We conclude our biographical sketch of Tyndale’s life, covering the final edition of his New Testament, his betrayal, imprisonment and execution and his enduring impact on England and the English speaking people through his translation of the Bible into our native tongue.

Read the notes for this lesson (pp. 7-10).

The pinnacle of our Christmas series is John’s preface to his Gospel, the passage that fills out the words of Heb 1.2, ‘God … hath in these last days spoken unto us by His Son…’ We consider what it means for the Son to be the Word of God and how it is that in Him alone can we truly come to know God at all – he is the full revelation of God.

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Our message this afternoon looks at the expressions of value in this great Psalm of God’s revelation of himself to man. The Word is valued for what it does and what it is, making it precious to the servant of God, a sure guide from the dangers of evil and towards the reward of the saints.

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We continue our biographical sketch of Tyndale with a brief review of last week, a few readings from his New Testament to compare it with our current versions and some discussion of the impact of both Tyndale’s Testament and his book on Christian ethics, Obedience of a Christian Man. Tyndale’s skill and commitment to God’s Word provide a great example and a great blessing to the modern church.

Read the notes as you listen (pp. 6-7 for this lesson).

Our Christmas series continues with a look at the marvelous effects of the Word as it works in the inner man of sinners – converting the soul, making wise the simple, rejoicing the heart and enlightening the eyes.

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Continuing our Christmas series, we look at the written word as David describes it from God’s perspective, using the six terms for the Word given here in Ps 19. The whole idea of the Word, even in OT times, was of an internalization of God’s thoughts through believing meditation on the written Word. We offer six striking NT examples of successful OT saints as an inspiration to us in our own walk with God.

NOTE: Our power was out at the beginning of this message so the first few minutes of the message are missing.

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In keeping with our Christmas theme, ‘the Word made flesh’, we are also looking at the life and ministry of William Tyndale. Tyndale can be considered the father of the English Bible – an exceptionally gifted and faithful man raised up by God at an opportune time.

Our first lesson takes us up to the point at which Tyndale’s first edition of the English New Testament was published.

Read the notes as you listen (pp. 1-4 of the notes for this lesson).

Our Christmas theme is ‘the Word made flesh’. Our first message looks at the word spoken to man without words, the word communicated by the glory of God seen in the heavens. This word communicates God’s Power and man’s accountability to God.

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We conclude our delayed Christmas series today with almost the last direct quote of the voice of God in the Bible. Here the Lord authenticates the message delivered through his messengers and lends his authority to what is promised by identifying himself with his people and as the promise. He reveals himself to be both creator and descendant of David; he describes himself as the bright and morning star – the harbinger of the full daylight of the Kingdom to come. All who hear, all who thirst, all who are willing are invited to come, to receive the promise of his coming. All men should give up all their treasure to obtain him.

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In defiance of our weather, we are determined to finish our Christmas series on the theme suggested by the Moravian star. We began with Creation and ‘Let there be light’; then we looked at the pagan ‘soothsayer-for-hire’, Balaam and his remarkable prophecy, ‘A star shall come forth from Jacob’.

This week we come to the Christmas star and the arrival of the wise men. The passage reveals three attitudes toward the Star of Jacob: the earnest faith of seeking men, the concealed enmity of a seething man, and the dead accuracy of indifferent men. The only attitude that changes lives is that of those who seek the Saviour.

Read the notes while you listen.