chapter every week day. We’re encouraging everyone to read the passage, pray, and share with a few others what they felt God was pointing out to them in his word. Every day we’re going to be hearing from someone at Redeemer about what they felt God pointed out to them as they read the passage.
This morning Rachel is sharing with us, you can watch her video above. Read on to hear some more thoughts on the passage, and to get some ideas for further study.
In todays passage, we see links to two other aspects of the biblical story.
Firstly, Paul begins the chapter by taking all the way back to the events in the Garden of Eden and the foundation of humanity, reminding us of the story of Adam and Eve, and how sin came into the world. Throughout the bible we hear of the way in which humanity was separated from God by this act, and brought under the authority of sin. But we also know that we are no longer represented by Adam, but instead by Christ! What good news! It is important in these troubling times to focus on this truth, to stand firm against the sin into which the Corinthians had slipped - as we so often do - and know that one day we will live forever as the bride of Christ, in “full and perfect devotion to him”
Paul also links this passage to the rest of the biblical story by using the metaphor of marriage. He refers to the moment when he first preached the gospel to them as being like a wedding day, describing himself as being like a father, presenting the Corinthian church as the bride of Christ (verse 2). In this Paul reminds us that the blessing of earthly marriage is a signpost to the greater blessing that is entering into relationship with God through salvation. Marriage is not just a random earthly construct, but a way of showing what it looks like for a sinner to return to God. We also know that in Revelation, the second coming of Christ is described as being like a wedding day. So in this time, whether we are married or single, whether our experience of marriage has been made tougher by our current circumstance, we are to be reminded that as we look at marriage we are to be pointed to the incredible truth, that the love of God is so vast that it flows out to each and every one of us, and invites us into a covenant and everlasting relationship with him.
#RedeemerRecommends - The Singlehood Sessions
This week #RedeemerRecommends - The Singlehood Sessions! A vlog which was started this week by Pamela, who is part of our Redeemer family! Check it out!
This week #RedeemerRecommends a series on YouTube from a member of the Redeemer family - Pamela Masha.
Some of you will know our friend Pamela (you can see her recent blog for Redeemer here), she regularly posts videos and vlogs on her YouTube channel ‘Wokemanity & Me’ to encourage and challenge us.
And she’s just started a new series on singleness.
You can catch up with The Singlehood Sessions here!
In part 1 Pamela addresses the perceived shame, woes and taboos attached to being single and 30+. And whether you are married or single this is something we recommend you hear.
Please subscribe and have a listen.
If you’d like to hear more about what scripture has to say on the subject of singleness and marriage, we also recommend delving into the back catalogue of Sunday talks (you can have a rummage here). In August Rich spoke about what Proverbs has to say on the subject.
Thank you, Pamela and thank you Rich.
Redeemer reads 2 Corinthians 10
This morning as we continue to read 2 Corinthians together, Mark encourages us to begin the week by fixing our eyes on God, and choosing to boast in who he is and what he has done!
Welcome! Over the week we are going to be reading 2 Corinthians together as a church, 1 chapter every week day. We’re encouraging everyone to read the passage, pray, and share with a few others what they felt God was pointing out to them in his word. Every day we’re going to be hearing from someone at Redeemer about what they felt God pointed out to them as they read the passage.
This morning Mark is sharing with us, you can watch his video above. Read on to hear some more thoughts on the passage, and to get some ideas for further study.
What's the beautiful thing that is replaced or ruined by pride? What does God love so much that he must hate pride with all his might? The answer is plain from all these texts.
He loves the heart that boasts in the Lord.
He loves the heart that gives him credit for what he alone can do.
He loves the heart that relies on his power.
He loves the heart that wants him to get the glory in all things and that wants the power of his Son to shine in our weakness.
And if you have caught on to the essence of Christian Hedonism, you will know that when God delights in this, he delights in the deepest, most satisfying human experience possible. Because:
We were made to boast in God.
We were made to give him credit for all good.
We were made to rely on his power.
We were made to magnify his glory and his all sufficiency in our weakness.
This is the source of all ultimate joy and satisfaction. If God were to delight in anything less than our boasting in him, he would be an idolater and he would be a killjoy. Pride diverts our capacity for exultation from the galaxies of God's glory to the gutters of our puny achievements. It is a decorated dead end street.
Therefore, God hates pride. And we should hate in ourselves what God hates in us, and wield the sword of the Spirit as best we can to slay this dragon in our souls.
Redeemer reads 2 Corinthians 9
In 2 Corinthians 9 we continue to read about what real generosity looks like, in today’s video Vince challenges us as to how we can be generous today.
Welcome! Over the next few weeks we are going to be reading 2 Corinthians together as a church, 1 chapter every week day. We’re encouraging everyone to read the passage, pray, and share with a few others what they felt God was pointing out to them in his word. Every day we’re going to be hearing from someone at Redeemer about what they felt God pointed out to them as they read the passage.
This morning Vince is sharing with us, you can watch his video above. Read on to hear some more thoughts on the passage, and to get some ideas for further study.
This morning as we read 2 Corinthians 9 we continue to hear about the source of genuine generosity, which is the grace that we have been shown by God through his son Jesus.
In the first 5 verses of Chapter 9 we get a glimpse into Paul’s strategy for motivating the Corinthian church to be generous givers. He uses their readiness and eagerness as a central theme, the fact that they have prepared themselves to give way in advance of the gift needing to be given. There is a valuable lesson that we can learn here, that in order to give generously, we need to prepare ourselves to be able to give generously! It is no use consistently finding ourselves with opportunities to be generous, but having nothing to give, we must be preparing ourselves so that when God stirs us to be generous, we have the means to do so. What could you do today to make yourself ready, so that you can be generous at the next opportunity?
Verse 6 is a challenging one, as it lets us know that those who are generous are those who are often the recipients of generosity (be that from others or from God). It also brings to mind Jesus’ words in John 12:24 - Very truly I tell you, unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. - We see this in nature and throughout scripture, that in order to grow, we must sacrifice something. It is not that Paul is saying that to get rich all we need to do is give away all of our money, but instead that as we give generously, we provide ourselves with more opportunities to grow. This may be that giving causes us to be humble, it may be that it means we give our time and learn to find joy in the success of others, it may be that we give our knowledge and see it passed on to others and transform situations. Whatever it looks like, as we plant more seeds in the soil of God’s great plan for our lives we can expect the fruit to be exciting and bountiful!
And let’s not forget the main theme running through 2 Corinthians 8-9, which Paul reminds us of in verse 8.
And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.
The source of our good works, the reason that we are able to be generous, and to see that generosity bear fruit, is because we have been so blessed by God. The ESV translation uses the phrase - And God is able to make all grace abound to you… - which wonderfully sums up the fact that anything we do as Christians today is in light of the grace we receive daily as we come before our heavenly Father. He is the source of all our good works.
And that’s how Paul finishes the chapter in verses 14-15. As we seek to follow God today, as we read his word and are stirred to be generous with our money, our time, our resources, we are reminded of the only reason that we are all here this morning.
Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!
Have a blessed weekend, and see you on Monday.
Redeemer reads 2 Corinthians 8
As we read 2 Corinthians 8 together today we get to a passage where Paul talks about giving, Chris helps us to see how we can be encouraged by the generosity of the early church to give generously ourselves.
Welcome! Over the next few weeks we are going to be reading 2 Corinthians together as a church, 1 chapter every week day. We’re encouraging everyone to read the passage, pray, and share with a few others what they felt God was pointing out to them in his word. Every day we’re going to be hearing from someone at Redeemer about what they felt God pointed out to them as they read the passage.
This morning Chris is sharing with us, you can watch his video above. Read on to hear some more thoughts on the passage, and to get some ideas for further study.
In 2 Corinthians 8 we see Paul encouraging the believers in Corinth to contribute financially to those in the church in Jerusalem (verses 10-11). But he is not just encouraging them to do this out of duty, but in response to the gospel, and the grace that has been shown to them.
We can be encouraged by the actions of the church in Macedonia, that we read about in the opening verses of the chapter. They have clearly understood the grace of God as not just something that they themselves have received, but as something which motivates them to action, and to generosity towards others. How inspiring this is during this time! That even though we face affliction, we are called to respond to the grace of God in our lives by being generous to others!
Also notice what Paul says in verse 8 - I say this not as a command, but to prove by the earnestness of others that your love also is genuine. We are not to read this passage and feel guilt driven, or that we must give in order to earn God’s favour, but instead we are to give as our hearts are genuinely stirred by the gospel. Paul is also reminding us that there is clearly a powerful witness given to others when we are seen to be generous with that which we have been blessed. As Chris says in the above video, we are never more like God than when we give.
Finally, one of my favourite verses in this passage is verse 9 - For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich.
What an incredible picture of the gospel! Paul here is hammering home the point that God has been more generous to us than we could ever be, how could we not choose to respond by pouring ourselves out for others, as Jesus blood was poured out for us.
There is so much incredible truth in this passage, that the above comments only cover the first 9 verses! I would encourage you to read the chapter today - maybe multiple times - and as Chris has challenged us, ask the question - What is keeping me from giving consistently and generously?
Redeemer reads 2 Corinthians 7
As we continue to read 2 Corinthians together Esther-Maria shares with us the difference between worldly and godly sorrow.
Welcome! Over the next few weeks we are going to be reading 2 Corinthians together as a church, 1 chapter every week day. We’re encouraging everyone to read the passage, pray, and share with a few others what they felt God was pointing out to them in his word. Every day we’re going to be hearing from someone at Redeemer about what they felt God pointed out to them as they read the passage.
This morning Esther-Maria is sharing with us, you can watch her video above. She has also shared some of her thoughts on the passage below.
Today’s chapter reveals the difference between worldly sorrow, which leads to grief, and godly sorrow, which leads to joy. Conviction by the Holy Spirit leads to repentance and it is precisely in turning to Jesus and away from sin that we find joy. This joy is not like happiness, which is a result of a specific situation, but it is regardless of any circumstance, as it comes from Jesus, Who dwells within us now and forever.
There is no condemnation for those who are in Christ. However, we must be receptible to conviction by the Holy Spirit, in order that we may obey God and live our lives in ways that align with Jesus’ character and heart. We need to allow the Holy Spirit to work in us and transform us to be more like Jesus.
This chapter also shows the importance of correction. As a loving family in Christ, we must be those that help one another to be active in fleeing from sin and turning to Jesus. Instead of judging one another or letting each other do what we please, even when it is harmful to ourselves or others, we must be loving and point one another to Jesus. This can be done through loving correction, which builds us up.
Adoration:
Lord, I thank You for Your love and Your patience with me, that I have been able to be adopted into Your family when I repented as a result of conviction from Your Holy Spirit.
Confession:
I am sorry for the times I have ignored conviction from You and continued in my own ways.
Thanksgiving:
Jesus, I thank You that by dying on the cross and rising again, You have caused the veil to be torn, that we may know and have a relationship with You. I thank You that You have allowed for the Holy Spirit to be poured out, to work in us, and make us more like You through conviction.
Supplication:
Holy Spirit, please be at work in me, that I may be quick to repent and that I may listen to and obey Your voice. Lord, would You let Your joy overflow in me, that others may see the unconditional and supernatural joy You alone bring.
Further Study
We have shared a blog from Scotty Smith before in this ‘Further Study’ section of the blog, and today we’re sharing another. In this blog - entitled ‘A Prayer About God Comforting the Downcast’ - Scotty confronts the reality that we’re not always on top of our game, and celebrates the fact that there’s nothing wrong with that.
Redeemer reads 2 Corinthians 6
Welcome! Over the next few weeks we are going to be reading 2 Corinthians together as a church, 1 chapter every week day. We’re encouraging everyone to read the passage, pray, and share with a few others what they felt God was pointing out to them in his word. Every day we’re going to be hearing from someone at Redeemer about what they felt God pointed out to them as they read the passage.
This morning Josh is sharing with us, you can watch his video above. He has also shared some of his thoughts on the passage below.
In this passage Paul is challenging the Corinthians because they have started following successful wealthy teachers who speak eloquently and dress the part, but he is saying as servants of God, it is our actions and attitude that point to God.
The world can see that you are different because as he says in verse 9 - you are known, yet regarded as unknown; dying, and yet we live on; beaten, and yet not killed; sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing everything.
Wow! What a challenge and how relevant for today, what amazing witnesses we can be when we are hopeful while the world is hopeless! How different do we look when rather than being selfish we are selfless and how much do we shine Gods glory when we are surrounded by sorrow yet project joy! Also, the great news is we don’t have to do this alone, Paul starts the chapter by letting us know that we are partnered with God and have been given his grace so what we can share him with the world.
Father, fill us with your spirit, keep pouring and let it overflow to those around us. Let us be those that are radically different, let our actions show the work you have done in our hearts, let us be a people who demonstrate that we are not defined by our circumstances, but by our father in heaven.
Amen.
I Do
This Sunday we celebrated marriage at Redeemer!
This Sunday we celebrated marriages in the church and heard a fantastic testimony from Chris and Tricia, a couple at Redeemer who have been married for over 50 years! We were also blessed by a visit from our resident poet Steve Page, whose poem - I Do - is below.
Rather than offer my own advice to my son and his bride on their wedding day, I asked various Christian couples who have a few years of marriage behind them to offer their thoughts on the ingredients of a successful marriage. And I then sought to weave them together. So this poem is the fruit of around 250 years of marriage.
It’s called – “I Do”
Ignore the lyrics:
You can't pursue love.
You don't find love.
Love's not a thing to be kept or had;
it's a doing word that you both have to work at.
Love is a language expressed in deeds
and so clear expression of your love best succeeds when you
both discover what the other most dearly needs.
So spend time planting daily deeds of love, every one of them a fragile seed.
Continue to listen day and night
and learn what each other prefers and what you both like.
And then, when you get it right
you'll be answered by a unmistakable light in their wide
glistening eyes.
Do it on a date.
Do it with your mates.
Do it when you're tired and it's heavy eyed late.
Do it in the everyday mundane way
you pair your own socks
and clear away last night's takeaway.
Laugh often and have fun
especially when you feel life has you on the run
and be sure to surprise each other both regularly and often
Maybe even invest in a pair of water guns.
Share the fragile thoughts
you find at the forefront of your mind.
Reveal your vulnerability,
the hurt you feel when life's been unkind.
And in response to that revealed insecurity, ensure you tread carefully
until you see the healing that comes from interlacing lovingly.
Speak your love every day.
Articulate it come what may.
And that way you'll ensure that it stays
at the forefront of each of your todays,
on the tip of your tongues
so when you inevitably take a step wrong
you'll both recall why you're together
and why it's worth the endeavour
that it takes to push through that unexpected foul weather.
Love one another through that gale
and sail on to meet the adventure
that's yours to discover:
Through the miles of your wherevers,
for the duration of your whenevers,
strong enough for your whatevers,
standing together,
forever relentlessly loving each other.
So may the Lord of your tomorrows bless you together.
May the Lord keep you smiling whatever.
May his face shine on you in all kinds of weather.
And may He give you peace
that will never cease
to give you pause to thank Him for his grace
forever.
And all the assembled people said
AMEN.
We also heard about some other great resources on Sunday, which we hope will bless you if you as a married person during this time.
The first is Tim & Kathy Keller’s book - The Meaning of Marriage.
”In The Meaning of Marriage, Timothy Keller, along with Kathy, his wife of thirty-six years, draws a profound portrait of marriage from the pages of Scripture that neither idealizes nor rejects the institution but points us back to the relationship between God and man. The result is a vision for marriage that is refreshingly frank and unsentimental, yet hopeful and beautiful. This book is for anyone from singles, to couples considering marriage, to those who have been married recently or for a long time.”
The second is an app - available for Apple and Android devices - Toucan is designed for couples, and includes various tools to help you to build your relationship.
The third thing we recommend is the HTB marriage course. Designed and run by Holy Trinity Brompton (A church here in London), The Marriage Course is a series of seven sessions, designed to help couples invest in their relationship and build a strong marriage.
Redeemer reads 2 Corinthians 5
This morning as we continue to read 2 Corinthians together, Toby focuses on how verse 19 gives us a hope of friendship with God right now!
Welcome! Over the next few weeks we are going to be reading 2 Corinthians together as a church, 1 chapter every week day. We’re encouraging everyone to read the passage, pray, and share with a few others what they felt God was pointing out to them in his word. Every day we’re going to be hearing from someone at Redeemer about what they felt God pointed out to them as they read the passage.
This morning Toby is sharing with us, you can watch his video above. He has also shared some more of his thoughts on the passage below.
In verse 19 it says "God was reconciling the world to him in Christ". The Bible uses many ways to describe what Jesus blood has done for us, here Paul uses the word reconcile to remind us that Jesus has won for us FRIENDSHIP with God. Our sin has ALIENATED us from God, but through Jesus, God has drawn near to us again.He has restored the relationship with us.
What hope this can bring in this challenging time, that not only do we have eternal relationship with God, but we have personal relationship, a Friendship with God today. Let's not forget too, that 'All this is from God' verse 18. As we sang just yesterday. What amazing grace.
What Jesus did for us at the cross is often described as ‘The Great Exchange’, a moment where our sin is swapped for the pure, spotless righteousness of Christ. This is the moment being described in verse 21. It is so important for us as Christians to remember this moment at the beginning of each day, it is the foundation of everything about us. That we have been irreversibly changed, and we can walk with confidence knowing that we have been clothed in Christ’s righteousness!
Further Study
in 2017, Grace Hill Church, Virginia, USA, preached a 5 week series based on 2 Corinthians 5. The series, entitled ‘Life in a Tent’ focused on the worldview of the apostle Paul and what we can learn from it. You can listen to the first part, and find links to the rest of the series, below.
Redeemer reads 2 Corinthians 4
Today we read our final chapter of 2 Corinthians for this week, Tara encourages us not to lose heart, as we are reminded of God’s great glory!
Welcome! Over the next few weeks we are going to be reading 2 Corinthians together as a church, 1 chapter every week day. We’re encouraging everyone to read the passage, pray, and share with a few others what they felt God was pointing out to them in his word. Every day we’re going to be hearing from someone at Redeemer about what they felt God pointed out to them as they read the passage.
This morning Tara is sharing with us, you can watch her video above. She has also shared some more of her thoughts on the passage below.
I thank God that he has unveiled my faith and sent an atomic bomb to shed His Light on my darkness.
I particularly loved the reminder of Paul’s war cry prophesy in verses 8-9. I am so grateful that in my weakness and darkest moments I have this declaration. I am particularly declaring this over our frontline NHS staff members.
In chapter 4 Paul encourages us “I believed, and so I spoke.” This is not the season for unspoken faith. But the season to confess and speak Gods word into existence.
I loved the image of “that as grace extends to more and more people it may increase thanksgiving, to the glory of God.” Gods Grace is extending to so many during this season and we must continue to be the light and salt of the earth.
I am encouraged not to lose heart. Though we are not exempt from suffering and our outer self fades we have the hope that our inner self is renewed day by day.
For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.
2 Corinthians 4:17-18
Further Study
Paul’s ministry was by no means a story of total success and minimal hurdles, and as we read in today’s passage, there was clearly many people who weren’t responding to his gospel message! This is similar in many ways to our own experience of evangelism. In this talk (link below) from September 2017, Mike Cain of Emmanuel Bristol shares with us how to respond “when it appears the gospel isn’t working”.
Redeemer reads 2 Corinthians 3
In our third day of reading 2 Corinthians together Nicky shares with us some incredible truth which should transform our lives!
Welcome! Over the next few weeks we are going to be reading 2 Corinthians together as a church, 1 chapter every week day. We’re encouraging everyone to read the passage, pray, and share with a few others what they felt God was pointing out to them in his word. Every day we’re going to be hearing from someone at Redeemer about what they felt God pointed out to them as they read the passage.
This morning Nicky is sharing with us, you can watch her video above. She has also shared some more of her thoughts on the passage - following the ACTS prayer model as seen in the CBR Journal - below.
Today’s reading focuses a lot on the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives.
God’s laws were written on stone tablets to show people how they could live lives to please God – but no-one could keep these, they only showed us that we needed a saviour – someone other than ourselves.
Jesus lived the perfect life he lived the life we couldn’t live and died in our place removing the veil that separated us from God; taking away our sin that stopped us from coming into God’s presence.
Now we can know his presence with us, we can know his Holy Spirit living in us changing our hearts to want to love and follow God more rather than trying to keep rules. We can know his Holy Spirit transforming us to be more like Jesus in our character.
Adoration:
Lord thank you that you give us give us your Holy Spirit.
Confession:
Sorry when I act as though pleasing you comes through keeping laws and rules rather than through what Jesus has done for me.
Thanksgiving:
Thank you that you have removed the barrier between us coming into your presence through Jesus dying for our sin on the cross.
Supplication:
Please be at work in me Holy Spirit to change my heart, desires and attitudes to want to love and serve you.
Lord please help me to know more of your Holy Spirit today and let Him continue to transform me to be more like Jesus.
Further Study
2 Corinthians 3 reminds us of the freedom we have in Christ, below find a link to Scotty Smith’s blog which challenges us to look for areas in our life where we can express that freedom!
Redeemer reads 2 Corinthians 2
Josh shares with us his reflections on 2 Corinthians 2 as we continue to read the bible together as a church.
Welcome! Over the next few weeks we are going to be reading 2 Corinthians together as a church, 1 chapter every week day. We’re encouraging everyone to read the passage, pray, and share with a few others what they felt God was pointing out to them in his word. Every day we’re going to be hearing from someone at Redeemer about what they felt God pointed out to them as they read the passage.
This morning Josh is sharing with us, you can watch his video above.
Yesterday as we read 2 Corinthians 1 it was great to be reminded by Leslie of the comfort that we find in following Jesus. In todays passage we see that God not only wants to bring comfort into times of suffering but also wants to bring forgiveness.
In verse 7 Paul asks those in the church in Corinth to choose to forgive one who has sinned against them ‘so that he will not be overcome by excessive sorrow’.
As Christians we know that we too are in need of forgiveness, that we have sinned and fallen short. In this season, many of us are in a heightened emotional state, with very little outlet for those emotions! That often leads to actions, whether done by us or to us, which require forgiveness! The only way that we know as Christians to stop ourselves slipping into bitterness is to remind ourselves of forgiveness that we received through Christ.
Our ability to forgive today doesn’t come from our own personal strength of will, but instead from reflecting towards others the forgiveness we have ourselves received.
This is not just crucial for our own personal relationships, but also for us as a church! As a church community we are a group of people who are all sinners, and all need forgiveness! In verse 8 we are reminded that we are to welcome and to forgive those amongst us who are stumbling and faltering. But the passage also reminds us that we are to be honest when we stumble, to confess, and to seek forgiveness not just from God but from our fellow church family members too.
Further study
In verse 14 of chapter 2 Paul describes his own life as being like captives in a “triumphal procession and uses us to spread the aroma of the knowledge of him everywhere.'“ In the blog below Justin Taylor attempts to shed some light on this somewhat confusing image.
Redeemer reads 2 Corinthians 1
As we begin 2 Corinthians together Leslie encourages us to find comfort in following Jesus, even in the midst of suffering.
Welcome! Over the next few weeks we are going to be reading 2 Corinthians together as a church, 1 chapter every week day. We’re encouraging everyone to read the passage, pray, and share with a few others what they felt God was pointing out to them in his word. Every day we’re going to be hearing from someone at Redeemer about what they felt God pointed out to them as they read the passage.
This morning Leslie is sharing with us, you can watch her video above, and read some of her thoughts on the passage below.
In 1 Corinthians we were challenged to align every area of our life to the gospel. Thus, it is fitting that in the beginning of his second letter to the Corinthian church, Paul talks about affliction. As followers of Christ living gospel-centered lives, we will face hardship and trials. But there is great encouragement to be found in the opening verses of 2 Corinthians 1.
3“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, 4who comforts s in all our affliction…”
God is the source of all mercy and comfort and he is with us. God will not allow suffering where he will not also provide is comfort.
4“so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort which we ourselves are comforted by God.”
God comforts us so we can comfort others. We are meant to live in community with one another. We share our trials and hardships, and then we reciprocate the comfort we have received from God.
5“For as we share abundantly in Christ’s sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too.”
Our suffering is the result of choosing to follow Christ. Yet where there is great suffering, there is also great comfort.
6“If we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; and if we are comforted, it is for your comfort…”
Paul did not hesitate to suffer for the sake of others. Paul’s purpose was always to strengthen other believers. Suffering is never wasted.
8“we were utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself…. 9but that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God…”
Once again, we see Paul’s full confidence in God. God who raises the dead. God who will deliver us.
Take-away: Drawing strength from these truths, where do I need to confidently choose the way of Christ, even if it might involve suffering?
Further Study
If you are looking to go deeper into your study of 2 Corinthians during this time we’ll be recommending resources to help you do so.
This morning as we start the book I’d like to point you in a direction of a Podcast called ‘How to Teach the Bible’, the episode on 2 Corinthians is found by following the link below. George Guthrie, a college professor and Christian author, takes us through some of the more complex concepts in the book of 2 Corinthians.
If you have been going through a season of suffering recently and you are reading the words of 1 Corinthians 1 this morning and still can’t fully grasp why God has led you to the situation that you’re in now, then you may find the below article helpful, as John Piper attempts to answer the question - Why Doesn’t God Fully Explain my Pain?