The cross of rejection, reconciliation and redemption

 

COLERAINE INDEPENDENT METHODIST CHURCH

SUNDAY 17 NOVEMBER 2024 – MR KYLE PARKS

LUKE 23 VERSES 32 – 43

Tonight I want to look at a man who in an instant went to heaven and another man who in an instant went to hell.  I want to look at 3 crosses but only 2 choices.

Here in this account we have some of Jesus’ final moments,  his ministry on earth was nearly complete.  He was born of the virgin Mary and went on to have a more effective ministry than anyone has ever had.  Over the course of his ministry he showed he had power over diseases, demons and his own disciples, power over deformity.  Wherever he went healing followed him, healing took place, forgiveness of sins took place.  What a blessing it would have been to have Jesus there.  However the Lord Jesus Christ ruffled some feathers.  He showed that the Jewish religious elite, these Pharisees,  Sadducees and scribes, that their works based salvation was completely false, it was made up, it couldn’t get you into heaven.  They hated the Lord Jesus Christ.  They captured him after he was betrayed by Judas his own disciple and friend. Here we have the crucifixion account.  Jesus is innocently being put up on the centre cross with these two malefactors on either side of him.  That word malefactor means a criminal, an evil doer.  The Lord Jesus Christ was placed on the cross in between these 2 malefactors.  He had been whipped, bruised and beaten.  While all this was going on the 2 malefactors have been watching this.  Watching this innocent man being murdered.  Now they had to deal with this question - who is this innocent man beside us, who is this man who is peaceably taking this crucifixion, he is not shouting back, not spitting back?  They have never seen anything like it before, they are asking the question to themselves - who is this man?  At the point of their death, in their last moments of their lives they had to face the most important question that anyone will ever have to face in their lives - what will you do with Jesus?  With the man that was willingly led like a lamb to the slaughter to hang on Calvary’s tree.  What will you do with Jesus?  Have you come to this point in your life when you have asked yourself the question -  what will I do with Jesus?  This man who came and lived a perfect life, never once broke the law of God.  What will I do with the Lord Jesus Christ? Here in this account we have 2 decisions being made.  On one cross we have a complete and total rejection of the Lord Jesus Christ, want nothing to do with him.  On the other cross we have a man who is reconciled to God, the cross of reconciliation.  So we have a cross of rejection and a cross of reconciliation.  And that word reconcile gives the idea, once an enemy now a friend.  In the very middle we have the Lord Jesus Christ and it is the cross of redemption.

The cross of rejection.  One of the malefactors said “Lord Jesus Christ, no not for me – verse 39.  Here we have this first malefactor, a man so wicked, so vile, so evil.  He looks at the innocent man dying on the cross next to him and makes the decision to reject him.  If you are unsaved tonight you are doing the same, if you don’t know the Lord as your personal Saviour – you are rejecting the lovely Lord Jesus Christ.  Look at his reaction “If thou be Christ save thyself and us.”  He does not care for justice.  He can see the Lord dying next to him is an innocent man, that he has done no wrong but he only cares for himself to be taken from that tree.  He does not care for justice  “Be not proud of race, face, place or grace” C H Spurgeon.  This man has no interest in this man.  He does not care that the man next to him is the Son of God.  God in flesh, the one who was there when the whole earth was created. The amazing awesome God. This malefactor does not care for Christ.  He only cares for himself.  Are you like this man?  Have you looked at Jesus?  You know what Christ has done.  You know that he has taken on flesh as John 1 verse 14 says.  You know that he came and lived a sinless perfect life yet you still reject the Lord.  You know if you were to follow the Lord things would be different for you.  Your life would have to change.  Maybe it’s true you like your life.  You don’t want it to change.  You are enjoying your sinful ways.  Those sinful things you do, well you get a lot of pleasure from them.  You don’t want to give it up.  You would rather have this life than Jesus. You don’t want that change that is promised in scripture -  2 Corinthians “if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature, old things have passed away behold all things have become new.”  While you might be living in sin now and whilst it may be enjoyable and you may feel everything is going wonderful for you - why would I need Jesus, to repent of my sin and turn to Christ?  Sure life without Christ is great.  Why do I need him?   Like the thief on the cross of rejection you are too proud to realise that you need to humble yourself before a holy God. You think you don’t need Jesus but the truth is you do need Jesus.  It doesn’t matter how perfect your life is, you could have the most money in the bank.  You could have everything you most want.  To not have the Lord Jesus Christ, to not have the redeemer, to not know the man who loves you the most, who died for you, it leads to total destruction.  There is no doubt sin is enjoyable for a moment but the enjoyment of sin is only for a season.  Sin might be found, might give you a temporary release from life’s woes. The enjoyment of sin is only for a season.  Hebrews 11 verse 25 and Mark 8 verse 36. Sin even for a season is so dangerous.  You might think and believe “I am all right, sin does not affect me too much.  I can see why this man needs Christ.  That person they need the Lord Jesus Christ more than me.  It doesn’t affect me too much.  I will have a death bed conversion.”  So many look forward to living lives until their death bed.  I will have fun and then I will get saved.  This is the only deathbed conversion you read of in scripture.  If you are are waiting for a deathbed conversion you are playing the riskiest game ever and what is at stake is your eternal soul.  Proverbs 27 verse 1 “boast not thyself of tomorrow for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth.“ James is considered the wisdom book of the New Testament.  “Go to now ye that say today or tomorrow we will go into such a city and continue there a year and buy and sell and get gain.  Whereas you know not what will be on the morrow,  For what is your life it is even a vapour that appeareth for a little time and then vanisheth away.” You don’t know what tomorrow holds.  Life is full of unexpected twists and turns.  This may be last time to accept the truth of the gospel.  God may not give you another chance.  This is maybe the last chance to put your faith and trust in the living Saviour.  The more the unbeliever hears the wonderful truth of the gospel and rejects the life giving message of the gospel, the sinful heart grows harder and colder to the gospel.  When that deathbed comes the heart becomes like stone, it has got colder and harder.  And they say “no I still don’t want Christ.” They are too proud and they die and they go to that the awful place called hell.  This is the only deathbed conversion in scripture.  So many people live their lives waiting for it for it to never come.  It is hard to preach about hell.  Hell is so real. Luke 16 gives a  picture of place called hell.  It is a real story, the real account of a real person and he goes to a real physical location.  Verses 23 to 31.  This is one of the most frightening passages in all scripture.  How this man had everything in life.  Respectable, wealthy man.  He just wants drop of water to cool his burning tongue.  Such is the pain and heat in hell. This is a true story not a parable of the Lord Jesus.  Any time the Lord spoke in parables he never used the names of characters in the story.  Here we have a true description of hell.  It is a place of torment, of consciousness and feeling, a place of fire.  No comfort, no help, no mercy, a place of unfulfilled desires, unanswered prayers.   A place of isolation,  A place without hope of escape.  A place of remembrance and of regret.  A place of punishment and banishment. A place of darkness.  Hell is real.  If a door could be opened tonight to hear the sounds of hell you would quickly come to Christ in repentance.  This thief rejects the Lord and damns himself to the place called hell of which we are all deserving. We have all broke the law of God.  We cannot say we are better than this malefactor.  We are sinners like this man.  We all deserve to go to this place called hell.  God is a just God and he cannot have sin.  Sin needs to be punished.  I wouldn’t want a God who is not a just God, that turns a blind eye to stealing and murder.  I want a just God, a holy God.  Not just let sin go unpunished.  The God of the bible is just and sin will be punished.  The wicked will be punished in that awful place called hell.  We see the cross of rejection.  We have seen a man dying in his sin.  We have seen the dying sinner. 

Luke 43 verse 40 the cross of reconciliation.  We want to see the dying saint.  We want to see the man dying to sin. We have seen the cross of rejection but now the cross of reconciliation.  This thief was able to look at the Lord dying on the cross next to him and he knew that this man is innocent, he has done no wrong.  He looked at himself in contrast to the Lord Jesus Christ and he knew he deserved to be there.  And he looked at the other malefactor and compared him to the Lord Jesus and he knew he deserved to be there.  But as he looked at the Lord Christ Jesus on that middle tree all he seen was the sinless, spotless Lamb of God.  Holy, harmless, undefiled.  No sin in him.  He had committed no crime.  He didn’t deserve to be there. He seen the love and compassion the Lord had in verse 34.  Here this malefactor sees the Lord for who he is.  He sees him as Lord.  What was he thinking when he heard Jesus crying out?  Stripped bare, whipped, bruised and beaten put up on the tree yet he cries “Father forgive these people for what they have done for me, they don’t know what they are doing.”  Would he have said “never a man spoke like this man.”  There would have been shock.  How did he want these people who put him there to be forgiven? Christ went to that cross to die for these sinners.  We are sinners.  In a sense we put Christ on that tree.  The malefactor sees the Lord Jesus Christ  wanting us to be forgiven.  He sees the Lord for who he truly is.  The incomparable Christ, the holy Lamb of God, the one able to forgive all sin.  Will you see him for who he truly is tonight?  The Lord who came to the cross to die for you. This malefactor realises surely this is the Lamb of God.  He cries out to Jesus Christ “remember me.”  If you do not know the Lord Christ all you have to do is cry out to the Lord Jesus Christ “Lord remember me.”  It wouldn’t have been an easy thing to admit.  Admitting he is a low life criminal.  He deserves the cross.  The crowds were there mocking the Lord Jesus Christ.  The other malefactor was mocking the Lord Jesus.  It would have been easy to join in with the crowds.  He defies the odds, humbles himself before the Lord, he does not worry about what others are thinking.  He just knows that this is the Lord – “Lord remember me.”  It is the same today.  To put your faith and trust in Christ is not easy.  It is not the popular thing to do today.  With the way society is going it is becoming increasingly more unpopular to trust the Lord Jesus Christ.  Turn on the TV and you can see the mockery towards the Christian, the abuse they receive.  They are seen as some crazy person.  We are called to a challenging life.  The Christian is called to a life of denying ourselves the worlds pleasures.  Luke 9 verse 23“If any man will come after me let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.”  To follow Christ we ought to be prepared for a life of difficulty.  In John 15 Christ said “If the world hate you, you know that it hated me before it hated you.  If ye were of the world the world would love his own; but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.”  I could lie and tell you that if you will follow Christ then you will get everything you have ever wanted, it will be easy.  What nonsense.  That would be a lie.  To follow the Lord it can be difficult but it is worth every bit of difficulty that will come into the life of the believer.  John 14 verse 2 “In my Father’s house are many mansions if it were not so I would have told you.  I go to prepare a place for you.”  If you are saved tonight you have a mansion waiting for you in heaven.  If you are unsaved tonight you can have a mansion waiting for you in heaven.  While this thief was dying on the cross the moment he trusted in Christ he had a mansion waiting for him in heaven.  For the believer everything that is precious to us is in heaven.  Our names are in heaven.  It is in the Lamb’s Book of Life.  Our heavenly Father is there.  Our Saviour is there.  Our fellow saints of the Old and New Testament are there.  Our inheritance is there.  Our reward is there.  Our treasure is there.  What a blessing to look at the splendours of heaven.  We have so much to look forward to in heaven.  Are you not glad to think of these blessings.  This malefactor swallows his pride, he trusts in Christ.  While it may not have been the popular thing to do he did it.  Proverbs tells us “there is a friend that sticketh closer than brother.”  The Christian can never be alone because Christ will always be with them.  When you follow Christ you cannot be alone.  The Lord will be always near.  You can talk to him when you want to.

You can whisper in a crowd to him

You can cry when you’re alone to him

You don’t have to pray out loud to him

He knows your thoughts

 

On a lofty mountain peak, he’s there

In a meadow by a stream, he’s there

Anywhere on earth you go

He’s been there from the start

 

The middle tree, the cross of redemption.  The dying Saviour dying for sin.  Verse 42.  We have already seen this malefactor crying out to God.  He wanted to be reconciled.  Here we have some of the most tremendous words in scripture - “Verily I say unto you Today thou shalt be with me in paradise.”  An hour ago he was on his way to a lost and hopeless eternity in hell.  An hour ago he was in the kingdom of darkness.  An hour ago he was under the control of Satan.  Dead in his trespasses and sin.  All of a sudden he has an encounter with the Lord Jesus Christ, the mighty to save.  It is all different now.  While he is bound to the cross this malefactor has never been more free.  Think of the cross pictures – it looks as though the cross of Jesus is massive and it is way far away.  Looks as though he is out of reach.  The truth is the cross was not bigger than the other 2 crosses, he was in complete reach for this dying malefactor.  He is in complete reach for you tonight.  He has the power no matter the situation you are in to set you free from the bondage of sin.  John 8 verse 36 “if the Son shall make you free you shall be free indeed.”  Do you feel trapped.  Do you long for that peace that passeth all understanding?  To know you have a home in heaven  Do you feel that your struggle with sin has been going on too long?  Will you call on the name of Jesus.  Romans 10 verse 13 “for whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.”  Salvation is so simple tonight.  Not you may be saved, might be saved but you shall be saved.  That is all the thief had to do.  Not join a church, be baptised, get the bible and know it inside out.  Just call on the name of the Lord.  Salvation is so simple.  This malefactor did not wait another minute.  2 Corinthians says “now is the accepted time, behold now is the day of salvation.”  Don’t wait another moment.  Don’t leave it too late.  Don’t let that sinful wicked heart get harder and harder.  Don’t let the love of the world make your heart get colder and colder. Don’t risk losing your soul in a hopeless and lost eternity. You are faced with the same question these men faced.  What will you do with the Lord Jesus Christ?  Are you going to be like the one malefactor and reject Christ.  To go to a hopeless and lost eternity in hell?  Will you accept the great and mighty gift of salvation.

 

O sinner the Saviour is calling for thee

Long, long has he called thee in vain;

He called thee when joy lent its crown to thy days,

He called thee in sorrow and pain.

 

O turn while the Saviour in mercy is waiting

And steer for the harbour light;

For how do you know but your soul may be drifting

Over the dead-line tonight?

 

That day on the cross the one malefactor opened his eyes and he was in heaven.  The tears of pain and heartache were all wiped from his eyes.  He seen glory and he is still there.  He will be there for glory.  The other malefactor opened his eyes in hell, eternal torment.  He is still there today.  He will be there forever.  Don’t be in that awful place of hell. 

 

We have seen the cross of rejection – one malefactor died in his sins and he went to hell.

We have seen the cross of reconciliation – one malefactor trusted in Christ and he opened his eyes in heaven.

We have seen how it happened – through the cross of redemption, the Lord Jesus Christ’s death on the cross that this man was able to put his faith and trust in the Lord Jesus Christ, he was able to be forgiven.  We are all one of these malefactors tonight – which one are you?  Rejecting, not for me, leave it until another time, not tonight.  Get right with Christ tonight.  Now is the accepted time, behold now is the day of salvation.  What will you do?

 

Jesus' DIsciples

 

COLERAINE INDEPENDENT METHODIST CHURCH

SUNDAY 17 NOVEMBER 202 – MR KYLE PARKS

MATTHEW 10 VERSES 1 to 8

The study of the disciples in whom the Lord Jesus Christ called to be apostles is a really interesting study.  Different men with different personalities and backgrounds all serving the Lord, all for the sake of the gospel outreach.  The Lord had many disciples.  In the account we read it focused on the 12 who were called to be apostles.  We think of other disciples Jesus had – such as the Mary’s of the bible.  Mary his mother, Mary of Bethany,  the sister of Martha and Lazarus who seemed to understand that Jesus had to die.  Mary Magdalene the one whom Jesus cast out 7 devils.  She was the first woman to see Jesus after his resurrection.  We think of the little boy who brought his 5 loaves and 2 fish to Jesus, he gave everything he had.  He was a disciple. In Luke 10 we read of the “other 70 disciples” who Jesus sent them out 2 by 2 into the cities.  The Lord has his group of disciples and he sends them out for him.  In the passage we have read the Lord calls these 12 disciples, 12 men that the Lord is going to devote himself to.  He is going to spend more time with these men than any other.  Not only be part of 70 but there is something different about them.  God is going to begin with them to build his church.  It is to these 12 the Lord pours himself into, to train, to bring them up, to teach them, personally getting to know them better than anyone else.  The Lord has been going around and has been involved in ministry.  A ministry that was more effective than any other ministry ever had been or will be.  The Lord Jesus had power over defilement, distance, diseases and demons.  He was performing more miracles wherever he was.  He was gaining quite a following.  No surprise that flocks of people crowded to him.  No surprise that disciples were being made.  It is to these 12 that Jesus pours his time into. I want us to notice 3 simple facts about this text – the master, the Lord Jesus Christ, then the men, who were these men he called and finally the ministry they were called to.

Firstly the master – verse 1.  Matthew the author of this gospel first wants our eyes fixed on the Lord, to see his power and absolute lordship over his disciples.  As he calls these disciples they are there waiting his command.  It is a blessing for those who are Christians to look back on their lives to a time when they were called by Jesus, when I got saved.  When once in darkness now in the kingdom of light. It is a blessing to look back to the point when I was saved by Jesus, when he called me out of the bondage of sin into his light, to be reconciled to Christ.   To look back on a time when you were an enemy of Christ, when he reached down and saved you and you are now a friend of his.  Like the psalmist in Psalm 40 “He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay and set my feet upon a rock and established my goings.”  I am sure these disciples could look back on a time of blessing, being called by Jesus himself.  Matthew was a tax collector, the lowest of the low when God called him, reached down and saved him.  Maybe we can look back to a time in your life when Christ established your going out.  Or maybe you cannot look back on such a time.  You have not been saved.  You  are still on your way to a lost eternity in hell.  You haven’t known the grace God has to give.  You have not met with Christ, you are not a disciple of his.  The truth is there is no better time to serve the master like this morning. 2 Corinthians 6 verse 2 “behold now is the accepted time, behold, now is the day of salvation”.  What a blessing it would be if you left here today and could say  “I came into the kingdom of darkness and am now leaving in the kingdom of light.  I am one of the master’s men. I am a follower of Jesus Christ.”  What a blessing if you could leave here saying that.  In verse 1 we see these 12 disciples and the Lord Christ he gives them authority – verse 1.  The Lord Jesus throughout his ministry had been constantly proving himself to be God, the second person of the Trinity. He did this in many ways. He did it through his preaching and teaching, through his many miracles, through showing he had power over unclean spirits, he was able to cast them out.  Think of Mary Magdalene from whom he cast out 7 devils.   He healed all manner of sickness and diseases.  Now he is proving he had authority to take the ability that solely belonged to God and gave that to his disciples.  Now his apostles are ready to go into ministry for Jesus, to serve their master, to take his command to go into the gospel outreach.

The men – verses 2 to 4.  In the first time in the New Testament this title of apostle is applied to these men.  These men were the apostles.  Then as you come into the book of Acts Paul comes in to the role of apostle.  There were no more apostles than these.  Jesus started off with these men.  I want you to notice 3 simple things about the disciples.  They were ordinary men.  Average men.  Nothing special about these men.  If you were walking down the street you would not have picked them out.  They were flawed men.  Full of mistakes.  They were a diverse group, all different from each other.  They were ordinary men – 12 whom the Lord called, he didn’t go out looking for the brilliant academics that society had to offer, who knew the Old Testament scriptures better than anyone else.  He did not look for the Pharisees, the Sadducees and scribes.  He was not interested in the religious establishment.  He called normal, ordinary, average men.  Never thought of them as people who would have the church on them, who would set the world on fire, change the course of human history.  Not scholars or great philosophers.  Nothing special about them.  Look at Simon Peter and his brother Andrew.  They were fishermen, doing an ordinary job.  Remember how Peter was called.  When Jesus was out teaching the crowds and the crowds were getting bigger and bigger.  They were saying “this is a man speaking with authority” and more people came and heard him.  Jesus was being pushed back closer to the water.  He needed to go out into the water and a get into a boat.  He picks Peter’s boat and after the crowds left he tells Peter to go out and cast down his net.  He thought he would not catch anything.  He knew the Lord spoke with authority so he went out, let down his net and caught so many fish that the boat could not hold them.  Peter came and fell down at his feet.  The Lord tells him “you will no longer fish for fish but fish for men.”  He is lifted from an ordinary career and given an unordinary task, to make disciples of Christ.  Think of Bartholomew – we do not know very much of him.  He is in the background, so ordinary.  Seems to be the case with the Lord.  Just seemed to call ordinary people to serve him.  1 Corinthians 1 verse 27 “But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise, and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty.”  That is definitely me today.  I am foolish and I am weak. I am sure you can look at your life and say the same.  What does he do with them?  God calls ordinary people.  So many people don’t get into service for Christ because they think they are too ordinary to be used by God.  They say “Look at that one who is good at preaching or that other person who is good at teaching God’s word to children, I am far too average.”  God calls average, ordinary people not because of their own power or strength but because of God’s power.  God had the authority to give these disciples this authority.  God gave them this power.  You may not feel you can do anything for God but it is God who equips the unequipped.  “I can do all thing through Christ that strengtheneth me.”  He can use you.  I am sure none of these men ever thought they could turn the world around, that could serve in God in the way they did, but with Christ’s strength that they could do something extraordinary for Christ.  If you are feeling ordinary today you are just the kind God can use in an extraordinary way.  These men were average, ordinary but also flawed.  They made mistake after mistake.  Think of Peter.  Peter denies the Lord 3 times yet the Lord restores him and uses him to accomplish wonderful things for Christ.  Think of Thomas, he does not believe the Lord can be resurrected.  He sees the Lord  and he is restored.  The Lord can use broken, fallen people.  People feel God can’t use them because of a past mistake in their life, it haunts them.  Look at the disciples today – mistake after mistake, failure after failure.  The Lord restores them, uses them in a wonderful way for him.  That could be the case whether it be for Peter, Thomas or you today.  The Lord’s always ready to restore the believer that needs restored.  To reconcile the sinner that needs reconciled. There is no sin too big or too small that would stop you being reconciled and serving the Lord Jesus Christ.  “If we confess our sins he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1 verse 9.  Are you not serving the Lord because you are looking at your past and saying “I cannot serve the Lord after what I have done?”  Would you come to Christ and seek that restoration he offers.  These were flawed men but the best of men are men at best.  They failed God many times.  The Lord restored them and used them again and again.  These men were ordinary, average men.  Nothing special about them.  They were flawed men, made mistake after mistake but God restored them.  These men were also diverse.  None the same as the other.  They brought with them different baggage. Different backgrounds, different personalities, talents, abilities and flaws.  The differences between them were massive.  Before Jesus called Matthew he was a Jewish tax collector.  You cannot get worse than that.  Israel was an occupied nation.  The Romans came in and wanted Israel’s taxes.  They set up tax collectors.  The Jews didn’t like this – here is the enemy looking for our money. Matthew he was a Jew and a tax collector, a traitor to his own people.  Matthew was a tax collector working for the Romans yet Jesus calls him into this group of disciples.  The Lord also called Simon the Canaanite.  Luke 6 refers to him as a Zealot.  The Zealots were a Jewish group known more for their hatred of Rome than any other group. They had such a resentment towards the Roman occupation that inspired them to become the most violent and aggressive group in the region.  There was no Jewish group that was politically motivated and opposed to the Roman occupation as much as the Zealots were.  There were one group of Zealots known as the dagger men.  They concealed curved daggers in their robes, they would sneak up to Roman politicians and soldiers and stabbed them in the back.  They were also known to burn or destroy Roman targets in Judea and then retreat into the Galilean countryside.  We do not know if Simon was inn one of these groups, we do know he was a Zealot.  He hated the Roman occupation and wanted it gone.  He wanted it gone at any means.  He was not afraid to kill or be killed for the cause.  For the Zealots tax collectors like Matthew who collected for Rome were treated as traitors to the nation. These Jewish tax collectors were often a target for attacks or assassinations.  You couldn’t get 2 men more opposed to one another than Simon the Zealot and Matthew the tax collector.  They were vastly opposed to one another, you couldn’t get 2 men in any way different than any other.  At one time Simon would probably have killed Matthew.    In the end they become spiritual brethren, working alongside each other for the same cause, the spread of the Gospel.  Worshipping the same Lord Jesus.  We see such differences in these men. Completely different attitudes, different opinions, different political opinions yet Christ takes them and has them work together for his glory.  See different personalities in these disciples.  Think of Andrew, he is so positive, always bringing people to Christ.  Think of Thomas, he is more negative.  There was one account where Jesus wants to go to Bethany.  Thomas deemed Bethany to be unsafe.  In a sarcastic way he shouts out “fine then let’s just go and die with Jesus.”   So negative. Not like Andrew bringing people to Christ whereas Thomas is so negative - he just says “we can’t go there.”  Maybe there are negative and positive people in this church.  Maybe they are needed to balance things out in our church.  Think of the differences amongst the disciples.  Think of Peter and John.  Peter is so impulsive, he seems to wear his heart on his sleeve.  He is doing things in the extreme. He goes from 0 to 100 in a split second.  Think of when the guards came to get Jesus and Peter draws his sword.  Or when the young woman says “do you know Christ” and he says “I swear I don’t.”  John is not like that at all, he is methodical, he is a real thinker  – John 1 verse 14 “in the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and the word was God.  In him was life and the life was the light of men.  And the light shineth in darkness and the darkness comprehended it not.”  Later he writes “And the word was made flesh and dwelt among us and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. “  This is not Peter writing that, he is more impulsive.  That is John, there is more depth to him, he takes more time, he is methodical.  He is not rushing through life. You see the personality of John through his gospel.  These disciples were different.  God uses both these personalities to do works for him. The Lord takes them and makes them into the most effective team the world has ever seen.  We are all different.  We can serve God in ways no one else could.  God has made you different than anyone else.  To use you in a different way. No one can do what you can do for God.  One of the greatest strengths of this team was its diversity. Each and everyone was their own individual.  Not one was the same as the other.  Maybe you feel you cannot help the work of Christ.  Maybe you feel “I wouldn’t fit in here, I am different than anyone else here.”  It is that difference in personality that makes you able to be so effective for the kingdom of God.  These were ordinary men, flawed men, diverse men.  So different.  It is still the same today in the church.  Everyone is so different.  There is no one like you.  God can use you in a different way than anyone else.  Think of the master, the Lord Jesus Christ as he called these disciples and gave them power.  Then of the men, the disciples he called.

The ministry – verses 5 to 8.  The Lord Christ is gathering these 12 men, is giving them power, now he is commissioning them with a new service for him.  Essentially, we have the 12 disciples being told to go into gospel outreach for the kingdom of heaven.  They are told to preach the kingdom of heaven, to heal the sick, cleanse the leper, raise the dead, cast out devils.  This commission was temporary, it was given to these disciples.  It is not to be confused by the great commission which we follow today.  They were to go out to speak to those Jews in Israel.  In Matthew 28 verse 16 – 20 the great commission is given.  This commission in Matthew 10 was a temporary commission.  They were to preach the gospel to the house of Israel but it doesn’t take away from the great commission we now have.  To go into all the nations and preach.  When someone is saved they are to be baptised.  It does not take away from the fact that we are to go out still and preach that the kingdom of heaven is at the hand.  It is so vital that we like the disciples are to go out and share the goodness of the gospel.  That the Lord would come to the earth and take on flesh and dwell among sinful man.  He would live his life so perfectly knowing that he would have to go to the cross one day.  That would bear our sin on the cross.  It did not end there - he rose again the third day.  We can have a personal relationship with Christ.  It is our job to tell people that Christ is offering forgiveness of sins.  “Say not ye, There are yet four months and then cometh harvest? Behold, I say unto you,    Lift up our eyes and look on the fields, for they are white already to harvest.” John 4 verse 35  So many are dying, going to hopeless eternity of hell.  Our job is to share the good news.  “How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in him of whom the have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher?  And how shall they preach except thy be sent? As it is written, ow beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace.”  The 3 things are simple.  Christ had complete authority to give these powers to his disciples.  Ordinary men were called, nothing special about them, flawed, diverse men.  Finally we see the ministry.  It is still our task to preach the kingdom of God tell people the good news of the gospel.  We have a great task, we need everyone to chip in, to bring their  different talents and abilities and backgrounds.  We need people to work in ministry for the master.  We all need to work together.  Have you looked around and are asking yourself “where do I fit in, where can I serve the Lord, to tell people of the Lord Jesus.”  Look at the team of disciples. See what the Lord can do with diverse people.  Maybe ordinary people but God used them to accomplish wonderful things for God.  God can do that today with you.

 

Not by might, nor by power but by my Spirit

 

COLERAINE INDEPENDENT METHODIST CHURCH

SUNDAY 10 NOVEMBER 2024 – MR KEITH WILSON

ZECHARIAH 4

“Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, This is the word of the LORD unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts.”

Note the words “This is the word of the Lord” – how we need that word of the Lord today. 

Verse 6 is a great verse.  A verse that is quoted if not in prayer but particularly when people have become despondent at the state of the world and the state of the church.  John 16 verse 14 “He shall glorify me (speaking of the Holy Spirit) for he shall receive of mine and shall show it unto you.”  We are concentrating on the latter part of verse 6.  There is a lot to look at in this chapter.  Twice he is asked – “what do you see” – he responded “I don’t know”.  The angel asked “you don’t know what this means?”  There are different opinions on what the 7 dreams or visions mean that were given to Zechariah.  Last month we discovered what his name means.  How fitting today when we remember those who have died, remember those who have sacrificed their lives.  Zechariah’s name means God remembers.  We want to concentrate today on the Holy Spirit.  John 16 verse 14 tells us “the Holy Spirit will receive of Christ and will give it to the believer.”  The story is told of a preacher going to church one winter evening and he was preaching on these words “he will glorify me.”  Seeing the church floodlight he realised this was the illustration he needed.  Floodlights are placed so we don’t see them, we don’t see where the light is coming from.  We are just meant to see the building on which the flood light is shining.  To make it visible where it would not be seen for the darkness.  This perfectly illustrated the Spirit’s new covenant role – he is to be spoken of as the hidden floodlight shining on the Saviour.  The Holy Spirit is to shine all its light upon the Son, upon the Lord Jesus Christ.  Think of it – it is as if the Spirit standing behind us throwing light our our shoulders onto the Lord who is facing us  Never see the Holy Spirit saying “look at me” but rather “look to Christ, see his glory, listen to him and hear his word.”  Go to him and have life, taste of his gift of joy and peace.  The spirit is the matchmaker to bring us to Christ, to ensure we stay together.  As we come today in Remembrance Sunday we can have our eyes focused on so many things yet God wants us to have our eyes focused through the Holy Spirit on the Son that he would glorify Christ because he would receive of Christ and show it to you.  If we could grasp the power of the Holy Spirit – “the work of the Holy Spirit is to glorify Christ to be.  Romans 5 verse 11 says “if the Spirit of him who raised up Jesus from the dead dwells in you.”  When you are attacked in the mind, when there seems so much attack from the enemy when thoughts come in and bombard us, when  we struggle with anxious thoughts, only thoughts but not of reality.  Let us remind ourselves that the Spirit of him who raised up Jesus from the dead lives in you. “He that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwells in you.”  The Spirit of Christ dwells in you.  He is like the floodlight that wants to shine all the focus on Christ.  Does not want the pre-eminence, the glory but rather the pre-eminence and glory to be centred on the Son.  When Christ dwell in us by his Holy Spirit he gives life to you and me.  Romans 4 “he was who was delivered for our offenses and raised again for our justification."  Believers have forgiveness through the cross, victory over sin through the crucifixion.  If Christ was only delivered for our offences where would our victory be?  We cannot underestimate the power of then  but it does not end there because he was raised again.  He died for you and he died for me.  He was delivered for our offences not for his own.  He voluntarily laid down his life as a sacrifice for our sin.  “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” Death could not hold him.  We have victory through the cross, also victory over sin, through the resurrection.  He was raised again for our justification, he was raised to give you new life.  He died for your sin, we are dead to our sin when we come to Christ.  We have now the Spirit of Christ living in us.  Christ gives us the victory over the sin he died for, he has forgiven us that we might be raised  to new life in Christ.  Paul in Ephesians  3 verse 20 “Now unto him who is able to do exceedingly above all that we ask or think according to the power that worketh in us.”  There is a power that works in the believer, not your power or mine. It comes from God.  There is a power that raised Christ from the dead.  There is a power we have lives in us because of the Spirit of him that raised Jesus from the dead.  There is a victory we already possess.  We have power in us.  We can sometimes as Christians underestimate or not even fully grasp the power of the Spirit that works within us.  If we were honest we would say things are really dark, there is a lot of discouragement and defeat, a lot of sin, things bombarding us.  People are struggling.  God’s people are nearly like smoking flax, just smouldering.  We need to realise the power we have at our disposal, that is already in us.  He is able to do exceedingly above.  Exceedingly means much more, that is that word means.  He is able to do more than we ask or think.  We have dynamite power working in as a believer.  He knows your situation today.  We have all different struggles and trials.  God is able for your situation because of the power of Christ through his spirit that raised Christ from the dead, that lives in you.  Be encouraged.  If we belong to Christ today there is a power within us today.  Important that we realise that the situation we find ourselves in is like that here with Zerubbabel.  He was discouraged and defeated, despondent.  God came to him and said “not by might, nor by power but my Spirit.”  He goes on to say “Listen you are going to lay the capstone, the headstone, you are going to finish the temple, put the finishing touches to it.  Just like all those years ago when you laid the foundation stone years ago you will finish it.”  Why?  Because God said it.  I know we need to be careful when we hear people say “God has told me this or that.”  There are times when God speaks to us clearly and we know it is the voice of God.  When God speaks to his children they know it.  Why?  Because God lives within.  He gives us power waiting to burst out. 

Important that we realise and also to understand who the Holy Spirit is and who he is not.  He is much more than a force. He has a dynamite power and that power is living in us.  He is a person not a force.  Third person of the Trinity.  We serve a risen Saviour, he is in the world today.  We serve God who exists as a triune being.  He is very much a person.  Acts 5 tells us clearly who the Holy Spirit is.  The story of Ananias and Sapphia - verses 1 to 5.  They were trying to hide part of their possession, trying to say they were giving more than they were.  Verse 3 “Ananias why has Satan filled thy heart to lie to the Holy Spirit?”  How can you lie to a force?  “Thou has lied unto God.”  The Spirit of God is the Spirit of God.  The Father planned our salvation, the Son procured it or applies it through his death on the cross and the Holy Spirit applies it to the believer.  The plan, the Father, from the foundation of the world, the work on the cross through Christ, the work of the Spirit through the application in glorifying Christ, bringing men and women to the foot of the cross.  Not to speak of himself but speak much of Christ.  Not to glorify himself but to glorify Christ.  That is where the work of salvation for your soul and my soul was completed – at the cross.  Someone once said “The Father to a large extent was rejected in the Old Testament, the Son to a large extent was rejected in the New Testament and the Holy Spirit is largely rejected today.”  When the Holy Spirit is rejected the temple lies in ruins.  This is what we see in Zechariah’s day.  When we see who he is and our complete reliance on him like Zechariah we see that God’s work is God’s work and all our might and power accomplishes nothing.  How can we claim the power of Christ if we don’t realise the power that worketh in us.  The Spirit of God is God.  God in creation used his Spirit -  Genesis 1 verse 2 “he breathed his life into Adam.”  Genesis 2 verse 7.  The word for breath is Spirit.  Can you imagine God breathing his Spirit into the life of Adam?  That is when he became a living soul.  He said to Adam “do not eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil for in the day you eat of it you shall die” Genesis 2 verse 17.  God was telling, man whom he had breathed his life into, not to eat of the tree of knowledge.  What exactly happened when he did eat of the tree – he died, he was  spiritually cut off, he died spiritually.  In the Old Testament the Holy Spirit came upon believers but in the New Testament the Holy Spirit indwells believers.  Thank God for the power of the cross.  Thank God he lives in us by the power of the Holy Spirit.  The Holy Spirit was not only was involved in the creation of the world, not only involved in the creation of men and women, not only involved in the new creation.  John said “except ye be born of water and spirit ye cannot  enter into the kingdom of Christ.”  He brings the sinner to Christ. He convicts the sinner of their sin.  He teaches us.  How can we educate without the Holy Spirit?  He is the one who teaches us.  George Mueller “the word of God is our only standard and the Holy Spirit is the one who teaches us”. The Spirit of Christ to glorify Christ in our lives.  He teaches us, he brings us to Christ, convicts us, he teaches us, he empowers and guides us.  John 16 verses 7 – 15. He  He convicts world of sin, God’s righteousness and of the coming judgment.  Do you see the work of the Spirit, do you see the power of the Spirit living in your life?  It is the Holy Spirit that convicts alone.  The work of salvation belongs God.  God uses us to share the good news of the gospel.  We cannot convict nor can we convert.  There are people who try to convinces men to trust Christ on their terms, not for the glory of Christ but for their ministry.  If a person is to be convicted it is through the work of the Holy Spirit.  If the person is to be taught it is by Holy spirit no one can teach you the deep things of God.  The Holy Spirit applies his word to your heart and glories the Son of God himself.  1 Corinthians 6 “know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you?”  In other words “ Do you not know this?”  Simple things but hard for us to grasp.  Zechariah is talking of the physical temple.  It wasn’t any different in the Old Testament as it is today.  It was still a work of faith, a work of the Spirit.  It could not be accomplished by the flesh, only by the Spirit of the living God.  1 Corinthians is saying “know ye not that your body is a temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God and ye are not your own, ye are bought with a price, therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit which are God’s.” Let us leave this here today realising the power of the risen Spirit is living in us.  Glorifying Christ in us that others might see Christ and him alone.  That is my prayer.  Paul is really saying the Holy Spirit’s job is to glorify Christ.  When he dwells in you, you are to glorify Christ in your body.  When this happens the outcome is simple.  It is the fruit of the Spirit.  Galatians 5 verses 22 and 23 – “but the fruit of the Spirit” – it is a singular fruit notice that.  When someone comes to Christ, when the Spirit enters, when Christ is glorified the fruit of the Spirit of God works out in that individual.  “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance, against such there is no law.”  He produces it and because he is God the fruit is in accordance to God’s commands does not need to be regulated by the law.  There is no law against the fruit of the Spirit.  The bible teaches there is one baptism of the Spirit of God – Ephesians 4 verses 5 and 6 “one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all who is above all and through all and in you all.”  When a person comes to Christ he is baptized into the body of Christ.  The bible also talks of being filled with the Spirit. Ephesians 5 verse 18.  “Be not drunk with wine wherein is excess but be filled with the Spirit.”  This is continual.  Only one baptism many fillings.  If we want to live in the power of Christ, if we want to live serving him it is the job of the Holy Spirt to produce the fruit of the Spirit in our lives.  So you know that the Holy Spirit is one person in the Trinity that if we sin against him it is unforgiveable.  Matthew 12 verse 31 “Wherefore I say unto you, All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men, but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men.” Do you know why?  If you reject the work of the Holy Spirit in bringing you to Christ you will never be forgiven by God.  When someone comes to Christ he is immediately baptised into Christ - 1 Corinthians 12 verse 13 “for by one Spirit we all have been baptised into one body.”  His work is to convict us, to convert us, to empower us, to comfort us, to guide us, he is the source of all wisdom  He is the source of all revelation and all power.  He sees us, he sanctifies us, and he glorifies us.  A W Tozer “When we have the Holy Spirit we have all that is needed to be all that God desires us to be.”  May we today if we are honest we can say we are not all God desires us to be.  “Not by might nor by power but by God’s power that will change us.  The same Spirit that raised Christ from the dead and resurrected him too.

Reading the Bible

 

COLERAINE INDEPENDENT METHODIST CHURCH

SUNDAY 3 NOVEMBER 2024 – MR PHILIP ROBINSON

2 TIMOTHY 2 VERSES 14 – 19 – READING THE BIBLE

A challenging subject that many struggle with.  Especially when we look at the Old Testament books such as Numbers, Leviticus.  Many can find it quite daunting.  Some will push them to the side because they are too hard to understand.  We can see though that they link in with other passages of scripture.  John 14 refers to Numbers and the raising up of the staff in the wilderness by Moses.  That is why it is important to read the bible as a whole.  Some times pastors cannot deal with subjects from the Old Testament because it is too hard.  We should be reading as though God iis sitting opposite us, getting a deeper grasp of God’s love for us.  Reading should be a joy to us as Christians, learning about people in the scriptures and be challenged by them.  Think of Angus Buchan who went out into the corn fields at 4 in the morning to read and study God’s word.  Some times God will bring to our remembrance something we have read in his word previously.  It can be hard to study but there is nothing more rewarding than sitting and having time with God before the day starts and then spending time reflecting at the end of the day too.

Firstly, there is no book like the bible.  Alongside prayer and devotion it is vital as a Christian.  John said "search the scriptures.  2 Timothy 2 verse 15.  Studying the scriptures is vital for us as believers, getting to know God and his will for our lives.  Like a friend we need to spend time  with them understanding God’s will for our lives.  It also helps us when people challenge us about the things of God, when people ask us “why do you believe this or that?”  What does the bible say about it?  Studying and reading God’s word can help us as we witness to others.  One of the beauties of the scripture was the different people and living in different situations but they all have one aim – to translate what God was saying.  The authors from Genesis to Revelation is different for each other.  We can learn from so many but they all have one goal – to bring out the glory of the Lord.  When we think of the bible it is the most bought book in the world.  Yet people say it is not relevant to today.  People read it years ago because they were told to by their parents.  It is the most up to date book we have in front of us.  Even today we can visit some of the cities we read about in the scriptures.  Recently they found sulphur balls near where Sodom and Gomorrah originally was – we read in scripture that this was where fire and brimstone fell from heaven.  Matthew 24 warns of wars and rumours of wars that will happen before the Lord comes again.  Yet people say it is not relevant today.  The bible is more up to date than it ever was.

Secondly, the bible is a book that can bring knowledge of salvation.  That is one of the most important points of all.  It can give us knowledge of Jesus, lead us to salvation.  Isaiah 55 verse 11.  Hebrews 4 verse 12.  God’s word can pierce the heart of the unbeliever.  When we hold missions or gospel services, when the pastor is preaching, it is not his word but the Lord’s word speaking through them.  Think of Martin Luther at the Reformation.  The Holy Spirit spoke to him through the word of God.  Sometimes we can read God’s word and suddenly something hits us.  That is the power of the bible.  This word can bring knowledge of salvation. The word that can pierce the heart is sharper than any double edged sword yet so many leave it sitting on the shelf and never open it.  The bible has great power.  Think of many people across the world who cannot have the bible in front of them yet we have many many bibles in our country.  Many people today cannot ever have so many copies.  The pages of scripture rebuke and comfort us all in one verse.  When we read of different people throughout history we can be challenged by their walk with God.  Many have come to know salvation through reading God’s word.  Martin Luther during the Reformation read the scripture and his eyes were opened and he asked the Lord to save him.

Thirdly, the bible is a book that continues an important mater.  Throughout the whole bible from Genesis to Revelation the bible points us to Christ.  From the fall of man in Genesis 3 to Christ dying on the cross and then returning again in Revelation we can see God’s plan for salvation.  We can read and see that plan the whole way through the bible.  We can see how God had his hand on so many people throughout scripture.  From Joseph cast into the pit by his brothers and God raising him up to be second in command in the land.  From Moses who had an impediment in his speech to God helping him to bring the Children of Israel out of Egypt.  From Paul being shipwrecked and in prison to being the author of many of our New Testament letters.  We read of Paul’s encouragement of Timothy here in this book.  Hebrews 11 the faith chapter and nearly every verse has the words “by faith”.  The writers of the bible were men who were led by faith.  When we spend time and study each man we think of how powerful God is.  When we think of this book it contains the important matter of salvation.  We are challenged many times.  God told people to repent of their sins.  God still commands us to do that today, to ask God for forgiveness, to repent and trust in Christ.  As Christians when we see the power of God in our lives we can limit him in our opinions who he will save.  We can think God’s not going to help me to see these ones saved.  He is the good shepherd and we should not limit him to what he can do.  He can speak to us in many different ways.  Think of the people in prison – God has saved many of them just by reading God’s word.  Many people think God will not save but he does and continues to do so.  God can save to the uttermost all that call on him.  Come as you are.  We have only to do this and God will accept us.  When we make the 180 degree turn and follow Christ we should not limit God.  Salvation is something we cannot work for – Ephesians 2 verse 8 and 9.  Salvation is a free gift not by works.  Many think we can get into heaven by our good works.  None of us would get in if it was about that.

Fourthly, a book that affects mankind.  Men and women have been affected by this book.  The Lord has spoken to them through his word.  Lives have been transformed by his word.  Many others have been transformed by the word of God.  It can only have the effect of deep gratitude for what he has done for us on Calvary.  Christ died that we can be free from our sins.  Paul bound in prison in Rome could have turned his back and said “I will not do that again” but he continued to tell people of the gospel.  We could read of him in the bible but we are only scratching the surface of all he did.  Think of Paul in a prison cell, bound in chains, in a cold dark atmosphere, Paul was continuing to praise God.  Acts 16 – I wonder what would happen if we were in that situation.  The bible tells us of hope in a dark world.  If you listen to the news every day we see the world is in a dark place because they have left the things of God.  Think of our own country – how much people have gone from the Lord.  The Lord came into this world, died on the cross and saved us from our sin.  When we think of all that we can only have gratitude for Christ.  When we see the world wars going on we should be praying for peace but the world does not want the peace which God gives.  In many countries it is illegal to have a copy of God’s word.  We should not take God’s word for granted.  There is nothing more rewarding than spending time with God in prayer and reading his word daily.  When we study God’s word it helps us as we go throughout our day.  When challenged about our faith in Christ, when people question why we believe what we do, the bible is the greatest book ever written in the history of the world, is there for us to read but we don’t.  The bible is more up to date than any other.  It speaks and challenges us.  How is our reading of God’s word today?  Why is it important to spend time reading God’s word?  Because it ill help us throughout life.  The times when we are in the valley, we can find comfort.  On the mountain top we can be encouraged and challenged by God’s word.  Read God’s word and ask God to speak through it?