3. Noah's baptism - flying free

The sending out of the raven and then the dove shows the great difference in the work of the flash and the work of the Spirit, the raven looked for scraps/carcasses - man can not find the things of God, hope comes to us in our humanity by the Holy Spirit, the dove looked for the green leaves that showed the promise and potential instead of only death, debris and decay. Have we given room for God to brings us hope by faith in His baptism of judgement and salvation...the dove returns with the olive leaf, hope of life to come, hope of the fruit of the olive...the precious olive oil of anointing. This leads us to the baptism of Jesus where the Holy Spirit ascends upon him like a dove and remains on Him (Matthew 3:13-17). The anointing of the Holy Spirit comes upon Christ and remnained upon him, for those who have repented and believed in Christ will recieve the hope of the restoration of their fallen humanity throught the person of Jesus. We can not experience the wonder of this baptism without Jesus.

It is like the open tomb, the stone is rolled away...hope is risen, the wonder of what is to come. It is crowned with the glorious expectation of the complete work of the Spirit, remember the dove flew away and didn't return, it had flew in freedom to find somewhere to rest its feet. Our hope is not in ourselves, friends, church, denomination or even our vocation in life, hope for eternity is found only in Jesus... the dove rests upon Him, the work of the Spirit was not fulfilled in the judgement of water in Noah's day, the baptism which we need to experience salvation in is the sacrifice of the cross itself. Many people get baptised into churches as a sign of membership...and not into Christ, this falls short of Christian baptism - we are to be baptised into God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit - this is a relational baptism, it is personal, it is not a locational, doctrinal nor denominational one. We can not position ourselves into blessing, it is only in Christ; there is only one Jesus, one Baptism, one Spirit (Ephesians 4:4-6).

Noah gave God room to bring faith and hope into his heart, he again heard the voice of the Father (Genesis 8:15-16) to come out of the ark to begin their lives anew, this is a wondeful picture of the new birth in Christ...we are crucified, buried, and raised with Him, and then wonderfully we shall ascend with Him in the glorious aroma of the sacrifice given to the Father, His Son. Our Saviour Jesus brings restoration not just to humanity but also to all of the creation. Let us turn and open our hearts and give God opportunity to bring His hope in us by the Spirit gently ascending upon our hearts through faith, putting our feet on solid ground.

Matthew Armstrong,
Blantyre,
Issue 22, 31st March 2010.

2. Noah's Baptism - window of faith

After the tremendous downpour, which was the judgement upon the world Noah still finds himself in the ark, he needs a way out of the waters of judgement, they must become for him waters of restoration, otherwise it has been a wasted expereince of grace. Noah when building the ark did so under the instruction of God (Genesis 6:15-17, 22). However we read in 8:6 that Noah opened the window that he had made in the ark, a place of looking and wondering of the life that was before him, is God faithful to save him?

The window in 8:6 has the sense of 'perforation' a making of a hole? Did Noah make a hole in the door looking and expecting God to call him out to salvation? This shows faith as Noah looked patiently into the work of God. The window was opened by Noah in contrast to God shutting the ark, Noah was looking for the hope that was before him, being saved into the ark was to be saved from drowning, but not saved to live life on the earth which God had given humanity to live, rule over and enjoy. Noah soon hears the voice of God calling him out. The 'window/door' has a sense of 'glistening', maybe as Noah looked out the waters glistened with the sunshine - the same sunshine that would latter mingle with the rain to produce the rainbow of the covenant. The root of the word also has the source of the type of glistening - that is olive oil. The window itself is rooted in the picture of the 'anointing oil', the work of the Spirit which is so graciously given as we turn our hearts to the Lord in faith. Noah made some effort to open the window, but if the window is in the door, it is a door into the life of God, and this great covenant and salvation - leading us to the wonderful person of Jesus...through whom we enter into, and out of to feed on the good pastures for which He has given His life to us (John 10:9).

First the raven was sent out, and then the dove...the great symbol of peace and rest. Each seven days Noah sent out the birds, it has been thought that this happend then on the sabbath day, and it was the dove and not the raven that brought hope of peace on the day of rest itself, that is a wonderful picture of the work of the Holy Spirit. Week by week we must seek to live in the hope of the life given to us by Christ, we must have the desire to look into that which God has done for us, otherwise we might be left sitting in the ark...wondering what to do, when God has brought to us a salvation which sets us free to live in Him, by the covenant of Christ's death to us. This is sacrificial grace that is offered to us...more than a rainbow...let us by patient endurance know the quality of this 'anointing' of the Saviour.

Matthew Armstrong
Blantyre, March 31st 2010

One Way, the road home

This is not a church article but are some thoughts about some teaching ministry that I have been involved with this week.

I have recently been to a pastors conference in Phalombe East District, this is situated right around the Mulanje mountian massif, over the 3 days whilst driving there and back, the road took me right around the mountain. I was surprised at the variety of views which I encountered on the road, the mountian surprised me again and again with some breath taking views. On the road I encountered the usual bumps and holes, cows and goats, bicycles and trucks which needed to be navigated around. On the way I met up with the Malawian director/pastor of the mission and he showed me the rest of the way from a remote town called Chiringa. I was reminded that we need to shown the Way, I would have been lost far from home. Jesus is the 'the way the truth and the life'.

The 'One Way Mission' is a Finnish organisation that is working in Malawi and it was a pleasure to have been able to go and help in the teaching of 60-70 pastors many of whom have had little or no previous training, the gospel certainly becomes vital, the gospel has been described as a 'good story' a 'God story' and it certianly needs to be. Many of the pastors attending don't yet even have a bible yet are leading congregations in very rural areas. This is both wonderful and yet full of potential problems in Malawi.

We spent the time looking at Malachi in the mornings and Ephesians in the afternoons, this surprisingly went very well together, Gods word complements it self in the most wonderful way. For many of these leaders and pastors the gospel is going to be the most important, as it should be for all reference point in their lives, the obvious poverty, yet willingness to learn from God is wonderful as Luke quoted Jesus 'Blessed are the poor', this true, yet in the midst of it all the similar words of Jesus quoted by Matthew 'Blessed are the poor in spirit' is also vital. Poverty itself does not bring a spirituality which is blessed, rather it is a heart given to Christ, where the self is poor and instead rich in Jesus.

I feel humbled by the grace of the Lord and sense the great need again for people to know Gods word, but more than just hearing, a listening and responding in faith needs to take place, which brings joy unspeakable as we submit to the Lord Jesus on the way to our eternal home.

Matthew Armstrong

Blantyre.

1. Noah's baptism - entering the ark

The building of the ark by Noah was the result of God's word and desire, we see that so early in the history of humanity people had already become entirely wicked and evil in both thoughts and motives (Genesis 6-8). The flood that the Lord sent upon the earth was first and foremost an action of the judgement of sin. This is also an essential element of what baptism is; it is a judgement of sin. The judgement of sin means death - Adam and his descendants had already found this out (Genesis 5), the waters of the flood reveal the baptism that is to be found in Christ Himself, where He takes upon Himself the wrath of God for us (1 Peter 3:20-22).

Noah wonderfully found grace in the eyes of the Lord - or 'grace found Naoh' as I have heard it rendered. Noah too was a human being with the problem of sin within him, this is seen after the flood with his drunkenness, and in the description of him as a 'man of the soil/earth' he is a man from Adam. Noah needed the grace of the Lord otherwise he would have been himself destroyed in the flood. For one hundred years Noah faithfully built the ark and preached to the people, who most likely returned to him ridicule and scorn, for it is thought that at this point in the history of the earth rain was an unknown experience and the earth was watered by the dew. But a new and heavenly experience was going to occur - this points to baptism in Christ - an unleashing of the water in the heavens. When this happened and as it began Noah his wife, three sons and their wives entered the ark and God shut them in...the sealing is God's work...Paul calls it the 'guarantee', that which we are marked in Christ with a seal - the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 1:13-14). Amazingly this salvation was not just for Noah but also for every form of the creatures of the earth, clean and unclean animals...all were included. We all need to know the work of the Holy Spirit saving us from the judgement of God, the righteous and unrighteous need it. How mighty were the waters that flooed the earth in Noah's day, think of the modern day experiences of floods, hurricanes, tsunamis' they are minor in comparison yet the destruction is great and our hearts torn for those who have suffered.

As Noah was in the ark, the water came down, lifted the ark off the ground and the ark for fourty days was surrounded by water below and above... Noah and his family were kept safe by his obedience to follow God and His words and God's work of sealing him into the ark. The ark is a wonderful picture of Christ in whom we find salvation and the work of the Holy Spirit is an esential part of it. The baptism into Christ and the Spirit are essentially one baptism. The baptism into Christ is the judgement of sin and the giving of new life in us by the washing of the water...the Spirit's work is to be in us, above us and all around us...we need to get wet! We are wonderfully saved from the judgement of sin upon ourselves by the cross of Christ Jesus, where he died for us. This baptism is cosmically devastating and renewing at the same time, what a wonderful Saviour we have - Jesus.

Matthew Armstrong
Issue 20 - Extended: 26th February
Blantyre

We are born priests in Christ.

When we are found in Christ through new birth we are born priests in Christ, we are in His priestly body - that is the Church. This requires no special performance or test to join this priesthood, but rather faith and hope in Christ. The ability to minister comes from the Holy Spirit as we are under a new and better priesthood, one lived under grace and mercy, one that can accept those who are physically and even mentally handicapped to participate in 'ministry'. Where the children, youth, and women can also enter, and the older generation do not need to retire but all are able to continue in the capacity given to them by the Lord who gives to each a measure of His grace to minister.

All is made new in Jesus, His coming into the world is a moment of the transformation of the religious ministry, a way of life that reaches for the best of people has now come...how we often turn back to the lesser forms of ministry rather than living in the better. Jesus began His public ministry at the age of thirty, but does this mean all should wait until they are thirty years old until there can be a participation in the ministry of the Holy Spirit. This would seem presumptuous and ill conceived. The Church is to be a model of the ministry of the Holy Spirit; it is to be a priesthood of all believers; an ability to participate through God's gracious gifting and calling rather than just human effort and intelligence; a place of witnessing the way of Jesus, but lived out in a group of people saved by grace and continuing to live by that grace (1Peter 2:4-5, 9-10). Ministry in the church is not for just the educated and the popular, it is for those who have received something from Jesus - the head of the Church - something to share with the others in the community of faith.

The New Testament speaks of a church where there is a participation (1Corinthians 14:26), so that every part can give and share in the responsibilty of growing spiritually. In giving and sharing what God has given to you personally - the Lord gives back more abundantly, this is a wonderfully simple spiritual principle. "What can I give?" you might say, well you can give your-self, time, prayers, thoughts, hopes, spiritual gifts, help, administration, songs... the church should be a sharing community where fellowship is based in the grace that God has given each member. When I speak of 'member', I mean a member of the spiritual body of Christ into which we are born spiritually 'members'. This is not by a written or signed document, not by passing a spiritual test, but by entering into Christ by inward working of the Holy Spirit.

Matthew Armstrong
Issue 14, 26th Feb 2010
Blantyre.

4. Lost and Found - sons of the Father

The father in the parable in (Luke 15:11-31) is concerned about both of his sons, the younger 'prodigal' son and the elder 'responsible' son. the story which had mainly been about the younger sons choice to leave and then return home is dramatically switched and focuses upon the elder son's attitude and state of heart. The father has to go out and again call his son into his house. The party is in full swing; the fatted calf has been killed; the music is playing; and the dancing has started...yet he heart of the elder son when he hears what is happening stubbornly refuses to enter the father's house. The younger son doesn't deserve it and he feels himself unjustly dealt with, his self-righteousness is plainly seen. when discussing with his father he says that he has been 'slaving away, following orders' yet when the father gives him another request to enter the celebration, he refuses...he considers that the father is wrong...he is better, more righteous, more just!

How often do we refuse to enter the celebration of those who find Christ, or we don't even think others worth speaking to about Jesus. The Fathers heart is full of compassion to all his children that are lost, He desires that they are able to enter into His house, in which Jesus Himself says there are many rooms of which He is preparing for those that are the Lords (John 14:1-4) a place which is ours to live in and enjoy for eternity. We need to enter into Christ and experience the presence of the Father.

Consider even when you are attending church, do you actually consciously enter into the Fathers presence? The church should be a place of experiencing God in all His capacity, as Father, Son and Holy Spirit. We might consider that as long as I am a member of the house - that therefore all is ok, that you consider yourself in the Father's house. The parable we have been looking at reveals that we can be misdirected in our attitudes towards god, and think that the Christian life is just about working, serving and not celebrating the grace, love, mercy and forgiveness that is ours and our brothers and sisters in Jesus Christ most wonderfully won for us by His death upon the cross.

We should be living in His house...a spiritual house...where all is ours in Christ, but how often do we realise this and still think that we are outside and lost, we keep our minds full of a poverty mentality when it comes to what we have as Christians - wonderfully in Ephesians 1:3 it is our heavenly Father 'Who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ Jesus' (NIV). We need to trust our Father God in that He knows best as we are His children.

Matthew Armstrong
Issue 19 26th February 2010
Blantyre.

3. Lost and Found - receiving the blessings of the Father.

The story of the LOST son (Luke 15:11-32) becomes a story of a FOUND son. The moment of the embrace of the father is a wonderfully powerful one, as the father it could be said 'fell upon his neck' and that he 'kisses him many times'. The son that was lost is now found in the presence of his father. Oh how we need to find ourselves in the embrace of the Father, this is wonderful in itself, the father as our Father in heavens mercy is not just embrace, but forgiveness, and His forgiveness is complete, it involves restoration through relationship.

After the embrace and repentance of the son, what the father does is shocking to our often religious and cautious selves. I want to focus for this article on Luke 15:22, "But, the father said to his servant, 'Quick! Bring the robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet.'" This is outrageous, has the father gone mad, he is obviously not thinking properly and overcome with emotion...No...this is our Fathers way, this is grace, not based in what we have done for Him, but in His love and forgiveness as we give ourselves broken and repentant before Him, humbled by our own immorality ad selfishness. He calls for the BEST robe. The Lord wants the best for those who are His children, should we settle for anything else, we are in Christ, then, let us receive His blessings into our hearts. The servants were to bring the robe and put it on the son, an act of receiving and accepting honour that wasn't deserved, we need to be humbled to receive it from the Lord, an obvious sign of our sonship in Christ. It is a position given to us, based in our humanity, confirmed by repentance.

What of the ring for his hand and sandals for his feet, what a blessing! The ring is a sign of authority from the Father, we are His, and we have access to Him through Christ Jesus our Lord. The sandals speak of blessing and freedom, the son that had become a slave, who returned to be just a paid worker, now is given another visible sign that he is a SON. New sandals for his tired and worn feet; now he could go about his fathers business with a new sense of belonging, refreshed to serve. Again the son had to allow the servants to put them on him, he had to surrender all his thoughts that he lacked self-worth and let his father give him a sense of worth. It is the same with our Father in heaven. The greatest servant of them all is Christ, He came to serve and save the lost. Will we let Jesus do the work of the Father in and upon us, will we receive the blessings of the Father that allow us to live in Christ with authority to be that is by grace, and freedom by love. We can not earn this in Christ, it is always given, it is part of the truly being found.

Matthew Armstrong
Blantyre,
January 24th 2010.