Malcolm Cox

Introduction, Matthew 6:9-13

Our Father God is forgiving: Which Scriptures come to mind that fit the following statements?

Discussion about God

1. If Father God is forgiving, what does this mean?

2. If Father God is forgiving, how can we be more aware of this reality?

3. If Father God is forgiving, how can we enjoy his forgiveness?

Discussion about us as fathers

1. What does it mean to be forgiving for our children?

2. How can we help our children be more aware of our forgiveness?

3. What can we do so that our children enjoy our forgiveness?

Conclusion

Next Wednesday: Father-God is our protector – lead us, not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one

Please add your comments on this week’s topic. We learn best when we learn in community. Do you have a question about teaching the Bible? Is it theological, technical, practical? Send me your questions or suggestions. Here’s the email: [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected]). If you’d like a copy of my free eBook on spiritual disciplines, “How God grows His people”, sign up at my website: http://[www.malcolmcox.org](http://www.malcolmcox.org/). Please pass the link on, subscribe, leave a review. “Worship the LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful songs.” (Psalms 100:2 NIV11) God bless, Malcolm

Today we conclude our series based on Psalm 27. If you haven’t already done so, I recommend listening to the first episode which covers some background thoughts on the context of the Psalm. 

Now, today verse we recapitulate the core verse of the Psalm. 

“One thing I ask from the LORD, this only do I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze on the beauty of the LORD and to seek him in his temple.” (Psalm 27:4 NIV11)

“One thing that all mature Christians agree on is the absolute beauty of God. They’ve experienced it! They’ve seen it and have been changed by it. They long for it, just like the writer of Psalm 27. “One thing I ask”—what is that one thing? To seek and to see the beauty of God. That’s not a bad summary of prayer. Starke, John. The Possibility of Prayer (p. 32). InterVarsity Press.

Verse 1

O worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness

Bow down before Him His glory proclaim

With gold of obedience and incense of lowliness

Kneel and adore Him the Lord is His name

Verse 2

Low at His feet lay thy burden of carefulness

High on His heart He will bear it for thee

Comfort thy sorrows and answer thy prayerfulness

Guiding thy steps as may best for thee be

Verse 3

Fear not to enter His courts in the slenderness

Of the poor wealth thou wouldst reckon as thine

Truth in its beauty and love in its tenderness

These are the off'rings to lay on His shrine

Verse 4

These though we bring them in

Trembling and fearfulness

He will accept for the name that is dear

Mornings of joy give for evenings of tearfulness

Trust for our trembling and hope for our fear

Verse 5

O worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness

Bow down before Him His glory proclaim

With gold of obedience and incense of lowliness

Kneel and adore Him the Lord is His name

John Samuel Bewley Monsell

(https://youtu.be/LBEmXFkwcOE)

What are the lessons from this verse and this Psalm? 

1. Trouble comes on God’s faithful people. But it does not mean God does not care.

2. The only healthy response to challenges beyond our control is to make God our priority.

3. Reflection on God’s loving nature will inspire our confident trust in Him.

We will conclude today’s podcast with the song I wrote using the words of Psalm 27 verse 4.

Next week we will move on to a different topic. In the meantime, please add your comments on this week’s topic. We learn best when we learn in community. 

Do you have a question about teaching the Bible? Is it theological, technical, practical? Send me your questions or suggestions. Here’s the email: [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected]). 

If you’d like a copy of my free eBook on spiritual disciplines, “How God grows His people”, sign up at my website: http://[www.malcolmcox.org](http://www.malcolmcox.org/). 

Please pass the link on, subscribe, leave a review. 

“Worship the LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful songs.” (Psalms 100:2 NIV11) 

God bless, Malcolm

Dr Douglas Jacoby is our visiting speaker from Scotland. He teaches us on the significance of the second advent when Jesus will come again.

We continue the topic of the coming of the Christ next Sunday, the 11th of December. Please feel free to join us then or for our carol service on the 18th of December 10:30 in the morning.

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

Do you have a question about teaching the Bible? Is it theological, technical, practical? Send me your questions or suggestions. Here’s the email: [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected]). 

If you’d like a copy of my free eBook on spiritual disciplines, “How God grows His people”, sign up at my website: http://[www.malcolmcox.org](http://www.malcolmcox.org/). 

Please pass the link on, subscribe, leave a review. 

“Worship the LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful songs.” (Psalms 100:2 NIV11) 

God bless, Malcolm

Truth through personality

“In the first place, I ask that men make no reference to my name; let them call themselves Christians, not Lutherans.“ Admonition Against Insurrection (1522) Martin Luther

“by any consideration of body or soul you should never say: I am Lutheran, or Papist.” On Receiving Both Kinds in the Sacrament (1522) Martin Luther

“Moses said to the LORD, “Pardon your servant, Lord. I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor since you have spoken to your servant. I am slow of speech and tongue.” The LORD said to him, “Who gave human beings their mouths? Who makes them deaf or mute? Who gives them sight or makes them blind? Is it not I, the LORD? Now go; I will help you speak and will teach you what to say.”” (Exodus 4:10–12 NIV11-GK)

“Moses was educated in all the wisdom of the Egyptians and was powerful in speech and action.” (Acts 7:22 NIV11)

Be more than your speech, not less.

Why not sign up for the church history module: https://www.aimukandireland.com/course/church-history

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

Do you have a question about teaching the Bible? Is it theological, technical, practical? Send me your questions or suggestions. Here’s the email: [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected]). 

If you’d like a copy of my free eBook on spiritual disciplines, “How God grows His people”, sign up at my website: http://[www.malcolmcox.org](http://www.malcolmcox.org/). 

Please pass the link on, subscribe, leave a review. 

Keep calm and carry on teaching.

God bless, Malcolm

v18 - Note the letter begins with an inspiring picture of Jesus. His opinion about us is what matters, not the opinions of others, nor our own feelings. 

    - Some questions to ask ourselves personally and in our local groups: 

1. What has gone well? v19

             - “We remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Thessalonians 1:3 NIV11)

          - Their love is not intellectual, but practical - Galatians 5:6; Acts 10:38.

2. What needs improvement? What is being tolerated? What sins are apparent? v20-21

        - Jezebel: 1 Kings 16:31, 2 Kings 9:22. 

        - The baddest of all the bad girls in the Bible!

3. What will be the consequences if you do not pay attention to the things God has brought to your attention? vv22-24

        - “I will kill her children with death”.

        - Cannot hide behind Jezebel and blame her.

        - ‘I will not impose’ - The lack of imposition of burdens likely refers to the council of Jerusalem (Acts 15:28). 

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

Do you have a question about teaching the Bible? Is it theological, technical, practical? Send me your questions or suggestions. Here’s the email: [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected]). 

If you’d like a copy of my free eBook on spiritual disciplines, “How God grows His people”, sign up at my website: http://[www.malcolmcox.org](http://www.malcolmcox.org/). 

Please pass the link on, subscribe, leave a review. 

“Worship the LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful songs.” (Psalms 100:2 NIV11) 

God bless, Malcolm

Now let’s discuss why Jesus came and what this means for us….

Jn 1:14 - ‘enfleshing’ ‘dwelling’

Question: What is the point of the incarnation?

1. Show the church how to live

“The pattern for the church is not the narrative descriptions in Acts, but the incarnation of God in the person of Jesus.” Hicks, Pattern

Community, leadership, 

2. Affirm goodness of creation 

“The incarnation affirmed the goodness of creation, since God cannot participate in moral inferiority, much less something evil.” Embracing creation, 

3. Reveal God as wanting to hear from us

“Of course he would speak to us ordinary people. The Incarnation of Jesus proves that.” Willard, Hearing God

Question: What advantages do we have since Jesus is still incarnate?

Mediation. The Son was incarnate in order to become the "one mediator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus" (1 Tim. 2:5). 

2. Grace: Glorified, he remains all that he was, with sympathy for strugglers undiminished. Heb 4:15-16. He is our helper. 

3. Hope: we will be like he is. Divine and human. Col 3:4

Questions for discussion:

What stands out to you about the Mighty One’s ultimate reign? 

What hope and comfort does it bring? 

How do you desire to respond to Jesus? 

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

Do you have a question about teaching the Bible? Is it theological, technical, practical? Send me your questions or suggestions. Here’s the email: [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected]). 

If you’d like a copy of my free eBook on spiritual disciplines, “How God grows His people”, sign up at my website: http://[www.malcolmcox.org](http://www.malcolmcox.org/). 

Please pass the link on, subscribe, leave a review. 

“Worship the LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful songs.” (Psalms 100:2 NIV11) 

God bless, Malcolm

Today we continue with a series based on Psalm 27. If you haven’t already done so, I recommend listening to the first episode which covers some background thoughts on the context of the Psalm. 

Now, on to today's verse. 

“Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD.” (Psalm 27:14 NIV11)

David turns from addressing God to appealing to other people. His experience of God coming through for him gives him the conviction to extend the invitation to others. Or, perhaps, is he talking to himself? Is he saying, “I have spoken truth about trusting God, and I know I am tempted to take matters into my own hands, therefore I will remind myself to allow God to be sovereign and decide on the timing.”

According to James Bryan Smith in his book “The Good and Beautiful God” the average American, in their lifetime, spends, “six months sitting at traffic lights • eight months opening junk mail • one year searching through desk clutter • two years trying to call people who are not in • three years in meetings • five years waiting in lines.” 

“In all distresses God’s people should wait on him in quiet patience, confident that in due time he will meet their need according to his promise (cf. Pss. 27:7–14; 37:7; 40; 130:5ff.; La. 3:25ff.; Phil. 4:19).” IVP-NB Dictionary

What are the lessons from this verse? 

1. Are you currently waiting on the LORD for something? How successful are you at being patient?

2. What strengthens your heart to trust God while waiting? 

3. Can you recall times when God came through at just the right time? Could you reflect on those times with gratitude?

We will conclude today’s podcast with the song I wrote using the words of Psalm 27 verse 4.

Next week we will review the Psalm and draw this series to an end. In the meantime, please add your comments on this week’s topic. We learn best when we learn in community. 

Do you have a question about teaching the Bible? Is it theological, technical, practical? Send me your questions or suggestions. Here’s the email: [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected]). 

If you’d like a copy of my free eBook on spiritual disciplines, “How God grows His people”, sign up at my website: http://[www.malcolmcox.org](http://www.malcolmcox.org/). 

Please pass the link on, subscribe, leave a review. 

“Worship the LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful songs.” (Psalms 100:2 NIV11) 

God bless, Malcolm

I'm in the last stages of preparing for our church history module for AIM UK & Ireland coming this weekend. If you are watching this in time, please feel free to sign up for the classes on the 3rd of December. Even if you're too late for that, you can still sign up for the course and watch the classes online.

https://www.aimukandireland.com/course/church-history

What does church history have to do with teaching of preaching? Church History helps us separate pragmatism and tradition from core teachings, and thus helps unity and prevents unnecessary division. Let me offer one thought based on the book, “Renewing God’s People” by Holloway and Foster. 

The churches of Christ have been traditionally non-instrumental. Churches have divided over the issue. Where did this come from?

The lack of instruments in the movement was not initially a scriptural issue and was probably more to do with its frontier nature. 

“The first recorded instance of an instrument used in worship among the Stone-Campbell churches was in Midway, Kentucky, in 1859. The minister, L.L. Pinkerton (1812 to 1875), brought in a melodeon to help singing that was so bad it "scared even the rats from worship."" p93. 

Instruments began to be used after the Civil war, mostly in the North. The North justified them on the grounds of appealing to a new generation of worshippers and to help singing. The South opposed them on the grounds of waste when southerners were starving, and an accommodation to culture. 

Why was this issue so much more divisive than others? Perhaps because it was so visible. Did it need to divide people? We may have preferences for singing with or without instruments. Personally I like a blend of both. However, I cannot justify one position over the other from Scripture - nor do I feel the need to do so. 

The application to preaching and teaching? It is helpful to see an example of how a practice (non-instrumental worship) developed as a practical outworking of circumstances, was challenged by new circumstances (greater wealth and desire to appeal to the culture) and was given theological justification after the fact. 

Do we have practices that we can ‘justify’ from Scripture and which separate us from other Christians, but which have their origins in pragmatism, became established tradition and acquired theological justification? It must never be that a preacher or teacher presents a pragmatic solution as a Biblical imperative. 

Why not sign up for the church history module: https://www.aimukandireland.com/course/church-history

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

Do you have a question about teaching the Bible? Is it theological, technical, practical? Send me your questions or suggestions. Here’s the email: [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected]). 

If you’d like a copy of my free eBook on spiritual disciplines, “How God grows His people”, sign up at my website: http://[www.malcolmcox.org](http://www.malcolmcox.org/). 

Please pass the link on, subscribe, leave a review. 

Keep calm and carry on teaching.

God bless, Malcolm

Today we continue with a series based on Psalm 27. If you haven’t already done so, I recommend listening to the first episode which covers some background thoughts on the context of the Psalm. 

Now, on to today's verse. 

“I remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living.” (Psalm 27:13 NIV11)

David’s statement is literally, ‘I am still confident’. He has this confidence despite how things look, not because the problems are resolved.  

“Confidence: Scripture shows that confidence in God will never lead to disappointment. Out of the fifty-three references in Scripture to confidence, approximately half refer to the ability to have confidence in the Lord or one’s standing before him. Time and time again those who trust in the Lord see victory; believers can know that there is certainty and security in Christ. As Proverbs 3:25–26 states, “Have no fear of sudden disaster or of the ruin that overtakes the wicked, for the LORD will be your confidence and will keep your foot from being snared” (NIV). Those who trust in God will not be disappointed, but those whose confidence lies elsewhere will come to ruin (see also 2 Chron 32:7–8; Ps 71:5; Jer 17:7–8; 2 Cor 3:4–5; Eph 3:12; Phil 3:3; Heb 3:14). Likewise, confidence of our standing with God allows us to declare that we “will see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living” (Ps 27:13). We can approach God with confidence, knowing that we will not be destroyed by his wrath because of our sin, but rather will be loved and heard because of our redemption (Heb 4:16; 10:19; 13:6; 1 Jn 3:21).”  IVP Biblical Imagery. 

“When we pray “Deliver us from evil,” we are asking to be able to see, enjoy, and live in accord with what is true but still largely unseen in the present. We know that Jesus has already secured our final release from the Evil One, but we still sense evil’s nearness and taste its effects. The victory of Jesus is real but not currently as visible as it one day will be. And so, in confidence but also in trembling and with tears, we pray for the final, public, irreversible experience of celebrating the defeat of the regime of our Enemy. Hill, Wesley.” The Lord's Prayer: A Guide to Praying to Our Father (Christian Essentials) (p. 56). Lexham Press. 

“For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathise with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.”(Hebrews 4:15–16 NIV11)

What are the lessons from this verse? 

We will conclude today’s podcast with the song I wrote using the words of Psalm 27 verse 4.

Next week we will proceed to the next verse of the Psalm. In the meantime, please add your comments on this week’s topic. We learn best when we learn in community. 

Do you have a question about teaching the Bible? Is it theological, technical, practical? Send me your questions or suggestions. Here’s the email: [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected]). 

If you’d like a copy of my free eBook on spiritual disciplines, “How God grows His people”, sign up at my website: http://[www.malcolmcox.org](http://www.malcolmcox.org/). 

Please pass the link on, subscribe, leave a review. 

“Worship the LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful songs.” (Psalms 100:2 NIV11) 

God bless, Malcolm

Registration is open: https://www.aimukandireland.com/course/church-history 

Why church history?

Renewing God's People: A Concise History of the Churches of Christ, Gary Holloway and Douglas A. Foster

- 13 short chapters

- "Studying church history also helps us experience how faithful Christians in the past struggled to follow God in their own context." 10

Restoration of unified church so the world can be won.

    - Thomas Campbell: The church is one body because Christians are, “subjects of the same grace, objects of the same divine love, bought with the same price, and joint heirs of the same inheritance.“ 43

    - “to Campbell, the purpose of restoring the ancient order was not to be legalistically correct, but to make the church to school of discipleship and devotion to Christ that it was intended to be.“ 74

    - The authors would wish to see us as "neither an exclusive sect, not a denomination alongside others, but a movement in the churches, and in society to call all people back to God through Christ." 139

- WHEN: 3rd December

- WHERE: On-line or in person in Reading

- WHO: Douglas Jacoby: Andy Boakye; Myself

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

Do you have a question about teaching the Bible? Is it theological, technical, practical? Send me your questions or suggestions. Here’s the email: [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected]). 

If you’d like a copy of my free eBook on spiritual disciplines, “How God grows His people”, sign up at my website: http://[www.malcolmcox.org](http://www.malcolmcox.org/). 

Please pass the link on, subscribe, leave a review. 

“Worship the LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful songs.” (Psalms 100:2 NIV11) 

God bless, Malcolm