Bahan Alkitab: Psalm 80
Tanggal: 24/05/2020
Kategori: sm-pagi-kelas-besar
Ringkasan:
Mary de Guise file charges against the protestant preachers, she called the protestant preachers to defend themselves. During this time, the reformed believers heard about John Knox returning to Scotland, and they feel encouraged and expecting to hear John’s Knox preaching again.
John Knox preached in Perth, where the reformed people gathered. He preached against Mary de Guise and also against idolatry. The people convicted by John Knox teaching.Through the work of the Holy Spirit, John Knox preaching works in the people who heard him, and they realized that worshiping idols is wrong. However, after the congregation went home, a catholic priest started a mass.
The people who were convinced that there are many wrong practice in the Roman Catholic belief was angry because of the mass. They stated to destroy statues. However, as the people started to destroy statues and other religious symbols, the poor people who were not pleased with Mary de Guise started to riot. They observed how the priests and monks lived abundantly in the monasteries, while they themselves does not have enough food. So they took it as an opportunity to revenge. They steal and destroyed many things.
John Knox was disappointed with the riot that happened, and did not approved the mob behaviour. After this event, the reformed people made an agreement with Mary de Guise, but John Knox remember that they should not trust in princes, or event a regent. He was right, as Mary de Guise did not respect the agreement and start to prepare her troop to attack Perth. The reformed people gathered at St Andrews. John Knox preached there and many people turn to the reformed faith.
As the Holy Spirit works through John Knox preaching, more people repented and turned from worshiping idols to go back into biblical teaching. While Mary de Guise has a strong troop, God works to prepare support for the reformed people. So at Cupar Muir, the reformed troop became very big and strong. Mary de Guise was afraid to lose the battle, so a truce of 8 days was made and signed.
On the 1 of July, John Knox preached at St Giles church in Edinburgh, capital of Scotland. He became a minister there. This church later on became a famous church in history, known as the mother church of world Presbyterianism. However, Mary de Guise took back Edinburgh again. The good thing is, the reformed believers there persist in their reformed faith, and continue to worship the Lord according to the biblical teaching.
Throughout these time, John Knox was separated from his family. His wife and children were still in Switzerland, and he wants them to be able to go back to Scotland, so he wrote letter to Queen Elizabeth 1 to help his family to back to Scotland safely. John Knox also wrote asking for financial support from England. The reformed troops needs money badly, and eventually Queen Elizabeth I helped.
However, after some encouraging support, the reformed force run into many problems. The French troop attacked Edinburgh so the reformed people move to Stirling, discouraged. One of the serious problem is their supply of food was stuck in another place, guarded by French army, so the food supply could not reach them. In this place, John Knox remind the people to return their hope to God.John Knox preached from Psalm 80, and remind them to turn their hope to God. To rely on God, and not on men.
At St.Andrew, people observed there are several ship approaching. Initially they thought those were the French galley ship, but it turn out to be English fleet. They feel relieved. Queen Elizabeth 1 decided to support the Scottish Reformers. The English fleet was sent to besiege the French troops which were at Leith.
God intervened in the history of Scotland, and at a critical moment Mary de Guise suddenly died. The French then surrendered and concluded peace terms with the English in the Treaty of Edinburgh. It ended the alliance between Scotland and France.
Under the terms of the deal, a council of 12 people was charged with the responsibility of governing Scotland. It gave the Scots parliament real power and the opportunity to call the shots in favor of Scotland's reformed faith. This is a very important event in Scotland’s history, as the Scottish Parliament renounced the Pope's authority, and the mass was declared illegal. Roman Catholic no longer has any power in Scotland, and Scotland had officially become a Protestant country.
During this time John Knox and several people prepared confession of faith known as Scots Confession.
During this time, John Knox also wrote about several books, which became very important in shaping the Scotland country.
Ayat Hafalan:
Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called and about which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.
1 Timothy 6:12
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