January 1, Reading 1 – Genesis 1:1-2:3

Reading

Audio, Visual

SAA Notes

John begins the opening words of his Gospel with the opening words of Genesis. We live in a universe that testifies to the creative intelligence behind it, to the joy of God in His creation. This is the starting point and foundation of the Gospel.

SJA Notes

* Creator God, we would learn from Your word today. Please teach us more of You.

“In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.”

God is shown here at work. The three Persons of God, putting together creation.

From the rest of scripture we see Father, Spirit and the Son at work.

The book of John, chapter one, tells us that God in the Person of the Son is the WORD (in the beginning with the Father), and that all things were made through Him.

We know from Hebrews chapter one that Jesus the Son is the energy by which all of creation is sustained.

It is incredible to contemplate that Jesus was at work with the Father and the Spirit in making man (in Their image) – That one day thousands of years later God the Son would take on flesh as a man.

We know from a number of places in scripture (such as Ephesians chapter one) that before this act of creation, before the foundation of the world, God had chosen us in Christ Jesus (God in the Person of the Son), our names written in the Lamb’s book of life.

Creation is not just something God came up with on a whim. Just as the role of Jesus as King and Saviour was not a plan b to deal with pesky humans sinning.

We can start our reading in Genesis with the full and secure knowledge that God’s plans for us are deep and rock-solid.

Truly the testimony of Jesus (God’s word become flesh) from Genesis to Revelation is the spirit of prophesy – All of God’s word testifies to Him!

* God in Heaven,

Thank You for another year begun.

Thank You for creating the lights that separate day from night to be for signs and seasons, for our measuring of days and years.

Please teach us today what You want us to know.

Amen.


January 1, Reading 2 – Job 1:1-2:10

Reading

Audio, Visual

SAA Notes

Job is cast in the format of a historical drama. It deals with the problem of pain, of suffering, of terrible tragedy. How am I to react towards God when these things happen? Is He to blame?

SJA Notes

* Mighty God, when You came to earth, You preached for us to repent because the kingdom of heaven is at hand. Please may Your kingdom come Lord God.

“The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD.”

There is a great deal going on in this passage! This is one of the few places in God’s word where we get a real view in the heavenly council – A place where Satan came and spoke with God.

God is sovereign. Nothing happened to Job outside of His purpose and will.

Satan is at work against God’s people.

But Satan cannot act except within the authority God grants.

This can be a hard word for us.

Presumably Job did not have an open lens into this heavenly exchange. God’s purposes and plans are not always revealed to us His people.

Job feared God and turned away from evil – Why would terrible things happen to him?

We have the example of Job as we ourselves today struggle and wrestle through our responses and behaviour.

“In all this Job did not sin or charge God with wrong.”

Let us be encouraged and convicted in this.

* Faithful God,

As we start a new year – Please Lord show us from Your word today what You want for us to know.

Please write Your word on our hearts, that we might not sin against You.

Please sink us in our own selves, and raise us in You.

More of You, less of us!

Amen.

January 1, Reading 3 – Matthew 1

Reading

Audio, Visual

SAA Notes

This is the genealogy of the Heirs of David. An heir is not always the biological son/gransdon. Jeconiah makes a distant cousin Shealtiel (a descendant of David’s son Nathan) his heir, his son. Everyone closer had been killed. Jesus is the legal heir of David! Luke 3 traces the biological line.

SJA Notes

* Holy God, thank You for Your word today. Please show us how to live.

“When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him: …”

As we read of the royal lineage that finishes with Jesus, our ever-living King, it is good to examine Joseph.

The earthly father of Jesus.

Apart from being a just man, an other-centred thoughtful bloke, we see that Joseph walked obediently under the Lord’s will.

He both submitted under God’s will and went about God’s will with all diligence.

We can be encouraged here with Joseph’s humility, with his active faith and he listened to the Lord and walked before Him.

The earthly father of our Lord and King was a humble man who raised Jesus with the same character, raised Him in the trade of carpentry without pomp or ceremony.

What does Isaiah say?

“For he grew up before him like a young plant, and like a root out of dry ground; he had no form or majesty that we should look at him, and no beauty that we should desire him.”

Joseph was a humble man. Jesus spent most of His life on earth working with His earthly dad, honoring him, loving him, caring for him. No spotlight. No adulation.

This is our King.

* Father God,

Thank You for Jesus.

Thank You that He shows us how to live.

Thank You for sending Jesus to earth.

Thank You for saving us from our sin.

Amen.