The sinful woman who met the forgiving Saviour

Sermon notes from Sunday 3 June 2018 pm Mr Joseph Kenoway

John 8 verses 1 - 11

Perhaps if we were to give a title to this message it would be `the sinful woman who met the forgiving Saviour.`  The story we have just read concerns a sinful woman who was in the very gutter of sin, given up all self respect, leading an openly sinful life.  If we were looking at this through twentieth century eyes this was a no hope story.  She had brought shame to herself and her family.  The compassionate Saviour enters into the story at this precise moment.  He does not condemn her but reaches out in love and mercy.  He tells her "neither do I condemn you, go and sin no more."  Some of the early fathers doubted whether this passage should be included in the scripture, they believe Jesus was too lenient but here we see a compassionate Saviour.  The Lord came down to reach a sinner who was lost.  

The first thing to see tonight is the blessing of sins forgiven.  It was the Psalmist David who wrote in Psalm 32 "blessed is the man whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered."  Is the greatest thing in all the world to be rich, famous, to have all the power and might of all society?  The greatest thing is to know your sins are forgiven, that all your past sins are under the blood of Jesus.  Why could the Lord say to this lady "neither do I condemn thee, go and sin no more"?  Very soon after Jesus would go to the cross and take this woman`s sins on himself, would die and rise again.  700 years before Jesus died the prophet Isaiah had a vision of the place where Jesus died for sinners "but he was wounded for our transgressions ... by his stripes we are healed."  If you are outside of Christ tonight take this thought - it is the cross that makes us sufficient, it is the blood that makes us secure.  He died the just for the unjust that he might bring us to God.  The message of the gospel is almost too good to be true.  God`s grace is always greater than our sins.  Where sin aboundeth the grace of God doth much more abound.  The blessing of sins forgiven.  Can you imagine the lady coming from the temple after she met with Christ?  There was a wonderful change in her life as she came out that day.  The people saw a great change in her life.  I`m sure they wondered about it.  I am sure her answer would be "I met the Lord today and he has changed me completely."  If you are saved tonight you are the most blessed person on this earth.  We should never be ashamed of the Lord.  We should be able to tell it to everyone - that there is life in the risen Lord.  Maybe there is someone you work with and they are not saved.  They are searching for God tonight, for the peace you have.  You are the one that has the answer, the only one that can help them.  You alone know the gospel.  What a wonderful salvation she experienced that day.  Maybe you don`t know that peace that passeth all understanding.  At Jesus` feet you can find rest, peace, joy, forgiveness.  "Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden."  Is Jesus precious to you tonight?  This lady enjoyed total forgiveness.  Romans 12 "there is therefore no condemnation to them which are in Christ who walk not after the flesh but after the spirit."  What God forgives he forgets.  There are many in the journey of life carrying this spirit of condemnation.  They know they have accepted Christ as Saviour but they worry about their past sins committed in their unsaved days.  Here`s a word of encouragement - "if we confess our sins he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins."  "The blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth us from all our sins."  When we accept Christ as Saviour he removes our sin.  "As far as the east is from the west so far has he removed our transgressions."  Your sins and transgressions will I remember them no more.  Not only removes and forgives our sins but he buries our sins.  "I will cast all your sins in the depth of the sea."  Do you want your sins forgiven?  Jesus can meet your deepest need through the blood he shed on Calvary`s cross.

The hypocrisy of a self righteous life - verses 6 and 7.  These 2 verses are significant.  They are the only record we have of Jesus writing anything down.  What did the Lord write on the ground - did he write their sins on the ground, the names of all those men who had been with this lady?  No matter they went out without Christ, without forgiveness of sins, deeply religious but deeply sinful.  We could write oveer these 2 verses - these men remained unforgiven.  They were too good to be saved.  They were blinded by religion, good works, membership of the temple, by their charitable deeds.  Many are dependent on good works, church membership, attending the Lord`s table, going to church.  The bible says "all our sins are like filthy rags."  I wonder are you a good person openly speaking?  Good to your family, neighbours, to the church but you are not saved.  You have never seen your need of God`s salvation.  We can be deeply religious like these men but deeply sinful.  If this was your last evening on earth, if you were to stand before the God of heaven and you were asked why should I let you into heaven what would you say?  If you are depending on anything else it would be absent from the body and straight into a lost eternity.  Some people have never made preparation despite having heard the message of the gospel.

The motivation to live a holy life - verse 11 "go and sin no more."  He didn`t say "go and sin as little as possible".  A separated, sold out life is the greatest advertisement for a Christian life.  We all know we cannot be sinless, perfect.  There is a life we can know victory every day over the devil and the world but most of all over me myself.  Each one of us will give an account before the Lord.  The Bible does not teach us that one day we will all hear well done from God.  We need to strive for it.  We are building our foundation on Christ.  There is a foundation of gold, silver and precious stones but there is also a foundation of a wasted life.  There is the motivation here to live a holy life.  We can think of the life of Abraham and Lot.  2 family members.  Abraham, a friend of God.  Altar after altar, prayer after prayer.  Lot was living for self.  A wasted life.  Whose life counted the most?  It was Abraham.  Lot`s life was a misery.  He couldn`t save his wife.  He was saved by fire, just saved and no more.  Is our life sold out for the Saviour tonight?  Have we learned some lessons from this woman`s life?

The woman with the issue of blood

Sermon notes from Sunday 15 July 2018 pm Mr Simon Snodgrass

Mark 5 verses 25 - 43

My main purpose in looking at the gospels of Jesus in Mark`s gospel was because some times we miss key things on how Jesus ministered.  The power of the gospel and how it was able to transform lives.  The gospel is still relevant, it is able to save men and women, boys and girls.  Romans 1 verse 16.

Quite a lot has happened before this narrative and a lot is happening even while Christ is dealing with this woman.  Jairus` daughter is also included in the context of this story.  Jairus had already come and pleaded with Christ to come and heal his daughter.  She was sick even unto death.  While he was on his way to Jairus` house this woman came on the scene.  How busy the Lod was on this occasion and on other occasions too.  3 thoughts on this lady - the condition she had, the position she was in and her great physician.

The condition she had - verses 25 and 26.  This woman is not named, she had an issue of blood for 12 years, just like Jairus` daughter was 12 years of age.  She suffered from an incurable disease for quite a length of time.  The Bible tells us it was an issue of blood, internal bleeding or haemorraging.  We are not told specificallly what it was but for 12 years she has sought to have this problem dealt with in a human capacity.  She had spent all she had and she was nothing better but rather worse.  Her health is declining and she had lost her wealth in the process.  Consider this woman`s passion.  She was not in a place to be healed, merely left to deal with it in her own way.  This illness was incurable and in a sense it was terminal to her.  Nothing the doctors could do for her.  It was having the opposite effect.  There are 2 points of application.  The effects of sin on this woman.  This woman`s health was as a result of sin.  Her condition was merely an outworking of her sinful condition.  Not because she was the worst sinner than anyone in the crowd that day but because of the fall of Adam this issue of blood was the result of sin.  Romans 5 verse 12.  This issue of blood was an outworking of her sinful nature.  Humanly speaking there was nothing that could be done for her.  In our sinful condition there is nothing we can do for ourselves.  The second application - there are certain things in the human aspect that cannot be cured.  She had tried everything and nothing helped her.  The Lord uses medical and technology but he is ultimately the one who can heal.  There are certain things man cannot do.  They have to be left in the hands of God.  Are we looking at human instruments to intervene?  The Lord is the one who gives life and takes life, cures illnesses.  He may use the hand of a doctor or surgeon but ultimately healing comes from him and his benevolent grace.  Jonah cried from the belly of the whale "salvation is of the Lord."  Spiritually speaking there is nothing we can do to save ourselves.  This woman`s condition was not because she was the greatest sinner.  John 9 verses 1 - 3 Jesus was passing by a man born blind from his birth.  The disciples thought it was because his parents were great sinners or he himself was some great sinner.  Jesus corrected them.  This condition is so that the outworkings of God could be manifested in him.  Sin flattens everyone of us.  There is not some hierarchy scale of sin.  We all fall under the curse of Adam.  We all must die because of that sin.  For someone else it will be a different illness.  Maybe mental.  Even if you live an earthly life sin will take you through to death.  In the end the woman had an incurable illness only Jesus could heal her.  Salvation is of the Lord.

The position she held - verse 27 "when she had heard of Jesus she came in the crowd behind."  She was at the back of the crowd.  That indicated her position in society.  By Jewish law she was ceremonially unclean.  Numbers 5 shows that and how those people should be dealt with.  If you went near such a person then you could be unceremonially defiled.  She was an outcast, alienated not only from society but also her family, people she knew and loved once.  She is at the back of the crowd.  In these chapters of Mark everywhere Jesus went there was a crowd of people gathered around him.  From all the people that had gathered to hear Jesus not one saw her need.  It was she herself that went through the crowd to touch Jesus.  No-one helped her, she did it herself.  The application is here - picture not only outworking of her sinful nature, she was also alienated.  Colossians "we are alienated from God."  Caught adrift, far from God, unable to have fellowship with God, in such a sinful nature.  Her position at this time was she was alienated from society.  So we see now her greater need of Christ.  To help us understand what was going on - chapter 2 verse 1.  We see the man sick of palsy who was carried to the house where Jesus was.  A large crowd was following Jesus but no-one brought him into the house.  Chapter 3 we see the man with a withered hand, ceremonially unclean, outcast, alienated from society.  Large crowds followed Jesus yet no-one saw his individual need of Christ.  The salvation of Christ means you must come personally.  He did not come to convert the masses.  Yes he can save many many people but God through Christ desires a personal relationship with us.  Mark 5 the demonic possessed by legions, he was out in the cave, outside of the city, alienated from his people, family, people he knew.  These are the kind of people Jesus came to save.  Verse 21 the woman with the issue of blood.  Large crowds of people of normal sinners wanted to see Jesus but didn`t see the need.  Jesus used these times to demonstrate he was God manifested in the flesh, it was the purpose for which he came - to save souls.  Chapter 4 at the calming of the storm we see Jesus was sovereign over nature.  In chapter 5 we see Jesus is soverign over the spirit world.  Now we see he is sovereign over illness.  He reigns for ever and ever.  We cannot deny who he is.  However think of all these things that have happened.  These crowds pressing in on Jesus.  The physical transformation was only to prove the spiritual transformation Christ had wrought in their lives.  The people did not get the point.  He didn`t come to preach that people might hear him.  He came to show them their need of his salvation.  If any man be in Christ he is a new creature, behold all things have become new.  Christ wanted to show people, to look them in the eye.  This physical transformation is only a manifestation of spiritual transformation.  You too need Christ just like these individuals.  Demonic man sitting in his right mind - the people asked Jesus to leave them.  Jairus` story - reaction of the crowd was to laugh him to scorn and get out of that city.  Until you see your need of Jesus you will be like the people in the crowd, might like to hear the stories of Jesus but until you come and recognise you are a sinner, bow the knee, you will never see that need.  You will continue to follow the crowd.  I do not need a Saviour.  I am fine the way I am.  Jesus spoke directly - you are the same as this woman, alienated from God, you need to be restored.  If you are restored you will have a story to tell.  That is the gospel.  Can you look back to a time when you came to faith in Christ? Do you have a story to tell?  This woman had a story to tell - do you have a story?

Her great physician.  What did Christ do specifically for her?  How was the work evidenced in her life?  Verses 27 and 28 reveal that this woman sought Jesus.  She had a  desire to be with Christ.  "If I may but touch his clothes I shall be whole."  She had heard about Christ but she also acted on it.  Verse 29 the moment she came and reached out in faith and touches the garment of Christ she was healed immediately of her plague.  For 12 years she spent all her money on trying to be healed yet she touched the garment of Christ and in a moment she was healed.  This story seems too simple to believe.  The touch of his garment was the outworking of her faith.  Verse 30 the reality is seen.  She has come, touched Christ`s garment and immediately was healed.  The disciples questioned Jesus as to why he had asked who touched me.  She has reached out in a small grain of faith.  That touch has become a reality.  We have emphasised Christ is sovereign.  We know Christ knew who had touched him.  Remember Adam in the Garden of Eden when God came walking in the cool of the day.  God asked "where art thou?"  God was giving him an opportunity to confess rather than hide.  He did the same with the woman in this story - he gave her an opportunity to profess Christ.  She was the one who had touched Christ.  That is important.  In the midst of it we have the disciples asking the question.  They are not clued in.  It was giving this woman an opportunity to confess her faith.  That is exactly what Paul said in Romans 10 verse 9.  This woman believed already, now Jesus is giving her the opportunity to confess with her mouth he is the Lord Jesus.  That small amount of faith brought her through that crowd and enabled her to touch his garment.  Now Christ gave her the opportunity to confess her faith.  Verse 33 is an important verse.  She came in fear and trembling, recognising who Christ was, recognising she had been healed.  She is testifying now of Christ.  She probably told how she spent all her money and nothing helped her, to be told that nothing could be done for her, that this was her life from then on.  Christ looked at her small act of faith, he gave her the opportunity to confess her faith.  It was God`s grace that healed her but it was God`s grace going through her, pushing her through the crowd and touching his garment.  Verse 34 Jesus accepts her for who she is.  He has wrought salvation in her heart.  Deeper truths are revealed.  Now she is a child of God.  No longer alienated in her faith.  She will have people in the faith, people who will love her, accept her, changed her outward circumstances in her community.  It is important to recognise her touch brought 2 elements of faith in Jesus.  There would have been all kinds of people bumping into Jesus.  It was her touch that was an act of faith.  Jesus responded with that small grain of faith.  He gave her an opportunity to come and confess her faith.  The Lord saved her, made her a daughter of the king.  She stands as a testimony like all the others as someone alienated then restored and then has a story to tell.  That is the gospel - alienated from God but needing communion with God.  We are saved by his grace and as a result we have an obligation to go and tell others.  Do you have a story to tell tonight?  Are you a Christian?  This woman is a daughter of the king.  Healed physically.  Transformed spiritually.  Do you know the Lord?  Have you an experience of salvation or are you still following the crowd?

The opening of the fifth and sixth seals in heaven

Sermon notes from Sunday 24 June 2018 am LIMC

Revelation 6

The seals that were opened in heaven - the first seal was one of deception on earth.  This speaks of a time to come on this old earth, it is not fictional or a Holywood movie.  This will take place on the plains of earth one day.  The horseman that was riding out - that is the horseman of deception under the anti-Christ.  The second seal brought devastation.  There will be a time of peace on earth.  He will set up a peace treaty in the Middle East but that will not stand for long.  It will be a period of 3 1/2 years.  He will break that treaty.  Wars will break out throughout the world.  The truth in the third seal, rations as a result of war.  The horseman is holding seals.  Inflation will soar, prices will increase leading to sickness and famines.  The next horseman was death.  The fourth seal through the sword, sickness and pestilences.  Things that cannot be controlled.  Half of the worlds population will die at this particular time.  Something that is happening on this old world.  God has made a way of escape.  Everyone who trusted on Jesus Christ and have known tremendous change in their lives being born again of the Spirit of God.

Come now to the opening of the fifth and sixth seals - verse 12 takes us to a scene on earth while verse 9 takes us to the scene in heaven, the terror that is plaguing the streets of earth.  Contrast that with the tranquility and peace and joy that is in heaven.  Where would you rather be during this time?  First of all turn to sixth seal before the fifth seal to contrast it.  Sixth seal - verses 12 - 14 the horror to be witnessed during this time - let us somehow imagine this.  Notice the series of events that unfold before the people on earth.  None will compare to this.  Earthquake that takes place on this day.  It is the same image Isaiah the prophet wrote about.  God will shake the earth.  Isaiah 2 verse 19.  This is God shaking the earth, not a natural earthquake.  The sun became black and the moon became as blood.  Once the earth would shake with such violence and force, only natural that certain things would happen.  The smoke and the ash that will ascend into the atmosphere and surely that will have an effect on the sun and moon so that they will be blacked out.  Who are these people on earth?  Those who have rejected the Lord as Saviour and Lord.  Verse 17 these people do not know where to run to, to hide.  One day God will shake the earth.  "The mountains and islands moved out of their places."  Someone tried to tell us that this is mere symbolic, authorities falling, governments and authorities falling, never seen yet the panic of asking the very rocks to fall on them.  They ran into dens to hide.

Notice in verses 15 and 16 the helplessness.  Men are looking to each other but there is no help.   Princes are getting together with princes, gathering all the bondmen and free, there is no where to run to, no-one has the answer.  They are running into caves.  Remember David who hid his men, 600 in total in the cave when running from his son.  

Their honesty -  verse 17.  Now starting to acknowledge something.  This is the great day of wrath, that which we have heard preached about, that one day God will judge this earth.  These men were the great and mighty of the earth.  We cannot hide from this - this is God`s day of wrath.  What a great realisation on that day.  Realise they have been taught this in days past.  This is why people are taught from the scriptures, why people gathered together to pray - because this great day was coming.  I did not want my daughter to be here.  I didn`t want to be here on earth - now all I can do is pray for the mountains to fall on me.

The tranquility of heaven.  As Jesus opens the fifth seal John is looking into heaven - verse 9 "I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain."  The consciousness of the soul.  Some argue today `I don`t believe in heaven and hell, this afterlife business.  When you die in the grave that is it.  That is the last of it.`  Not according to the scriptures.  John said "I saw them that were slain here on earth."  Bodies are still on earth but the souls are in the presence of God.  Paul was in a fix - he would rather depart from this scene and time to be with the Lord which is far better.  In the day of death we are absent from the body and present with the Lord.  John is seeing that here.  Where will your soul be if that happens today?  Would your soul be in heaven for all eternity or lost in a sinners hell for all eternity?  They live, move, speak.  The grave is not the end.  Luke 16 the poor man and the rich man story.  The poor man Lazarus lay at the gate of the rich man.  He fared sumptuously every day.  He had everything he could ever want.  Both men died and the poor man was carried into Abraham`s bosom.  The rich man died, he was buried, the pomp he probably had.  In hell he lifted up his eyes, he was not unconscious.  He died and went into the caverns of the damned.  He could see the poor man Lazarus in Abraham`s bosom.  He was thinking and feeling.  There is a consciousness of the soul.  These people were clothed with robes - verse 11.  They were given white robes.  John in chapter 19 speaks again of white robes.  These are the souls with the white robes.  How can a soul wear a robe?  The works I do will never take me to heaven.  The only thing that will take me to heaven is the righteousness of Christ.  John speaks later on in verse 8 of chapter 19 - the bride of Christ adorned herself.  Fine linen is the righteousness of the saints.  Every good deed, every little thing done for the Lord after we are saved is stored for us in heaven.  John said "Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord ... and their works do follow them."  In 1 Corinthians Paul talks of the judgment day when we will stand before the Lord and account for all the deeds that have been done for the Lord.  Maybe John is seeing those who were slain being adorned in white robes.  All those things that went unnoticed, every little thing you have done that went unnoticed but maybe the little things will one day be seen.  

He sees them as crowned as well.  The pilgrims have come through a lot for God, slain for the word of God and the testimony they held.  During this period on earth these people got saved, gave their life to the Lord and they took the testimony of the Lord.  They were put to death for their testimony, they would not surrender their stand, would not give in to the anti-Christ.  "Blessed is the man that endureth temptation, for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him." (James 1 verse 12)  They stuck it out to the end even if it meant death.  Verse 9 - notice where these souls are - under the altar.  That is commitment.  Some say this is showing divine protection in heaven but it is more than that.  When the priest would come with his offering the blood was spilt under the altar.  Everything about that sacrifice was given to God.  These people were committed, they were slain, did not surrender and they lost their lives for doing it.  They paid the supreme sacrifice for it.  Am I giving my all to the Lord today?  These people were ready to give their very life to the Lord.  Paul said "for I am now ready to be offered."  That blood was poured out on the altar, it was poured out.  Paul said "I am ready to pour out my own blood."  He was waiting to be taken to the execution point.  As we speak today there are Christians across our world who are being slain for the testimony of God.  All they had to do was sign a form saying they wanted nothing more to do with the Christian faith.  It is so easy for us to hear the word of God, walk out into the street but what if we knew we were going to be arrested immediately we stepped out of the door.

They were comforted - verse 11.  Heaven is a place of rest for us.  Revelation 14 verse 13 "Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth, Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours, and their works do follow them."  The tranquility of heaven or the terror of the last days  - where would we rather be?

Moses and the burning bush

Sermon notes from Prayer Meeting on 19 June 2018

Exodus 3 verses 1 - 10

Moses - a life of a man from the cradle to the grave through the word of God.  In Exodus 2 we read of the birth of Moses and in Deuteronomy 34 verse 7 the death of Moses.  If you look through the life of Moses there are many challenging times in his life.  There is none so intimate, special and challenging as the scene here at the burning bush in the wilderness.  Here Moses is getting back on the right track.  He had spent 40 years in the wilderness.  Now in his third 40 year span God would bring him back to Egypt to bring the Children of Israel out to the land of Canaan, a land flowing with milk and honey.  A burning bush was not a rare sight to see in the wilderness.  Once the sun would hit one side of these bushes they would just ignite.  What was so special about this one bush?  It didn`t burn away.  Moses noticed this bush burning and as he approached it, it continued to burn.  It should have been consumed in minutes.  Moses was aroused and interested in what was happening here.  Maybe he approached it with so many questions.  It was while he was asking those questions God spoke to him.  Notice the words in verse 4 "and when he turned aside to see".  God sent this sign for Moses.   God was watching his every movement.  There are times when we don`t give a second thought to the things that are happening in our lives.  They happen not by chance but by God`s providence.  It is how we deal with those situations.  God watches and then steps in.  Moses had spent 40 years in the wilderness, just a shepherd leading and guiding the sheep.  Here God steps in.  I wonder does God see that in our lives?  Are we interested in the things of God?  Maybe God sees our interest and wants to use that opportunit to step in.

Notice Moses` activity.  The final 40 year period in Moses` life.  A man of 80 years of age.  Perhaps he thought he was at the end of his life but God had still something for him to do.  We are never too old or too young for God to use us - remember the maid in Naaman`s house and the boy with the 5 loaves and the 2 fishes.  Now God is using a man of 80 years of age.  What a life Moses had, growing up in the palace of the king.  Everything he could ever ask for was his.  What a contrast now to be in the wilderness guarding sheep, leading them to the water and the best pastures, guarding them against the wild animals.  Chapter 2 verse 21 "and Moses was content to dwell".  Now God was about to change all that.  We can be content with the life we are living, with the work we are doing but then God steps into our lives.  We need to be prepared to step away from the normal life activities and do something completely different for God just like Moses was here.

Notice Moses` attention.  Moses now came to the bush.  God had set this bush in his pathway.  He had to turn aside to see this.  God was getting Moses` complete attention.  Only then he called.  Verse 4 "God called unto him out of the mist of the bush and said, Moses, Moses."  Moses was so taken up with the bush burning, God saw that and he was able to speak.  Sometimes we need to be like that.  It is not a rush into and out again of God`s presence time but waiting on him.  Only when God has our full undivided attention can he speak to us.  At times it is difficult to sit down and concentrate on his word.  Our attention is sometimes elsewhere.  It happened with Isaiah - chapter 6 - he was in the temple one day, in the year that King Uzziah had died.  Maybe for the first time God had Isaiah`s attention.  Maybe the King blocked out Isaiah`s attention from God.  Isaiah described that occasion "I saw the Lord high and lifted up."  Abraham, under the call of God left Mesopotamia and he came as far as Haran.  At that point his father died.  Maybe his father had some sort of hold on Abraham and somehow he couldn`t get away from it.  It was only when Terah died that he could give God his full undivided attention and proceed on in his journey.  God called him on.  The devil is quick to crowd our minds with all sorts of things.  Somehow the Lord is calling us to get our eyes fixed on him again.

Moses` approach.  Verse 5 "draw not nigh hither; put off thy shoes from off thy feet for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground."  Where God is it is holy ground.  Where the presence of God is, it is a holy place.  God`s presence satisfies any place.  The word of God promises that where the 2 or 3 gather together in his name he is in the midst thereof.  Moses had to remove his shoes because they were figuratively speaking representing the places he had walked up to that point in his life.  Sometimes the Lord rebukes us about our walk that is maybe not right.  God wants us to confess what is not right and then he will speak directly to us.  It took time for Moses to confess and think on it.  This was preparation time.

Moses` assurance.  Verses 6 and 7 "I am the God of thy father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.  And Moses hid his face; for he was afraid to look upon God. And the Lord said, I have surely seen the affliction of my people which are in Egypt, and have heard their cry by reason of their taskmasters; for I know their sorrows."

Moses` answer.  Verse 5 "and he said here am I."  What a place to be in - here am I in the presence of God and God is speaking to me.  Are we in the place of God and seeking after his face?     

Lessons from Nehemiah

Sermon notes from Sunday 1 July 2018 at LIMC

Nehemiah 4 verses 1 - 14

What a man Nehemiah was yet he was only a man!  He was just flesh and blood physically, made up as you and I.  He had many failures and things went wrong in his life.  Verse 14 "be not ye afraid of them (the enemy), remember the Lord (get him into the right place in your lives), which is great and terrible and fight for your brethren, your sons and your daughters, your wives and your houses."  500 years before the birth of Christ in Jerusalem - what was it like for all and sundry?  The great city had to have great walls and gates yes?  The city had neither.  The enemy had come in and taken the people captive to Babylon, they all had turned their backs on God.  God had told them "when you forget about me I have to turn my back on you, then the enemy will come in."  God will always protect his children but when they allow sin into their lives then they will be carried captive and that is what is happening here.  The enemy came in, knocked down every stone in Jerusalem.  What was Nehemiah looking at when he came to Jerusalem?  Just a heap of stones, rubble.  The people were a proud people but they had lost their zeal.  When Nehemiah was approached about this by the enemy he said "I am doing a great work" (chapter 6 verse 3).  This book in the Bible is the history of a man who was prepared to give all for God.  We might be saved by the grace of God but have we laid our all on the altar for the Lord?  You don`t need to have a great ability or intellect but what you have must be placed at the feet of the Lord Jesus Christ.  We see here a great work that Nehemiah was involved in and it all began in his heart.  Are you prepared to give what Nehemiah gave - your all to the Lord?

The insight that Nehemiah seeks.  In chapter 1 we find Nehemiah out in the garden walking.  He was 1000 miles away from Jerusalem in the palace of Shushan but his heart was in Jerusalem.  So many people had returned from captivity to Jerusalem and they should have already started the work but nothing was going on at all.  When Nehemiah asked his friends about the work of God he was disappointed.  Are we interested in the work of God today or is there something far more important that we should, could or have to be doing?  In chapter 1 verse 11 we read that Nehemiah was the kings cupbearer.  It was an important job.  Nehemiah has done well for himself.  He had come up through the ranks.  He had been faithful to God and God had honoured him, put him in a great position.  He was like the prime minster of the day.  No-one came in to see the king unless Nehemiah said so.  He had one very special quality - God was always first in his life.  It didn`t matter where he was or who he was with, that was most important to him.  He goes out to the garden and sees his friends coming.  The insight he had - he wanted to know what was happening in Jerusalem, what God was doing there, what the people were doing.  Is God first in your life?  Yes you are saved by God`s grace but is he first in your life?  There can be other things far more important for us.  Nehemiah was not long in getting down to business.  Have you been concerned about the work of God?  Joseph was taken down into Egypt and ended up in Potiphar`s house.  The temptation came up but Joseph said "I cannot do this thing and sin against God." (Genesis 39 verse 9)  God was first in his life.  He knew there was something more important in his life.  For the Hebrew children in Daniel, the king built an image and commanded everyone to bow down to it when the music was heard.  The 3 Hebrew children said "we will not do it." (Daniel 3 verse 18) They would be loyal to their God.  Daniel was tricked and trapped but he would not give up.  The people told him not to pray but what did Daniel do?  He went up to his house, flung open the windows, got down and prayed.  He was arrested, accused and thrown into the lions den.  Did he betray God?  No.  "Him that honoureth me I will honour."  An angel was sent down and shut the lions mouths.  When the king got up the next morning he ran to the den to see what had happened.  There was Daniel, ready to take his stand before the king. (Daniel 6 verse 22)  Peter was arrested by the Sanhedrin and told not to preach in the name of God anymore. (Acts 4 verse 21)  Have we allowed the Lord to slip a little?  Are there other things that have crept into our lives in place of the Lord?  When was the last time you spoke to someone about the Lord?  Sat down with someone and chatted to them about the things of God?

The interest Nehemiah had.  Nehemiah 2 verse 10.  Sanballat and Tobiah were not pleased when they heard that Nehemiah had gathered all the people together.  Nehemiah had now left Shushan the palace and gone down to Jerusalem and that annoyed the enemy.  Elijah walked past a woman every day and she was able to say of him "here is a holy man of God."  Nehemiah had an interest in the people of God.  When the people of Israel came into the land of Canaan we read "there arose up a generation that knew not the Lord." (Judges 2 verse 10)  Nehemiah was interested in the people`s spiritual condition.  He was interested in the sin of the people and realised what sin would do.  "The wages of sin is death."  "Fools mock at sin" the bible tells us.  We can see that all around us today.  People laugh at this book, say it is so out of date.  Sin separates us from God.  The Lord Jesus came to make a way back to God.  There are champions of social welfare and they are important but where are the champions in the Houses of Parliament, in society, in the church of Jesus Christ that are speaking out for the spiritual welfare of children today?  Nehemiah could see how the people had turned away from God.  The answer was in repentance and turning again to God.  The answer is in Jesus and what he did 2000 years ago, when he died on the cross of Calvary.  He died for our sins that one day we might go at last to heaven saved by the precious blood of Christ.  A young man came to Jesus one day and asked him "what good thing can I do that I might inherit eternal life."  He was taught in a good home how to climb the social ladder but not taught how to be saved.

The inspiration that moved Nehemiah.  He had an interest in the people and an interest to go but that was no enough.  Nehemiah spent time in prayer, confessing his sin, praising God and then God broke into his life and instructed him to go to Jerusalem.  God broke into his life and instructed him to go.  There is a place for long and lengthy prayers but there is also a need for quick prayers - Nehemiah 2 verse 4.  Nehemiah was before the king when he was asked why he was so sad.  For Nehemiah his answer could have meant death, the moment he realised that question was asked he quaked in his boots.  Then he prayed quickly to God.  It is the sort of prayer you pray when someone challenges you about the Lord.  You need a quick answer.  Nehemiah was inspired to go down to Jerusalem.  The bible tells us on a couple of occasions that God put it into his heart - chapter 2 verse 12 and verse 18.  We might say we could never do anything for the Lord but I am sure Nehemiah thought the same.  I am sure he never thought he could build a wall but he did.  We should not make that an excuse.

Nehemiah inspects the work.  He had 3 days - chapter 2 verse 11.  He had to look and see what needed to be done.  God expects us to do as Nehemiah did.  Chapter 4 verse 14.  The devil has a plan for your family - not to lift them up or exhalt them.  Nehemiah tells us to fight for our families, to not let the devil snatch them away.  It is time to pray for our families, to pray for the next generation growing up.