Sermons, Articles, and Other Things

The title of the Psalm can be translated either as ‘by Solomon’ or ‘for Solomon’. If it was written for Solomon by David, then it is a great pity that Solomon did not administer his reign and his personal life according to the details of this psalm. Yet normal translation practice would indicate that Solomon wrote this psalm (the other psalm he composed is Psalm 72). Indeed the main emphasis of the psalm, that to live life without God is vain, is very similar to the theme of the Book of Ecclesiastes, written by Solomon, which says that all is vanity. The opening lines of the psalm, in Latin, were chosen as the motto of the city of Edinburgh (without the Lord, it is vain). Although it appeared on official documents of the city it is clear that the sentiments of the motto are no longer prominent in the thinking of those who live there. Unusually for a psalm it contains neither prayer or praise to God; instead it contains observations on life. The main point of the psalm is that ...

Epaphras was from Colosse and he had been the person who had taken the gospel there (Col. 1:7). At the time of writing this letter, Epaphras was a prisoner alongside Paul in Rome. We are not told how he became a prisoner. As far as the Colossians were concerned, such details would be given by those who brought the letter from Paul (Col. 4:7). The Spirit, who inspired Paul to write this letter, has ensured that we cannot find out the reasons for his arrest. What is clear is that the Spirit wanted the Colossians and us to note what Epaphras was doing during his arrest. The obvious detail about him is that he was praying (Col. 4:12-13). It is not too much to say that Paul, under the guidance of the Spirit, has Epaphras in mind as an example to imitate. So how can we become like this first-century believer? The basic requirement in becoming a man of prayer is first of all becoming a Christian. We are not told how this happened with Epaphras, but it is possible to make a suggestion. He bec...

This sermon was preached on 12/10/2010 Paul usually has a thanksgiving followed by an intercession at the beginning of his letters. It is a valid assumption that he details the contents of his prayers in order to show his readers how they should pray. So we can learn to pray by listening in to Paul’s method. Paul’s worshipful manner The first detail to observe is the manner by which Paul addresses God. He speaks to him as he is at that time in the working out of his purpose. During Old Testament days it was very appropriate for a devout Israelite to address God as ‘the God of Israel’ because that was the highest way in which he had revealed himself. But his purpose has moved on and Paul includes in his title of God features suitable to the New Testament period. The title that he uses of Jesus is a very comprehensive one. The term ‘Christ’ is the same as Messiah and includes within its meaning that Jesus is one promised throughout the Old Testament as the Deliverer of hi...

The psalm itself does not contain any information as to when it was written, apart from being composed after a time of great deliverance (v. 1) and yet during a time of captivity (v. 4). Therefore the psalmist was both experiencing a degree of bondage and recalling a previous restoration from oppression. His practice is one that we should emulate; when we are in current difficulties we should remember what God did in the past. This can be done at a personal level through the use of a diary or other form of recording (it is amazing how much of the Lord’s work in our lives has been forgotten by us, and this would not have happened if we had made a written note of these occasions). It can also be done at a larger level by reading books that detail the activities of God in days of revival, whether in the Reformation of the sixteenth century or in the Great Awakening of the seventeenth century or in the many revivals of the nineteenth century. There have been revivals in the twentieth cent...

We are not told who wrote this psalm or when it was composed. Verse 3 could suggest that the Israelites had recently experienced deliverance from captivity, and this has led some to argue that the psalm was written after the restoration from the Exile. This may be the case, although it can also be said that the psalm could have been written after any period of captivity that the Israelites had known. What this background does point to is the faithfulness of God to his promises – that, although he has to chastise his people when they backslide, eventually he restores them. It is this permanent principle that makes the Psalm so precious to believers in all ages. Obviously the arrangers who placed the psalm among the psalms of ascent regarded it as a suitable psalm for the pilgrims to use as they attended the annual feasts in Jerusalem. Going to these feasts gave them the opportunity to walk around the city and observe the natural defence that the surrounding mountains gave to the ci...

It is generally accepted that Paul wrote this letter during his first Roman imprisonment, around the same time that he wrote Ephesians and Philippians. This letter to the church in Colosse was accompanied by another letter, the personal note Paul wrote to Philemon, in whose house the church in Colosse met. His form of greeting is similar to how letters began at that time, with the name of the sender mentioned first, then the recipients, and then an expression of good wishes. Nevertheless we can see that Paul has spiritualised the form and turned it into a benediction. The events leading up to the composition of this letter are not clear. Epaphras, the individual who brought the gospel to Colosse, is now in prison with Paul. We are not told why he was imprisoned or when he was arrested. Perhaps he had travelled to Rome to discuss with Paul some problems in the Colossian church and had been taken into custody. Or it is possible that his visit there had something to do with the flight of...