Required reading
The Works (Vol 4) of John Newton (Available from Amazon or free here) - Read Sermon XXVI (The ascension of Messiah to glory).
My summary
This week Newton preaches on:
'Lift up your heads, O ye gates; and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in.
Who is this King of glory? The LORD strong and mighty, the LORD mighty in battle.
Lift up your heads, O ye gates; even lift them up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in.
Who is this King of glory? The LORD of hosts, he is the King of glory.' (Psa 24:7-10)
Newton teaches us that the passage points to the glory of the Messiah.
The principal points which he offers for our consideration are:
(i) His title, 'The Lord of hosts.'
(ii) His victories, implied in the expression, 'The Lord, strong and mighty in battle.'
(iii) His mediatorial title, 'The King of glory.'
(iv) His authoritative entrance into the holy place.
What grabbed me
I liked Newton's closing remarks: 'I close the subject with the apostle's inference, "Seeing then that we have so great a high priest, who is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession." Let not those who know him be ashamed of their attachment to him. You will not repent in a dying hour, that you once thought too highly of him, or expected too much from him, or devoted yourself with too much earnestness to his service. Nor yield to unbelief and fear. Though your enemies are many and mighty, and your trials great, greater is he that is with you. If the Lord, the Lord of hosts, the Lord strong and mighty in battle, be for you, who can be against you, so as effectually to harm you? Continue instant in prayer ; persevere in well-doing. Our ascended Lord will one day return ; and then they who have loved, and served, and trusted him here, "shall appear with him in glory."'
How can we fear anything with such a Messiah?
Next week's reading
Read Sermon XXVII (Messiah, the Son of God).
Now it's your turn
Please post your own notes and thoughts in the comments section below.
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