Topic: eternal Kingdom

John 2:1-12 The miracle of turning water into wine is described in John 2:11 as "the first of His signs.

Berkouwer refuses to separate personal faith and social concern. He provides a perspective through which Christian theology can avoid the twin dangers of (a) a preoccupation...

To God be the glory. David wanted to ‘know the number of the people’ (2 Samuel 24:2). Why? He wanted to feel important - ‘the big man’. He was not giving the glory to the Lord. In the spirit of pride, he was taking the glory for himself. Did God give up on David - ‘a hopeless case, too full of himself and his own importance’? Of course not! The Lord, whose ‘mercy is great’, drew David back to Himself.

The Glory of God is revealed in His salvation. Our God is the God of “salvation” – “the Lord takes delight in His people: He crowns the humble with salvation” (Psalm 149:4). Through receiving the free gift of God’s salvation, we receive true joy: “Let the saints rejoice in this honour and sing for joy …” (Psalm 149:5). In Psalm 149:9, we read of “the glory of all His saints”.

* Work for God. ‘“Why is everyone saying it is not the right time for rebuilding My Temple?” asks the Lord’. His reply to them is this: ‘Is it then the right time for you to live in luxurious homes, when the Temple lies in ruins?’(Haggai 1:2-4). God’s people had forgotten about God. They were pleasing themselves - but they were not pleasing God!

1:1-2:16 - ‘Daniel resolved not to defile himself’ (8). Daniel was devoted to the Lord. It was not easy to live as the Lord’s faithful servant. His dedication to the Lord was put to the test - ‘Test your servants’ (12). Our faith is put to the test. We ‘suffer many trials’. Why does God allow our faith to be tested by ‘all kinds of trials? - ‘The testing of your faith produces steadfastness’.

Chapter 12 This is a divine Story, carried forward by God's grace and power. God's very great promises (1-3) find their ultimate fulfilment in the coming of God's eternal Kingdom (Revelation 21:10). We have not reached our heavenly destination. We are still caught in the tension between obedience (4) and disobedience (11-13). We are conscious of our human failure, yet we rejoice in the divine faithfulness.

5:1-2 - Here, we have the introduction to ‘the Sermon on the Mount’ (chs 5-7). Reference is made to both ‘the disciples’ and ‘the crowds’. The disciples are taught with a view to becoming teachers of the crowds. Peter learned from Christ and later he taught the crowds (Acts 2:14-42). The Sermon on the Mount was heard by the crowds as well as the disciples. Jesus spoke to the crowds. His ministry to the disciples had a dual purpose.

Charles Cameron, “An Introduction to ‘Theological Anthropology’,” Evangel, 23.2 (Summer 2005), 53-61. [p.53] Keywords postchristian, postmodern, image of God, creation, sin, salvation, worship, faithfulness, sovereignty, judgment, Adam, grace, relationship, faith, response, redemption, knowledge, glory, transformation, revelation, emotion, understanding, will, choice, community, stewardship, service, hope, kingdom of God What lies behind the idea of...