The burden of Habakkuk

 

COLERAINE INDEPENDENT METHODIST CHURCH

SERMON NOTES SUNDAY 25 AUGUST 2024 – MR KEITH WILSON

Habakkuk 1 verses 1 to 17

I am sure that most of us will be able to quote a familiar verse from the book of Habakkuk.  For instance chapter 3 verse “ “O Lord revive thy work in the midst of the years, in the midst of the years make known; in wrath remember mercy.”  Maybe as far as the book or the man is concerned you know little.  Why did he pray that prayer?  Where did he live?  What did God call him to do?  It is God that has made us.  We are not our own.  We have to be reminded that there is an appointment for you and I with God.  We are not guaranteed tomorrow.  The only guarantee is of judgment.  There is a God who sent his son to save us from our sin.  “I have heard thy speech and was afraid revive thy work.”  Have you ever been afraid of God?  There are many things we could be afraid of but we should be afraid of the terribleness and awesomeness of sin.  God will judge sin.  Habakkuk has found himself in the centre of a sinful nation, a nation that had turned from God.  I love reading these prophets – they are only minor because of the size of the book written.  Here is Habakkuk praying for revival.  It is not so much revival that I want to look at today but there is no doubt that personally we need it, nationally we need in.  We are in desperate need of revival in our nation.  How many of us are prepared to pay the cost for revival?  That cost is a surrendered life.  Salvation at a cost.  Salvation is offered to you and I freely.  I remember asking God for forgiveness of my sins at 12 years of age.  God has never left me.  It had a cost.  It was mercy, grace, forgiveness and redemption at a cost, for Christ paid for my sin.  The cost for revival – we don’t live our lives in sin, we depart from iniquity and live a life for God.  Salvation – the cost for you and me.  There are things in our lives that we have to give up.  To allow God to have his own way in our life.  Habakkuk is like the book of Job.  Habakkuk speaks to God.  Have you ever spoken to God.  Really desperate to hear from God?  That God would come and speak the word?  I want to talk today about the burden Habakkuk had.  Have you that burden?  For loved ones, that God would come and save them?  That God would give us the victory? That he would give us more grace?  Like Job Habakkuk speaks to God and God speaks to him.  All I want to concentrate on is the words “the burden which Habakkuk the prophet did see”.  Habakkuk was burdened because he was discouraged.  This was a prophet who had a a dialogue with God in dark days.  He spoke with God in the dark days in which he was living.  I would be surprised today if there wasn’t one who is not discouraged.  When we are discouraged the enemy has a way of knocking us down further and further.  Habakkuk begins with these words.  He was burdened for the sin of Judah.  Burdened that God would raise up the Chaldeans to chasten his people – verse 6 “For lo, I raise up the Chaldeans, that bitter and hasty nation, which shall march through the breadth of the land, to possess the dwelling places that are not theirs.”   I wonder have you ever had a burden that God would send his nation over to a more evil nation>  Are we burdened for the sin of this land?  For our lost family members, friends, neighbours, work colleagues?  Do we really see the full picture?  People have no time to repent.  Habakkuk was living in a land where the people were taking advantage of other people.  There was cheating, lying, stealing.  God was going to come in judgment and deal with the people who had no concern for their own soul, for those around them.  Habakkuk was burdened for the sin of Judah – that God would send the Chaldeans to chasten God’s people.  Habakkuk was very discouraged and that is one of the enemy’s greatest tactics.  Those who care the most are burdened the most.  That burden manifests itself in discouragement.  It is very hard to get out of that discouragement.  Habakkuk found himself in that position. Discouragement has the power to get us off track.  To get our eyes off the Lord.  It has the power to look at the situation we find ourselves in instead of the God who is above the situation.  We see the problem rather than God who is above the problem.  Habakkuk was burdened because God would not intervene, he would not answer him.  People were falling away from God.  There is no-one in our government today who is burdened like this, concerned that the nations have drifted far from God.  It seemed to Habakkuk that God didn’t care because he wasn’t answering.  Have you ever felt like that?  You pray and God is not answering.  God is silent.  David the Psalmist cried “be thou not silent unto me.”  Job asked God questions – in fact question after question.  God remained silent up to chapter 38.  God didn’t respond until then.  God asked Job “Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth?”  Job realised that almighty God is and how limitless he is.  But Habakkuk is asking the question in verses 2 and 3 “how long shall I cry Lord?”  In other words how long shall I pray and you will not listen?  He is burdened about the spoiling, the plundering in the land.  The law is slack, justice is never seen, wickedness is in control.  Your people are living in sin.  How long Lord will this continue?  He saw such sin in his people.  How could God answer?  How could God send revival?  There was no-one doing his will yet Habakkuk comes with the burden.  Where are we today as a country?  God will not remain silent forever.  Psalm 50 verse 3 “Our God shall come and shall not keep silence; a fire shall devour before him and it shall be very tempestuous round about him.”.  When God speaks you will hear.  My challenge or warning is – if God speaks to you today or this week listen to his voice because he might become silent again.  You will not hear his voice again.  Habakkuk was burdened because of the of the nation.  He couldn’t hear his God.  God will come and he will speak with judgment.  There is an eternity around the corner waiting for those that reject Christ.  God will not keep silent.  God spoke but not in the way Habakkuk wanted.  God was going to speak in judgment.  God would send the Chaldeans and chasten them.  That was not the way Habakkuk wanted but the people of God needed the judgment.  That is the truth of God’s word today.  They are trying to silence God’s word today.  We wonder why these things are happening, why God is silent.  God didn’t keep silent.  When Habakkuk heard God speak he realised God was going to send chastening.  Hebrews 12 verse 6 “For whom the Lord loves he chasteneth.”  Thank God for those mercies – that God holds us when we are going the wrong way, when we take the wrong turn.  God brings us back into the fold.  Thank God that he breaks the silence with a word of judgment.  If only we had this same burden.  Elisha prayed when Elijah was going up to heaven “give me a double portion of thy spirit when you leave.”  If only we had that same double portion, that we were burdened for sin and for the lost.  In Habakkuk’s day the godly king Josiah had died.  He had restored the temple and offerings to God.  He reinstated many of the sacrifices and we can read of him in 2 Kings 23.  “And like unto him was there no king before him, that turned to the Lord with all his heart, and with all his soul and with all his might according to all the law of Moses, neither after him arose there any like him.”  When he died Judah sank into sin.  The reforms he had made were soon done away with.  People turned their back on God.  God sent the Chaldeans in to judge them.  Habakkuk was now about to witness their captivity.  He would see the mighty hand of God.  When we came to Christ we witnessed the mighty hand of God on our lives.  He lifted us from darkness into his light.  We should be burdened for souls today.  Habakkuk was concerned but he was also discouraged.  When we think of discouragement in the bible we remember Elijah under the juniper tree.  He had seen the mighty hand of God at Mount Carmel.  God destroyed the prophets of Baal yet around the corner he became discouraged because of Jezebel.  It is easy to get our eyes off the Lord.  When we do we can be led down a path of discouragement.  David was discouraged many times as he fled from Saul.  Think of the many people who suffer in these days.  They become discouraged.  C H Spurgeon suffered discouragement.  He saw his church burned and many lives taken.  We need to have victory over it and not allow it to conquer us.  That goes for many other vices too – alcohol, drugs, pornography.  We need to focus on God.  Others things like doubt, fear, lack of assurance can creep into our lives.  How can we overcome these things?  Look at Habakkuk.  He was a prophet.  We have thought also of David who was a king.  No-one is exempt.  Either a prophet, priest or king or a layman or laywoman.  Anyone can be discouraged.  There are lessons to be learned from Habakkuk.  What did he learn?  That God’s words are not his words.  Discouragement has overwhelmed me in times past.  It is very hard to speak to someone when they are discouraged, to come alongside someone who is thinking negative thoughts.  How do you go to an alcoholic and say there is hope?  Habakkuk learned to encourage himself in his God.  God’s ways are not our ways.  God is working in the midst of silence.  He was doing his work in the way he chose.  If we can understand and learn this vital lesson – the God is doing his work in his way, that he will not change his mind, God has a plan.  Habakkuk learned to trust God no matter the situation.  He was in these dark days but he learned to delight himself in the Lord.  Chapter 2 verses 1 to 4 shows us that Habakkuk was no longer asking questions.  He took himself into a tower, sat down and waited on God to speak to him.  God will speak in his time.  The answer is coming.  We are not to live by feelings, how we feel about our success or experience but to live by faith.  We should live surrendered to God.  Habakkuk goes to God and he waits.  He is no longer demanding God to answer him.  This discouraged prophet begins to praise his God and delights in him.  Habakkuk 3 verses 16 to 19.  When he couldn’t see God at work, God lifted him out of his discouragement and Habakkuk lifts his eyes solely upon God.

The Harvest is Plenteous, the Labourers are few

COLERAINE INDEPENDENT METHODIST CHURCH

SUNDAY 18 AUGUST 2024 am – MR GEOFF FERGUSON, ACRE GOSPEL MISSION

MATTHEW 9 VERSES 35 – 38

Many times we often hear the challenge many missions face today.  It takes a lot of time to develop and answer.  There is no one word answer.  When we think of the challenge of mission many talk about

·       lack of finances

·       increasing pressure from government regulations

·       visa restrictions placed on them as a church and an organisation that leads to persecution

·       secularism creeping in - people don’t want anything to do with mission of any kind. 

·       the lack of supplies and workers in different situations including volunteers

The challenged mentioned in Matthew 9 verse 37 stand in today’s world.  The challenge issued by the Lord is still relevant for today. 

The first challenge - there is a plentiful harvest.  When we talk of a harvest we think about the approaching harvest season.  Farmers are assessing when to bring in the crops.  Don’t have to tell them about the challenges that bring.  There is a lot of work done before the harvest is brought in.  The planting is done, the seed is looked after, fertiliser is spread which gets them to the point where a harvest is ready.  It also depends on the weather conditions and help available.  Many will work day and night until the crops are brought in.  Some times we wonder why they work through the night.  Surely it would be better to start the next morning when daylight has come again?  There comes a time when the crop spoils and cannot be brought in.  The weather turns and the farmer cannot get the crop in.  Crops are lost.  What a tragedy when we see a field of potatoes rotting in the field.  That ripe barley field now lying flat in the field.  Verse 37 “the harvest truly is plentiful.”  We are not talking of a harvest of crops.  It really means that there is a lot of work to do.  The spiritual harvest is ready to be harvested in the world today.  We will still find people to be saved.  There is nowhere that does not need to hear the gospel message.  There are people who most likely haven’t heard it or trusted it for themselves.  When we think of the vastness of the field it is mind blowing to think of the expanse of that mission field.  That knowledge was what first compelled the first missionaries of Acre Mission to leave family behind and the land they knew to go to Brazil.  There are plenty of fields ready for reaping.  Even here in Ireland itself, within this town there are local people born and bred as well as other nationalities who have come here for a new life and work.  Refugees, fleeing from their own country because of war and conflict.  There is a mission field even here on our doorstep.  An opportunity to witness to those who have never heard the challenge of the gospel.  The challenge for us is how do we reach them?  There is much talk today of those people who are arriving on our shores seeking refuge.  They spend many days and nights crossing the channel.  This is an amazing opportunity for us.  The countries they have come from are closed to the gospel.  There is no opportunity to take a bible into their homes, to attend a Holiday Bible Club or receive a gospel tract.  These people are coming into our country and that gives us an opportunity to witness to them.  Now they are here in our midst we have an opportunity to witness to them.  A mission on our doorstep.  We can also speak of those normally living here, born and bred here, have lived here all their lives.  They are part of the mission field.  Part of the challenge is how can we reach them. 

The second part goes on to say the labourers are few.  This is one of the challenges we face as Christians.  Are you willing to be part of it?  Mission organisations not like what it was.  It used to be that there were people queueing up to go to the mission field.  The countries we send missionaries to are now sending missionaries back to us.  Brazil is sending many out to other countries especially to Portugal.  There is a challenge for more workers.  In the same way that the farmer needs extra help at harvest time we need more workers to bring in God’s harvest.  There never has been a time before when we have a need to reach out to others.  Years ago people were waiting to go but now they have come to us.  In Portugal and the Algarve we are dealing with so many different nationalities not just Portuguese people.  Do you feel God is calling you to go for him?    Maybe you don’t feel last week was reaching out in the mission field but it was.  We invited them in and then taught them.  All of us had a part to play, to be servants on the mission field.  You don’t have to be on a mission field, you don’t have to be the one who goes off to the mission field.  We need people to support those missionaries back home either financially or medically or educationally.  There are different aspects that missionaries cannot do.  There are so many other ways other than being the person who takes the message of gospel.  If you have a gift and God uses that gift you are part of the mission field.  Don’t feel that is all you are doing.  You are serving with the benefit of others.  You are part of the field.  The challenge is there for more workers.  As the farmer needs more help we need more help to bring in God’s harvest of souls.  You can meet people, talk to people on the streets or in their workplaces, talk to neighbours and friends.  All can be used by God.  That is the application of this verse.  “Pray ye therefore that he will send forth labourers into the harvest field.”  Perhaps we are the people to answer that prayer.  The call is to reach out to those around us.  Even as Christians the standard of our lives should be constantly reflecting the love of Jesus.  We shouldn’t be Sunday only Christians who put on their Sunday best, come to church and then go home and take them off for another week.  As we live day by day with Christ at the centre people should see we are a light for the gospel.  It is easy to run in the opposite direction, to let the opportunities slip.   Maybe the conversation comes around about Christ, we can share with that person.  Fear prevents us from opening our mouth.  Fear of being called a bible basher or good living.  We are called to share our testimony every day.  God will take that message simple as it is.  It might be the means of sharing the gospel. This verse asks us to do one thing – pray.  What you make it a matter of prayer to send more workers.  That is what the bible tells us.  When you pray you could be the answer to your own prayers.  Maybe we might be the perfect person to go into the situation.  Do what God is asking us to do.  We should ask God how we should serve him each day, who we should speak to in that day.  Could be someone standing in the shop beside us, sitting beside in the work place or on the bus.  We should ask God for the opportunity to share in that life.  A great challenge to us. As we think of the harvest we know it does not last very long, it comes for a season.  The time is passing quickly.  Jeremiah 8 verse 20.  That is the sad reality for many people in this world as they go through life.  They are going through the motions, not realising time is running out and they are not saved.  A terrible thought as we think of our families and friend circle, they can be lost for all eternity because they haven’t trusted in Christ.  For young people we pray they will have a long life and will have success.  We need to be sharing in that harvest, that they will know Christ for themselves.  If you are not saved don’t leave it to that point when you are leaving this scene of time.  Some think they will do it tomorrow or in old age.  They always think they will have one more day.  God says no today is the day I require your soul.  If you haven’t trusted him you will go immediately to hell.  Pray God will send more labourers into his harvest field.  We can do even a small thing for Christ.  If you haven’t trusted Christ today make sure you do it.  I pray that you will seek and find him today.

Fishers of men

 

COLERAINE INDEPENDENT METHODIST CHURCH

SERMON NOTES FROM SUNDAY 11 AUGUST 2024 – JEFF FERGUSON, ACRE GOSPEL MISSION

MATTHEW 4 VERSES 18 – 22

 

As I was reading this portion of scripture, I began to think of those who go fishing or those who enjoy going fishing. Sometimes you can go fishing and catch loads of fish all day.  Other times you can catch nothing, stand there all day and wonder where have the fish gone.  Sometimes you can watch others catching plenty and for you there is nothing happening.  Sometimes you can stand for hours before you get one bite.  You just do not know what it will be like when you go out.  As we look at the lesson of fishing I want to point out a couple of things in relation to fishing.  First you need to have your line in the water.  There is no point in getting to the place where you plan to fish and to not throw in the fishing line to the water.  You also need the correct bait to attract the fish.  There is no guarantee you will catch anything all you.  Fourthly, you need to have patience when fishing. 

 

We can apply these principles to the Christian life as well.  If we want to reach people for Christ we need to have our net out – we need to be actively working for the Lord.  We have to put our fishing line into the water. If we want people to be impacted with the gospel we need to be teaching the right gospel not just ear tickling. When we use the correct bait, we must have the correct form of the gospel for lives to be changed.  Even though we have done all these things we may not see people coming to Christ in great numbers but we need to remember it is not our job to converted fishing for men.

 

Why did Jesus call fishermen?  Verses 18 and 19.  That was actually the normal job of the day. The area where they worked.  Normal hard working men of the area seeking to do a hard day’s work, seeking to provide for their families.  A fisherman is a hands on type of person. They are in the middle of the activity. They are getting the job done as they go about their daily work. Simple men doing their days work.  They were busy working on their boats, mending their nets.  They went about quietly doing their work.  Maybe they had to go out in all kinds of weather conditions but they were willing to get their hands dirty in order to complete the task.  God uses normal people.  In years gone by it was thought that only the educated people could be involved in the things of God. People studied books but as Christians we have a part to play, to be part of the great commission.  God can use you regardless of the task.  What did these men know about fishing for people’s souls?  They might not know much about fishing for men but we notice that straightaway they left their nets and followed him.  In today’s world people leave the spreading of the gospel to specific people in the church – perhaps the pastor, elders or deacons but each of us have a responsibility as Christians to tell people about the gospel.  We don’t have to be in the pulpit or on the street corner but we can live before people, showing them God’s love through our actions.  We need to be casting out our nets in the area we work in, waiting to see what you will catch, willing to see people reached for the gospel.  That is the task God has given us.  We have the opportunity this week to cast out our nets, to bring in people not normally in a church.  Are we specially trained for these things?  Maybe some of us are more educated than others but we all have a commission to spread the gospel to everyone that comes in.  In Bible College when I attended 10 years ago we had a class called “Each One reach one, each one teach one”.  The multiplication principle.  If you were to witness to one person and they trusted Christ you then taught that person to reach another person.  Continuing thermocouple until after 20 years one million people would be reached with the gospel.  Obviously when we reach people we might not see them saved but there is potential in reaching one other person with the gospel.  There are 2 ways we can live on this earth as Christians – be someone who is happy, on their way to heaven with no thought for others, to be used by God or we can be Christians who love the Lord and want to reach others with the gospel. 

 

Verse 19 “follow me and I will make you fishers of men.”  The Lord Jesus is our master.  That is who we follow.  He is our leader, our heavenly father.  He asks us to follow him so we can stay close to him and learn more from him each day.  Through that we can be more attentive to his will.  Sometimes people are calling themselves Christian but have little interest in actually following Christ and what he wants for their lives.  Maybe they have their own agenda.  They try and fit God around themselves.  We must place God at the centre of our lives, follow after him and put things of our lives second place to God.  Verse 20 these men straightaway left their nets and followed him.  The act of following someone is very secure place to find yourself.  You are putting your trust in them, they know what they are doing and you are happy to rest in them.  When I first went to Portugal and had to travel to Lisbon I was aware of the large number of different lanes in the road system.  I found it quite daunting at first but there was one man who knew the way.  He had been there for 20 years and so I followed him.  I was resting secure in knowing that he knew where he was going.  Do we depend on God to direct our paths every day?  We need to follow after him day by day, placing our security in him.  We know we are following one who is sure of the way. 

 

“I will make you fishers of men.”  Do we know how to fish for men in our strength - ultimately no we don’t.  Jesus says “I will make you fishers of men. “  These men were not yet what Jesus wanted them to be.  But God is not bound by who we are.  He is able to turn us into what he wants us to be.  When God begins a work in our lives he has the power and ability to transform us and use us for his glory.  We may not have a University education but God is able to use us and help us to study the bible and teach others.  We may not have skilful hands but God can use us to build churches around the world.  We might not have the gift of music but we can lead people in praise to God.  If God has a task for us to do God will enable us to do the task he wants us to do.  Have you identified a task God wants you to do? God will give you the ability to do what he wants you to do.  God gives us strength to do his work.  Maybe there is a person you want to talk to, to share your faith with but you don’t know how to overcome that fear – God will help you if you trust in him.  God has been able to use people down through the years and turn their life around. People with no training at all.  We have been celebrating the life of Dr Bill Woods.  He left NI with no education.  God was able to use him, to train him as a doctor and to serve in Brazil to help eradicate leprosy.  That is what God can do.  Not through man’s strength but because they followed Christ and he enabled them to do it.  God made them into what he wanted them to do.  How can we reach out to unsaved people?  So that others see the love of God?  To influence others by our attitude – 1 Peter 3 verse 15 “always ready to give an account and an answer for the hope that is within us.”  People shall see something different in our lives and in turn ask the question.  Why is it that so many people label others as good living oor that person who attends church.  People will know we are Christians and follow Christ.  Through this we have the opportunity to tell them about Christ.  In Luke 5 verse 5 we read that these men had fished all night and caught nothing.  Why did they fish all night?  Fish are drawn to the nets by the lights of the boats.  As Christians we should be reflecting the light of the gospel to people around us, attracting them to our Saviour.  Does your light shine brightly throughout the week?  Do people recognise you by your attitude, that you are different?  Or maybe you are a Sunday only Christian?  This is our task as Christians – to shine forth the light of the gospel.  Not only to love God for ourselves but to have love for others.  To share that light so that other people realise we are Christians.  We don’t want to just meet together on Sunday and go back to normal lives the rest of the week. We are labourers through God’s work. We can be an influence to others through our actions. Our salvation does not depend on our works.  Good works should flow from us as we seem to serve and please.  Unfortunately today Christians are known for things that have been done wrong, that do not bring glory to God.  They label us as hypocrites.  We need to get back to the place where our actions reflect our sincerity for God.  Some small action can shine to others.  More to what you are doing or saying.  Can you think of something you did in recent days that demonstrated love to the person you were in contact with?  A sobering thought as we look back over a week. Have we missed serving others by our actions? 

 

We can be an influence to others through our words.  Peter reminds us we should always be ready to speak about the Lord, to share what the Lord has done in our lives.  Sometimes it is necessary to give a verbal defence of the scriptures.  It is not an acceptable thing today in the world to speak out in defence of the gospel.  In Acts of the Apostles we read that several times the apostles were told several times to be  silent, to not speak of these things concerning Jesus.  In Acts 4 verse 20 following these different confrontations they could do nothing else only speak of him more.  That is what it is to have a defence for the Lord Jesus Christ. Although the world will put us down it encourages you to speak more of him.  There needs to be a willingness to leave our own personal desires and our own goals and priorities.  We don’t know where Jesus will lead us when we become Christians.  We don’t know what it will involve. Maybe we will have to leave our own country and families.  We must have a willingness to leave all our desires and plans for the future to follow after what God wants us to do.  Where is your journey with the Lord taking you?  Are you prepared to go?  Perhaps this journey is leading you to witness to a neighbour.  Will you invite them to church?  Offer them a gospel tract?  Maybe you are being asked to share the gospel with someone at work.  Are you prepared to share with them, pray that God will open them to the gospel. Are you prepared then to disciple them through many long hours?  “Follow me and I will make you fishers of men.”  He will do the work – all we need to be is available to allow God to work through us. 

 

Fishermen don’t know where fish are.  They will use all kinds of special devices today to find the fish.  We need to be where the fish are. The fish don’t jump into the boat by themselves.  We need to understand first how fish act.  One of the things that happens as we grow up in our Christian lives is we build up our friendship groups around Christians.  We begin to leave non-Christians aside, lose focus on who actually is lost.  We need to build relationships with those unbelievers too.  Build friendships and trust so that in time we can effectively lead them to Christ.  So often we hold missions in our churches and the meetings are full of Christian.  We are fishing to wrong people.  We no longer are preaching to the unconverted.  We need to be out encountering people where the gospel needs to be heard. We need to use different strategies.  A good fisherman will try a different method to bring the fish in.  Many have different ideas of how we reach different people.  Different people require different strategies.  We need to be prepared to try those different approaches.  We need to learn how to wait. Fishing is all about having patience.  George Muller shared the gospel with a friend who never responded to the gospel.  For 52 years George prayed for that man but he never seen him converted.  At his funeral the man heard the gospel preached one more time and he trusted Christ.  Never give up on someone.  Where are you fishing from?  Have you cast your nets out and are waiting to see who responds or is your fishing gear packed up?  You have been fishing for some time.  The Lord wants us out there reaching others.  There are plenty of opportunities to reach people.  I trust you will see many ways to reach people for the gospel.  We have cast out our nets this week and we are looking to the Lord for what he will do through our Holiday Bible Club.

Two roads to eternity

 

COLERAINE INDEPENDENT METHODIST CHURCH

SERMON NOTES FROM SUNDAY 4 AUGUST 2024 – JASON CRUISE

MATTHEW 7 VERSES 13 AND 14, LUKE 16 VERSES 19 – 31

We have read back in Matthew 7 of 2 roads that lead out into eternity – the broad and the narrow way.  We have also read of 2 men who trod these 2 roads – one was on the broad road and the other on the narrow road.  They led to 2 separate destinations.  Which road are you travelling on?  We have maybe travelled on different roads to come here tonight but which road are you travelling on spiritually speaking?  Which road represents you?  Are you on the broad way that leads to destruction and hell or are you on the narrow way that leads to heaven and home?  Verse 19 – here is this rich man.  He has plenty of money.  He fared sumptuously every day.  He was clothed in purple and fine linen.  The best of clothes.  Purple reminds us of royalty.  He was living just like a king.  Is that just like you?  You have a lavish lifestyle, all the world can offer you.  You are preoccupied with the temporal things, taken up with material.  You don’t have the eternal though.  It is only by putting your faith and trust in Christ that you will know for sure.  You are sitting here or are listening in on line and are still in your sin.  You are heading out on the broad way to a lost eternity tonight.  Maybe you are shouting back “I am nowhere near as bad as you say.  I am not as bad as the man or woman in my street or my neighbour next door.”  Maybe you are not but on the authority of God’s word you are still a sinner.  Romans 10 verse 9 “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.”  Romans 3 verse 10 “As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one.” Galatians 3 verse 22 “ But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe.”  Isaiah 64 verse 6 “But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags.”  You can do nothing to save yourself. This man has all the worlds riches that he could possess.  Salvation has been purchased for you on the centre cross of Calvary.  He was willing to shed his blood for you to be saved, to lift you from the broad road and set you on the narrow road to heaven and eternity. 

Verses 20 and 21 – here’s a man Lazarus.  The Lord mentioned him by name.  These 2 men did exist, they exist in eternity just now.  The Lord knows this man personally.  He names him Lazarus.  A stark contrast between how this man lives and the rich man’s life.  When these 2 go out into eternity.  He lay at the rich man’s gate.  Originally meant “cast out or thrown down”.  At the rich man’s gate.  He cannot walk and therefore cannot work so he lies every day at the gate of the rich man.  Maybe some scraps were carried to him every day.  You can see the dogs coming down the road licking the sores on his body.  What a contrast between these 2 men.  Each one represents you and I.  One taken up with material worldly things.  Maybe you are going about dressed like a king.  This man had 5 brothers.  I wonder when they came to visit and went past Lazarus did any of them have sympathy on Lazarus and ask “should we bring him to our table tonight?”  I wonder did the rich man say “no we don’t want his type up here.”  It was ok for him to lie there and for the servants to take him scraps.  What a stark contrast between 2 lives lived.  2 men are on different roads.  A broad way and a narrow way.  Lazarus has put his trust in God.  He knows when he dies he will be in heaven.  The rich man is heading to a lost eternity.  Which road are you on this evening? 

Verses 22 and 23.  Here we see that death comes.  The beggar has died.  There is no mention of a funeral service for the beggar.  No-one is concerned about him.  We read that the rich man also died.  It doesn’t matter rich or poor, what area we live in, we may be brought up in millionaires row or poverty street – death will come one day.  Unannounced.  Unexpected.  No way back.  Rich man was in hell and Lazarus was in heaven. 

Verse 24 2000 years since Jesus told this story we don’t know how long it has been since the rich man entered hell but he is still there.  Each of us are on a collision course because of sin.  “Sin when it is finished bringeth forth death.” James 1 verse 15  Hebrews 9 verse 27 “And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment.” We cannot put off that appointment with death.  The French philosopher Volatair was  very rich man who said “if you give me another year I will give you half my fortune.”  To which the reply came “if you give me it all I couldn’t give you another day.”  There is a day set for us when death will come.  Where are you going into eternity?  5 minutes after you die where will you be?  Lazarus’ name means “Eliezar, God my help”.  Surely he found God was his help when he died. God wants to offer you that same help tonight, right where you are.  Now he wants you to come and put your trust in him.  No burial or funeral service for Lazarus but the rich man had a great funeral.  There was probably a great eulogy, proclaimed as a great business man and had fared well.  Before the coffin was lowered into the ground the rich man had already opened his eyes in hell.  These men had 2 things in common – a soul that would never die, last through countless ages of eternity.  You have a soul that will never cease to be.  Where will your soul be in eternity?  “And in hell he lifted up his eyes being in torment.”  A man who enjoyed so much here on earth.  Mark 8 verse 36 “For what shall it profit a man if he shall gain the whole world and lose his soul.”  What an awful thing to sit through a gospel meeting or tune in on line and yet go out into a lost eternity having been warned of the place called hell when Jesus was willing to die to save your soul.  John 3 verse 16.  What love God has had for you.  What love has he for this world of sinners lost and ruined by the fall.  That Jesus would hang on the centre cross so we could be redeemed.  He was dressed in fine linen – verse 1.  This land is known throughout the world for its fine linen industry of the past.  We can see many run down buildings showing that past industry.  Linen is good for keeping the body clothed.  This man had fine linen.  He probably had great banquets in his lifetime.  Today this man is in a lost eternity.  No second changes.  Here is a man who from the very first day in hell cries out for something – a drop of water.  This man fared sumptuously in this life each and every day.  All he wants now is a drop of water from the finger of the man who lay at his gate.  Notice what he says “Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finer in water and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.” He came from a religious home.  He was clothed in the cloak of religiosity.  Many are in a similar situation tonight.  Could it be said of you?  You can remember times when you were sent to Sunday School and church.  Perhaps you even attended gospel services.  You know the scriptures so well, perhaps even better than the preacher.  Sadly you don’t know the Saviour.  You might even have been baptized and taught in the catechism.  You may be relying on good works or church attendance, paying in to church, having your name recorded on the church role book.  Titus 3 verse 5 “not by works of righteousness we have done but according to his mercy he saved us.”  Salvation is of the Lord, found in and through a person, the Lord Jesus.  Do you know him personally?  Can you look back to a time when you trusted him for yourself?

Verses 25 and 26.  We read about a great gulf fixed.  Many are praying for those who have gone out into eternity that somehow their prayers will transport them to heaven.  If you go out into a lost eternity there is a great gulf fixed.  There is no way to pass from here to the place of paradise, heaven itself.  There is no way for you to be prayed out of hell.  For the first time in his life this man starts to pray.  It is all too late.  Over the gates of hell could be written these words “abandon all hope all ye that enter here.”  He was there for all eternity.  There was absolutely no need to be there.  Jesus came to suffer, to bleed and die.  The one who told this story to the Pharisees that day would one day not long after, bleed and die for the worlds sins.  Why would you not repent and believe the gospel.  There is one thing about hell we need to note – there is no exit.  No matter where we go around our land, into any building we will see an exit door.  If you end up in hell there will be no way out.  What an awful thing – to look back to this day when you were warned to come and trust in Jesus who paid the price for your sin.  Why are you still tramping a lost road when Christ offers you a sacrifice for your sins?  Christ died for you, to set you free, for you to have a home in heaven.

Verses 27 and 28.  This is an awful sad story.  We read of a family of 6 brothers.  One brother is in hell and the other 5 are making their way there.  He begins to pray for them.  What an awful thing to go out into a lost hell.  Many would say we want to go there because they will be able to have a party with their friends because they will be there too.  This man didn’t want anyone there.  I am sure you have known difficult times in your life and all you longed for was to have your family around you.  This man didn’t want anyone of his brothers to come to where he was.  This man had memory and feeling.  People in hell tonight still have their memory.  It is an awful thing to realise there are men sitting in hell that can recall times when they heard the gospel preached so well.  They can look back to nights when they were almost saved.  Is that you tonight?  You are going to leave the meeting again a Christ rejecter.  If you would do that and suddenly were called into eternity you would be without hope.  Why? Because you are still tramping the broad road.  What an awful thing must grip a person when they die in that instant they will be in hell.  Willie Mullan, the late Baptist preacher used to tell the story of a pond that was frozen over.  A group of young boys would skate on the pond.  Willie would go out further onto the pond and stamp the ice to see if it was still frozen.  The young boys would run back to the bank when Willie came out and wait until he had moved back himself.  On one particular occasion Willie went out and stamped the ice as before.  This time however the ice broke and Willie went down into the water.  He recalled how he could feel the weeds wrapping around his legs.  Then he felt a hand reaching out to him.  If it hadn’t been for a friend watching him and running to help him at that moment he would have drowned.  Fear gripped Willie at that moment.  Is God speaking to you tonight?  Hebrews 3 verse 15 “today if you will hear his voice harden not our heart.”  What if tonight it was your last opportunity?  Proverbs 27 verse 1 “Boast not thyself of tomorrow for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth.” 

Verses 29 – 31.  Notice the last verse “And he said unto him, if they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.”  The one who told this story that day is the one that has risen from the dead.  He died on the cross of Calvary and they laid him in the tomb.  He was only there for 3 days.  We preach not of a dead Saviour but a risen Saviour.  He is seated in glory tonight.  He wants you to come to him tonight.  The one who was whipped by the Roman soldiers, whose back was like a ploughed field, was led out into the streets of Jerusalem.  He carried his own cross and outside the city walls they laid him on that cross.  He allowed them to nail his hands and feet to the cross and it was raised into position.  He suffered for our sins to bring us back to God.  The Lord suffered in our stead.  Rembrandt the great painter painted a picture entitled “the raising of the cross.”  He had painted many biblical scenes in his painting before but in this painting he depicted himself as one standing watching Jesus die.  He knew Christ hung on the cross for him.  Life is short, eternity is long.  Your decision is required.  Will you come and accept Christ as your Saviour?  “Come unto me all that labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest.  We started by reading the words of Matthew 7 verses 13 and 14 of a broad and a narrow way.  Which way are you travelling on?  Which one can you related to?  The rich man was dressed in fine linen and fared sumptuously but he went out on the broad way, hell for ever.  Are you like him?  Or are you like Lazarus?  Do you have the assurance of sins forgiven?  Do you know you will be in heaven one day?  Jesus said “I am the way, the truth and the life, no man cometh unto the Father except through me.”

The miracle on the mountain

 

COLERAINE INDEPENDENT METHODIST CHURCH

SUNDAY 4 AUGUST 2024 – JASON CRUISE

JOHN 6 VERSES 1 – 14

This is probably one of the best known miracles Jesus performed on earth.  It is recorded in all 4 of the gospels.  The only one story recorded in all 4 apart from the resurrection.  What has happened prior to this story?  John the Baptist has been beheaded at the request of Salome.  The disciples also returned from their mission trip.  They were sent out 2 by 2 with power to heal and cast out unclean spirits.  Now they have returned.  The story took place close to the Sea of Galilee.  They went north to Bethesda.  If I had to put a title to this story it would be – the miracle on the mountain.  As the Lord makes his way across the sea and into the country there are many people who followed him.  We read in verse 3 “and Jesus went into a mountain and there he sat with his disciples and the Passover was nigh.”  John refers to 3 Passovers in his gospel along with another unknown Jewish feast.  In chapter 2 Jesus went into the temple and put out the money changers and it was the time of the Passover.  Here in chapter 6 we have the second record of the Passover  In chapters 11 to 19 there is the third Passover before Jesus died.  This one recorded in John 6 happened a year before Jesus’ death.  Verse 3 “and Jesus went up into a mountain and there he sat with his disciples.”  He knows what will happen in a years time yet he wants to spend time with his disciples.  They also had to want to spent time with him.  The Lord Jesus loved to spend time with his people.  How long has it been since you spent time with the Lord?  Have you sat down with the Saviour today already?  In the week that has passed have you spent time with the Lord?  Do you come each day bringing the needs of the day and committing them to him?  Do you do likewise at the end of each day?  Thanking God for his hand of protection on you?  The Lord wants to spend time with you.  Are you taking time to spend it with him?  I would encourage you to sit down with the Lord, get yourself away from the things that occupy our time, the television, social media.  There he sat with his disciples.  Are you willing to sit each day with the Saviour?

Verses 5 to 7 Here now is the Lord and he lifts up his eyes, beholds the great company of people.  Our Saviour Lord is a Saviour full of compassion.  Mark’s gospel records “he was full of compassion towards them.”  Hebrews 4 verse 15 “For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with he feeling of our infirmities, but was in all points tempted like as e are, yet without sin.” No matter what you have went through in the past week or what you face in the week ahead, the Lord knows all about it.  He is full of compassion.  He says to his disciples to find bread for the people.  Philip asks “whence shall we buy bread that these may eat?”  He never asked Philip how much it would cost but Philip quickly tells him that even 200 pence would not be sufficient.  When Jesus walked this earth a man’s wages was a penny a day.  So Philip was saying 200 days wages would not be enough to feed all the people that were gathered.  Jesus never asked where they would get the bread or how they were going to pay for it but Philip jumped right away to the cost.  Philip had seen our Lord turn the water into wine, raise the man at the pool of Bethesda, he knew how he had raised Jairus’ daughter and healed the woman with the issue of blood yet he is concerned with the cost of bread.  Maybe sometimes we are asked to do something for the Lord and very quickly we think of how much it will cost.  We think of it in financial terms and in terms of how much it will encroach on our lives.  How strong is your faith in the Lord today?  Are you just like Philip – are there times when your faith in the Lord is weak?  Andrew comes on the scene in verses 8 and 9.  Here we see Andrew as at other times bringing someone to the Lord.  He finds this young lad with his lunch and brings him to the Lord.  In John 1 we read “he first findeth his bother Simon and brought him to the Lord.”  In John 12 we read that Andrew and Philip brought the Greeks to the Lord when they asked “sirs we would see Jesus.”  Wouldn’t it be great to be like Andrew?  Remembered for always bringing others to Jesus.  Andrew brings this lad to the Lord.  He tells the Lord that he has 5 barley loaves and 2 small fish.  Philip responds “but what are they among so many?”  Philip does not see the provision but rather the problem.  John tells us they were 5 barley loaves.  Revelation 6 verse 6 “A measure of wheat for a penny and three measures of barley for a penny and see thou hurt not the oil and the wine..  This young lad came from a poor background.  Maybe his mother sent him off that morning with his lunch.  It is interesting that whenever this young lad is brought by Andrew Jesus doesn’t say “no, that is not enough.”  It doesn’t measure up to what I require.”  Matthew records that Jesus said “Bring them thither to me.”  Maybe you are thinking ‘I have nothing to offer the Lord like other people.  I could never bring a word from the pulpit.’  Remember behind the scenes you can do so much.  Are you willing to put what you have into God’s hands to allow him to take and use them?  Can I encourage you to be like the lad and bring what you have to God today.

Verses 10 and 11 – each of the other writers describe the place where they were – it was a desert place.  Barren, bare, empty yet here they sit down on the grass.  Mark 6 verse 40 tells us that they sat down in ranks by the hundreds and fifties meaning rows.  The Lord told them to tell all the people to sit down.  The God you and I serve is a God of peace and a God of order, not of confusion and chaos.  When the Lord is in the midst he brings peace and contentment.  Many schools and universities and governments around the world have put God out and all we have is confusion and chaos.  Think of the gender confusion here even in our own land.  God is not welcome.  The land is gripped by gender confusion.  God is a God of peace and confusion.  The total number of people present were 5,000 men not including women and children.  Some expositors say there could have been 12,000 to 20,000 people in total.  The word “sit” in verse 10 means to recline.  Those people that day reclined back on the grass in rows.  It reminds us of Psalm 23 “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.  He maketh me to lie down in green pastures.”  Jesus is saying “everything is under control and he is able to meet their need.”  The good shepherd was there that day as well as the chief shepherd and the coming shepherd.  In reference to the coming shepherd – did you know that the Lord has you in his care?  Can you look back to a day when you put your faith and trust in Christ knowing your name has ben recorded in the role book of heaven?  Verse 12 “when they were filled”.  Philip had earlier said “what is that among so many?”  He was concerned that 200 pence would not be sufficient but when they were fed it tells us they were all filled.  The Lord can do exceedingly abundantly above all we ask or think.  That is the one we have put our faith in.  In 2 Kings 4 Elisha carried out a miracle with barley loaves.  There were 20 loaves to 100 men.  Jesus fed 12,000 to 20,000 with just 5 barley loaves and 2 fish.  The Lord is able to meet your need today.  The disciples faith at the beginning was weak.  How strong is your faith today?  Is it weak?  God is still in the business of saving souls.  The Lord is able and willing to save men and women, boys and girls.

Verses 12 and 13.  There are many bible teachers, expositors and theologians who question why there were 12 baskets of leftovers.  My position is that there was 1 basket for every disciple.  As they carried them full of bread it reminded them of how weak their faith was.  Now there are 12 baskets of leftovers.  Much more left over than ever they began with.  Their faith has been strengthened.  There was a business man in America in the 1940’s who opened a casino in a town.  They never had a casino before.  The Christians in that town prayed against it to close it down, that God would act.  After many months of prayer there was a storm one night.  The electric cable broke and fell.  As a result the casino was burnt to the ground.  The businessman knew the Christians had been praying against the casino and decided to take the Christians to court.  The Christians in court said it had nothing to do with them, they were innocent.  When the case came to the close the judge made the decision that the Christians were guilty and the businessman was told “they were guilty because they had no faith in the power of prayer.”

Verse 14.  There were many that day when they saw the miracle they believed this was the one foretold who would come into the world.  Paul in 1 Timothy 1 verse 15 said “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.”  That is why he came today – Christ came so that you could be saved one day.  So that one day you could have a home in heaven.  5,000 people and 1 lad who brought the barley loaves and 2 fishes.  The Lord was able to bring satisfaction to all. He can bring satisfaction to all.  In verse 35 we read “I am the bread of life; he that cometh to me shall never hunger and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.”   Have you got eternal life?  Can you look back to a time when you put your faith in Christ?  The people who ate the bread and fish that day would be hungry again.  Christ can bring you contentment and satisfaction, he can fill the void in your life.

Some time after this story Jesus would carry out another miracle on a mountain when he shed his precious blood for all of us so that we can be saved.