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?

 

Where are you?

 

COLERAINE INDEPENDENT METHODIST CHURCH

SERMON NOTES FROM SUNDAY 27 OCTOBER 2024 pm – MR BRYAN CRUISE

Genesis 3 verses 8 and 9

The first question asked by God in the Old Testament and the first question asked by man in the New Testament.  The first question asked by God in the Old Testament was “where art thou?”

A simple question – “where are you?”  There are 3 answers that we have for this question.

1.     Where are you - you are in your sin tonight

Whenever we think of a sinner we think of some especially evil immoral or wicked.  The bible says Romans 3 verse 23 “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.”  Through Adam’s act of disobedience in the Garden of Eden every human has inherited a sinful nature.  You are a sinner.  The bible says so.  It is universal.  No-one escapes it.  Adam’s sinful disobedience resulted in human sinfulness.  Like a button on a shirt, get one wrong and it affects all the other buttons.  Adams original act of disobedience affected the whole line.  Everyone is born in sin and shapen in iniquity.  As humans we have this natural inclination to sin.  Given the choice between doing God’s will or our own we naturally choose to do our own thing.  Nobody taught us how to sin.  No-one ever took their children aside and said “I am going to teach you how to lie.”  Parents go to great lengths to teach their children not to do wrong things.  Sinful behaviour comes naturally to us. The news is full of tragic examples of mankind acting sinfully.  The sin that once was shamefully committed in the back alleys is now strutting down the main street.  Sin is all around us. 1 John 1 verse 8 “If we claim to be without sin we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.”  You are a sinner tonight.  Because of your sinfulness it produces universal condemnation.  Romans 5 verse 18  “therefore as by the trespass of one resulted in the condemnation of all men.”  John 3 verse 18 “he that believeth on him is not condemned but he that believeth not is condemned already because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.”  Humans are universally guilty before God and therefore stand condemned under the wrath of God.  Sin as a punishment begats death – Romans 6 verse 23 “for the wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”  Because of sin death is the price that all men pay.  While the physical consequences of sin is physical death that is not the only kind of death that results from sin.  Because all sin is ultimately committed against an infinite and eternal God that means that the price to be paid for sin must also be infinite and eternal.  Because of that the penalty for sin is infinite and eternal.  What we need to be saved from is sin itself but also the punishment of sin.  That is an eternity spent in that terrible place called hell.  Revelation 20 verses 14 and 15 refer to it as the second death, that place of eternal torment.  Sin is what makes you unsaved, sin is what separates you from God, it has you on the road to hell.

2.    Where are you - you are on the road that leads to destruction

Most people assume that as long as they don’t mess up things here on earth they will go to heaven when you die.  The natural default destination of mankind is hell.  Matthew 7 verses 13 and 14 “Enter ye in at the straight gate for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leadeth to destruction and many there be which go in thereat.  Because strait is the gate and narrow is the way which leadeth unto life and few there be that find it.”  The Lord paints this picture of 2 roads to life -  broad road that leads to eternal torment or the narrow road to eternal life.  There are 2 destinations.  There is no limbo, purgatory, no middle ground, you go to one of 2 places.  Do you know what road you are on? Because if you don’t know what road you are on make sure you know for certain.  The bible says in Revelation 21 verse 8 gives a list individuals who will be found in this terrible place.  Here in Revelation it gives list of individuals, some you expect to find there, really bad guys in society.  No surprise to find them there.  Also find people we work with every day.  Idolaters, people who don’t put God first in their life,  liars.  We are all prone to lying as humanity.  Every one has lied.  White lies, innocent lies, humanity lies.  Scripture makes no qualms about it.  Abraham lied, Sarah lied, Lot lied, Isaac lied, Jacob lied.  Chapter 27 and there are still 23 chapters to go in the bible of 66 books.  Man lies.  Hell is not a place for really bad guys but people we work with, we rub shoulders with every day.  There is an escape from such a place.  If you come and put your trust in Christ, to know what it means to have life eternal.  To be free from the burden of sin.  How can that be fair you might ask?  For if I tell one lie, if I commit one sin and live 70 years as a sinner, how is it fair for me to go to hell for eternity?  Sin is committed against an infinite and eternal God.  The price for sin must be infinite and eternal.  Therefore you as finite individual you can pay price for an infinite amount of time.  Or an infinite individual can pay the price once.  For one sin you commit on earth you would have to pay the price for an infinite amount of time. Or an infinite being can pay the price once.  That is what we see in the word of God.  We see how the Lord left the realms of glory, the praise of angels, was born in Bethlehem, raised as a man, lived a perfect righteous life before God, then bore our sins on Calvary.  He did it for you.  If you think I am not talking to you but to everyone else here – I am talking especially to you.

3.    Where are you – you are here tonight

That is where you are.  There are 8.1 billion people living in the world and 1.9 million living in Northern Ireland.  God has you listening to the gospel message.  To hear again that Jesus saves.  You are here tonight. The bible tells us in Ruth 2 verse 3 that God was working behind the scenes the entire time.  “She went and came and gleaned in the field after the reapers and her hap was to light on  part of the field, belonging unto Boaz who was of the kindred of Elimelech.”  She didn’t just happen on the field of Boaz.  God’s will for her to be there.  It is God’s will that finds you here tonight, to hear God’s message once again.  God is seeking you. Will you not come to him and know your sins forgiven? Know what it means to be free in Christ.

Matthew 2 verses 1 and 2

The first question man asked by man in the New Testament – “where is he that is born king of the Jews?”  The Messiah of his people, who is the redeemer of the world, the Saviour of mankind.  Where is he – the Lord Jesus.

1.     He went to Calvary in order for you and I to be forgiven of sin and to spend a glory with the Lord.  He had to send his Son into the world to pay the price for our sin.  He sent his son to die on the cross for you.  Because of the just penalty for sin is infinite and eternal only God could pay the price.  The Son of God left the splendour of heaven, came into this world to pay the price for sin.  This man when he had offered one sacrifice for sin for ever sat down at the right hand of God.  The price has been paid.  All you have to do is repent and come in simple saving faith.  Some say “I could never have faith in God, in someone I don’t see, or in the bible, I don’t understand it.”  They have faith in what scientists say of something that happened 34 million years ago and yet have no faith in the bible for something that happened 2000 years ago.  “I could never have faith in God.”  You use faith every day in your life.  Some use the example of a chair and say “You have faith in the chair and the chair will hold you when you sit down.”  You cannot have faith in an inanimate thing.  What you have is just head knowledge.  You have faith in the man who built the chair.  Faith in his craftsmanship.  You can have head knowledge of Christ and still go to hell.  You can know he was real and existed but that is only head knowledge, you haven’t placed your faith in him.  Acts 16 verse 31 “Believe on the Lord Jesus and thou shalt be saved.”  Not in the Lord, many believe in Jesus but they have not put their faith and trust on him.  I imagine most people drove here tonight.  You had faith in every other driver that they would say on their side of the road.  Husbands, you had faith that your wife would make you a cup of tea this morning and not put poison in your tea.   Faith is something you use it every day but you have no faith in Christ - I cannot comprehend that. 

2.    Where is he?  He rose again.  The bible says he rose again the third day according to the scriptures.  The resurrection of Christ is foundational to the gospel message.  He rose again and he lives in the power of an endless life.  Christ is risen - Acts 2 verse 24 “Whom God hath raised up having loosed the pains of death because it was not possible that he should be holden of it”.  Death could not hold the Lord Jesus so he rose again the third day.  The resurrection proves God accepted his sacrifice, his atonement, the work done for us on our behalf.  Nothing more was needed to be done.  It was a sufficient sacrifice.  Jesus was the perfect sacrifice for sin.  God accepted as the true andfull complete payment for sin. John 14 verse 19 “Yet a little while and the world seeth me no more, but ye see me; because I live, ye shall live also.”  Because the Lord is alive tonight, because he has power to raise himself from the dead, he has the power to raise you from the spiritual death you are in.   He has the power to make you a new creation. It cost God nothing to create the universe, it cost God nothing to make everything in creation.  All he had to do was speak but to redeem your soul it cost him everything.  God had to send his son, his only begotten son from heaven to die for you.  It cost God more to redeem your soul than it did to create the whole world.  Mark 8 verse 36 “For what shall it profit a man if he shall gain the whole world and lose his own soul.” Your soul is worth more than the entire world to God. Take all the military power in the world, all the electronic power, hydro power, take all the wealth in the world - your soul is worth more than that to God.

3.    Where is he tonight?  He bids you come tonight.  Christ offers his salvation as a free gift that can be only received by faith apart from any merit or work of our own.  You cannot be saved by working your way to heaven.  You cannot be saved by any achievement.  It is a free gift received in faith.  Matthew 11 verse 28 “come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest.”  Don’t attempt to touch yourself up.  Or make yourself something other than what you really are.  Don’t think to yourself I have to make my life a little bit better or a little bit holier before I come to God.  It is God who justifies the ungodly.  The gospel will receive you into its halls, as a sinner.  Nothing else.  Don’t wait for any reformation on your own behalf.  It is God who justifies the ungodly.  Don’t think you are too wicked to be saved.  Christ receiveth sinful men.  God desires to forgive you.  Will you not turn from your sinful ways and trust in Christ for the forgiveness of sins? Receive him as Saviour.  1 John 1 verse 9 “If we confess our sins he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.  2 things that usually happen to me when I talk to people about the gospel, the first response is “I would become a Christian if not for such and such a person.  I see how that person lives and they are a hypocrite.”   I want to tell you on that great and terrible day when you stand before God to be judged you can’t point the finger at someone else, it wont work.  God will say “I will judge him in his own time.  I am asking you why you didn’t come and put your trust in me.”  That excuse does not work.  Others say “I don’t know whether I will get saved or not.”  Indecision is a decision in itself.  If I give you a plane ticket tonight leaving at 9 pm and you stayed in your pew, thought I don’t know whether to go or not.  The plane will leave without you.  Will you not decide to live for him, will you not say like Peter on the water “Lord save me”?

A King's Prayer

 

COLERAINE INDEPENDENT METHODIST CHURCH

SUNDAY 27 OCTOBER 2024 – MR BRYAN CRUISE

2 Samuel 15 verses 13 to 17, 31 to 34 – A King’s Prayer

Here in 2 Samuel 15 I want to show you something very important today.  How a godly king who was backed into a deadly corner teaches us a liberating truth about prayer.  This is one of the most tragic stories in the whole of scripture.  David’s son Absalom has exploited his fathers love and stolen the hearts of the people of Israel and conspired against him.  The rebellion was so strong there was no option but to flee Jerusalem in the hopes of living to fight another day.  Then David learns his most promised advisor has joined in Absalom’s rebellion.  Yet in the most awful of circumstances we find David’s first automatic reflex is godward.  David begins to pray.  There are 3 things we can learn from our passage – the person, the prayer and the providence.

In our chapter King David’s automatic reflex is godward.  I want you to see what he does – verse 31 “O Lord I pray thee turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness.”  We see that prayer to King David was not a last resort but the first response.  This is King David after all.  Psalm 109 verse 4 “I am a man of prayer.”  Most translations say “I am a man of prayer” but in the original Hebrew the definitive articles are left out “I am prayer.”  We know we need the definitive articles “I am a man of prayer” to make sense but the original Hebrew says “I am prayer.”  We see that David’s life is so open, so in communion with God.  His life is consistent with prayer.  He was a walking prayer meeting.  In Psalm 55 verse 17 we see he prays 3 times daily and in Psalm 119 verse 164 he praises God 7 times a day.  David was a man of prayer. I have little books at home entitled Quiet Talks by S T Gordon – there is one on evangelism, one on scripture but there is also one on prayer.  He makes this remark – “you can do more than pray after you have prayed but you cannot do more than pray until you have prayed.” We are all familiar with Luke 11 verse 1.  It is a verse quoted in prayer meetings “Lord teach us to pray.”  While familiar with that part of the verse we are not familiar with the end of the verse.  The disciples asked Jesus “Lord teach us to pray as John taught his disciples.”  This verse teaches us that John the Baptist and Jesus had followers who did not know how to pray or else they wanted to grow in their understanding or the practice of prayer.  We see in this verse prayer was not something that came naturally to them like eating or drinking or sleeping.  Prayer like any language has to be learnt.  Philippians 4 verse 6 “Be careful for nothing but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.”    Believers shouldn’t be anxious about anything.  It doesn’t mean to have a complete lack of concern, or to be careless as we go through life but we should not be over paranoid, fearful, or anxious.  The one we call to today is the creator of the heavens and the earth and the sky and the sea and all that is in them. He is the one who spoke and creation stood fast.  He is the one who says in scripture “who can straighten that which I have made crooked?”  The Almighty Creator God.  The one who has authority over all time.  Travelling to the nearest galaxy to day would take you 749 million years.  Travelling to the end of the known universe would take 225 trillion years.  Yet we can come into the presence of the creator of it all and all we have to do is say “Father”.  That is the God you have access to today.  The one who we pray to today.  As we look at King David we should be of the same substance of prayer.  Are you a church that prays?  Or are you a praying church?  There is a difference.  A pastor once said to me “if God is first in your life you will go to him some times. But if God is everything in your life you will go to him all the time.  Do you go to God all the time?  We should be a people of prayer, should we not? The person that is king David.

Secondly the prayer we read here in 2 Samuel 15 verse 31.  There is so much we could say about this prayer but there is one thing I want to draw your attention to above all else – the prayer was short.  “O Lord I pray thee turn the counsel of Ahithopel into foolishness.  The Lord’s prayer found in Matthew 6 is really our prayer.  The Lord’s prayer is the one found in John 17.  In Matthew 6 when he teaches this prayer it is a mere 50 words in our English languages.  It is 4 sentences long.  I cannot remember the last time I prayed a prayer of a mere 50 words.  Can you remember a time?  Joshua 10 is another example of a short prayer whenever he calls unto God to cause God for the sun and moon to stand still.  Joshua 10 verse 14 “and there was no day like it before it or after it that the Lord hearkened unto the voice of a man.”  Think of Elijah on Mount Carmel in that great contest between man of God and prophets of Baal.  When he called down fire from heaven he spoke 32 Hebrew words and fire fell from heaven.  Sometimes we are like the false prophets of Baal who called from morning until noon.  A powerful prayer does not have to be a long prayer.  It doesn’t have to be a theologically eloquent prayer and it doesn’t have to be prayed in a certain posture.  They are not bad things but a simple sentence said in faith is a powerful prayer.  Elijah prayed in earnest prayer.  In James 5 verse 17 it says “Elijah was a man subject to like passions as we are and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain and it did not rain for a space of 3 yeas and 6 months.”  A good prayer, earnestly prayed that it would not rain for 3 ½ years.  The Bible commentators cite 1 Kings 17 verse 1 to be the prayer that he prayed.  Elijah was more conscious of God’s presence than man’s presence.  He says a simple sentence in faith before the God of Israel.  God considered it an earnest sentence.  If you go to James 5 verse 18 tells us Elijah prayed again and the heaven gave rain.  The word “earnest” is not mentioned.  What did he pray the second time?  1 Kings 18 verse 42 to 44.  Here we have Elijah praying a second time for rain to fall upon earth.  He gets down on the ground puts his head between his knees and he prays 8 times.  This is a more earnest prayer.  James 5 verse 18 records this one as a prayer and yet the first one records the first one as earnest prayer.  A powerful prayer does not have to be a long prayer.  Don’t misunderstand me there is nothing wrong with praying long prayers or assuming certain posture in prayer.  Jesus was known to go through whole nights praying.  A long prayer is not necessarily a powerful prayer.  We can see that in David’s prayer  He prays and what happens?

The providence  - notice God’s hand at work in this prayer.  He prays and it seems utterly unlikely, if not humanly impossible to come to a reality.  He prays for Ahithophel’s wisdom to turn to foolishness.  No-one was wiser than Ahithophel excluding King Solomon and Christ himself – 2 Samuel 16 verse 23 “And the counsel of Ahithophel, which he counselled in those days was as if a man had enquired at the oracle of God.”  It shows us if someone consulted Ahithophel for advice it was as if you were consulting the word of God.  That is how much regarded this man’s wisdom was.  It was for these moments that God has given us prayer.  He opens his ear to his people.  That is what he does. Prayer is not for the calling down of comforts to our already comfortable existence.   It is precisely for the times when your backs are against the wall.  If you only pray when you are in trouble then you are in trouble.  Prayer is for those moments when whenever the desired course of outcome seems painfully unlikely to unfold.  It seems that the natural course of action is going against what you need or desire, therefore you pray.  Prayer is not making an educated guess out loud to God.  It is not telling God what is naturally unfolding.  Prayer humanly speaking is for the turning of the tide.  It is for those desperate moments when you are backed in the corner and humanly speaking it seems you are defeated.  That is the time you pray.  It is when you need God to intervene.  Providence is tied more to prayer than you realise.  “Ye have not because you ask not” James said.  Cause and effect do not carry the day, God does.  So David prays.  He prays and then he acts in faith.  No sooner has he prayed than Hushai the Archite who is loyal to David shows up.  David has prayed for Absalom’s counsel to turn sour and now he acts in faith upon it.  He sends Hushai to fain loyalty to Absalom.  To act as a spy and to defeat the counsel of Ahithophel.  Hushai goes and is accepted into Absalom’s inner circle and conspiracy.  One of the first orders of business is whether to continue to pursue David while he is weak and retreating.  In chapter 17 verses 1 and 2 Ahithophel speaks first “pursue after David this night while he is weary and weak handed.”  This is considered wise counsel.   In 2 Samuel 17 verse 4 we read “And the saying pleased Absalom well and all the elders of Israel.”  This great sage has spoken and it looked as if it was a done deal.  It looked as though it spelled the end for David if not for Hushai who speaks up in 1 Samuel 17 verse 7 “And Hushai said unto Absalom, the counsel of Ahithophel hath given is not good at this time.”  Hushai begins to paint this picture of David, as this man of warfare, one accustomed to killing giants, to guerilla warfare, one who knew what it was to fight.  The bible tells us in verse 14 that the Lord had appointed Hushai to defeat the counsel of Ahithophel.  “The counsel of Hushai the Archite is better than the counsel of Ahithophel.” Not only did God answer David’s prayer but he answered beyond David’s asking.  He gave them Hushai the Archite into their counsel.  God answered it better than he asked.  That is the God we pray to today.  Is it something we take advantage of?  Do we grow in our discipline of it?  David prayed and acted in faith.  Psalm 91 verse 2 “I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress.”  The word refuge means a small shelter used for storms.  Many Jews had these shelters in the back of their homes.  A bunker they went in to in time of small scale attacks.  God is your place of refuge in the small things.  Verse 2 goes on to say “and my fortress.”  The Hebrew word means a castle, a stronghold.  Where you go to when there is an attack, in a large attack.  The psalmist is saying God is the one you go to in the small and in the big things.  God is your protection in both the small and the big.  There is nothing too big for Gods power or too small for God’s heart.  If it matters to you then it matters to God.  The person – King David.  The prayer – it was short.  The providence – God answered better than he asked.  We should leave in the attitude of prayer, more eager to pray  and more keen to see prayer answered. 

In a rural farming community the community was hit by drought.  The local church called a town prayer meeting.  Everyone gathered to pray for rain in the local hall.  The pastor walked into the town hall and made his way to the podium.  He stood before everyone gathered.  He noticed a little girl who had brought her umbrella ready for use when the time came.  He told everyone “we all came here tonight to pray for rain but the little girl came expecting God to answer.”  I wonder have we prayed but never expected God to answer?  Do we have our umbrella poised and ready to use because we expect God to answer?

Not by might nor by power but my Spirit

 

COLERAINE INDEPENDENT METHODIST CHURCH

SUNDAY 20 OCTOBER 2024 – MR KEITH WILSON

ZECHARIAH 4

“Not by might nor by power but by my Spirit saith the Lord of hosts.” Verse 6

It is important to get this verse into context, what is the background to these verses?

“Sometimes we as Christians need to stop along life’s road and look back, although it might have been winding and steep, we can see how God has directed us by his faithfulness.  Here’s what the Christian can see when he looks back.  He can see the deliverances the Lord has wrought in his life.  He can see the way God has led him. He can see the blessings he has bestowed, the victories he has won and the encouragements he has given."  Speaking of both male and female.  The Lord leads both his children out.  When we face difficulties we sometimes forget about God’s past faithfulness.  We can only see the detours and dangerous pathways but looking back we can see the joy of victory, the joy of the climb and the presence of one who travails with you, the companion who has promised never to leave us or forsake us.  It is good to look back, good to remember, to give thanks to God.  Really that is what Zechariah’s name means - Zechariah’s name means God remembers.  God would bring his people out of bondage but in Habakkuk he promised to bring them into bondage because of their sin.  God remembered his promise and warned them their sin would take them into captivity.  He also remembered his promise that he would bring them out.  Their ancestors and forefathers that brought the judgement of God upon them. Their sin had led them into captivity for 70 years.  They were deported into Babylon as God had said and promised.  But he remembered them again.  Jeremiah 29 verse 10.  Don’t lose heart at the darkness surrounding us.  The Lord promised that he will visit his people.  He has promised it and he will visit his people. God causes us to return to this place.  God remembered and would set this prophet with the name God remembers.  God was about to do his work. When God is about to work he will send encouragement in the midst of discouragement.  God always sends encouragement in the midst of discouragement. Whenever he is about to do a work. Sometimes we fail to forget that “it is not by might nor by power but my spirit saith the Lord hosts.”  Zechariah was called to encourage him to continue in the work they began years earlier.  This man had been chosen by God, he has a work to do for God again.  Zechariah worked alongside Haggai.  Whereas Haggai was more concerned with the restoration of the temple, Zechariah was concerned with the spirituality of God’s people.  A lovely trait in a pastor – more concerned with the people, their spirituality and how they are getting on with God.  Zechariah wanted the people to repent and to turn back to God – chapter 1 verse 3.  God is about to do a work, to rebuild the temple through Zerbubbal.  Verse 4 – turn unto me.  This is God’s promise.  Verse 4 – if I was to call a group of us tonight to go down to Coleraine town centre and proclaim this message you would be laughed at, completely scorned.  That is what your fathers did, they rejected God.  Verses 5 and 6 – the Lord stirred up Zerubabbel and Joshua.  Haggai 1 verse 14.  It is wonderful when God stirs us up, his children to do his work.  Maybe the Lord is stirring you up to do something for him you have never done before.  This was a promise given to Haggai.  Both men were contemporaries.  They worked together. Haggai was older, in his later 60’s.  Zechariah 2 verse 4 shows Zechariah was a young man.  If ever they wanted to hear a word from God it was this.  We will one day be inhabited once again and I am sending Zechariah to encourage you again, stirring you up to get on with the work of the Lord.  Verse 5 - how much we should want the glory of the Lord seen in our lives.  There is just empty glory in the puny efforts we can make before God.  The apostle John fell down when he saw the glory of the living God.  That should be our attitude.  What will it be when we stand before him one day and we shall see him in all his glory, changed and like him.  It scares me in a reverent way.  We will see him and we shall be like him.  These 2 men are working together for the glory of God.  It is wonderful when Christians work together.  As Christians we can only work together when we have a common purpose, t he glory of God.  When we are focused on the glory of God that the glory of Christ would come down, that the spirit would reside in people.  When he filled the temple and came down at Pentecost.  When men and women are solely focused n God then they work together for his glory.  “Behold how good and how pleasant it is when brothers dwell together in unity.”  Zechariah was united with Haggai for the glory for God and through their encouragement and call they remembered. They remembered that God had remembered them.  My promise to my people is I will build my church.  In the New Testament God has promised to do the same today and the gates of hell will not prevail against it.  There are difficult people today.  You cannot work with them – why – because they are not focused on the glory of God but rather on their own glory.  When they are focused on what they want to do, they leave out God you cannot work with such people.  In verse 6 the background is Zerubbabel was governor in Israel.  He led the first Jews out of Babylon back to Jerusalem.  He was leading them back.  He soon laid the foundation of the second temple but there were others that came to discourage Zerubabbel and Joshua had told these others they had no part in.  The work Ezra 4 verses 1 and 2.  These other leaders and people had saw what they were doing, they knew they were not God’s people, they wanted to be part of building the temple.  Zechariah knew they were not part of God’s people and he told them “you have no part in the work.”  What did they do? They went to the king and they told the king if they continued on building the temple they were not paying the proper taxes.  The king halted the work, brought the building to a standstill.  The work was stopped for about 15 years.  He didn’t realise that the Lord had given them the promise.  Have you ever thought of the promise given by God to the forefathers in this place?  Zechariah was called to encourage God’s people.  Disappointment, sadness.  Work had come to a standstill.  Times were hard.  Haggai 1 verse 6.  The crop had failed, the clothes could not keep them warm, their pockets had holes.  There was no money.  Disappointment.  Yet it was God who had done this.  “You live in your ceiled houses but my house lies in ruin.”  A picture of life today.  We can be so caught up in things around us and neglect the things of God.  Instead of discouragement we discourage one another.  Nothing is done.  Instead of building up, instead of seeking God in prayer we are gossiping.  Even though the foundation of the temple was started they had not returned to God.  “Turn ye unto me and I will turn unto you.”  Zechariah comes with a message of repentance.  He received visions – 7 or 8 of them.  In chapter 4 we come to this wonderful verse.  There are differences in opinion of these visions.  I see it solely for Israel.  In Zechariah 14 we see God standing on the mountain of the Lord.  These are visions of God for the present and the future.  God will gather his people in one day but this vision was also given for his own day too.  There are delightful days ahead.  Not only discouraged and disappointed, there was delight.  The temple had lay untouched for years.  God was going to do something wonderful.  Zechariah is told 3 visions – in verse 4 we read of the lamps and then in verses 6 and 7 he is given understanding of these.  God’s temple was lying with only its foundations.  The people were discouraged.  There was disappointment coming from deportation.  He comes to them and says “not by might nor by power but by my spirit.”  God would deliver his people.  He saw it.  Zerubbabel would accomplish the work.  It was God’s hand that would do it.  This great work he had promised was not a work of flesh.  Man cannot accomplish this.  This was an opportunity to rely on God.  There is a gospel today that is leaving out repentance.  How can God work in such circumstances?  Turn to God, rely on God.  Not looking at ourselves.  The word “might” speaks of an army, an army of people whereas “power” speaks of individual strength.  I could say “I am strong” but I am lying.  I could also say “I have 100 people to fight” but God says it is not by an army of people or by an individual’s strength that the house of the Lord will be built.  It is only by the Spirit of God.  It is only through the Spirit that we are here today.  What a wonderful opportunity we have today.  We are living on the other side of Calvary.  These prophets only looked by faith.  They did not live through the church age.  Zechariah was called by God to be a prophet, to see visions of his own day and on into the future.  God would turn to Israel again.  Some of these prophecies would come true – not in Zechariah's day though.  Zechariah was to remind and encourage God’s people to remember – remember the promise of God.  The work of God is the work of God.  Simple but true.  If God chose to use you as an instrument allow him to use you.  Maybe you face discouraging impossible situations, something in your family that has happened.  Do we realise the power of the Spirit that works within us.  Romans 8 verse 11.  The Spirit that raises Christ from the dead dwells in us and gives us access to the throne of grace.  Is it any wonder when man is focused on God that he is encouraged and strengthened.  God wants to remind his people, encourage his people.  Chapter 4 verse 7 gives a wonderful promise.  The capstone is the last thing to go on to finish the temple.  Zerubabbel started the work and the enemy has got in.  The foundations lay for 14 years but Zerubabbel would finish the work.  God promised he would do then when his people would repent and seek him with all they had.

A spiritual famine in the land

 

COLERAINE INDEPENDENT METHODIST CHURCH

SUNDAY 13 OCTOBER 2024 – MR LAWRENCE KENNEDY

Genesis 41 verses 53 to 57

I love the story and character of Joseph.  His life is dramatic whether he is in the dungeon of the prison or as the favourite son of Jacob.  Whether he is explaining the dreams he had to his family or the interpretation of Pharaoh’s dreams in a palace.  Pharaoh's dreams were about harvest – about 14 harvests.  They were about 7 fat cows eaten by 7 thin cattle and 7 thin ears of wheat eating 7 fat ears.  The wise men in Pharaoh’s court were baffled by his dreams.  His chief butler remembered Joseph.  He knew he could interpret the dreams.  Joseph is brought up into Pharaoh’s court.  He explains the meaning of the dream.  The 2 dreams are really one.  There will be 7 years of bumper harvest.  The farmers will harvest and bring all in.  These years will be followed by 7 famine years.  Pharaoh was thrilled to have the answer to his secret.  Joseph was made prime minister and for 7 years he supervised their food accumulation.  He built the greatest granaries and stored all the food.  Now the 7 years of famine have arrived.  The farmers are finding things difficult.  There are 3 things in our text to look at.

The situation.  Firstly notice that the supplies in Egyptian supermarket shelves were not just as much as before.  The bread was not as plentiful.  The supermarkets and market stalls started to close.  There was nothing to sell.  It would hit unemployment and starvation. Verse 57 “it waxed sore”.  We know nothing about that but we see the images on the television from Ethiopian and Sudan.  Isn’t it great to live in a prosperous and affluent way, yet some countries need more.  We are a people who live in the streets of God’s provision.  We know nothing of physical famine.  I want to remind you today that we certainly know famine conditions, not a physical type but a spiritual type.  And it is sore just like it as in Egypt.  Look at the tragic scenes to recreational drugs, prescription drugs right up to speed.  People trying to meet the deep craving of the heart.  Spiritual famine.  We could talk about demonic of alcohol.  You can’t have good night out now without alcohol.  It takes £200 for a night out.  A longing for acceptance.  Social media, the drive of materialism, abortion, now the pressure is on for assisted death.  All of it points to the emptiness of spiritual death.  A business man taking his first heart attack at 38 due to the pressure in his career.  Spiritually striving, longing for something to bring a sense of stability and satisfaction to their heart.  Parents and grandparents give the impression they are all perfect but you are anxious because there is a spiritual famine caused by sin in the human heart.  It is 100% found in the population regardless of social background or parental influence.  Romans 3 “for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.”  Spiritual famine destroying our world, weakening our world.  Confusion.  Our society living as empty inside.  We want to move from the situation of famine that was sorrowful

The solution.  It would be great to have an answer.  Religion does not have an answer.  Not Hinduism, Muslim, Protestantismor Catholicism.  Politicians don’t have an answer.  They change their minds from one day to another.  Flitting and changeable.  Education and university scenes don’t have an answer.  What can we do as we look around us? A physical famine.  The answer is seen in verse 56 “and Joseph opened all the storehouses.”  The answer is found in one man.  Not in Pharaoh.  Not in the wisdom of Pharaoh.  When hungry the people were starving.  They were told to go to Joseph.  We need help and assistance – go to Joseph.  Whatever he says to do you do it.  There is a wonderful, powerful answer to the spiritual famine.  It is found in a heavenly man Joseph.  “I am the way, the truth and the life, no man cometh unto the father but by me.  He was able to say to Nicodemus “you must be born again.”  He was able to say on the last day of the feast “come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest.”  The good news, hope for humanity is wrapped up in one man, the Lord Jesus Christ.  Now we have a great high priest who is sympathetic to our needs.  We understand our Joseph was able to meet the need.  In the 7 good years the gathered corn for granaries.  Joseph made great preparation.  The farmers made a certain portion of their harvest paid into the central fund. Stored for the days to come.  He made adequate provision.  How is our heavenly Lord Jesus able to do the same.  He made adequate provision.  That is why he came.  The Messiah, the promised one.  John the Baptist said of him.  He knew him.  The Spirit of God revealed to him this was the Messiah.  “Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world.”  He made preparation by living a perfect sinless life.  No grey area.  No skeletons in the cupboard.  He was perfect.  Had perfect movement controlled by heaven.  He is taken by the Jewish Sanhedrin and Roman authorities.  He is nailed to a wooden cross.  Sacrificial death to pay your sin and mine.  This is God’s love and grace in action.  Filling the storehouses of heaven to meet the spiritual need of every human nature.  The spiritual granary was full when he died.  Heaven was full.  The human heart was empty. People are longing or meaning.  Purpose, hope and assurance. Because of the preparation of the Lord through his sacrificial death of the Lord Jesus he has exactly what the human heart needs today.  For today and for eternity.  All that we need is found in him.  Without Jesus heaven is closed to you.  You are condemned already.  The day of grace.  Jesus has opened the storehouses of heaven and given you exactly what you need.  Given you love unconditionally.  Loves you with everlasting love.  Gives mercy.  We didn’t need mercy, but he gave what we didn’t deserve. He gave all you need.  The going is difficult sometimes.  We have all that is sufficient in Christ. It will see us to the end of the journey.  He will never leave us nor forsake us.  He will be with us every step of the way.  He knows the future, knows heavens solution to the spiritual problem.  How can I get the provision?  You went to Pharaoh who said you had to go to Joseph.  Maybe there was a queue.  He opened the storehouses and gave them what they needed.  How do you prevail of God’s storehouses?  Do I qualify or not?  First you need to be aware of your sin and its impact on your life.  You must be aware of spiritual famine in your soul.  If you don’t realise you are a sinner God can do nothing for the spiritual starvation in your soul.  There must be a willingness to turn from your sin and embrace Christ as Saviour.  The moment you do the spiritual storehouses open, gives you all you need.  Love, mercy, grace and blessing.  It is there in an instant.  The past is forgiven. New birth.  New power.  Your destination.  What about you today?  Has Satan got you in straights of discouraging you?  This harvest time come back up again.  We have a God who has the solution to the famine of the human heart.  We have one who can meet your need.

The satisfaction.  This is the only solution to our world, to our society, to our desperate need.  Imagine you are in Egypt.  The famine has hit.  Imagine Joseph refusing to open the storehouses.  If he had said “this is for the royal family only and all their dignitaries, you are on our own.”  Some think salvation is for the select few, only some and not others who are born in the right family, on the right side of the world, it is not for everyone.  But they were coming from all other countries to Joseph.  There is no limitation.  No restriction.  All the world came to Egypt.  Imagine in Egypt the storehouses opened and people refuse to come.  Somebody might say I don’t want charity, handouts, not going to take handouts from anyone.   I will take my chances, weather it out myself, get by OK.  Someone else says I can never see those storehouses, never see them full.  I do not believe that message.  I don’t think they are there.  They die within reach of an abundant supply.  How foolish the situation is.  Spiritually bleak.  A solution is found today in Christ and his death on the cross.  We can avail of it today.  More than is needed but many refuse the satisfaction, to turn from sin.  Refuse to believe in and embrace Jesus Christ.  That is the spiritual tragedy of our time.  People are spiritually hungry and we have the solution.  Still people will not come.  This harvest time think on the bleak situation of sin.  Be amazed at the amazing solution.  The cross.  Enjoy his satisfaction.  Peace in troubled world.  An art competition on one occasion asked people to paint under the title tranquillity.  Painters started to present their paintings.  One was of a harbour scene at twilight.  The sun was going down and the boats were bobbing up and down.  Another pictured sheep in a field.  Another of a baby fast asleep.  The winner of the competition though went on another route altogether – he pictured a roaring waterfall, the water rushing down the crevices with steam bellowing out.  Behind the waterfall there was a small branch and on the branch was a bird singing its heart out.  Peace in a troubled world.  Jesus gives the solution today.  The situation is bleak – the bible says it was very sore.  The spiritual famine is very sore today.  The storehouses are opened and the solution is found in Christ.  Satisfaction is found in him.  You can find peace in Christ.  God this morning is looking for those who are hiding, those who are lost and he finds you.  He says the famine is sore in your heart but I have provided a solution in Christ.  Come and enjoy the satisfaction.

God's Great Message for a Great City

 

COLERAINE INDEPENDENT METHODIST CHURCH

SUNDAY 6 OCTOBER 2024 – PHILIP ROBINSON

JONAH 3 VERSES 1 – 4

God’s Great Message for a Great City

When we think of Jonah, every time we think of a man who was swallowed by a fish but if we delve into the book of Jonah we will discover there is more meaning to the whole book.  There is so much to learn from Jonah even in these 4 verses in chapter 3.  God gave Jonah a task – to go to Nineveh.  Nineveh was a wicked city.  If any one came to proclaim Christ in that city more than likely they would have been captured or killed.  Jonah knew what was in front of him.  The Ninevites were the arch enemy.  Jonah turned his back on God.  He got on a boat to Tarshish, a storm arose and he was cast into the sea.  Jonah was swallowed by the fish.  At the bottom of the ocean he prayed to God.  God took him to the bottom of the ocean to show him what he had done was wrong.  He had run in the opposite direction from God.  Here in chapter 3 we see God gave Jonah the second chance.  He wanted to him to give an important message to these evil people.  A race he absolutely despised.  “And the word of the Lord came unto Jonah the second time.”  We can think of many who turned their back on God in the past but God gave them a second chance.  God welcomes us back into his kingdom with his outstretched arms.  I want us to think of a few simple thoughts from these 4 verses.

God’s second chance for Jonah – verse 1.  A second chance to complete the task God gave him to complete the first time.  God was not going to give up on Jonah.  God does not give up on us no matter how many times we fail to speak up for Christ.  He gives us another opportunity.  There is never a day when we do not mess up.  It is a struggle.  Jonah messed up, he ran away from God.  God told him to go to Nineveh in chapter 1, he turned and went the other way.  A big mistake on Jonah’s part.  He ended up by being swallowed by a big fish.  God caught up with him and he does the same to us today.  God would give Jonah a second change to go and speak to the Ninevites.  Although Jonah turned his back on God, God did not turn his back on Jonah.  Maybe we have been given an opportunity to speak for Christ and we have failed to do it.  Sometimes we find it hard to witness to people.  God has a plan for each of us.  Time and time again you will fail God and turn your back on him.  Many times we may feel inadequate.  Moses said he had a stutter, how could he speak to Pharaoh and ask him to let the people go?  God will give us chance after chance to speak for him.  I am sure Jonah felt and questioned why God was to give him a second chance.  God had a plan to take this message to Nineveh.  Jonah 3.  Jonah’s second chance.  Maybe you feel you cannot do a work for God for whatever reason.  God will give you the help you need.  He is always there to help you through those times.  God will always be there to help us when we are challenging people about salvation, witnessing for him.  We live in houses where there are people not saved.  The second chance Jonah had.  Think of the same given to us.  When the Lord asks us to come to him we asked for his forgiveness.  We repented and accepted Christ as Lord and Saviour.

God’s 3 commands for Jonah – verse 2.  First one is “arise”.  Notice the urgency of this command.  It was not “whenever you get a chance or in a years time go to Nineveh.”  God is giving an urgent command to go to Nineveh now.  Get up and go, take the message of the gospel to Nineveh.  The urgency behind this command.  Why is it so urgent?  Because it is urgent today.  We have an urgent message to share with everyone today in a world of chaos.  In the world and in our own country there are nations, countries and cities that have completely turned their backs on God.  Think of Sunday trading and how far society has gone from God and the bible.  We see all over the world the rise of LGBT and other religions.  There are more atheists in Northern Ireland today than evangelical Christians.  It shows how urgent this message is.  We mignt not physically go to Ninevah as Jonah did but we have our own cities to take the message that God has given.  An urgent message to be taken to the people still in their sins, to share the good news of the message.  Secondly “go unto Nineveh” – the place of the command.  God gives Jonah the destination for his message - Nineveh that wicked city.  Jonah’s tribes and Nineveh despised each other.  Nineveh slaughtered people without recompense.  Jonah knew what would happen if he went there.  He was probably scared.  What would happen when he went into the city?  What would Jonah be thinking at this time when God told him to go to Nineveh?  He maybe felt scared.  Why did he want him to go there after all?  He didn’t go there the first time.  In chapter 4 we see that message changed an entire nation.  Maybe we think like Jonah.  Why give it a second chance?  You know the things Nineveh has done. Maybe we think the same today.  Why does God give us a second chance?  The beauty of our God and our Saviour – he gives the second chance even when we fail him many times.  Thirdly, the command itself – “preach unto it”. G od wants Jonah to preach this message and nothing else  Jonah wants to tell the people of Nineveh the message that comes from God.  Unfortunately in today’s world we see many people who preach a different gospel.  We see it in our own land and in America we see it in the mega churches.  They are only interested in money gained.  It is a completely different gospel to what the bible teaches.  Many have been led astray by so many of these preachers.  It is important for us to preach the true gospel – that Christ died for our sins.  We have to repent of our sins, turn from our sinful way, commit our lives to God and live our lives for him.  He was to preach the message God gave him.  The truth of the gospel.  Even when people don’t like it.  People today don’t like being told they are sinners and in need of a Saviour.  The bible is being pushed out of society.  The bible was always a simple part of school years ago.  Grace was said before lunch.  Now it is non-existent.  Sad to think that God is no longer a priority for people across the world, they have no time for things of the bible, no time to go to missions, to invite people to hear the gospel.  Think of the many people who we work with – Sunday is just another day for many.

God’s message for Nineveh – verse 4.  Remember how wicked Nineveh was.  Here God is giving a message specifically for Nineveh.  “Yet 40 days and Nineveh shall be overthrown.”  49 days to repent.  Jonah knew the wickedness of Nineveh.  Why are you going to do this?  Some people think God is talking of an army coming down and taking them captive.  No, God will send people in to destroy the city.  Nineveh is referred to as a great city, a city of great wickedness.  If Jonah or anyone else had gone to the city they would either have been taken captive or killed.  Today we know of the persecution many face around the world.  This was the message sent from God to tell the people of Nineveh.  We have the same command in our lives.  We have to take the good news of the gospel into the highways and byways of this country and the world.  A simple message given to Jonah about Nineveh is also given to us today.  If they did not repent in 40 days they would be destroyed and Nineveh would be overthrown.  They had to repent of their sins.  The same is true today.  The message God gave Jonah is the same one we have to give to people all around us.  To repent of our sins and ask God to forgive us.  To stay in our sins is to die without Christ.  It means a life time in hell.  Jonah went into that city and told them this message God gave him.  In chapter 4 we see how this message impacted the people of Nineveh.  It is the same way the gospel impacts people here in the Northern Ireland and throughout the world.  The message of the gospel, of Jesus dying for our sins.  In chapter3 our God speaks to the people of Nineveh and they turned from they ways – verse 10.  The message Jonah preached in Nineveh had the effect of people repenting of their sins.  The king put out a decree as well for the people to turn from their wicked ways.  We need to pray this too for our monarchy and for our government.  We are living in days when the gospel is a second thought.  That is why we have an urgent message.  That is how it impacts the people of Nineveh.  Thousands repented of their sins and their wickedness.  That is why we have an urgent message, to take the gospel into the highways and byways.  We should take every opportunity to share the gospel with those we work with and our neighbours too.  This message God gives is a message God wants us to take to the world.  In a world where people are trying to find joy in other things that only last for a short time.  Remember we will not take our possessions with us beyond the grave.  We need to repent of our wickedness and take the good news of the gospel to others.  We need to be like Christ, to live for Christ and tell the good news to others.  There are many today who don’t want anything to do with the gospel, they want to continue to live in their wicked ways.  The challenge is clear – will we take the good news to them?