Month: March 2019

March 10, Reading 1 – Exodus 28:15-43

Reading

Audio, Visual

SAA Notes

The breastpiece of the High Priest was worn over the heart. Read Hebrews from chapter 4:14 to chapter 8. It is very heartening to realise that Christ carries us over His heart!

SJA Notes

* Dear God, Your word is truth. Please write truth on our hearts today.

“So Aaron shall bear the names of the sons of Israel in the breastpiece of judgement on his heart, when he goes into the Holy Place, to bring them to regular remembrance before the LORD.”

Aaron bore the names of God’s people into the Holy Place as high priest.

As we read on, he also bore the judgement of God’s people on his heart before the LORD regularly, as well as the guilt.

The high priest had a pretty scary job in a sense, coming into the presence of the Almighty God to represent the people and their guilt.

From the book of Hebrews we know that our great High Priest, Jesus – From the perspective of a guilt-bearing sacrifice He entered once for all into the holy places.

But Jesus offered Himself a sacrifice into heaven itself, appearing in the presence of God the Father on our behalf. And not repeatedly (regularly as Aaron had to do), but once.

This is Jesus, the ever-living high priest – Praise God, what a Saviour!

* Great God,

Thank You for Jesus, our great High Priest.

Thank You that we see Jesus here in Exodus, as we read of Aaron as high priest and what he had to do.

Thank You for calling us to be Your people.

Please help us see Jesus today and onwards, to take hold of the salvation He won as a once-for-all sacrifice.

Amen.

March 10, Reading 2 – Psalm 74, 75

Reading

Audio, Visual

SAA Notes

Two more songs by Asaph: Asaph was one of David’s leading Levite musicians. When David brought the Ark into Jerusalem, Asaph was one of those playing out in front of the ark. He lived through some dark days, as Psalm 74 recalls. Asaph’s faith (Psalm 74:12) is like that of Joshua who declared, but as for me and my house we will serve the Lord!

SJA Notes

* Just and Holy God, help us to be Your leaven today.

“For not from the east or from the west and not from the wilderness comes lifting up, but it is God who executes judgement, putting down one and lifting up another.”

This can be a hard word for us.

It is God who lifts up and God who puts down.

The warning is clear in Asaph’s words here – Do not boast! Do not lift yourself up!

Why?

Peter wrestles through this in 1 Peter 5,

“Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for ‘God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.'”

Why?

Because God opposes the proud! That should be more than enough.

Peter goes on,

“Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.”

We do not need to lift ourselves up. It is God who takes care of us – He cares for His people.

We do not need to lift ourselves up. God holds us in His everlasting arms, a state that which human vanity and pride cannot compare.

* Dear God,

Please humble us today.

Please remind us of our desperate and utter need for You and Your salvation.

Please remind us of what You did at Calvary on the cross all those years ago.

Please remind us of Jesus.

Amen.

March 10, Reading 3 – Acts 16:16-40

Reading

Audio, Visual

SAA Notes

The Philippian jailor is given a covenant promise – if he believes, then he and his household will be saved. The whole household is baptised immediately at night. The baptism was by sprinkling or pouring (immersion was impossible). It is likewise an unwarranted inference that all the household baptisms would never have children in them. The likelihood is the other way.

SJA Notes

* Dear God, thank You for saving us through Jesus.

“Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”

What a question this is!

A heart that knows it needs a saviour, no stubborn will or resistant mind.

The jailer was a man at the brink of a bad end, about to end his own life because he knew his masters surely would (that the prisoners had escaped).

But they had not, and he trembled with reverent fear.

And asked that question,

“Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”

It is good to us to be reminded of this desperate plea, this desire to be saved.

May those around us be drawn to this state and come and see Jesus.

* Mighty God,

Please save those around us Lord God.

May they believe in the Lord Jesus Christ as King and Saviour.

Amen.