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Weekly message3

Psalm 3: Jesus Foreshadowed

David is fleeing for his life; on the run from his rebellious son, Absalom, who seeks to seize his throne (2 Samuel 15-18). Psalm 3 is David’s distressed prayer amid betrayal, danger and despair. Yet David’s experience also points us towards Jesus, the greater King.

David is driven from Jerusalem by his own flesh and blood. Jesus, too, is betrayed by a close companion, deserted by his disciples and rejected by many of his own people. The rightful King is led outside Jerusalem’s gates to die (Hebrews 13:12). Yet what a contrast: David flees a son who rebels against him; Jesus gives his life for rebellious people he came to save!

David’s enemies sneer, “God will not deliver him” (v2). At Calvary, similar taunts are hurled at Jesus: if he really is God’s Son, why not come down from the cross? (Matthew 27:39–43). What looks like weakness is God’s wisdom; what appears to be defeat becomes the decisive victory! The taunts about God’s absence and inability to save are voiced loud in today’s troubled world. Countries cry out for ceasefires; humanitarian needs multiply; rulers value power and political position over peace. Psalm 3 does not promise instant escape from suffering; it calls us to trust the Lord amid it.

Absalom’s rebellion concludes as his voluminous, heavy hair (2 Samuel 14:6) is caught in the branches of a tree, leaving him hanging, helpless. Joab, the commander of David’s army, his top soldier, plunges three javelins into his heart (2 Samuel 18:9-15). David is left heartbroken.

Jesus, however, hangs and dies on a tree not for his own rebellion, but for ours. The innocent One bears the curse for us, the guilty ones (Galatians 3:13). And, after Jesus has died, a soldier pierces his side with a spear (John 19:34) perhaps puncturing his pericardium and/or heart - resulting in a flow of blood and water. Absalom dies because of his rebellion; Jesus dies to redeem rebels!

David declares, “From the LORD comes deliverance” (v8). David’s deliverance is not the end of the story: he remains a mortal king. Jesus, however, rises from the dead, securing the ultimate victory over sin and death. As Charles Spurgeon famously observed, “I have learned to kiss the wave that throws me against the Rock of Ages.” Faith does not deny the storm; it clings to the Saviour.

When enemies multiply and hope seems lost, remember: the cross was not Christ’s defeat, but the doorway to our deliverance. The rejected King is risen and reigns! Our confidence rests not in human strength or political promises, but in Jesus Christ, the innocent Son who died and rose again for us, the rebellious.

Revd Michael Hogg

Click on the links below to see previous messages 
 

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Hello and welcome to our church. If you are a new visitor, we have a page for you to get to know us and learn more about planning a visit.
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Planning your Visit

New to Church?

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Here at Brighton Road Baptist Church, you will always be welcome. So it doesn’t matter whether you’ve never been to church before or have been going all your life and want to try something different.

No-one cares how you're dressed, what you believe (or don’t believe), whether you’re over 60 or under 6, or something in between - you're welcome to join us if you're searching or just browsing. 

Whatever your circumstances BRBC is a safe place to discover God's love.

We are an extended family made of all ages and a variety of backgrounds. We are single, married, divorced, widowed, happy, sad, confused, motivated, those with time on their hands and those with no time at all. The one thing we have in common is that we want to know more about the  God who welcomes us all into his family. We look forward to welcoming you.

 

What to expect on a Sunday morning:


Where and When

We meet at the Church Building (details here) for our Sunday Service starting at 10.30am. For your first visit, we recommend arriving 10-15 minutes early to ensure you get a parking space and find somewhere to sit before the service begins. When you arrive, you should be greeted by someone on our Welcome Team who will offer you a copy of our weekly newsletter.

We serve tea, coffee and biscuits after the service. All refreshments are free.

Accessibility: There is wheelchair access, and a sound loop for anyone who needs it. Please let one of the Welcome Team know on your arrival and they will help you to get set up. There are disabled toilets in the main foyer.

Our Service

The main service begins at 10.30am with a warm welcome from one of our team members. We share news and notices, usually about what’s going on in the life of the church. Following this we have a time of sung and spoken worship. We typically have 2 or 3 songs lasting approximately 20 minutes. Often a person will pray out loud or read a small passage from the bible. Sometimes people share things that they believe God is saying to the whole church family. One of our leaders will then give a sermon that is bible based and that we can apply to our everyday life. We then finish with a final worship song. There is an opportunity to receive prayer at the end of the service.

What about my kids?

For children under three, we have a Creche. Children under 6 months are welcome but must be accompanied by their parent/grown-up at all times.
For kids from 4-11, we have our Kid's Club, BRBK. Activities vary but usually there is a friendly welcome, bible stories, testimonies, praying, music, craft, drama, fun games and free play.

Children stay with their parent or grown-up at the start of the service for the welcome, songs and notices. We really value worshipping God all together as a family. Part way through the service, the leader will announce that it’s time for the younger members to go to their various groups.

Please pick your children up as soon as the service finishes.

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Getting Connected


Housegroups

While Sundays are a great way to meet new people, it is often in smaller gatherings that you can really get to know someone. Being part of one of our housegroups allows you to make new friends, share together and support each other. We have a variety of groups that meet throughout the week, some afternoons and some evenings. Check out Housegroups and see if there’s one that you could join, or we can put you in touch with a small group leader who will be more than happy to invite you along to their group.


Serving and Volunteering

If you want to get involved in the life of the church and help us make Sundays run smoothly, you can sign up to serve on a team. 


If you want to get in touch, or have any further questions, please contact us!