Author: David McKay

A common feature of many churches is ‘one man ministry’, where one man provides the leadership and instruction.  This can present dangers for both minister and congregation.  In biblical Presbyterianism there is (or should be) corporate leadership which addresses some of these problems.  But a fully biblical model of church recognises that all Christians have been given gifts to use.  Continuing our Spiritual Check-up we ask: 7. Do you use your gifts?

1. The Giver of the gifts

All gifts come from the Triune God.  In particular:

            – Ephesians 4:7 tells us ‘to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it’.  By his atoning work Christ has purchased all that his people need.  Above all he has given the gift of the Holy Spirit, poured out at Pentecost (Acts 2).

            – The distributor of the gifts is in particular the Holy Spirit.  When Paul lists spiritual gifts he says, ‘All these are the work of one and the same Spirit and he gives them to each one just as he determines’ (1 Corinthians 12:11).

2. The diversity of the gifts

The New Testament gives several lists of the gifts of the Spirit – Romans 12:6-8, 1 Corinthians 12:8-10, 28, and Ephesians 4:11.  All believers are gifted – ‘he gives them to each one’ (1 Corinthians 12:11).  The diversity of gifts is striking.  Some are clearly supernatural, whilst others are more ‘ordinary’ (encouraging, showing mercy).  It seems the Spirit may enhance abilities already present as well as giving new gifts.  We must beware of creating an unbiblical hierarchy of gifts – if a gift is from God, it is valuable.  Some gifts are recognised by ordination, but all believers are to use their gifts (14:10).

3. The purpose of the gifts

            (i) To equip the church to carry out its mission.  Until Christ returns the church has work to do, and by giving gifts the Lord ensures that it is done.  The outpouring of the Spirit is linked especially to witness (Acts 1:8).  In providing those set aside for office, the Lord’s goal is ‘to prepare God’s people for works of service’ (Ephesians 4:12), to build up the church.

            (ii) To provide a foretaste of the age to come.  Already we experience something of the life to come, but its full enjoyment awaits the return of Christ.  In our experience of the indwelling of the Spirit and the gifts he gives, we have a foretaste of final glory.  Spiritual gifts indicate something of the quality of life that we will enjoy, in all its perfection.

4. The responsibility of the gifts

The great blessing of receiving gifts for service brings too great responsibility (Luke 12:48):

            – There is an accounting for our use of gifts in the church under the oversight of elders.

            – Chiefly at the last day we will give account (Matthew 25:31ff).  True believers have served faithfully, often in mundane ways, and the Lord will reward them richly.

Western societies are generally characterised by individualism – a focus on the individual often at the expense of wider social relationships.  In contrast to societies in other parts of the world, western societies have weaker social bonds, they are more fragmented and give less attention to family and community life.  The church stands, or should stand, in stark contrast to such individualism.  All descriptions of the church in Scripture show it is a community, and historically Christians have expressed belief in the ‘communion of the saints’.  Continuing our Spiritual Check-up we ask: 6. Do you commune with the saints?

1. The covenant community

The church is not just another social club – it is the covenant community of the people of God.  This is the community to which the Lord makes his covenant promise ‘I will walk among you and be your God, and you will be my people’ (Leviticus 26:12).  We are in living covenant fellowship with God through Christ.  Fundamental to the church’s identity is union:

            (i) We are united to Christ.  Those who were dead in sins are, by the power of the Holy Spirit, made alive as he unites us to Christ in his death and resurrection (see Ephesians 2:5-6).  This is spelled out at length in Romans 6.  We have died to the old life of sin and are made alive in union with Christ to love and serve the Lord who loves us.

            (ii) We are united to one another.  As a consequence of being united to Christ, we are united to all of the Lord’s redeemed people.  This is reflected in in 1 Corinthians 12:27 ‘you are the body of Christ and each one of you is a part of it’.  The believer is linked spiritually to every other believer: ‘we are members of one another’ (Ephesians 4:25).

2. The basic attitude

The fundamental characteristic of the body of Christ is love – ‘love each other as I have loved you’ (John 15:12).  The pattern of Christ’s love is to be reproduced in the church, a redemptive, self-sacrificing love (see John 15:13), a love that can be costly.  This is not primarily a matter of emotions we feel.  Christian love is a deep-seated desire to seek the best for fellow believers, what will enable them to be more like Christ and to serve him faithfully.  Note Paul’s concern for the Galatians ‘until Christ is formed in you’ (Galatians 5:19).  This love is a work of the Holy Spirit, an aspect of ‘the fruit of the Spirit’ (Galatians 5:22)

3. The mutual ministry

Love is meaningless unless made visible in action.  The communion of the saints means giving and receiving loving ministry within the church he bought with his blood and which is precious to us.  This requires thoughtful and prayerful consideration of the needs of others (Hebrews 10:24) and a willingness to be considered by others.  It is a ministry for every believer, not just for pastors and elders.  There is a range of ministry that will employ all our gifts – see 1 Thessalonians 5:11,14.  Material needs are included – 1 John 3:17.  The communion of the saints should be a great blessing and also a powerful witness to the world.

What distinguishes Christians from other people?  Many answers might be given, but above all Christians are distinguished by their worship.  This distinguishes them from those of no religion and from adherents of other religions.  This offers a valuable means of discerning our spiritual health.  Continuing our Spiritual Check-up we ask: 5. Do you delight in worship?

1. What is worship?

It is sometimes said, ‘All of life is worship.’  All of life is to be lived for God’s glory, but we need a more specific definition, faithful to Scripture.  ‘Worship is the activity of glorifying God in his presence with our voices and hearts’ (Wayne Grudem).  We acknowledge God’s greatness by performing the actions he prescribes, ‘in the beauty of holiness’ (Psalm 96:9).  In Hebrews 12:22ff the worship of heaven is described.  On earth we reflect something of that.

2. Whom do we worship?

Despite what our pluralist society tells us, all objects of worship are not equal.  There is only one God who is to receive worship – he is properly ‘jealous’ (Exodus 20:5) and will not give his glory to another (see Isaiah 48:11).  So whom do we worship?

            (i) The God revealed in Scripture.  We worship him as he reveals himself to be in the Bible, not in any way we imagine.  Only thus can we avoid idolatry.

            (ii) The God who is Triune.  Fundamental to truly Christian worship is the triune nature of God.  We worship one God in three Persons, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

3. Why do we worship?

            (i) God is worthy of worship.  That is the fundamental reason.  We accord the Triune God the worship that is due to him: ‘you are worthy’ (Revelation 4:11).

            (ii) God commands our worship.  Worship is not optional.  His command is ‘Worship the Lord your God and serve him only’ (Matthew 4:10).  We show love by obeying that call.

            (iii) We need to worship.  We were created for worship, as bearers of God’s image.  Thus worship expresses and feeds our relationship with the Lord – a crucial means of grace.

4. How do we worship?

            (i) Through Christ.  We come in worship consciously depending on Christ for access and forgiveness.  He is the ‘one Mediator between God and men’ (1 Timothy 2:5).

            (ii) In the Spirit.  Note John 4:24 ‘in Spirit and in truth’.  The Spirit must empower our worship – ‘worship by the Spirit of God’ (Philippians 3:3).  He fills us with holy zeal.

            (iii) By grace.  We and our worship are always imperfect.  We approach God seeking grace and forgiveness of sin.  We are to have the holiness that is essential (Hebrews 12:14).

            (iv) With discipline.  We must give ourselves to worship.  The Enemy will do all he can to hinder us.  We need a disciplined commitment to worship, showing how we value it.

            (v) With joy.  To spend time in the Lord’s presence with his people should rejoice our hearts.  It is a good test of our spiritual health: do you delight in worship?

A relationship in which people do not speak to each other will not last long.  Silence is as deadly to a relationship as verbal combat.  Such basic wisdom is often not applied to our relationship with God.  He addresses us constantly in Scripture, and we must respond in prayer.  As we continue our spiritual check-up we ask: 4.  Do you give yourself to prayer?

1. The ‘WHY’ of prayer

Christians generally find prayer hard work.  We need solid reasons for making the effort and giving ourselves to prayer:

(i) God’s nature.  The power of prayer lies not in us but in the One to whom we pray.  Note:

– God is sovereign.  ‘He does whatever pleases him’ (Psalm 135:6).  He is able to do all that he wills.  This is a powerful motivator – nothing we ask is too big.

– God is gracious.  We focus on Christ, in whom ‘we have everything we need for life and godliness’ (2 Peter 1:3).  Hence the promise of Philippians 4:19 ‘meet all your needs’.

(ii) Our need.  The greatest obstacle to a healthy prayer life is the lack of a sense of need of the Lord’s provision.  Paul asks, ‘What do you have that you did not receive?’ (1 Corinthians 4:7).  Both material and spiritual help come under the ‘daily bread’ of Matthew 6:11.  Prayer is not a substitute for work (where possible), but it acknowledges our need and mortifies pride.

2. The ‘WHAT’ of prayer

Verses such as 1 John 3:22 are not a blank cheque to obtain anything we desire.  Note John 14:14 ‘ask me for anything in my name’ – requesting what accords with his nature and plan.  His name is not a magic charm to get whatever we want.  Also we must pray ‘according to his will’ (1 John 5:14).  We may not know his will in the details of life, but Scripture directs us on the big issues.  It is not wrong to pray ‘if it is your will’.  Note ‘things agreeable to his will’ (S. Catechism Q98).  We have a vast field for prayer and that encourages big petitions.

3. The ‘HOW’ of prayer

(i) Confession.  Our disobedience blocks answers to prayer (e.g. James 4:3).  We must be as sure as we can of the purity of our motives.  Confession of sin is part of a healthy prayer life.

(ii) Faith.  Prayer expresses trust in Christ and his promises.  We rest in promises such as Philippians 4:19.  Praying by the Word strengthens faith and removes uncertainty.

(iii) Dependence.  We depend especially on the ministry of the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 6:18).  We are to pray empowered and guided by the Holy Spirit, or prayer will soon flag.

(iv) Thanksgiving.  It is right and necessary to give thanks for blessings received.  It also encourages future praying – Philippians 4:6 ‘by prayer and petition with thanksgiving’.  If the Lord is the centre of our attention, thanksgiving will flow naturally.

It is often striking how alike members of the same family can be.  They may share particular characteristics over several generations, including traits of character.  The family likeness can be quite obvious.  In the family of God, his children are to share God’s likeness, particularly Christ’s likeness.  So in our check-up we come to 3. Do you long to be like Jesus?

1. The pattern

Those who are saved by grace (see Ephesians 2:8) are to be – and will be – transformed.  Note:

(i) Jesus the perfect man.  The church must be careful to assert the full humanity of Jesus.  He still has a body and soul like ours, with the single exception of sin.  Thus in order to save us, ‘he had to be made like his brothers in every way’ (Hebrews 2:16), including temptation (Hebrews 4:15).  Jesus is everything that humanity was created to be, and so he is the perfect pattern to which we are to be conformed.

(ii) Jesus our example.  The redemptive work of Jesus is unique, but in all other respects his life is the perfect example of loving conformity to God’s law (1 Peter 1:19).  The desire of all God’s children is to be like their elder brother, Jesus.  Note 1 John 2:6 ‘Whoever claims to live like him must walk as Jesus walked’.  He is our ‘example’ (1 Peter 2:21).  This is clear in his command in John 15:12 ‘Love each other as I have loved you’.

2. The progress

Central to Christian living is the command of 1 Peter 1:15 ‘just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do’.  Holiness is to be understood in terms of likeness to Christ.  This is Paul’s theme in 2 Corinthians 3:18 – progressive sanctification as the Holy Spirit reproduces in us the likeness of the Saviour.  Ultimately this is God’s work: ‘it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose’ (Philippians 2:13).  Galatians 5:22-23 on ‘the fruit of the Spirit’, describes for us the character of Jesus which is to be increasingly evident in us.  The Lord’s chief concern is with the heart – the centre of our being, including our thoughts, motives and feelings (see e.g. Proverbs 4:23).  God is concerned first with our being and then with the doing that flows from it.  What kind of heart do you have?  We must not fail to see that we have a duty to be active in this transformation, by the Spirit’s enabling.  We must use the means of grace that the Lord provides, including feeding on the Word.

3. The perfection

In our battle with sin, we have the encouragement that the Lord will complete his work:

(i) In the present.  Romans 6:14 ‘sin shall not be your master’.  Christ is our Lord and he will remake us in his likeness.  We are not doomed to perpetual defeat.

(ii) In the future.  Our souls are perfected at death – ‘spirits of righteous men made perfect’ (Hebrews 12:23) and at the Lord’s return ‘we shall be like him’ (1 John 3:2-3), body and soul.

As we pursue our Spiritual Check-up, God does not leave us in the dark regarding the marks of a healthy Christian life.  We are not to be influenced by the attitudes and values of the culture around us, or we may come to think that the busier we are, the healthier we must be.  Today we turn to consider something that is vital for growth: 2.  Do you feed on Scripture?

1. Why should you feed on Scripture?

Once new life has begun by the work of the Holy Spirit, we are to grow spiritually, and in order to grow we need food.  The Lord has provided spiritual food for his people in Scripture (Psalm 111:5).  Two reasons why we should feed on Scripture:

(i) Scripture is God-breathed.  We feed on Scripture because of the kind of book the Bible is.  The Bible is utterly unique – ‘God-breathed’ (2 Timothy 3:16).  The entire Bible has its origin in God.  As 2 Peter 1:19 tells us, the written word of Scripture is even more sure than the voice of God on the mountain of transfiguration.  Note 2 Peter 1:21 ‘men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.’  What Scripture says, God says.

(ii) Scripture is transforming.  That is so in 2 fundamental ways:

1. In conversion: Often the Spirit uses the Word in vital ways as he brings sinners to conversion (see 1 Peter 1:23).  He applies the Word to awaken and draw sinners to Christ.
2. In sanctification.  As the Spirit transforms us into the likeness of Christ (2 Corinthians 3:18) he applies the Word powerfully to stir a hatred of sin and a desire for holiness.  Psalm 19:7-8 describes the practical transforming effect of the Word.

2. How should you feed on Scripture?

(i) With prayer.  This is essential.  Much of Scripture is beyond our natural capacities (see 2 Peter 3:16) but we have the ministry of the Spirit to enable us to understand and obey.  Prayer is a cry for the help of the Spirit.  Psalm 119:18 is a good prayer to use before Bible study.

(ii) With humility.  We come as humble learners, not as masters of the Word.  This means submitting our intellects to the authority of Scripture, not setting ourselves up as judges of what we are willing to accept.  We should take Samuel’s words in 1 Samuel 3:10 as our own.

(iii) With eagerness.  It is a mark of grace in our hearts when we delight in God’s Word.  There are many examples in the psalms – such as Psalm 119:97.  There is to be no half-hearted engagement with the Word.  Our attitude to Scripture shows our attitude to God.

(iv) With obedience.  Obedience is frequently commanded in Scripture.  James 1:22 ‘be doers of the word, and not hearers only’.  To be a hearer only is ‘deceiving yourselves’.  It is dangerously easy to substitute listening alone for receiving and acting on the Word.  There ought to be increasing obedience alongside increasing understanding.  This is rooted in love: ‘This is love for God: to obey his commands’ (1 John 5:3) – a good test of spiritual health.

We have been living through testing times, internationally, nationally and personally.  We have the assurance that God is sovereign in these events.  As professing Christians we may have found our faith challenged and tested.  We may well have had fresh experiences of God’s grace.  As we begin a new, and different, season of work, this is a good time to take stock.  In the coming weeks we will undertake a Spiritual Check-up, examining ourselves in the light of God’s Word.  We begin with 1. Do you love the Lord?

1. Do you love him because he saved you?

In Psalm 116:1 the psalmist recounts his experience of God’s grace.  When he was at the end of his resources, he cried out to the Lord who heard and delivered him.  We are right to apply the psalmist’s words to the great issues of sin and salvation.  The biggest question we all have to face is – are you saved?  This is a matter of eternal life and eternal death.  Whatever our bodily and mental health may be, the Bible tells us clearly that spiritually our natural condition is death: ‘dead in your transgressions and sins’ (Ephesians 2:1).  Into this grim situation comes the Good News of the gospel – ‘believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved’ (Acts 16:31).  The work of the Son of God in his life, death and resurrection has provided all that is necessary for sinners’ salvation and it is the fruit of God’s eternal love for sinners.  1 John 4:19 tells believers, ‘We love because he first loved us’.  As we experience God’s love in Christ, we are set free to love him (and others).  Any claim to be a Christian is empty unless it is accompanied by love for the Lord.

2. Do you love him because he provides for you?

Christians are able to address God as ‘Our father in heaven’ (Matthew 6:9).  As a perfect father, he knows and provides for all the needs of his children, much more than an earthly father (Matthew 7:11).  This is ‘God who provides us with everything for our enjoyment’ (1 Timothy 6:17).  In response we are filled with love and thankfulness for the supply we have in Christ (Psalm 31:23).  The test of the genuineness of our love is – do we love him when he disciplines us in love (Hebrews 12:6).  We do not love only when his provision is easy to accept.  This is true also in trials – James 1:2.  In all circumstances God’s promise is ‘My grace is sufficient for you’ (2 Corinthians 12:9).  Are we growing in love for him?

3. Do you show your love for him by obedience?

The Bible makes clear that a profession of love for the Lord is empty unless there is solid evidence for that claim.  That evidence is obedience.  The Bible never sees any tension or contradiction between loving the Lord and obeying him.  Jesus tells his disciples, ‘If you love me, you will keep my commandments’ (John14:15).  In one sense this is a statement – this is what will flow from loving him.  It is also a command, coming with the full authority of the Lord – this is what we must do.  We must not fall into the error of the Pharisees.  They were outstanding keepers of the law, yet Jesus condemned them (Mark 7:6).  Mere outward keeping of the rules is insufficient.  The obedience the Lord requires flows from love (1 John 5:3).  Here is a good test to apply as we take stock spiritually: is our love shown in obedience?

The disciples thought they were going to die, on the Sea of Galilee in ‘a furious storm’ (Matthew 8:24).  Indeed ‘the boat was being swamped’ (Luke 8:23).  They are at the end of their resources, but they do turn to Jesus.  We hear their panic in Mark 4:38 ‘Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?’  In the middle of the storm Jesus sleeps on a cushion (Mark 4:38).  What do we learn about Jesus from this?  Consider Matthew 8:24 Jesus slept.

²⁴ Suddenly a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. ²⁵ The disciples went and woke him, saying, “Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!”
²⁶ He replied, “You of little faith, why are you so afraid?” Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm.
²⁷ The men were amazed and asked, “What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the waves obey him!”

Matthew 8:24-27 (NIV)

1. An evidence of humanity

Jesus slept because he needs sleep.  He experienced the same kind of human needs as any of us, including tiredness (John 4:6) and thirst (John 19:28).  The range of human experience is shared by Jesus.  What we read here provides clear evidence of Jesus’ humanity.  What the Son of God has taken into union with his divine nature is human nature in its entirety – a body and a soul, with the sole exception of sin.  It is human nature just like ours.  As we defend the deity of Christ, we must equally vigorously defend his humanity.  Early heretics such as the Docetists were influenced by Greek thought and could not conceive of deity in union with humanity.  The church from the outset understood the importance of the Lord’s human nature.  Hebrews 2:17 tells us that ‘he had to be made like his brothers in every way’ in order to provide salvation – human sin must be dealt with by a human Saviour, who is also fully God.  We must not forget that as Jesus slept in the boat (according to his human nature) he also reigned over the entire universe (according to his divine nature) – as stated in Hebrews 1:3.

2. A testimony of faith

Jesus sleeps soundly in the midst of the storm.  Note his response to the disciples’ panic – ‘You of little faith, why are you so afraid?’ (v26).  He sees that the issue at stake is faith (or their lack of it).  Jesus’ sleeping in the storm is a testimony of faith.  This is apparent in the psalms, which we can take as being all messianic:  Jesus is the primary speaker.  Thus we apply Psalm 23:1 first to him –he says, ‘The Lord is my Shepherd’, expressing faith in his Father’s loving care for him and provision for him in all circumstances.  This trust was what Satan chiefly attacked in the temptations (Matthew 4:1ff).  The Saviour also speaks in Psalm 4:8 ‘I will lie down and sleep in peace, for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety.’

3. An example to follow

Jesus according to his human nature is the exemplar of the godly life his people are to live.  We see in him what a Spirit-empowered human life is to look like.  In his sleeping in the storm there are lessons for us:

(i) Our humanity: we are creatures with limitations, including bodies that need rest.  It is foolish to disregard the proper care of the bodies that God has given us, suggesting we are wiser than the Creator.  Note Psalm 127:2 ‘he grants sleep to those he loves’.

(ii) Our faith: trust in the Lord is a great source of security and peace.  This is not a guarantee of sound sleep but the believer trusting in the Lord is freed from many burdens and anxieties that others bear.  Psalm 4:8 ‘I will lie down and sleep in peace, for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety.’  That should be our prayerful desire and aim, even in trials.

David McKay

We are bombarded from all sides by words – especially with the advent of the internet and social media.  The big question is – which words are worthy of our attention?  Which words should we believe?  Generally, we have to ask – do we trust the source?  This challenge was posed right at the beginning of human history – Genesis 3:1 ‘Did God really say…?’

Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?”
² The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, ³ but God did say, ‘You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.’”
⁴ “You will not certainly die,” the serpent said to the woman. ⁵ “For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”
⁶ When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. ⁷ Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves.

1. The temptation we encounter

Genesis 3 provides a historical record of Satan’s temptation of our first parents.  What happens concerns two individual human beings, although as our representative, Adam’s actions also concern all of us.  Satan however uses the same method to attack God’s people in all ages, so we are to learn from this account what to expect.  Satan begins with a question designed to provoke questions on Eve’s part (v1).  The aim is to get Eve to evaluate God’s word critically – is his prohibition reasonable or fair?  Eve exaggerates the prohibition – ‘you must not touch it’ (v3).  Satan then progresses to an outright denial of the truthfulness of God’s word – ‘You will not surely die’ (v4).  Is the God who gave the word to be trusted?  Often we face the same basic temptation – do we trust the word of God, even when it goes against what we desire, or it is difficult to understand, or it is questioned by ‘experts’, or it is mocked in society around us.  We may be tempted to question God’s word in Scripture.

2. The choice we must make

The word of God and the word of Satan present 2 rival interpretations of reality.  The whole of a person’s life is involved in this contest.  Which interpretation will we believe and act upon?  We have two ‘words’ offering diametrically opposed ‘world and life views’ – which one will guide us?

(i) The word of the Creator: given by authoritative revelation.  This provides the standard for all the big issues – how we can have accurate knowledge, how we are to understand our true identity, and how we are to conduct our lives.

(ii) The word of the rebel: Satan opposes God’s truth in every way possible.  He is ‘a liar and the father of lies’ (John 8:44). His rival word is a false interpretation of reality.

In Eden we see human beings trying to occupy the place of God.  Instead of submitting to the Creator and his word, Adam and Eve set themselves up as judges of truth.  This refusal to accept our God-given position is the root of the sin that requires a Saviour.

3. The example we are to follow

Christ himself provides us with the perfect example of how we are to receive and use God’s Word.  In his redemptive work, he is unique, but in his earthly life, he is our example.  Note the statement in 1 John 1:6 ‘Whoever claims to live in [God] must walk as Jesus did’.  Jesus’ fundamental commitment was to obey the divine Word – ‘your word is truth’ (John 17:17).  Every part of the Saviour’s life was governed by the Word – ‘I have come to do your will, O God’ (Hebrews 10:7).  This is clear in his response to Satan’s temptations – ‘it stands written’ (Matthew 4:4,7,10).  We are to be imitators of him, with all our thinking and living to be done in joyful and loving submission to the Word of God.

David McKay

As we exit lockdown and begin services of worship again, what should our thoughts be?  We may experience all kinds of anxieties and concerns, but as Christians, our focus must surely be on the Lord.  Much has changed, but he has not.  Consider Psalm 115:12-13.

¹² The Lord remembers us and will bless us:
    He will bless his people Israel,
    he will bless the house of Aaron,
¹³ he will bless those who fear the Lord—
    small and great alike.

Psalm 115:12-13 (NIV)

1. God has remembered

Our basic attitude is expressed in v1 ‘Not to us, Lord, not to us, but to your name be the glory’.  The fundamental reason is ‘because of your love and your faithfulness’.  These truths lie behind the statement of v12.  The verb refers primarily to the past – ‘The Lord has remembered us’ (ESV).  This then describes his fixed attitude and so NIV reads ‘The Lord remembers us’.  When Scripture says that the Lord remembered, it is not merely referring to his having exhaustive information about us – it speaks of his saving action on our behalf.  The Lord saves those he remembers.  He could remember our sins, but instead, we have the language of grace: ‘I am he who blots out your transgressions…and remembers your sins no more’ (Isaiah 43:25).  The name he uses is significant: ‘the Lord’, the God who makes a covenant of love with his people.

2. God will bless

The Lord’s remembering us in grace includes all the provision we require, yet he loves his people so much that he goes on to give rich promises: ‘The Lord…will bless us’ (v12).  The future is always uncertain (as James 4:15 reminds us) and our present circumstances emphasise that uncertainty.  If we focus on the uncertainties we will become worried, fearful or even depressed.  The ultimate solution is to focus on the Lord.  In the full light of the New Testament we see that all blessing comes through Christ whose redemptive work has made all necessary provision.  Hence we have the promises of Philippians 4:19 and 2 Peter 1:3.  Note 3 times, ‘He will bless’ – absolute assurance.

3. God is to be feared

The promise of blessing is only for ‘the house of Israel…the house of Aaron’ – God’s own people.  The language of 1 Peter 2:9 shows that we can apply these words to ourselves as Christians (see also Galatians 3:29).  As v13 shows, the blessing is for those ‘who fear the Lord’ – who love and reverence their heavenly Father.  The blessing is for ‘small and great alike’ – the only qualification is godly fear for the Lord who saves us.  With such an assurance those who fear the Lord can face whatever the future brings.

David McKay