Gifts Unspeakable

 

COLERAINE INDEPENDENT METHODIST CHURCH

WOMEN’S MEETING – 6 MARCH 2025

SPEAKER: DEIRDRE MULLEN

Gifts Unspeakable

First, the gift of love.

The value of any gift is in the giver. 5 gifts to think about:

The unusual gift, the unloved gift, the unexpected gift, the unwanted gift, the unspeakable gift.

Unusual gift – the most usual gifts are flowers and chocolates. King Charles apparently was given a number of unusual gifts. What is the most unusual gift you have been given? 33 years ago at my husband’s first church a lady gave me a gift wrapped in brown paper and tied with string. I was told to put it in my bag. When I opened it up I realised it as a piece of meat.

Unloved gift – a clock was given to my father on his retirement. He had expected a gold watch rather than the clock. For years he was a supermarket manager and he felt that the clock did not reflect his lifetime of service to the company. It was unappreciated and unrewarded.

Unexpected gift – something you do not expect, something out of the blue. Maybe keys to a car or an armchair.  When I was a child I received an unexpected gift from American – a pink frilly dress!

Unwanted gift – much more common at Christmas when there are queues to customer services in shops. People wanting to return items to the store. Many dog shelters have abandoned dogs after Christmas too. Owners don’t want them as they are too expensive and need to much attention.

Unspeakable gift too wonderful for words. Unloved, unexpected, unwanted. Paul in 2 Corinthians 9 verse 13 said “thanks be to God for his unspeakable gift.” John 3 verse 16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life.” God’s gift was unusual. Christ was fully man and fully God. He was the son of Mary and the son of God. Christ was totally sinless, no-one else has been that. He was tempted by Satan but he overcame. Pontius Pilate declared him as sinless. 2 Corinthians 5 verse 21. God made him that knew no sin to become sin for us. God’s gift was also unexpected. The Jews were looking for someone to come and save the Jewish nation. On Palm Sunday they tried to make him King. Christ came into the world for the whosoever. Jesus said “go and make disciples of all nations” – that includes me. God’s gift is often unloved by many people in our world. They have little or no time for God. To people who are atheists God is dismissed. 2 Timothy 3 verses 1 to 4. God’s gift is often unwanted by people who trust only in themselves, in their good works to get them to heaven or by their possessions. Isaiah 53 verse 3. A rejected man. God’s inexplicable gift is offered to every one of us.

Secondly, your love for Christ

Maybe your love for Christ has grown cold. Perhaps as you have got older other things have become your priority – health for instance. Maybe you have become busy and it is difficult to set aside your time for Christ. Maybe you are just tired or weary. Hebrews 12 verses 1 to 3.

First notice we are told – let us throw off every weight. Athletes seeking to run in a race have to be disciplined. They train in all weathers, strengthen their bodies and aim to take off any excess fat. When it comes to the race they will take off all unnecessary clothing. When we run the Christian race we have to discipline ourselves by reading the bible and praying. Ever sin has to be thrown off. There may be past sins that trouble us or even present sins. Things we do that shouldn’t be done. There may be secret sins that no-one else knows about.

Second notice we are told – let us run with perseverance and patience. Athletes have to develop stamina. They must keep on running. As Christians we need to keep on running with perseverance and patience. To not give up in spite of discouragements. Mathew 10 verse 2. Keep on going even when there are difficulties.

Third notice we are told – let us fix our eyes on Jesus. The goal is to win the race, to achieve the prize. We must be focused. We are not to focused on family, spectators or other runners. Christians have to focus on Jesus and not be distracted by the world around us. There are so many things that get our eyes off Jesus. We should meditate on Christ and on his life. He was tempted and tried but he overcame, even to death on the cross.

Finally – using our gifts for God

The example of Maizie Smyth. Use whatever we have for God even if it is not important.

Maizie was born in Broughshane. She had a sister Isobel and a brother John. Every day she helped her parents on the family farm. On Sunday the chores were done early and the family walking or cycled to church 4 miles away. After lunch they attended Sunday School and returned to church again in the evening. She knew she was a sinner but it was not until her first year at secondary school when 2 Faith Mission Pilgrims held a mission near her home that she came under conviction of sin. The lady Pilgrim took as her text John 10 verse 9 “Jesus said I am the door, by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved.” Maizie knew God was speaking to her but she put it off. She was afraid to take that step. She still had her chores to do when she got home and in particular put the hens into the shed for the night. One little hen refused to go in through the door. Maizie chased the hen around for 10 minutes and realised that she was like that little hen. She went into her bedroom and asked the Lord to be her Saviour. She trained to be a secretary and started a job in County Down. During the week she boarded in Belfast and returned to the family home at the weekend. She started to grow as a Christian attending a local church where she taught Sunday School. Maizie didn’t realise that God would one day call her to be a missionary using Luke 12 verse 15. At that point Maizie surrendered her all – her work, her family and her finance. She went to bible college in Glasgow. Maizie felt God was calling her to work in Southern Ireland as she was not good in languages. At school the English teacher didn’t put her forward to sit the exam as it would be a waste of government money. God called Maizie to serve him in Africa and the Democratic Republic of Congo. She had to learn 3 languages in her service. Psalm 32 verse 8. In 1978 Maizie landed in Congo. She helped teach the 600 boy soldiers stationed near where she lived during the rebellion and eventually had to leave Congo as it became dangerous for all missionaries to remain. She was willing to go where God wanted her to go. She was tasked with creating a hymn book in 3 languages for the people of Congo which Every Home Crusade printed. I had the privilege as part of my work with Marie Curie to nurse Maizie during her cancer at her home in Broughshane. God will help you with whatever gift you have.

 

What's consuming your thoughts?

 

COLERAINE INDEPENDENT METHODIST CHURCH

SUNDAY 2 MARCH 2025 – MR KEITH WILSON

EPHESIANS 6 VERSES 12 TO 18

I wonder if I was to ask you tonight “what are you thinking”, what would be your response? That is some question. My reason for asking is what is consuming your thought life? You are what you think all day long. Thoughts impact our behaviour, our choices, our self-confidence, our health, the risk you do or do not take., that feeling of self-esteem in all arenas of life. Negative influences can affect all areas of life. Our thoughts affect our emotions or moods. What we decide to choose to do or not to do. Our thoughts affect our self-confidence very much. Our thoughts can react to other people. What we eat and don’t eat affects our thoughts. Thoughts of self-esteem and self-worth affect many people in today’s society when it is trying to promote everyone is important. Never at such time has self-esteem been at such a low. Young women because of pictures of super models have taken their own lives. Young men not able to fit in take their own life. Thoughts can have negative or positive experience on our lives. As Christians we are different. We have been changed by the Lord. Our thoughts should not be of things around us. We wrestle not against flesh and blood. How we look or not look shouldn’t cause us much thought. As Christians we should think differently. Philippians 4 verse 8 “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.” Paul is reminding believers at Philippi because they are Christians they should no longer be concerned with the things of the world. Temporary things, things that are perishing. I could be concerned with losing weight, having the right physique, the right amount of money, the right car. They are only temporary, they will not last. Paul wants us to think of things that are true. There are a lot of misconceptions that the devil will try to use to get our focus off the Lord. I do not need to tell you of the media lies that are told. They focus in on lifestyles – if you want to be a homosexual or lesbian you can be those. The media is promoting lies daily, hiding the truth, hiding emotional and physical feelings. Paul tells us to focus our thoughts. We don’t fill our thoughts with such things but with the word of God. Verses 16 and 17 “Above all taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit which is the word of God. Negative thoughts are from the devil. We need to fight them with the sword of God, which is the word of God. He wants you to believe things that are not real. There are so many living in fear today of things that are not true, of things that will never come to pass. The devil wants to bombard our thoughts all the time. Philippians 2 “let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus.” The enemy has no right to your thought life because for the child of God we have been delivered, set free and that is why he said in verse 12 “we wrestle not against flesh and blood.” That tells me something I don’t wrestle with. It is “against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” High ranking demons make war against God’s people. That is why Paul writes to Ephesus and says “Finally my brethren be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armour of God that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.”  You and I do not have the power to defeat the enemy. If as children of God can realise who we ae in Christ, what Christ has accomplished on the cross, that we have an armour God has given us then we can defeat Satan and all his forces. We need to put the armour on to withstand against the wiles of the devil. If we don’t put on the armour God has given us how will we be able to stand? Some people are in Christ and they are not in a battle. They will say “doesn’t matter I am saved and I can live as I like.”  We are reminded from the word of God that there is an enemy. We are reminded who we wrestle against. Ephesians 4. God called us from the foundation of the world and he saved us by his grace. He determind we would be born into the family of God, born with royal privileges. If you are saved tonight you are in a royal priesthood already. We wrestle in the flesh and blood. The Lord has already declared us to be holy, to be righteous. We have the righteousness of God. Now we have it we are already sanctified. That is our position before God. What you are in reality has to be lived out in experience. That is why Paul is writing these letters. He told them earlier in this book who they were in Christ – “in whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace. Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence; Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself. That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him. In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will. That we should be to the praise of his glory who first trusted in Christ.” Do we realise who we are? If so let us put on the armour of God. Let us have a state of mind that we stand on Christ and in Christ. In what he has done and what he wants to do. I am reminded of the enemy every day. I cannot do this or that very easily, to let those thoughts into my mind. If the enemy can get into your mind he can determine all your thoughts. That is where our battle is. The enemy wants to do so much. He wants to turn them against each other. He can get a thought into the mind and destroy a work. If we realise where our battle really is we would be on our knees and praying that God would come and give us that spirit of unity. Remember what Jesus suffered on the cross – a spear was thrust into his side, a crown of thorns was put on his head, stuffed vinegar was put in his mouth. They nailed him and cried “there are others he can save and yet he cannot save himself.” What did Jesus say in response? “Father forgive them for they know not what they do.” Christ hung on the cross for the whole of mankind. He saw the need for salvation. He didn’t have impure thoughts but rather loved everyone. There is an enemy who wants us to think impure thoughts. The outward man is perishing but the inner man is being renewed day by day. If I rest on Christ I realise who I am in Christ. I realise the battle is not mine but Christ’s. All he wants us to do is rest in him. In our make up we have a soul, a mind, a will, emotions and thoughts. That is what the devil wants to attack. To get our focus on temporary things. We are reminded that the godly shall suffer persecution. Why? To get us to depend on ourselves and not on God. Don’t you think that the demons and the devil are in hell itself? There are demonic forces in the heavenly realm against the rulers of darkness in this world. We are surrounded. There are certain things they cannot do if our faith and trust is in the Lord. In Job’s life the Lord allowed the devil to go so far. You might find yourself in temptation or testing but be reminded that the battle of the mind is to get you thinking of things that don’t really matter. So many are living in a state of fear, depression, oppression. We can be bombarded with spiritual attacks that take our focus off God and the word of God. We all have different make ups, we are sensitive to different things. The mind is where the enemy attacks. What is your focus?  The enemy comes and plants a thought in our minds. The more thinking you do the more down you become. The more discouraged you become. This is not from the Lord but the devil. We can cast down thoughts in the name of Jesus. We are told here to put on the whole armour of God that we wrestle not with principalities and powers. The question is what are we going to do. Psalm 28 verse 7. “The Lord is m strength and my shield, my heart trusted in him and I am helped, therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise him.” Why don’t you think of these thoughts when the enemy attacks? When our heart and mind is stayed on Jehovah we will be kept in perfect peace Isaiah the prophet tells us. It can only be in putting on the whole armour of God. The devil attacks in times of weakness.  Remember the devil was defeated at the cross. He knows the weakness of the flesh. If he could bombard you with the media, if he can do all this, keep men and women, boys and girls from giving their all to Christ, to realise who they are in Christ. The enemy will try and convince us that we are in the mess we are in and there is no way out, we might as well give it all up. Why? Because there is no hope. The enemy is against the truth. Instead of being hopeless we have hope. Christ has died and defeated every principality, every power and all spiritual wickedness. He brought a victory through the cross and the blood of Jesus Christ. Allow yourself to be around people that are living for God. We have been redeemed. Ephesians 4 verse 30. There is a time of judgment coming but there is also a reward coming for the child of God. When the unsaved will stand before the judgment seat of Christ after 1000 years and they give an account of what they did with Christ. We have freedom from the enemy when we realise who we are in Christ. Christ has accomplished our freedom on the cross and defeated the enemy. That you and I could be saved, could have eternal life. Have you that eternal life? Are you saved? Have you repented of your sin? Have you come the way of the cross? Are you living for God or are your thoughts being bombarded by the devil?

Revive Thy Work O Lord

 

COLERAINE INDEPENDENT METHODIST CHURCH

SUNDAY 2 MARCH 2025 – MR KEITH WILSON

Habakkuk 3 verses 1 to 10

I don’t know if some of the more aged members of our congregation if they have ever had the privilege of hearing Duncan Campbell. He preached on the topic of revival and said “Revival is the most misunderstood of all subjects. First of all, when I speak of revival, I am not thinking of high-pressure evangelism. Evangelistic campaigns or special meetings is not revival. In a successful evangelistic campaign there will be hundreds or even thousands of people making decisions for Christ but the community remains untouched and the churches continue much the same as they did before the outreach. In revival God moves in the district suddenly. The community becomes God conscious.” I am sure if you had one soul saved you would rejoice. If you have a thousand souls saved would that mean you had revival? Revival is a move of God. The Spirit of God grips men and women that even work is given up as people give themselves up to wait for the Spirit of God. In the Isle of Lewis the Spirit of God was resting on the surrounding villages. His presence was present among the people. This is revival. The presence of God. In the Hebrides revival 75% of people who were saved were saved before they came to the meeting house or even heard a sermon preached. The power of God. The Spirit of God was moving in operation and the fear of God gripped the souls of men and women. This is revival. God sending revival as different from the respective efforts of evangelism. “Revive thy work in the midst of the years.” We looked at Habakkuk chapter 1 previously and seen his great burden. The Lord put it on my heart not to speak on revival but rather through a daily devotional I realised that I needed to speak on what actually is revival. We have not seen revival since the turn of the twenty first century. Verse 2 “O Lord I have heard thy speech and was afraid, O Lord revive thy work in the midst of the years, in the midst of the years make known, in wrath remember mercy.”

 

The prophet started with the words “O Lord I have heard thy speech.” The prophet uses the phrase “O Lord” twice. He is burdened. Back in chapter 1 verse 1 we read that. His prayer was not “Lord remember wee Annie or Jimmy.” Those prayers have their place. But we need a burden that God would send revival. He is burdened and he sighs “O Lord”. There is something on his mind. What was on his mind? Verse 2 “I have heard thy speech and was afraid.” What did he actually hear? He heard that judgment was coming on Judah. Habakkuk prays when he announced this judgment. Chapter 1 verses 2 to 5. What is that work that he will do – verses 6 and 7. Habakkuk is talking in chapter 3 verse 1 of the judgment of God that would sent on the nation because they had turned their backs on God. God is displeased with our nation because our nation has turned its bac on God. Will God send revival to this nation again? We are actually more ripe for judgment before God sends revival. God has been pushed out of society, pushed our of parliament, pushed out of schools, pushed out of hospitals. Habakkuk realised there was violence in the land – stealing, plundering goods, murdering each others, lieing to each other.  He says “Lord I know what you are going to do.” He had to accept the judgment of God but it never hindered him seeking a revival from God. Habakkuk couldn’t believe his ears. Surely God is not going to do this. He was afraid which really means he was in awe of God. I am sure he got on his knees, his heart pounding before God in awe of him. God would judge his nation, send them into captivity but after 70 years God will bring them back from captivity. Do we hear the speech of God? Have we heard what God is going to do? The judgment is coming on the unsaved. There is a time coming on this earth, a tribulation period when all hell will be let loose. The nation of Israel will be in such turmoil. The tribulation period is known as Jacob’s Trouble. The anti-Christ will sign a treaty with Israel. All will be well for that period but then there will be demonic activity work going on. Are we burdened for our lost loved ones? Those going to a horrendous place in hell fire? We are not to be playing about with sin. Here was the nation of Israel playing about with sin. They had turned from God and God brought them into captivity and God judged them as a result. “O Lord I have heard thy speech and was afraid.” He was in awe of what God is going to do. “O Lord revive thy work in the mist of the years.” Have we got a real burden that God will revive and work in the midst of the years? Even though judgement is coming the prophet seeks God for revival. The first time he heard the speech he was in awe of God. Now he is burdened again. This is vital for us to grasp. It is easy to understand it. Many go of in a wrong note. Those 3 words “revive thy work”. God’s work wasn’t the prophet’s work. It was not Judah’s work. It was not Israel’s work. Today it is not the preacher’s work. It is not the denominations work. Going back hundreds of years – it was not Duncan Campbell’s work, nor John Wesley’s work, nor Spurgeon’s work. It is God who revives the soul. Revives his church. It is God who revives a nation. For the coming mission let it be God’s work and let God do what he wants to do. Don’t look to man. Let your prayer be “revive thy work.” I am sure you agree we need revival, personal revival in our churches and in our land. Revival is going to come. Heaven sent revival. It will only come from God. Let’s pray that God will save. If the Chinese next door is not touched with the awe of God it is not revival. We need the Spirit of God to grab our communities. The presence of God to be so real that 75% of people are saved before they come through the doors of this church. Habakkuk prays “revive thy work”. He accepted the judgment of God but prays for the work to be revived. Don’t get focused on denomination, or the preacher, or the singers, fixate on what will happen. Very little happens if anything – why – because many are not looking for God. They are looking for results. It is not about results but it is about God. Habakkuk wanted God to revive his work. He realised it was with God. Habakkuk was burdened for it to happen again. Al of Israel’s kingdom were full of evil kings. Judah had a mixture of good and bad kings. They all had one thing in common – what our churches do not have – they feared God. They wanted God to revive his work. They wanted to take the background. We need not to be used but useable. That means I say “Lord I would like to see this land revived, to see people in my family saved but I want you to revive your work, I want to be where you want me to be.” Habakkuk wants to know power in the midst of the years, that Israel would repent and see God again. He maybe remembered God’s power in delivering them from Egypt, when they crossed the Red Sea. He heard of the waters parting and the enemy coming behind and the waters closing over. He knew the power of God working in the past. “These years” – he wanted it to be now. The motive for prayer for revival is the glory of God. That God will come but not just come, that he will give us a passion to pray “O Lord revive your work in the midst of the years.” He prays for mercy in the time of judgment that was coming upon Judah. God had said judgment would come long before Habakkuk’s time. Joshua had said “choose you this day whom you will serve.” Has something got hold of you that God’s glory is no longer predominant in your life. “In wrath remember mercy.” Martin Lloyd Jones said “the child of God cannot sin successfully because the true child of God will be chastened by God.” Think of the wrath that awaits the ungodly yet we still live in day of grace. Habakkuk was burdened. Twice he prays “O Lord” Remember David in Psalm 51 verse 2 “have mercy on me O God according to your unfailing love, blot out my transgressions." Ephesians 2 “because of his great love for us God who is rich in mercy has made us alive with Christ.” Christ is still to this day offering mercy. We live in a day of grace but God will judge this land. We need to pray “God in wrath remember mercy.” Whenever we come before God like Habakkuk “I have heard your speech, I know what you are about to do, I was afraid.” I was in awe of you. “O Lord revive thy work in the midst of the years.” Make it known. In wrath bring mercy. Let’s pray God will be seen and honoured and men and women, boys and girls would live for the glory of God. That none will be seen save Jesus and him alone.

And Felix trembled ...

 

COLERAINE INDEPENDENT METHODIST CHURCH

SERMON NOTES FROM SUNDAY 23 FEBRUARY 2025 pm – MR JASON CRUISE

ACTS 21 VERSES 30 TO 34, 23 VERSES 31 TO 35, 24 VERSES 24 TO 27

 

Here in these verses we have read the prophecy of Agabus given in chapter 21 was being fulfilled. He told how Paul would be apprehended and given over into hands of evil men. That has come to pass. Paul was no stranger to being afflicted for his faith. 2 Corinthians 11 verse 24 “Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one. Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep; In journeyings often in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren. In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst in fastings often, in cold and nakedness.” He was no stranger to suffering for the Lord. He was apprehended and put into the prison. He has been in the temple – chapter 21 verse 30. They wanted to kill him - verse 36 “for the multitude of the people followed after, crying, Away with him.” An echo of John 19 verse 15 when the Jewish crowd cried out concerning Jesus. They wanted to do away with Christ. They wanted him crucified on the cross. The Lord came into the world for that purpose – to go to Calvary’s cross. There he lay down his life for us. This evening there are 8 billion people in this world and not one could say Christ did not come to die for me. 40 men wanted to kill the apostle Paul. This news came to Paul’s nephew, his sister’s son. He sends for the centurion and then the chief captain and tells them the plan that has been made, how men lie in wait to take his life. The chief captain has him taken at the third hour from Jerusalem to Caesarea. There Paul would stand before the Roman Governor Felix. I want you to consider this great meeting.

 

Chapter 24 verse 24 “And after certain days, when Felix came with his wife Drusilla, which was a Jewess, he sent for Paul, and heard him concerning the faith in Christ.” As these 2 men stand face to face there is a very stark contrast between each. The apostle Paul stands while Felix sits on his judgement seat. The Roman Governor was no stranger to chains and shackles. History records he had been a slave and was awarded his freedom from Claudius Caesar.  After his release he began to climb through the ranks of the army until he became Governor of Caesarea and now occupies the position once occupied by Pontius Pilate. Claudius Caesar had the power to release Felix from bondage of slavery but not from the bondage of sin. He may have climbed through the ranks of the army and is now sitting as the Roman Governor but he is still affected by the problem of sin. If you are not saved you too have an awful problem called sin. It doesn’t matter where you are on the social ladder, whether you are living in poverty on the street or on millionaire row – you have a problem of sin. Whether you are a king on the throne or a beggar in the streets you have a problem of sin. There is one who can give you forgiveness of sins, from the one on Calvary’s cross. You have a problem of sin. Romans 5 verse 12 “Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed up on all men, for that all have sinned.” Through one act of disobedience sin came into the world. Through Adam’s wilful disobedience sin came into the world and passed down the generations right to today. 8 million people today are all born affected by sin. The hearer and speaker alike must come and put their trust in Christ. There is only one holy, harmless and undefiled by sin who can pay for salvation. Your salvation was purchased by the precious blood of Christ on the centre cross of Calvary. He heard him concerning the faith. I am sure he would have told him of his journey to Damascus. How on the road he came to know the Lord as Saviour. He saw the light of God as bright as the midday sun and came to know Christ as Saviour and Lord. He was not born as a perfect sinless man ready for heaven but was born with his back towards God as we all are. The problem of sin. In Acts 9 we read “And Saul yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord.” He had a great hatred for the Lord and for the Lord’s people. Now as he stands before the Governor he has trusted in Christ and his finished work and all is well for eternity. Do you know tonight all is well for eternity? Do you know for sure all is well for eternity? Can you look back to that day when you acknowledged the Lord, when you came in repentance and put your faith and trust in Christ. If you have done that you are born again of the Spirit of God. One day you will be in heaven with your Saviour. If not, you are tramping the broad road that leads to hell. There will be no second chance. No retrial. Where are you going in eternity?

 

Acts 24 verse 25 “And as he reasoned of righteousness, temperance and judgment to come Felix trembled and answered, Go thy way for this time; when I have a convenient season, I will call for thee.” Paul comes with 3 points – righteousness, temperance and judgment to come.

 

Firstly righteousness. I have no doubt Paul told him he had no righteousness of his own. Isaiah 64 verse 6 “But we are all as an unclean thing and all our righteousness are as filthy rags.” We have no righteousness of our own. Romans 3 verse 10 “As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one.” This would have been a bitter pill for Felix to swallow. Clothed with all the regalia of Rome, the robes of authority of the Roman empire, the Lord tells him he had no righteousness. He maybe had done well, judged against the standards of that day. We are being judged against the standards of God and we all fall short. Romans 3 verse 23 “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.” The Governor missed the mark. Maybe you are saying “preacher I believe I have done my good deeds, I am good to my neighbour, I have done my charitable acts, I attend church when I can, give what I have, take communion, I am fit for heaven.” If you think that you are not only a sinner but a self-righteous sinner. Hebrews 2 verses 8 and 9 “Thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet. For in that he put all in subjection under him, he left nothing that is not put under him. But now we see not yet all things put under him. But we see Jesus who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man.”  For by grace you are saved. All the good works you do, all your church attendance, helping neighbours. If you want to get to heaven you have to come in repentance and put your faith and trust in Jesus, the one who left the splendours of heaven. He came into this world to lay down his life for you so that you can have eternal life. Salvation is by grace alone.

 

Secondly Paul speaks to Felix of temperance or self-control. That was something Felix knew little of. At his side was Druscilla. She was the daughter of Herod Agrippa, the great grand daughter of Herod the Great. She comes with a bad record to the people of God. Druscilla was about 21/22 years ago. Josephus tells us she was married when Felix convinced her to leave her husband. Felix’s life was full of corruption, slander and adultery. His name in Latin means happy. He is happy in sin. He loves the pleasure he gets from sin. You love the pleasure you get from sin. It is pleasure that will only last for a season.

Thirdly Paul speaks about judgment to come. Solomon says in Ecclesiastes 12 verse 14 “for God shall bring every work into judgment.” What Paul is saying to Felix is this – there is a judgment to come and how will you fare? There is a judgment for all of us. How will you fare when you stand before the Lord in sin, unrepentant, unforgiven? In verse 25 we read that Felix trembled. What would make this man with all the authority of Rome tremble? That word tremble in the original Greek is a word from which we get our modern word for phobia. You will know different people who have phobias – spiders, heights, closed in spaces. If they have it they have a great fear. Here’s a man who as Paul speaks to him a great fear grips his heart. The Spirit of God is beginning to convict this man. He knows the decision he makes about Christ will determine his destiny for eternity. The decision you make this evening concerning the person of God’s Son Jesus may decide your destiny for eternity. In the week ahead if you were to go into eternity without Christ and hope you will end up in the caverns of hell. There will be no second chances, no retrials. Maybe you say you will not get saved tonight but next week you will, just not tonight. Many tonight are in a lost eternity who said those same words. That night never came but death did. Just in an instant and they went unrepentant, unprepared, unforgiven. What a terrible prospect. Proverbs 27 verse 1 “Boast not thyself of tomorrow, for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth.” You could not guarantee making it. How awful – to go into eternity without knowing Christ as Saviour.

 

Revelation 20 verses 11 to 15

 

What an awful prospect lies ahead of the Christ rejector. There is a great white throne judgement – that speaks of majesty, purity and authority. Heaven and earth fall away. There is no place for them on that day, no hiding place. People tonight have got away with the most awful crimes but when they stand before the great white throne they will not get away with one sin. Whosoever’s name is not found written in the book of the Lamb will be cast out into the lake of fire. What an awful way to find yourself on that day. Who will be there? Those who mocked the preacher in the open air, those who trampled the gospel tract into the ground. Will you leave the gospel meeting another time without knowing the Lord as Saviour? Verse 25 Felix would call for Paul again. Verse 26 he sent for him often and communed with him but we never read of him coming to Christ as Saviour and Lord. Maybe it could be said of you tonight that you never came and put trust in the finished work of Christ. Not trusting in the blood. If all we could do and speak of was hell and judgment and sin that wouldn’t be the gospel. The gospel is good news. The good news is that God loves you so much and wants to save your soul for all eternity. 1 Timothy 1 verse 15 “this is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief.”  People like you and people like me. You can be saved, have that assurance of sins forgiven, have a home in heaven. As you sit here tonight maybe you know about God but cannot call him Father. Maybe you know about Christ but have never called him Saviour, Maybe you know about heaven but cannot call it home. Why not come and put your trust in him as Saviour. He suffered, bled and died. As Jesus prayed in the garden wicked men came and arrested him. They would bring him before Pontius Pilate. He was tied to the scourging pole and whipped many times until his back was like a ploughed field. They led him out into the city streets and walked him to the place called Golgotha. They drove the nails into his hands and feet then raised him on the cross to hang there. The one who took your sins and mine paid the price that you can be saved. Salvation is like an uncashed cheque but to avail of it you must cash it in. Upon that cross before he died the Lord was able to say “it is finished”. The work was completed. The price was paid. Victory was won. Why not come to him tonight. Where will you be in eternity? If you come and call on the Saviour he is able and willing to save you. Maybe you are saying “you don’t know the awful things I have done. I have an awful past. I have committed some awful crimes.” Gods word says “Him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.”  Will you not come to him tonight? “For whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.” It doesn’t say he might be saved or there is a chance or a possibility but you shall be saved. Salvation is sure and certain if you would come to him tonight. May God help you to come him and avail of the great gift of salvation given because of Calvary.

David's Helpers in the War

COLERAINE INDEPENDENT METHODIST CHURCH

SUNDAY 23 FEBRUARY 2025 am – MR JASON CRUISE

1 SAMUEL 22 VERSES 1 AND 2 AND 1 CHRONICLES 12 VERSES 1 AND 2, 17 TO 23, 32 AND 33

Here in the verses we read, we come to a very dark period in the life of David. David has had to flee from Saul. Remember that David said to Jonathan “as thy soul liveth there is but a step between me and death.” (1 Samuel 20 verse 3) David fled from the face of Saul and comes to hide in the cave of Adullam. A dark and dreary time in the life of David. As he is there in the cave many men came and joined themselves to David until it became a great host like the hose of God. We learn in Psalm 57 David says “Be merciful unot me, O God, be merciful unto me, yea, in the shadow of thy wings will I make thy refuge, until these calamities be overpast.” He is the cave Adullam. A dark and dreary time. David knows there is only one person he can turn to – the God of heaven. David says “thy wings will I make my refuge until these calamities be overpast.” I wonder as you sit here today are you going through a dark period in your life? Maybe there is a difficulty in relation to your health, or a financial difficulty or a family problem. The God of heaven who David looked to for help is the same God who sees you in our need. He is able to help you. Psalm 142 verses 1 and 2 says “I cried unto the Lord with my voice, with my voice unto the Lord did I make my supplication. I poured out my complaint before him, I shewed before him my trouble.” Then in verse 6 he says “Attend unto my cry; for I am brought very low; deliver me from my persecutors, for they are stronger than I.” Are you going through some time of difficulty? The God who was able to help David is able to help you today. He knew he had a friend that sticketh closer than a brother and that he would never leave him or forsake him. Just like Joseph who knew God in the pit, in the prison and in the palace. Just like Daniel when he was in the lions den. That Moses knew as he stood at the Red Sea and the armies of Egypt were coming behind him. He knew he could trust in the Lord. Someone who undertook for Elijah at Mount Carmel. He will undertake for you and I.  When David was sitting in the cave day by day more and more men came and aligned themselves to him. They have come to serve him. Eventually he left the cave and made his way to Ziklag where Achish the king gave him a portion of land. News eventually came to David that Saul and Jonathan had been killed. David moved on to Hebron. In these 3 places there a number of people who come and align themselves with David, join this band of men. Even though Jonathan and Saul were killed the war continues on. 2 Samuel 3 verse 1 “Now there was long war between the house of Saul and the house of David but David waxed stronger and stronger and the house of Saul waxed weaker and weaker.” I want to think of these men who came to David in the cave, Ziklag and Hebron. In chapter 22 we see that everyone who was distressed, in debt and discontented came to David and he became a captain over them. They came to David in the cave in distress. They were in debt and they were discontented. He became captain over them. These men had their problems – discontented, no peace in their lives. They were in debt also. As soon as David sees these men he doesn’t tell them to go and get their problems sorted out and then come back and join him. He doesn’t tell them to get their debts paid off and when he sees they are sincere and genuine they would be allowed to come into his host. When you come to the Lord we are also in distress and have no peace. We have our problems. We have our debt. Each of us is born with a debt only one person can pay and that is the Lord. He paid it on the centre cross of Calvary. He doesn’t tell us to get our problems sorted out first and then join him . When we have come in repentance and are genuinely born again of the Spirit of God, brought into the family of God, become sons and daughters of God we have a debt paid. The apostle Peter said “Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers. But with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or spot.” (1 Peter 1 verse 18)  Too many have that great debt in the world today and are trying to pay it on their own. Thankfully there is only one who could pay that debt. Jesus was willing to be taken to the cross and pay that debt. We see some of these men who aligned themselves to David. What is their character and the lessons for us?

1 Chronicles 12 verse 8 “And of the Gadites, there separated themselves unto David, unto the hold to the wilderness men of might and men of war fit for the battle, that could handle shield and buckler, whose faces were like the faces of lions and were as swift as the roes upon the mountains.”

These were men ready to go to war, they were fit for battle. When they came to align themselves with David they didn’t come to sit on the sidelines. They were ready to be in the battle front. We are not saved to sit but saved to serve. Are we serving the Lord as best we can? Are we willing to step up each morning to serve our Lord willingly? They could hand a shield and a buckler. That tells me whenever these men came and aligned themselves with David they were going to defend the one in whom they trusted. They wanted to serve and they trusted and respected David. Could it be said of us today? Could it be said of us in the workplace and among neighbours? Are we willing to defend the word of God? The Son of God? When our Saviour comes under attack are we loyal and obedient? Or are we willing to stand back and keep our mouths silent? There is a time to be silent but also there is a time to speak. Are we willing to defend our Saviour.  It is also said of these men “whose faces were like the faces of lions”. There is one thing you notice when you watch the wildlife programmes or even see lions on a visit to a zoo – the lion is confident, bold and courageous. I wonder can that be said of us? Like these sons of Gadites that we are confident, bold and courageous? Do we have confidence in our Saviour? Are we bold for him in the work that lies ahead? Are we courageous to step out for our Saviour day and daily? For you and I in the workplace or down the street – have we been bold, confident and courageous for the Saviour? Ephesians tells us to “be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might.” As we step out into a new week how will we conduct ourselves in serving the Lord as Saviour. The end of the verse talks about being “swift as roes on the mountains.” These are gazelles and we have maybe seen them also on wildlife programmes. They move forward with great speed and agility. The apostle Paul in describing putting on the full armour of God says we are to have our loins girt about with truth, having on the breastplate of righteousness, feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace, taking the shield of faith, helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit (Ephesians 6). But there is one piece of armour we don’t read of – the back armour. There is no protection for the back – why – so we don’t turn back The early Christians in the book of Acts when persecution came against them did not turn back. As a result the gospel spread. We should seek to be faithful to our Master day and daily, to see souls sought and won for the Saviour in the days in which we live. Let’s be like these men of Gad who were fit for battle. They didn’t want to sit at the sidelines. They came with their shields and bucklers. They came to trust in the one who they were serving. They were bold, confident and courageous. They went forward with speed and agility.

1 Chronicles 12 verse 32 “And of the children of Issachar, which were men that had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do; the heads of them were two hundred and all their brethren were at their commandment.”

These were men of discernment. If you and I are going to know the will of God in these days we live in we ned to be men and woman of prayer and of the book. We need to spend time in his word and to know his will for our lives. Can it be said of us we are men and women of prayer? If we are going to be men and women of discernment we are going to have to spend time in the quiet place. We need to pray for those in the government of our land that they would know wisdom from God. If young people are going to know the will of god for their lives they have to learn how to spend time with God in prayer. These were men of discernment. The devil is up to his tricks and out to deceive believers. We need to be wise. The activities of the devil need to be thwarted. We need to spend time with the Lord in the place of prayer.

 

1 Chronicles 12 verse 33 “Of Zebulun, such as went forth to battle, expert in war, with all instruments of war, fifty thousand, which could keep rank; they were not of double heart.”

If you and I were in the battlefield with these men, if they were beside us we know they would not break rank. We need to be faithful to our commander and to one another in the battle of life. These men of Zebulun were experts in war. We need to keep rank to those in the fellowship, with those who are with us in the battle. That we will stand together and serve the Lord as our Saviour.

The Gadites were confident, bold and courageous.

The men of Issachar were men of discernment.

The men of Zebulun were men of loyalty and commitment.

The continual rejection of Jesus Christ

 

COLERAINE INDEPENDENT METHODIST CHURCH

SUNDAY 16 FERUARY 2025 – MR IAN GILKINSON

MATTHEW 23 VERSES 34 – 39

 

Now these verses that we have read together as far as the gospel of Matthew is concerned are the last words of our Lord in a public setting. He said many other things of course but these are the last in a public setting. They contain a lament, a poignant lament. They express the sorrow in the heart of our Lord Jesus Christ over his rejection by the nation of Israel as their promised Messiah. It is his lament that I want us to consider lest there should be any in this meeting who by their continual rejection of Christ should land themselves in the same boat as this generation, that generation of the nation of Israel who rejected the Lord Jesus as their great promised Messiah.

 

I want you to note first of all what weeping there is in this lament. In this lament our Lord mourns over the fate of Jerusalem. He knows it will be soon left desolated because it rejected him as its promised Messiah. They were waiting for God to send their promised Messiah. They rejected him, despite his word and his works. He mourns over the fate of the whole nation of Israel, Jerusalem here being representative of the nation of Israel for he knows it will be destroyed when God abandons her house. Jesus knows what is coming. When he speaks these words he knows what will befall Jerusalem in the coming years. He mourns on their behalf. They have rejected him, the one who came to save them. The one who their promised Messiah mournfully cried verse 37 “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem.” The “O” signifying the depth of his sorrow. What other word could you use except O? Notice the repetition of Jerusalem identifying the emotion of what he felt for the Holy City Jerusalem. When I think of ourselves today as the sinner, the Lord knows what awaits the sinner who dies in his sin, whether that be a man or woman. He knows what will befall them and he mourns for them. If we were to apply those words to ourselves, to add our names instead, he mourns for you. He knows what is before you. He knows your fate and he doesn’t want you to die in your sins. Put your own name in there. What weeping we have in this lament. Think of that for a moment. Here we have the creator of the universe, the one who created the sun, moon and stars. He created all things by the word of his power. The one who created you and created me, he mourns for the man and woman who dies in their sin because he knows what awaits them. Trying to convey here his sorrow, his love for you. What weeping.

 

Secondly, what wickedness is spoken of here. The Lord charges the holy city Jerusalem and nation of Israel of what – killing the prophets and stoned them which were sent unto them. They killed the prophets of God, stoned his messengers. Put it another way he charges them of trying to silence the voice of God by eliminating the messengers of God. Men that God sent with a message they got rid of, disposed of by killing. The cup of their iniquity was almost full. Further murderers attempted to silence the voice of God would culminate in the crucifixion of the Son of God who would crucify him in a short time. In the persecution of those later sent to them, the apostles, the early Christians bear witness to the life and death of the Lord but also his glorious resurrection from the dead. The cup of their iniquity was almost full. They were wicked people, guilty of the shedding of innocent blood in the city including the Son of God. Such guilt. They would pay for such wickedness. When I think of the man still without God, the bible makes it clear they are sinners through and through. Their heart is deceitful and desperately wicked. They might never have killed any prophets or stoned them but are equally wicked in God’s sight. The bible mentions we have all sinned and come short of his glory. He will not hold any of us guiltless, he will judge us for our sins. For some of us conscious of our sin through his word, through his gospel, we too have sought to silence his voice. Maybe in the pub, at home, in different ways, to stop our ears to his voice for we know what we must do it. We don’t want to do it. We want to continue in our own way, to continue in our sin. Maybe we never drove the nails into Christ’s hands and feet or physically scourged him but we are guilty of his blood, for the Son of God died for us. We put him there ultimately. It was God himself for he came to die for our sins. In this land we have great weeping and wickedness.

 

We also have wistfulness in this land. The Lord expressed how often he longed to save Jerusalem, the nation of Israel for he could see the storm of judgment of God coming. He longed that she would repent and trust in him. As the promised Messiah he longed that her children, the nation of Israel would awaken to his call.  He wanted to protect Israel from the coming storm under his wings metaphorically. He longed to protect them under his wings even as a hen gathers her chicks together by calling onto them, clicking unto them lovingly when she senses an approaching storm, that she would protect them with her outstretched wings. As I think of the sinner without God, dead in trespasses and sin, going on the way to death and destruction, the Lord longs that you might turn from your sin, from your wicked ways. Turn to him in repentance and faith. That you might find safety, security and salvation under his wings from the wrath that is to come. He has longed for her. He is not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. He longs that you might long to turn from your sins and turn to him. He longs for you to do that. He knows what is ahead. He knows the storm that is about to break over her. What weeping there is in this land. What wickedness there is in this land. What wistfulness there is in this land.

 

What wilfulness there is in this land. Our Lord exclaimed that and put his longings to save Jerusalem, the nation of Israel from the coming storm of judgement, the storm of God. The nation of Israel and Jerusalem had stubbornly refused to repent despite all the opportunities to do so. Jerusalem and the nation of Israel had outrightly rejected him as their promised Messiah. Worse still she would still clamour for his death for she did not want him to run over her. So again, apply that to ourselves, thinking of the sinner who is still in their sin. God is calling, beckoning, wooing, seeking to bring him to himself. So many of us have wilfully resisted him. Wouldn’t it be a shame, more a tragedy to think that on the day of your death if we were to chisel onto your tombstone “and ye would not”. Despite the gracious call of God, despite the striving of the spirit. If you were to die in your sin that is all we could write on your tombstone. Your family could put lovely things on it but the best would be “and ye would not”. As we think of this lament we noted what weeping, wickedness, wistfulness, wilfulness there is. Note what woe there is in this lament. In this lament our Lord spoke of the desolation of her house, namely the temple that was in Jerusalem. He foretold that the temple in Jerusalem would be destroyed because it would be abandoned by God. He told his disciples this in chapter 24 verse 2. That is exactly what happened in AD70 when the Romans overthrew Jerusalem and demolished the temple. The inhabitants were carried into captivity. Josephus tells us about a million people were killed at that time. Also told that when the temple was destroyed and raised to the ground by fire that they took apart the stone blocks in order to get gold. Fulfilled the prophecy. Not one stone was left on another in their greed for gold. They demolished the temple. That generation suffered all those things because they didn’t heed him. He suffered without cause, nailed him to a tree. The man or woman who rejects Christ wilfully, resists him, who will not come, even those he has graciously called strive with them and are convicted of their sin by the Holy Spirit. There is nothing but destruction for them. They died in their sin and experienced the second death after judgement for their sins. They were cast into the lake of fire when the smoke of their torment will ascend for ever and ever. What woe there is for the sinner who dies in their sin.

 

What wisdom there is. Thankfully there were those in Jerusalem and the nation of Israel who did believe in Christ. They obeyed the command of Jesus who at the beginning of his ministry cried repent and believe the gospel. The majority did not but those who did there were those who fled to Jesus to save them from the death there was to come, the judgement of God that would have broken on their souls. Thankfully there were those who found wisdom under his wings. Is there anyone here who might exercise the same judgement that some of you did in that day and as countless millions have done ever since? What about you? Have you ever been conscious of God speaking, striving within? Have you ever come and put your trust in him as Saviour? Have you found shelter under his wings?

 

The story is told of a homesteader in the Canadian prairies in 1850 who set up his home in an area that was prone to fire. In order to safeguard himself from fires in the autumn and spring he ploughed a couple of furrows around the estate. He burnt off the scrubland that it might be a firebreak. One morning he awoke to the smell of fire. He realised there was a fire in the distance. He started to soak the ground around his home. He went to bed but couldn’t sleep. The next morning the fire was closer. He watched for the sparks coming onto the land and beat them out. He poured water and endeavoured to save his farm. He did everything that he could. A little red hen was so conscious of the danger of the fire and when she realised that the chicks might perish began to cluck loudly. The little chicks came running to her to find shelter under her wings. One wilful little chick thought it knew better. Rather than coming to the mother hen and finding shelter he ran off and perished in the fire. When the fire had passed by the farmer had saved his homestead. As he looked around his property for any sparks he saw a mound in the distance smouldering away. This intrigued him so he went over to the mound. As he kicked the mound these tiny chicks came out from beneath the mound chirping. The homesteader realised that the little red hen gave her life for her chicks. They listened to her call but one didn’t and he perished. Jesus gave his life and those who come to him as he calls will be saved from the wrath that is to come. He will shelter them under his wings but the man or woman who wilfully resists, goes their own way, they will perish in their sin. Don’t be like that little chick. When Jesus calls run, run from the wrath that is to come. Run to Jesus and find shelter under his wings even as Israel could have done in that day. If they had believed him and received him they would have been saved. Will you?

Three Steps to Staging in the Christian Race

 

COLERAINE INDEPENDENT METHODIST CHURCH

SUNDAY 16 FEBRUARY 2025 – PASTOR IAN GILKINSON

HEBREW 12 VERSES 1 TO 4

 

I wonder this morning have you ever felt like giving up on the Lord? Because the way is too hard? I am sure you have. We all have. Have you ever thought of throwing in the towel? Going back to your old ways. Maybe even to the faith of your fathers. The darkness of Rome, dead orthodoxy, liberal Protestantism? The Jewish believers who received this letter which we call the book of Hebrews did feel like that. They felt like going back, back to what we call Judaism, the faith of their fathers for they had experienced persecution. Persecution for their faith, faith in Jesus Christ as the promised Messiah. They were facing the very real possibility of intensified persecution. This were hard, difficult, different for them. It looked like things would get harder, more difficult for them to follow Jesus. Knowing this the author of the book of Hebrews encourages them to keep going forward like runners in a race. That is my goal this morning – I want to share with you 3 distinct steps for staying in the race that the Lord has set before you. I want to consider those 3 steps.

 

Step 1 – consider the saints. As the author of the book of Hebrews beings this chapter he draws our attention back to the previous chapter with the word “wherefore”. In that chapter there were mentioned directly and indirectly many of the great heroes and heroines of the faith. These people such as Abel who offered a better sacrifice than his brother. Enoch who walked with God. Noah who built the ark. Abraham the father of our faith and Sarah his wife. Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Aram and Jochebed the mother and father of Moses and Moses himself, Joshua, Rahab the harlot, Gideon, Barak, Samson, Joseph, Samuel, David and so on. These are the great “cloud of witnesses” that surround us as we run the race the Lord has set before us. He has set a race for each one of us. Yours is different than mine. There are things you will go through in your life that I will not go through. We are all running in the same direction, towards heaven. As you consider these saints note 3 things about that can encourage us as we run our race.

 

First, they have run their race. These people, once Old Testament saints that we read of in chapter 11, these witnesses have finished the race the Lord set before them. In fact they never gave up even when the going got tough and for some of them it got really tough. For they endured unspeakable pain and strife. Read chapter 11 verses 35 to 38. These old Testament saints some of them endured great hardship, difficulties, some were killed yet they persevered, yet they ran their race, the race the Lord had set before them. We should then take heart in our race for if they could live for the Lord and serve him in their generation then we should be able to do so too. No matter how hard it gets, how difficult and discouraged and disillusioned we are. We ought to run our race taking encouragement from these saints we read about in Hebrews and of others in the Old Testament and those saints not mentioned in the New Testament and in church history. Take encouragement from their lives. They have run their race.

 

Secondly they have also received their reward. These saints, these witnesses have received their reward, even their rest from all their labours. Their spirits are of just men made perfect (Hebrews 12 verse 23). They are with the Lord. We should take heart in our race. When our race is over, when we cross the finishing line, when we pass from this scene of life into glory, we too shall enjoy the reward of rest from all our labours. The older we get, the more hardships and difficulties we go through. We look forward to that day, to rest in peace with the Lord knowing they are behind us. We will not face them again. We should be motivated to run by the promise of the future rewards and glory. The bible makes it clear that one day the people of God, the saints, the church will stand before him.  The unbeliever will stand before the great white throne of judgement and after judgement will be cast into the lake of fire. The believer will stand before the Bema Seat and be judged for their deeds done in the body. They will receive rewards. Some will be saved by fire, some will be burned up as by fire, as by wood, hay and stubble. Others will be considered as gold and silver. We shall enter into our rest. We will be rewarded one day when we stand before him. These saints, these people were witnesses, they have run their race and received their rewards.

 

Thirdly, what they have realised is that God is reliable. The greatest encouragement we can receive is proof positive of the reliability of God. Witnesses to the faithfulness of God. We are surrounded by these great witnesses. Sometimes the idea is given that they are looking down on us as we are running our race but that is not what is being said here. It proves to us that God is faithful, dependable. If he undertook for them he will undertake for us. God is not a man that he should lie. We can trust God, depend on God. Even the best of us fail but God never fails. We can take heart in our race. If he honoured their faith, strengthened and sustained, kept, used and blessed them and got glory from their lives, he will do the same for us. As we run the race set before us, as we think of staying in the race, step 1 is to consider the saints. They ran the race, they received their reward and they proved God is reliable and dependable.

 

Step 2 – consider self. We must consider 1 of 2 things regarding ourselves as we consider the race God has set before us. Failure to do so will affect our ability to run. A serious runner will always deal with that which will hamper them from running the race before them. They do so and go to great lengths to do so. We must do so in the race that God has set before us. “Lay aside every weight and sin which doth so easily beset us.” We need to set aside all weights and sins. Serious runners strip themselves of every weight that would hinder them from running the race. They trained hard to shed pounds. They are lean and light on race day. They are not carrying extra padding. They trained hard to be there. They got rid of the weights to increase their stamina and strength. In preparing for the race they used weights to strengthen their muscles but on race day they set them aside to run swiftly. We should do the same. We need to shed the pounds. Some of us have to do that spiritually speaking. How? By changing our diet. What do I mean? By getting into God’s word. By reading his word. By meditating on his word. By memorizing his word. The greatest goal and desire by exercising ourselves unto godliness. We need to get rid of that which is good as well as that which is bad if it keeps us running the race set before us. Sometimes good things can be a hindrance. Material possessions, things we own can be an encumbrance. If we have a car we keep it clean by washing it. We do the same with our homes. The more we have the more responsibility we have to maintain it. Family might be tying us back.  Our husband or wife may be holding us back and we cannot let them. We cannot let them hold us back from running the race no matter how much they love us. It can relate to any relationship we have. It can encumber us. Trip us up. There is also the love of comfort. We all like our comfort but it can encumber. The older we get, the frailer we get, we love to sit beside the fire. There is social media. How many of us pick up our phone or our laptop before we go to the word of God? There is television, the things that we should not be watching. We must tackle all that encumbers us by laying them aside. All the weights, all the sins. Serious runners strip themselves of all clothing that would entangle them. Today athletes wear lycra. It is skin tight so they can run swiftly. In ancient Greek they ran naked. They stripped themselves of all that would encumber them. If we are going to run the race the Lord has set before us we need to deal with our sin in our lives, in particular the besetting sins in our lives. In Hebrews the author is speaking of the sin of unbelief but it could refer to any sin, any sin we fall into again and again. That is besetting sin. If we find ourselves in that position we ought to take it to the Lord, trust him to deliver us from its power, whatever that might be. When the Holy Spirit brings them back to our remembrance we should take it to the Lord.

 

We must also run with endurance like the long distance runner. We should run with patience. We must, despite the pain persevere to the end. Like a marathon runner. The Christian life is more like a marathon than a sprint, In a 100 metres race it is over in a matter of seconds by professional athletes but a marathon goes on for hours. We are to be like marathon runners. To settle down for the long haul. To endure patiently. Endure whatever life throws at us. We ought to do so in the sure and certain knowledge despite the agony of our race. The English word for agony comes from the word race here. We are to do it in the knowledge despite the agony of our race. The race has been individually tailored for us. He sets it before us for our own good and his glory. We are all running in the same direction, for heaven and home but our individual race is tailored by the Lord. What you face might be different than what I face. Some go through awful, terrible things while others get off lightly. Sometimes people go through things that cause great tears, anguish and heartbreak. Others not so much. The Lord has tailored our races for our good, to make us more like Jesus for his glory. As we go through these trials, jump these hurdles, prove our faith, he uses them to refine us, to change us for his own glory. We must as we consider self run with endurance, patiently enduring unto the end.

 

We must focus on our supreme example. While we take encouragement from those who have run their race, the Old and New Testament saints who existed for 2000 years, our focal point in our race is the Lord. Our focus ought to be in the man Christ Jesus. Why? Because he ran his race perfectly from beginning to end. He did so in faith. In fact we are to look to him – verse 2 “the author and finisher of faith.” Sometimes we quote it as “our faith”. That little word “our” is in italics so it was not in the original. He is the greatest example. We can be encouraged by Abraham, David, Samson, Paul and Peter but the greatest example of faith is Christ. He exercised faith in God throughout his life. He exercised faith in God. Keep your eyes on Jesus. Take them off your own personal circumstances and those around you. Run the race the Lord has set before you. Don’t be like Peter who on one occasion took his eyes off the Lord and he began to sink into the sea of Galilee. Remember the occasion – Jesus came to his disciples walking on the water. They thought he was a ghost but realised it was the Lord. Peter asked to come to him and he got out of the boat. He started to walk on water but the moment he took his eyes off Jesus he began to sink. We will do the same. In our race we need to focus on our supreme example. It is good to look back but he is our supreme example. Step 1 consider the saints. Step 2 consider self.

 

Step 3 – consider the Saviour, Christ. The author of the book of Hebrews not only encourages us to look to the author of our faith but exhorted them to carefully consider him as they ran the race. He told them several things about Jesus so that he might spur them on in running their race. Many things could be said of the race but the writer focused on the cross and the shame he endured. He could have focused on his life and ministry but he chose to focus on his cross and the shame, the agony and the ignominy he endured at Calvary. If he was able to endure such for us then surely we can run our race for his glory? In fact it ought to spur us on to take up our cross and follow him. To do so irrespective of what others might say or do to us. Consider our reasons. He ran “for the joy that was set before him”. All the honour that would be bestowed on him in bringing many sons to glory. He knew he would be honoured in glory by doing his fathers will. Surely that is a great reason for us. To know that one day he will honour us for running the race that he set before us just as he honoured his son. He came into the world to go to the cross. He finished his race and was honoured for doing it. He found joy in doing it even though he suffered the agony and ignominy. Consider his reward – honoured by his father. He assumed his rightful place at his Father’s right hand. When we finish the race we too will be honoured by the Father. We will be enthroned with Christ in glory. The right to sit down with Christ on his throne in glory. Revelation 21 specifically tells us we will be granted the right to sit down with Christ on his throne in glory, to share his authority and reign with him for ever and ever (Revelation 21 verse 5). Surely that is another good reason for running the race the Lord has set before us.

 

Consider his resolve – verses 3 and 4. As we run our race consider the fact that the Lord was determined despite all the opposition he faced. He faced opposition from men and in the demonic world too yet he ran his race. He finished his course come hell or high water. He was resolved to do so. It was his meat in life to do the Father’s will. We should possess the same mindset as we run the race set before us if it means paying the highest price. Many have done so in church history and different parts of the world. They have been persecuted for their faith, finished their race by way of martyrdom. We think we have it hard, difficult with people who oppose us but we should consider our resolve and have that same mindset.

 

In 1994 Tom Hanks an American actor played the leading role in a film called Forrest Gump. It was billed as a romantic comedy and known today for its many iconic scenes and sayings that have pervaded our popular culture. Today I want to leave you with one of those phrases – run Forrest run. Young Forrest was encouraged to run for all he was able from the bullies chasing him. He did that with all his might even losing the leg braces that supported him as he ran. If I was to take that saying from that movie and apply it to ourselves it would be Run Christian Run for all you are able and keep running. Persevere to the end. Consider the saints as you do so. Consider self as you do so. Consider Christ the Saviour as you do so. Run Christian Run!