South Berwick and Wells Christian Church

09/09/2026

Jaw-dropping Jewels about Jesus
Rarely does Jesus, God the Son, do exactly what we expect of Him. It seems odd that He so frequently surprises us, given that He never changes. Hebrews 13:8 makes this absolute statement: “Jesus the same yesterday, and today, and forever.” Still, though He is blessedly consistent in His goodness, Jesus does unforeseen things. Even when He does what is expected, He does not always do it in the way that we anticipate. Let us join with Jesus on a jaw-dropping journey. (I will be using this opening paragraph for each of the brief messages in this series. The following material will change daily.)
In Mark 14:48-49, as Jesus is arrested in the Garden of Gethsemane, He says to the malignant mob, “Are ye come out, as against a thief, with swords and with staves [clubs] to take Me? I was daily with you in the temple teaching, and ye took Me not: but the scriptures must be fulfilled.” Jesus rightly points out that these men – and the powerful leaders who sent them – are working in the shadows. A man who knows he is in the right does not seek the cover of darkness in doing what is good. These searching words of our Lord should have shamed these minions; but evil is perniciously persistent, and these lackeys of the legalists continue in their illegal arrest. We recall that the religious rulers had determined not to kill Jesus until later: “But they said, ‘Not on the feast day, lest there be an uproar of the people’” (Mark 14:2). However, “the scriptures must be fulfilled,” and Jesus must die on the Passover in order to fully fulfill the typology of the Old Testament (Matthew 5:17-18). I Corinthians 5:7b clarifies that “Christ our passover is sacrificed for us.” The implacable opponents of Jesus seize the opportunity afforded by the traitor Judas and seize Him on the Passover. Unwittingly, they are fulfilling prophecy with their murderous plot. The very thing that they desire to squelch – the truth that Jesus is the promised Messiah – becomes undeniable historical fact, as multiple precise prophecies come to fruition in rapid succession.

09/08/2026

Jaw-dropping Jewels about Jesus
Rarely does Jesus, God the Son, do exactly what we expect of Him. It seems odd that He so frequently surprises us, given that He never changes. Hebrews 13:8 makes this absolute statement: “Jesus the same yesterday, and today, and forever.” Still, though He is blessedly consistent in His goodness, Jesus does unforeseen things. Even when He does what is expected, He does not always do it in the way that we anticipate. Let us join with Jesus on a jaw-dropping journey. (I will be using this opening paragraph for each of the brief messages in this series. The following material will change daily.)
Because Mark is the shortest Gospel, it does not contain some information found in Matthew, Luke, and John. For example, after Peter cut off the ear of a man named Malchus and Jesus healed him (Mark 14:47; John 18:10; Luke 22:51 – we studied these verses Saturday), our Savior says, “Put up again thy sword into his place: for all they that take up the sword shall perish with the sword” (Matthew 26:52). Violence begets violence, and Jesus desires the end of this vicious cycle. His words, though, do not prohibit what is called just war, which includes the principles of self-defense and of protecting those who are defenseless before evil oppressors. Jesus Himself is presented to us as a conquering hero at the end of the Tribulation: “And I [John] saw heaven opened, and beheld a white horse; and He that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He doth judge and make war” (Revelation 19:11). Verse 15a specifically speaks of a sword: “And out of His mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it He should smite the nations” – the nations that will choose the violence of Satan and the Antichrist. Thus, our Lord will engage in righteous warfare, in this just war. We must be careful not to equate our flawed anger with the perfect anger of our Savior God against all sin. In general, it is wise for us to “put up” our swords. The exceptions must be clear and obvious – defending people in peril, standing against tyranny. We are not to be people of violence, but we are also not to sit idly by and permit violence to reign.

09/07/2026

https://youtu.be/H8NhcBbOxi4

09/07/2026

Melodic Mondays

Those of you who know me know that I love music even though I am not musical myself. I listen to good music as often as I can. It is beneficial to the brain, valuable to the vocabulary, and strengthening to the soul. Isaiah 12:2-3 is a lovely passage that includes this soaring statement of surety: “The Lord JEHOVAH [YAHWEH] is my strength and my song.” This could be translated, “God is my mountaintop and my music.” Yes, He is! Each Monday, I want to study this subject and suggest a song to listen to. Anyone reading this devotional has easy access to any song. (I am an exception because I do not go on a computer or other information device.) If you do not like my suggestion (and we all have different tastes), you can think of or search for one that speaks to you. Then, it can become a source of encouragement throughout the week.
Genesis 3 records the sad rebellion of Adam and Eve, who broke God’s one kind restriction by partaking of “the tree of knowledge of good and evil” (Genesis 2:17) in the Garden of Eden. Their dire disobedience is in direct contrast to the full obedience of Jesus Christ, God the Son, Who prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane, “Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from Me: nevertheless not My will, but Thine, be done” (Luke 22:42). Scripture also directs our attention to another garden, a heavenly one that includes “the tree of life” (Revelation 22:1-2). All of these Biblical concepts are included in the Gospel song “The Tree of Life,” performed by the Americana duo of Tammie Rogers and Thomm Jutz.

Tammy and Thomm have created a beautiful collection of their orgini...

09/06/2026

Sermon Snippet – Right Responses to the Reality of the Rapture

INTRODUCTION – In the last two weeks, we have considered our heavenly destination and the resurrection body that each Christian will possess there, beginning our studies in Colossians 3:1-4. We return to this passage, especially verse 4: “When Christ, Who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with Him in glory.” Jesus “shall appear” – what we call the Rapture (from a Latin word meaning “caught up”). We are taught repeatedly throughout the New Testament that the Savior will return for all Christians, that we are to look for His coming, and that His appearance could occur at any time. Let us contemplate a few reasonable and right responses to the blessed and Biblical teaching of the return of Christ for His Church.

1. WE ARE TO THINK ABOUT HEAVEN OFTEN
We studied this point in detail two weeks ago, setting our hearts (our “affection”) “on things above” (verse 2). Unwanted thoughts crowd in unbidden; we need to take decisive action to counteract this ongoing attack. Philippians 4:8 comes immediately to mind.

2. WE ARE TO WORSHIP WITH OTHER BELIEVERS
Hebrews 10:25 compassionately commands, “Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as we see the day approaching.” Times of worship focus us on the things that matter, including the Lord’s return. We see that we are not alone in our Biblical expectations, and we are encouraged to continue in the faith.

3. WE ARE TO TRUST THE WORD OF GOD
Paul writes in II Timothy 4:1-2, “I charge thee [Timothy] therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, Who shall judge the quick and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom; preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.” We must insist that our churches consistently and persistently present the Bible. “Doctrine” is not intimidating, nor is it boring. It is God speaking to us, establishing the essentials of the faith. We need to know what God expects of us.

4. WE ARE TO PARTAKE OF THE LORD’S SUPPER
In his detailed discussion of the Communion service, Paul states, “For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord’s death till He come” (I Corinthians 11:26). I always include this verse as part of our Eucharist remembrance, as well as, “Even so, come, Lord Jesus” (Revelation 22:20c). It is quite possible that, somewhere in this world, a group of believers will be meeting and partaking of the Communion elements when Christ returns.

5. WE ARE TO COMFORT THE GRIEVING
The early Christians knew that the return of Jesus Christ was imminent, that it could happen at any moment. As decades passed and some Christians died, believers began to wonder if they understood the doctrine of the Savior’s return correctly. Paul addresses these concerns in I Thessalonians 4:13-17. He then makes this application: “Wherefore comfort one another with these words” (verse 18). We suffer when a loved one dies; loss, separation, and sorrow are real. So too is the assurance that a Christian who has died is known and cherished by the Savior and that even billions of deaths cannot change the reality that Jesus is coming again.
CONCLUSION – These are just a few of the practical outworkings of a staunch and settled belief in the Biblical doctrine of the Lord’s return. First and foremost, of course, each one of us must trust in Jesus for the eternal salvation that He offers. If we are His through faith, then we have a certain expectation of His coming in the clouds for Christians. In the interim, He has expectations for us.

09/05/2026

Jaw-dropping Jewels about Jesus
Rarely does Jesus, God the Son, do exactly what we expect of Him. It seems odd that He so frequently surprises us, given that He never changes. Hebrews 13:8 makes this absolute statement: “Jesus the same yesterday, and today, and forever.” Still, though He is blessedly consistent in His goodness, Jesus does unforeseen things. Even when He does what is expected, He does not always do it in the way that we anticipate. Let us join with Jesus on a jaw-dropping journey. (I will be using this opening paragraph for each of the brief messages in this series. The following material will change daily.)
As Jesus is arrested in the Garden of Gethsemane, a violent incident occurs: “And one of them that stood by drew a sword, and smote a servant of the high priest, and cut off his ear” (Mark 14:47). John 18:10 tells us that “Peter having a sword drew it, and smote the high priest’s servant, and cut off his right ear. The servant’s name was Malchus.” We note the precise historical detail, including the name of the perpetrator, his weapon, the name of the victim, and the exact location of the wound. Luke 22:51b adds this detail: “And He touched his ear, and healed him.” It is in keeping with Luke’s medical background that he is the Gospel writer who records this healing. Three thoughts come to mind. First, Jesus was always prepared to heal, even for someone who was an enemy. This readiness finds its greatest expression at the Cross: “For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of His Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by His life”(Romans 8:10). Second, this miracle of healing prevented any charges of sedition against Jesus and His disciples. Third, this miraculous restoration was an irrefutable testimony to everyone there of the Messiahship of Jesus. In fact, it would abide as a witness to the religious leaders for at least as long as Malchus lived. Every time he was present, people would look at his right ear and remember the story of Jesus’ compassionate and omnipotent touch. Jesus here is leaving behind incontrovertible evidence, right in the camp of His most bitter opponents. He continues to reach out to all.

09/04/2026

Jaw-dropping Jewels about Jesus
Rarely does Jesus, God the Son, do exactly what we expect of Him. It seems odd that He so frequently surprises us, given that He never changes. Hebrews 13:8 makes this absolute statement: “Jesus the same yesterday, and today, and forever.” Still, though He is blessedly consistent in His goodness, Jesus does unforeseen things. Even when He does what is expected, He does not always do it in the way that we anticipate. Let us join with Jesus on a jaw-dropping journey. (I will be using this opening paragraph for each of the brief messages in this series. The following material will change daily.)
We return to the short statement of fact in Mark 14:46: “And they laid their hands on Him, and took Him.” Yesterday, we touched upon what immediately precedes this arrest. John 18:1-9 includes Jesus’ twofold self-revelation: “I am He” (verses 5, 8). The word “He” is in italics in the King James Version, indicating that it is not in the original Greek manuscripts but was supplied by the translators. What Jesus is literally saying is theologically significant: “I am” is the equivalent of “YAHWEH” in the Old Testament (translated “LORD” in the KJV and some other versions). Thus, Jesus is claiming to be fully God, as He did previously in His “I am” statements in John 6:35, 48, 51; 8:12, 58; 9:5; 10:7, 8, 11, 14; 11:25; 14:6; and 15:1, 5. It is possible that a few Roman soldiers were sent out with Judas (the Romans often kept a close watch on the activities of the Jewish leaders, especially during the feasts when the population in Jerusalem dramatically increased and concerns about rebellion intensified). However, if not all of the people present were Jewish, most of them were. Thus, they would understand the significance of Jesus’ simple words, particularly in conjunction with His display of divine power (verse 6). While these men are reaching out to seize Jesus, He is reaching out to save them. Such is the great grace of our Savior.

09/03/2026

Jaw-dropping Jewels about Jesus
Rarely does Jesus, God the Son, do exactly what we expect of Him. It seems odd that He so frequently surprises us, given that He never changes. Hebrews 13:8 makes this absolute statement: “Jesus the same yesterday, and today, and forever.” Still, though He is blessedly consistent in His goodness, Jesus does unforeseen things. Even when He does what is expected, He does not always do it in the way that we anticipate. Let us join with Jesus on a jaw-dropping journey. (I will be using this opening paragraph for each of the brief messages in this series. The following material will change daily.)
Mark 14:46 says simply, “And they laid their hands on Him, and took Him.” Our familiarity with this event should not diminish its horror, for man arrests God, God the Son, Jesus Christ. No doubt all of us have been accused of something that we did not do. Thus, we understand a bit of the unfairness of this arrest. The manner in which Jesus handles this extreme example of unfairness is, not surprisingly, exemplary. John 18:4-6 provides what occurred just before His actual arrest: “Jesus therefore, knowing all things that should come upon Him, went forth, and said unto them, ‘Whom seek ye?’ They answered Him, ‘Jesus of Nazareth.’ Jesus saith unto them, ‘I am He.” And Judas also, which betrayed Him, stood with them. As soon as He had said unto them, ‘I am He,’ they went backward, and fell to the ground.” This simple display of divine sovereignty should have convinced all of these men, including traitorous Judas, that Jesus is the Messiah and that they should not be involved in any action against Him. Clearly, He could have struck them all dead, or He could have incapacitated them and easily escaped. Instead, He is giving all of these men the opportunity to do the right thing, yet not one of them chooses to seize this opportunity of grace. Rather, they seize Jesus. The baseness of the benighted soul blackened by sin becomes blatantly sinister and self-deceptive. Let us shudder, and let us seek the everlasting embrace of our Savior.

09/02/2026

Jaw-dropping Jewels about Jesus
Rarely does Jesus, God the Son, do exactly what we expect of Him. It seems odd that He so frequently surprises us, given that He never changes. Hebrews 13:8 makes this absolute statement: “Jesus the same yesterday, and today, and forever.” Still, though He is blessedly consistent in His goodness, Jesus does unforeseen things. Even when He does what is expected, He does not always do it in the way that we anticipate. Let us join with Jesus on a jaw-dropping journey. (I will be using this opening paragraph for each of the brief messages in this series. The following material will change daily.)
Mark 14:43-45 begins the account of Jesus’ arrest in the Garden of Gethsemane: “And immediately, while He yet spake, cometh Judas, one of the twelve, and with him a great multitude with swords and staves, from the chief priests and the scribes and the elders. And he that betrayed Him had given a token, saying, ‘Whomsoever I shall kiss, that same is He; take Him away safely.’ And as soon as he was come, he goeth straightway to Him, and saith, ‘Master, Master’; and kissed Him.” A kiss on the cheek remains a customary means of greeting in the Middle East between members of the same s*x. However, the Greek word translated “kissed” is in its intensive form, indicating a prolonged rather than a polite or perfunctory kiss. It looks like an expression of genuine affection, but it is merely “a token,” a signal to the soldiers to seize the Savior. Judas wants to make sure that they get the right man; thus he holds his lips to Jesus’ cheek for some seconds. A kiss has been called “a contraction of the mouth due to the enlargement of the heart” – not here. It becomes instead a weapon of betrayal. Still, Jesus says to Judas, “Friend, wherefore art thou come?” (Matthew 26:30), for our Lord does not change: He is “the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever” (Hebrews 13:8). He continues to extend His grace to this traitor. Sadly, beyond any and all words, Judas remains intransigent in his unreasonable rebellion. May we recoil from his settled hate and instead settle into the longsuffering love of our Lord.

09/01/2026

Jaw-dropping Jewels about Jesus
Rarely does Jesus, God the Son, do exactly what we expect of Him. It seems odd that He so frequently surprises us, given that He never changes. Hebrews 13:8 makes this absolute statement: “Jesus the same yesterday, and today, and forever.” Still, though He is blessedly consistent in His goodness, Jesus does unforeseen things. Even when He does what is expected, He does not always do it in the way that we anticipate. Let us join with Jesus on a jaw-dropping journey. (I will be using this opening paragraph for each of the brief messages in this series. The following material will change daily.)
We return to Mark 14:41 today: “And He cometh the third time, and saith unto them, ‘Sleep on now, and take your rest: it is enough, the hour is come; behold, the Son of man is betrayed into the hands of sinners.’” Chapter and verse divisions are not found in the original Greek manuscripts from which we have translated the New Testament. Such sunderings were created by men – good, godly men – to make it possible for us to find Biblical information more quickly. Such scholarship is admirable, but occasionally the divisions are unfortunate, as here in verse 41. Our translation gives the impression that Jesus tells the disciples to sleep and then immediately awakens them. No, there is a period of time between the two. Our Savior is not rushed; He is in control of these unfolding events. He knows that Judas is the betrayer (John 12:26-30) and that he is bringing a large band of armed men to arrest Him. Jesus then leads His disciples to meet this malicious multitude: “Rise up, let us go; lo, he that betrayeth Me is at hand” (verse 42). He does not run away; He confronts His evil enemies and challenges His faithful followers to do the same. I think of the Christian’s armor in Ephesians 6:10-18. Three times in this passage, we are enjoined to “stand” (verses 11, 13, 14), to meet the enemy without fear or flight. When we see our Savior facing down His foes, we are emboldened to do likewise.