{"id":231,"date":"2020-04-10T14:37:03","date_gmt":"2020-04-10T14:37:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bethelmacclesfield.org.uk\/?page_id=231"},"modified":"2021-01-31T20:04:03","modified_gmt":"2021-01-31T20:04:03","slug":"10-april-the-blessing-of-god","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/bethelmacclesfield.org.uk\/?page_id=231","title":{"rendered":"10 April: the Blessing of God"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-block-media-text alignwide is-stacked-on-mobile is-vertically-aligned-top\" style=\"grid-template-columns:15% auto\"><figure class=\"wp-block-media-text__media\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"510\" height=\"340\" src=\"https:\/\/bethelmacclesfield.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/20200410.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-978 size-full\" srcset=\"https:\/\/bethelmacclesfield.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/20200410.jpg 510w, https:\/\/bethelmacclesfield.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/20200410-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/bethelmacclesfield.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/20200410-24x16.jpg 24w, https:\/\/bethelmacclesfield.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/20200410-36x24.jpg 36w, https:\/\/bethelmacclesfield.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/20200410-48x32.jpg 48w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 510px) 100vw, 510px\" \/><\/figure><div class=\"wp-block-media-text__content\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"block-f3d62e28-f3f0-4c12-91cb-c3baad3e3641\"><strong><strong><strong>Bethel Baptist Church<\/strong><br><strong>Worship Service @ Home<\/strong><br><\/strong>10 April 2020<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-flow wp-block-group-is-layout-flow\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link has-black-color has-pale-cyan-blue-background-color has-text-color has-background\" href=\"https:\/\/bethelmacclesfield.org.uk\/?page_id=224\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"20\" height=\"13\" class=\"wp-image-1006\" style=\"width: 20px;\" src=\"https:\/\/bethelmacclesfield.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/leftarrow.png\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/bethelmacclesfield.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/leftarrow.png 120w, https:\/\/bethelmacclesfield.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/leftarrow-24x16.png 24w, https:\/\/bethelmacclesfield.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/leftarrow-36x24.png 36w, https:\/\/bethelmacclesfield.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/leftarrow-48x32.png 48w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 20px) 100vw, 20px\" \/> <strong>Previous Service<\/strong><\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-button\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link has-black-color has-pale-cyan-blue-background-color has-text-color has-background\" href=\"https:\/\/bethelmacclesfield.org.uk\/?page_id=237\"><strong>Next Service <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"20\" height=\"13\" class=\"wp-image-1007\" style=\"width: 20px;\" src=\"https:\/\/bethelmacclesfield.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/rightarrow.png\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/bethelmacclesfield.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/rightarrow.png 120w, https:\/\/bethelmacclesfield.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/rightarrow-24x16.png 24w, https:\/\/bethelmacclesfield.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/rightarrow-36x24.png 36w, https:\/\/bethelmacclesfield.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/rightarrow-48x32.png 48w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 20px) 100vw, 20px\" \/><\/strong><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-background\" style=\"background-color:#fff0cf\"> As we will be taking communion later on please have bread and wine \/ juice ready before you start this service properly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Service available on Youtube, or as text (below), or for audio see the&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/bethelmacclesfield.org.uk\/?page_id=72\">Podcasts<\/a>&nbsp;page.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-4-3 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"10 April 2020: The Blessing of God\" width=\"1200\" height=\"900\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/5CIhY6SEfEo?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Welcome<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>As we will be taking communion later on please have bread and wine \/ juice ready before you start this service properly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>P.S. \u2013 If you want to know why it\u2019s called Good Friday \u2013 ask Roland!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Worship<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>(Thanks Mandy for choosing today\u2019s hymn):<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure><iframe loading=\"lazy\" width=\"825\" height=\"464\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/cvT1ACL3X9g?feature=oembed\" allowfullscreen=\"\"><\/iframe><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Let\u2019s spend a few moments reflecting on our Lord being crucified and let\u2019s worship Him!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Word<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>In&nbsp;Proverbs 4:18&nbsp;we read:&nbsp;<em>\u201cThe way of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn,&nbsp;which shines ever brighter until the full light of day.\u201d<\/em>&nbsp;And there is a sense in which as we read through the Scriptures from Genesis to Revelation, the revelation of the Gospel, which starts as a faint glimmer of hope, starts to shine brighter and brighter. It can also be said that as we continue to read through the Scriptures a number of times, that this also happens. It is guaranteed that we will see something new , something brighter each time we read. So I encourage everyone to keep reading through the Scriptures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Today we are going to look at \u201cThe&nbsp;<strong>Blessing&nbsp;<\/strong>of God.\u201d&nbsp;<strong>\u201cBless\u201d<\/strong>&nbsp;is probably one of the most frequently used words on the lips of a believer. But what exactly does the word mean?&nbsp;<strong>Bless<\/strong>&nbsp;has a range of meanings e.g. to greet, congratulate, thank, make peace, worship, praise but the meaning we are going to concentrate on here is \u201cto bestow goodness or favour\u201d (Eerdmans Dictionary of the Bible), the exact opposite to the word \u201ccurse\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The first glimmer of this&nbsp;<strong>blessing<\/strong>&nbsp;appears in what is known as the \u2018Protevangelium\u2019 (made up of two Greek words \u2018<em>protos<\/em>\u2019 meaning \u2018first\u2019 and \u2018<em>euangelion<\/em>\u2019 meaning \u2018good news\u2019 or \u2018gospel\u2019).&nbsp;Genesis 3:15&nbsp;is commonly referred to as the first mention of the good news of salvation in the Bible, the Protevangelium:&nbsp;<em>\u201cAnd I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; He will crush your head, and you will strike His heel.\u2019\u201d<\/em>&nbsp;This striking of His heel took place when Satan conspired to have Jesus crucified, which is what we are particularly remembering today. The crushing of Satan\u2019s head began when Jesus uttered those immortal words&nbsp;<em>\u201cIt is finished\u201d<\/em>, &nbsp;died and rose again. All authority in heaven and on earth has now been given to Him and He commissions His disciples to go into all the world and make disciples of all nations, which has been going on, and increasingly so, these last 2,000 years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The light of this&nbsp;<strong>blessing&nbsp;<\/strong>starts to shine brighter by the time we reach&nbsp;Genesis 12:1-3, relating to God\u2019s call and promise to Abram:&nbsp;<em>\u201cI will make you into a great nation, and I will&nbsp;<strong>bless<\/strong>&nbsp;you; I will make your name great, and you will be a&nbsp;<strong>blessing<\/strong>. I will&nbsp;<strong>bless<\/strong>&nbsp;those who&nbsp;<strong>bless<\/strong>&nbsp;you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be&nbsp;<strong>blessed<\/strong>&nbsp;through you.\u201d<\/em>&nbsp;Because of Abraham\u2019s obedience to God in being ready to sacrifice his beloved son, Isaac, this promise of blessing was passed on to future generations e.g. to Isaac:&nbsp;<em>\u201cStay in this land for a while, and I will be with you and will&nbsp;<strong>bless<\/strong>&nbsp;you. For to you and your descendants I will give all these lands and will confirm the oath I swore to your father Abraham. I will make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and will give them all these lands, and through your offspring all nations on earth will be&nbsp;<strong>blessed<\/strong>, because Abraham obeyed me and did everything I required of him, keeping my commands, my decrees and my instructions\u2019\u201d<\/em>&nbsp;(Genesis 26:3-5). Obedience therefore is important in this whole matter of being blessed (cf.&nbsp;Deuteronomy 28).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We can follow the family line of Abraham all the way through to Jesus Christ e.g.&nbsp;Matthew 1:1-17. By the time we reach&nbsp;Galatians 3:8&nbsp;the light is blazing brightly:&nbsp;<em>\u201cScripture foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, and announced the gospel in advance to Abraham: \u2018All nations will be&nbsp;<strong>blessed<\/strong>&nbsp;through you\u201d<\/em>, meaning Abraham\u2019s seed Jesus Christ as&nbsp;Galatians 3:16&nbsp;makes clear:&nbsp;<em>\u201cThe promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. Scripture does not say \u2018and to seeds\u2019, meaning many people, but \u2018and to your seed\u2019,&nbsp;meaning one person, who is Christ.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Peter, like Paul, also associates Jesus Christ with the fulfilment of God\u2019s promise to&nbsp;<strong>bless&nbsp;<\/strong>all peoples on earth. Peter, preaching at the temple gate called Beautiful after the healing of the lame beggar, states:&nbsp;<em>\u201cAnd you are heirs of the prophets and of the covenant God made with your fathers. He said to Abraham, \u2018Through your offspring all peoples on earth will be&nbsp;<strong>blessed<\/strong>.\u2019 When God raised up his servant, he sent him first to you to bless you by turning each of you from your wicked ways.\u2019\u201d<\/em>&nbsp;(Acts 3:25-26). The&nbsp;<strong>blessing<\/strong>&nbsp;of God is a gift to the nations, the forgiveness of sins and new life in Christ, and is received by faith. So our Eternal Father had all things in place before the creation of the world. As soon as Adam and Eve sinned He started to reveal His plan for the blessing of the world ultimately through His Son Jesus Christ and the gift of His Spirit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Cost of the Gift!&nbsp;<\/strong>\u2013 the cost incurred was the life of His Son:&nbsp;<em>\u201cFor you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect. He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake\u201d<\/em>&nbsp;(1 Peter 1:18-20), Amen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Communion<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"238\" height=\"212\" src=\"https:\/\/bethelmacclesfield.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/image.png\" alt=\"Public Domain Clip Art Image | bread and wine | ID: 13526005215785 ...\" class=\"wp-image-229\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Let\u2019s spend a few moments remembering with thanksgiving what our Lord went through for us when He died on the cross and then we will take the bread and the wine together.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Please read&nbsp;1 Cor 11:23-32&nbsp;and then give thanks for the bread and the cup.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If we are on our own then we can say these words as we take the bread:&nbsp;<em>\u201cThe body of Jesus broken for me \u2013 thank You Lord, Amen.\u201d<\/em>&nbsp;And as we take the cup:&nbsp;<em>\u201cThe blood of Jesus shed for me \u2013 thank You Lord, Amen.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If we are with others we can minister to one another with the words:&nbsp;<em>\u201cThe body of Jesus broken for you (mentioning the person\u2019s name).\u201d<\/em>&nbsp;Each should hold on to the bread until everyone has been served and then eat together with thanksgiving. Likewise with the cup:&nbsp;<em>\u201cThe blood of Jesus shed for you (mentioning the person\u2019s name)\u201d<\/em>. Hold on to the cup until everyone has been served and then drink together with thanksgiving.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Let\u2019s Pray<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Heavenly Father we thank you for Your great love for us in giving Your One and Only&nbsp; Son to die in our place. We pray for many people at this time who have been affected by this virus. We especially remember Prime Minister Boris Johnson;&nbsp;<em>[Please add names of those who are in need of prayer at this time \/ and any situations requiring prayer]<\/em>; All NHS Staff and all Key Workers; All Unwell; All who have lost loved ones. Father be very near to each one at this time and bring Your comfort, strength, healing and encouragement to bear upon them at this difficult time in and through Your Son Jesus Christ, Amen.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>As we will be taking communion later on please have bread and wine \/ juice ready before you start this service properly. Service available on Youtube, or as text (below), or for audio see the&nbsp;Podcasts&nbsp;page. Welcome As we will be taking communion later on please have bread and wine \/ juice ready before you start &#8230; <a title=\"10 April: the Blessing of God\" class=\"read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/bethelmacclesfield.org.uk\/?page_id=231\" aria-label=\"Read more about 10 April: the Blessing of God\">Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-231","page","type-page","status-publish"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/bethelmacclesfield.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/231","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/bethelmacclesfield.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/bethelmacclesfield.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bethelmacclesfield.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bethelmacclesfield.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=231"}],"version-history":[{"count":9,"href":"https:\/\/bethelmacclesfield.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/231\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1121,"href":"https:\/\/bethelmacclesfield.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/231\/revisions\/1121"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/bethelmacclesfield.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=231"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}