Oxford Bible Church - Living in the Last Days (audio)

After saying: the just shall live by faith" (Hebrews 10:38), in Hebrews 11, Paul describes what it means to live by faith by giving illustrations from the lives of a number of the Old Testament heroes of faith, who pleased God. These men who have run their race are now the clouds of witnesses in the grandstands of Heaven, inspiring us as we run our race on earth (Hebrews 12:1-2). Their lives witness to us and give us an example of how to please God by living by faith. Derek reveals a number of key aspects to the life of faith, by looking at the first few of these heroes. (1) The foundational thing that they all had in common was that they believed in CREATION - that this universe was created by the invisible God through his Word (Hebrews 11:3, see Genesis 1). Then (2) ABEL teaches us that true faith in God must be based in the BLOOD of Christ (v4, see Genesis 4:2-8, Hebrews 9:22, 12:22-24). Abel trusted in the grace of God for his salvation on the basis of the blood of the Sacrifice, whereas Cain tried to earn his place with God based on his own works (a picture of man-made religion). Then (3) ENOCH shows that walking by faith means a life lived in FELLOWSHIP with God. Through his faith Enoch pleased God, because he continually came to God, seeking to draw close to God to know Him better, believing in God's goodness, that He would reward him by fulfilling his desire (v5,6). As a result he walked with God for 300 years (Genesis 5:21-24). Then (4) NOAH shows us that living by faith means we are called to cooperate with God in saving as many as possible in the world we live in. He built an Ark of Salvation and a WITNESSED to his world as a preacher of righteousness (v7, 1Peter 3:20, 2Peter 2:5). Then (5) ABRAHAM shows us that living by faith means OBEDIENCE to God, when He calls us out from our old life into a new life where we have to trust God and His promise (v8). Then (6) the Patriarchs (Abraham, Isaac and Jacob) show us that a life of faith means being focused on and motivated by a HEAVENLY HOPE, even their eternal heavenly home, the City of God (v9-10,14,16), rather than what this world has to offer (v13,15). Then (7) SARAH shows us how we RECEIVE the PROMISES of God by faith, by judging Him faithful who had promised (v11), causing us to be fruitful for God (v12). Finally (8) ABRAHAM proved his faith by demonstrating that he loved God more than the most precious thing in his life, by being willing to SACRIFICE his beloved son Isaac to God, trusting God to resurrect him (v17-19, James 2:21-22). Likewise, the ultimate test of our faith in God and love for God is whether we are willing to SURRENDER what is most precious to us, and trust it into God's hands, for Him to resurrect as and when He pleases.

God became a Man in the Person of Jesus Christ. He is God, the Son, and the Son of God. Jesus is the central Person in the Bible, our Saviour and the Source of Eternal Life, and we must believe in Him and come to Him to receive salvation and eternal life (John 5:39-40, 1John 5:11-12). Salvation is of the Lord (Jonah 2:9), and only God can be our Saviour, so if Christ came to save us He must be God. Pastor Derek shares a number of Scriptures in the New Testament, which show that Jesus is fully God as well as fully man, and that believing in His Deity is necessary for salvation. In John 1:1,14, He is introduced as the Eternal Word made flesh, and later Jesus says that we receive eternal life through believing in Him - the God-man (John 3:16, 6:47, 20:31). In Romans 10:9, Paul tells us that those who confess: "Jesus is Lord" from a believing heart are saved. Derek shows that this is a confession of Christ's Deity and our submission to Him. In John 20, Thomas gives us a picture of saving faith, when he worships Jesus saying: "My Lord and my God" (v28). In John 8:58-59, Jesus claimed to be the I AM, and in John 8:24, He said: "If you do not believe that I AM, you will die in your sins.” When Jesus claimed to be the Son of God, the Jews tried to stone Him to death, because they knew He was claiming equality with God (John 5:18). His response was to affirm that He should be honoured just as the Father is honoured (v23). In Matthew 16:15-18, Jesus declared that receiving, embracing and confessing this revelation from God that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God is the key to be blessed with forgiveness and eternal life and become part of His true Church, built upon the Rock (Christ Himself). Romans 10:13 says "all who call on the Name of the Lord (Jesus) shall be saved." This is a quote from Joel 2:32, where 'Lord' translates 'Jehovah.' Thus this says Jesus is Jehovah God, and that we are saved through believing and calling upon Him as our Lord God. Thus saving faith must include knowing and submitting to Jesus as our Lord and our God.

"Life and death are in the power of the tongue" (Proverbs 18:21). Jesus said that with our tongues we either bring forth good or evil things in our lives (Matthew 12:34-37). The course of our life and our spiritual growth is greatly determined by our use of our tongue. James 1:22-25 tells that we must not just be hearers, but also doers of the word and that we will be blessed in our doing (obedience). Then he highlighted the control of our tongue as being of first importance in doing God's word (v26), and later he devotes James 3 to explaining and illustrating the power of the tongue and the importance of us controlling it, so that we only speak the good and not the evil. Derek expounds James 3 explaining the wonderful examples given by James, including horses, ships, fires, wild beasts and springs.

We should be on a journey of ever growing faith (2Thessalonians 1:3). The Bible promises if we SEEK God we will FIND Him. (1) First, we discover Him as the almighty CREATOR of the universe and of us. We are created by a Personal God, the FATHER, who wants us to know Him. (2) Then, we discover He has revealed Himself in His Word, and ultimately in His SON, Jesus Christ, and we come to know Him as our SAVIOUR. (3) Then, His SPIRIT comes to indwell us and He works in our life as our SANCTIFIER, transforming us from glory to glory. Likewise, there are 3 LEVELS of FAITH: (1) GENERAL FAITH in God - His existence and character, His power and goodness, which is the basis for HOPE (Hebrews 11:6). (2) SPECIFIC FAITH that comes to God (on the basis of general faith) and receives His promises (TRUST), for example Hebrews 11:11, Mark 11:24, Hebrews 4:16. But (3) the highest level of faith is trusting God, even in times of testing, when all seems lost. This is the expression of faith manifested in the loyalty of LOVE. We see this kind of faith exemplified by Abraham offering up Isaac, when he passed the ultimate test of faith, when he proved his love for God (Genesis 22, Hebrews 11:17-19). This Level 3 Faith was also exemplified by Habakkuk (3:17,18), and by Job in the midst of his trials (James 5:11). These 3 LEVELS of Faith are illustrated in Daniel 3:16-18: (1) general faith in the character of God ("our God is able to deliver us"), (2) specific faith in the promise of God ("He will deliver us from your hand, O king"), and (3) trusting God and staying loyal to Him, even if it means suffering loss ("even if He does not deliver us, we will not bow down to any other god").

The origin and basis of Holy Communion is the Passover Meal, for in it we remember Christ our Passover Lamb, who was sacrificed for us. He fulfilled the prophetic picture of Passover, for by His Blood He released us from slavery to sin and from the dominion of the kingdom of darkness, and sets us free to live a new life with Him. Derek describes the original Passover in Exodus 12. The Passover Lamb provided 2 things: (1) the BLOOD, when applied, provided forgiveness for sin and protection from judgment, and (2) the FLESH, when eaten, provided physical healing for their bodies (Psalm 105:37). The type of Passover was fulfilled by Jesus who died as our Passover Lamb (1Cor 5:7). (1) He gave His BLOOD for us, to establish a New Covenant with God, providing forgiveness from sin and deliverance from Divine Judgment, and (2) He gave His FLESH to us, providing strength, health and life. In Communion, the WINE and the BREAD represents His BLOOD and His BODY (flesh) given for us. As there was healing in the Passover, so there is healing in Communion, which is the New Testament equivalent to the Passover Meal, for Jesus instituted Communion at a Passover Meal. At the Last Supper, Christ instituted the Lord’s Supper (Communion) as the Memorial Feast of the New Covenant in His Blood by saying: “DO THIS in REMEMBRANCE of Me” (Luke 22:19, 1Cor 11:23-26). He transformed the Passover Meal into its New Covenant fulfilment, showing how all its details were prophetic pictures of how He would fulfil the Passover through His death and resurrection. Pastor Derek describes and demonstrates the detailed Order of Service for the Passover Meal, and relates it to Jesus' words and actions at the Last Supper. In particular he shows how the Afikomen provides a wonderful picture of the Gospel. The AFIKOMEN (representing the Son of God) is brought forth from the MATZA TOSH (the Godhead). Only the MIDDLE PIECE of the 3 pieces of bread (the Trinity) comes into manifestation (the AFIKOMEN), which represents CHRIST, the SON, coming forth out of God and revealed in human form, while the Father and Spirit remained invisible. The AFIKOMEN is a picture of Jesus: (1) UNLEAVENED BREAD (He is the SINLESS bread of life), (2) STRIPED, and (3) PIERCED. The AFIKOMEN was (1) BROKEN, signifying Jesus broken for us on the Cross – His DEATH (Luke 22:19a), and then it was (2) WRAPPED in a cloth, and hidden from sight (signifying His BURIAL). Later, the AFIKOMEN was brought forth from its hiding (burial) place. This symbolised Jesus appearing again, having been resurrected on the third day. Luke 22:19: “Jesus took BREAD (the AFIKOMEN = the resurrected Christ), gave THANKS, BLESSED it and BROKE it, and GAVE it to the disciples and said: “TAKE, EAT; this (AFIKOMEN) is My BODY, which is GIVEN for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” The Afikomen is eaten after its death, burial and resurrection, so in Communion the bread that we eat represents the risen Christ, who was blessed with every blessing on our behalf. Thus we partake of His blessed resurrection life. The Communion Bread is the Afikomen, representing the resurrection life of Christ, given to us. Jesus interpreted the Afikomen as Himself, risen from the dead and giving Himself to us to eat. When Jesus divided up (broke) the bread and gave it to the believers, this represented the resurrected Christ dividing, distributing and giving Himself to us to eat, saying: “I am the BREAD of LIFE” (John 6:35,48). Then came the 3rd CUP of SALVATION: “He took the CUP, after supper saying: “This CUP is the New Covenant in My Blood, which is shed for you...Then He gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying: “Drink from it, all of you. For this is My Blood of the New Covenant which is shed for many for the remission of sins” (Luke 22:20, Matthew 26:27,28). This is the CUP of BLESSING that we drink at Communion (1Cor 10:16,17). Christ has GIVEN HIMSELF to us through His BLOOD and His RESURRECTION LIFE, and now it's up to us to EAT of His LIFE, and DRINK DEEPLY from His CUP of SALVATION and BLESSING.

The Parable of the Sower (Matthew 13, Mark 4, Luke 8) is the master Parable of Jesus, describing the operation of God's Kingdom in this Age. God works through the seed of His Word, being sown into the soil of men's hearts, producing good fruit, therefore: "He who has ears, let him hear, and keep on hearing, the Word" (Mark 4:9, 23). The harvest of fruit produced depends on the measure of priority, hearing and attention that we give to His Word: "He who has ears, let him hear, and keep on hearing the Word: "Take heed what you hear. With the same measure (of hearing and attention) you use, it (fruit) will be measured to you; and to you who hear, more will be given. For whoever has (ears to hear God's Word), to him more (fruit) will be given; but whoever does not have (ears to hear), even what he has will be taken away from him” (Mark 4:24-25).

Pastor Derek shares from the 3 classic passages on the Rapture of the Church (John 14:1-3, 1Thessalonians 4:13-18, 1Corinthians 15:50-58), showing how it will take place in 2 phases, heralded by 2 trumpet blasts. The first blast will resurrect the dead in Christ, and then cause them to rise to meet the Lord in the air. The second blast will cause those who are still alive to receive immortal bodies, and then be caught up to meet Christ also.

Derek shares the key scriptures that tell us how we can quickly rebound from (1) sin, (2) setbacks, (3) success and (4) hurts.

Spiritual warfare is being waged over the battlefield of men's hearts and minds. Join Derek as He shares about the war between the Romans and Pirates in 63 BC, which gives the background to 2Corinthians 10:3-6, which talks about the weapons of our warfare being mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds. Paul used this war, where the Romans defeated the Pirates, as a picture of how we can be victorious, by using (1) God's mighty weapons (words), and (2) His strategy for deploying them, which is to first locate and pull down the enemy strongholds (false beliefs erected against God's truth), and then take every pirate-thought captive to the obedience of Christ, just as the pirates were made to surrender to Rome.

When we trust in Christ as our Rock Foundation for our being, life and eternal salvation, we are unshakable (Matt 16:18, 1 Cor 3:11, Isaiah 28:16, Matt 7:24-27). As we look to Him and trust in Him, He upholds us by His power, so we will not fall, as Peter discovered when he walked on water. The Christian life is based on a personal relationship with God. By knowing and trusting the Lord, we experience His abundant and eternal life (John 17:3, 10:10). The Christian life is trusting and loving the Lord, our Rock and Life, rather than living by a set of rules. God designed us to be His Temples (dwelling places of God) on 3 dimensions: (1) our spirit (holy of holies), (2) our soul (holy place), and (3) our body (outer court). We can understand how we should live by understanding the dynamics of God's Temples. Man was made to live by faith, trusting in God's Spirit flowing from his spirit to God's glory. When man sinned he died spiritually, cut off from God's Spirit. He then lived according to his independent soul life, under the power of the sin-nature in his flesh. When we receive Christ as our Lord and Saviour, by His Spirit, he enters our holy of holies, applies His Blood to our spirit, making it into a perfect new creation, and sits enthroned there through His indwelling Spirit - this is the New Birth. We then become a functioning Temple of the living God. Christ now lives in us as our Rock Foundation for our soul and life, both now and forever (Col 1:27). Derek shares the significance of all the articles in the Temple and what they teach about how we should function as God's Temples. In the holy of holies (our spirit) is the Ark of the Covenant (God's Throne, where Christ sits as Lord), and 3 items: (1) the tablet of the 10 Commandments (the righteousness of Christ in our spirit), (2) Aaron's almond rod that budded (our anointing to minister, from Christ's resurrection life in us), and (3) the Pot of Manna (the life of Christ, the bread of life, to feed and sustain our souls). Likewise, there are 3 items in the Holy Place (soul) which correspond to the 3 items in the spirit: (1) the Altar of Incense next to the Holy of Holies, but separated by a veil (out heart or will, which is in direct contact with the spirit, although separated by unbelief - the tablet of the heart corresponds to the tablet of the 10 Commandments - 2Cor 3:3), (2) the Menorah (our mind, which God illuminates with His 7-fold light - Isaiah 11:2), which is an almond tree, and (3) the Table of Showbread (Bread of the Presence), representing our emotions kept ever fresh from God's Presence, shining forth from the Holy of Holies. The power generator of the Temple is the Altar of Burnt Offering in the Outer Court, representing the Cross, where Christ was offered up for us, to purchase and release His grace (every blessing of righteousness and life) to us. When we trust in Christ and see His sacrifice of love for us, the coals from the Altar with His Blood are applied to our Altar of Incense causing the incense of our heart (our thanksgiving, praise, prayer and worship) to rise up before His throne, so that we submit to Him and offer ourselves to Him as a living sacrifice to do whatever he wants us to do (Is 6:1-4, Rom 12:1). As we turn to the Lord in this way, He progressively removes our veil (barrier) of unbelief, the hardness of our heart (2Cor 3:16), so with unveiled face, we can behold the glory of the Lord, shining from our spirit by the Holy Spirit. His Spirit flowing from our spirit into our soul, by His presence possessing our soul, sets us free from the sin-nature and transforms our soul into the His image from glory to glory, as we submit our souls and yield our bodies to the process of transformation - our spirit has already been made Christ-like (v17-18). His Spirit (1) writes His law (righteous nature), imprinting His Word on the tablet of our hearts, aligning and strengthening our will in line with His will (2Cor 3:3), (2) lights up our Menorah (renews our mind, so we can know Him and His will for us, and lay hold of His anointing to do it - Rom 12:2-8, Is 6:2), and (3) comforts, inspires, renews and refreshes our emotions. Thus, God works in us to know and will (desire) His will, and also empowers our soul to do His good pleasure (Phil 2:13). So, as long as we behold His glory, through the mirror of His Word, our soul is being transformed into His image by His Spirit (2Cor 3:18, Jam 1:22-25). The One doing the transforming is the Spirit of the Lord, who is also the Lord (2Cor 3:17-18), so to cooperate effectively with Him in this work He requires (1) the submission of our heart to His Lordship, enabling Him to fill our soul, and (2) our obedience to do what He has shown and empowered us to do. The transformation begins with our dedication and submission to Him, but is only is completed when we do His Word (obey).