10 October 2021: The Gospel Revealed

Service available on Youtube, or as text (below), or for audio see the Podcasts page.

Welcome

OBU (Old Baptist Union) Sunday

Rev. Chris Whiteley (former pastor at Bethel, and representing the OBU) is speaking at the service in the building today (10 October) and a special offering will be taken for the OBU.

Testimony

“A few years ago I had a bad fall and fractured my spine. Throughout this difficult time the Lord was with me and I wouldn’t be here today had He not been on my side.

When I was a little girl, I went to church three times a day, morning, afternoon and evening. I married a lovely man and had two beautiful children, Gillian and Peter. Whilst giving birth to Peter I had a thrombosis and nearly died. Peter also nearly died as the chord was tight around his neck choking him. At this my husband knelt at the side of my bed and got me to pray with my hands on the Bible. We were told not to have any more children as it was too risky for me.

My favourite verse from the Bible is Psalm 46:1: ‘God is my refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble,’ Amen!”

Marion, part of Bethel, and 100 years of age on 30 September 2021

Pictures

“The pistons of the machine were moving up and down in an even rhythm, resulting in the machine producing the correct product. We need to be consistent, co-ordinate and absolutely obedient to the Holy Spirit, allowing Him to shape our character, in order to bear the fruit thus glorifying the Lord Jesus Christ (see Galatians 5:22-23).”

Stella

Worship

(Chosen by Rev. Chris Whiteley)

Word

Reading: Romans 1:1-17

For in the gospel the righteousness of God is being revealed – a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: ‘The righteous will live by faith.

Romans 1:17

Introduction

In this verse Paul is showing why the gospel is the power of God to salvation to all who believe. For in the gospel the righteousness of God is being revealed. The righteousness of God was continually being revealed as the gospel was continually being preached throughout the Greco-Roman world. As we have seen previously this whole aspect of God “revealing” Himself, is very important and means an uncovering, a divine uncovering, the new age has broken into this old age through the preaching of the gospel, the power of God to all who believe. Revelation is what distinguishes Christianity from all other religions, because it is God Himself, who is doing the revealing.

(1) People in the past saw it dimly

There was a need for God to make His Gospel clear, as in the past it was only seen dimly, 1 Peter 1:10 -12: “Concerning this salvation, the prophets, who spoke of the grace that was to come to you, searched intently and with the greatest care, trying to find out the time and circumstances to which the Spirit of Christ in them was pointing when he predicted the sufferings of the Messiah and the glories that would follow. It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves but you, when they spoke of the things that have now been told you by those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. Even angels long to look into these things.” But it remained hidden in large measure, Romans 16:25-26: “Now to him who is able to establish you in accordance with my gospel, the message I proclaim about Jesus Christ, in keeping with the revelation of the mystery hidden for long ages past, but now revealed and made known.” We are a very blessed people cf. Matthew 16:17: “Jesus replied, ‘Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven.”

(2) An uncovering to the mind

e.g 1 Corinthians 2:8-10: “None of the rulers of this age understood it, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. However, as it is written: ‘What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived’ – the things God has prepared for those who love Him – these are the things God has revealed to us by His Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God.” This uncovering is vital to understand the things of God, the Gospel of God, because the natural man cannot understand them at all, 1 Corinthians 2:14: “The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness, and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit.”

(3) A revelation of the End-Times invading human history

This “uncovering” can also refer to the uncovering of End-Time events, which is also a part of the Gospel. The word for “is being revealed” (‘apokaluptetai’ from where we get the word Apocalypse) is a word used to refer to the End-Times e.g. 1 Cor. 3:13: “their work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each person’s work”; Rom. 2:5: “But because of your stubbornness and your unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath against yourself for the day of God’s wrath, when His righteous judgment will be revealed”; 8:18 -19: “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”; 2 Thess. 1:5-7: “All this is evidence that God’s judgment is right, and as a result you will be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are suffering. God is just: He will pay back trouble to those who trouble you and give relief to you who are troubled, and to us as well. This will happen when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven in blazing fire with His powerful angels”; 2 Thess. 2:3: “Don’t let anyone deceive you in any way, for that day will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the man doomed to destruction”; 2 Thess. 2:6-8: “Now you know what is holding him back, so that he may be revealed at the proper time. For the secret power of lawlessness is already at work; but the one who now holds it back will continue to do so till he is taken out of the way. And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will overthrow with the breath of His mouth and destroy by the splendour of His coming.”

Questions for Discussion

1. Do we appreciate how dependent we are on the Lord to reveal His Gospel to us?
2. Do we live as if we are in the ‘Last Days’?
3. Do we live as if the Kingdom of Heaven has invaded planet earth?
4. Share a revelation you have had?

Quote of the week

“The secret of the Lord is with those who have been broken by the cross and healed by His Spirit.”

P. T. Forsythe

Verse of the week

Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart.

Psalm 37:4

Let’s Pray

Our gracious, loving, heavenly Father, thank You that You have made Yourself known to us for we are completely dependent on You to reveal Your Gospel to us. Thank You so much for those things You have revealed to us, we are so grateful. We pray Lord, that You will give us more of the Spirit of wisdom and revelation that we might know You better, in and through our Lord Jesus Christ, Amen!