The love of a heavenly Father

FARMERS MISSION PRAISE SERVICE

NOTES FROM SATURDAY 31 JANUARY 2026 - PASTOR PAUL FERGUSON

READING: LUKE 15 VERSES 11 TO 24

What a story! A beautiful story that resounds with all of us. It is meant to. It is the story of a sinner restored by the grace, by the love of his father. A story that would have been one very familiar to the listeners, at least the characters of the story are. Why? Because of the economy they lived in. This was an agricultural culture. It is a story of these figures resonated and understood by those of that day in the Far East. The basis of the story was very familiar to everyone - sons were to be obedient to their fathers. It was considered to be an unspeakable offence. "Give me my inheritance. I am leaving home. I am going to live my life away from you." No doubt his listeners would have been horrified by the behaviour of the prodigal son. 

Verse 12  "And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me. And he divided unto them his living."

Notice the language - "give me". No negotiation, no suggestion, no asking. The Greek language is even stronger. He is commanding his father to do something. "I don't want to wait until you are dead, I want what is owed to me now. I want to get on with my life as if you were dead. Give me that." Sinners behave that way today. They love the gift God gives us - health, wealth, the opportunities that God showers on everyone of us. Every one of us had 2 legs to put on the floor when we got out of bed this morning. We had food in our larder. We have all kinds of vehicles in our driveway. We have so much entertainment available. We are so blessed by what we have. Like the prodigal son we say to God "I want to enjoy the gift but I don't want the giver. I want to live my life away from you as if God were dead and I am free to enjoy to live life as if there is no God." The father graciously gave the son his inheritance. The son went off to the far country as far as he could get from the father. There he wasted all the gifts his father had bestowed on him. That is what sinners do today. God gave me all the gifts, opportunities and I am going to live life my way. They live life in this pursuit of pleasure. It may take years for that journey eventually. 

Verse 14 "And when he had spent all there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want."

When he had spent all there arose a mighty famine in the land. 2 problems. Now all the money is gone and he has nothing to show for it. All the friends he had procured was all wasted. Resources and time have disappeared. Now he is broke financially. His friends have run away. He is alone, broke and now he is hungry. To make matters worse a great famine has come into the land. God has allowed him to run his race, to go on a journey of sin and at the end of it he looks around and says 'I have nothing left.' If you pray for a relative to get saved sometimes you have to wait many years until you come to the end of themselves. That takes time. You may have to wait many years until they come to an end in themselves. That takes patience. You will often find a time when they are vulnerable. Either a financial crisis occurs in their lives or maybe is a relationship crisis. Just be prayerful and be patient. They will come to an end in themselves. This is what will happen in this story. He began to be in want. You would have thought that would have made him go back home. Sin makes you stupid. 

Verse 15 "And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine."

He sold himself into slavery. He began to work in the fields as a labourer and feed the swine. These are the worse animals to have on a farm. They are the smelliest of all the animals. For a Jewish boy who was forbidden to be around pigs this was not just humiliation, it was as low as you could get. He is not only working with pigs, he is living with the pigs. He wanted to eat the foot of the pigs but it was indigestible to him. He was so hungry. The devil always does that. He doesn't tell you where you will end up - in the pigsty of sin. In the Garden of Eden to the very first sinner who fell in this world Satan came to Eve pretending to be her friend. He was using words to paint a picture of what would happen if she at the fruit - it would taste good, she would become a wise person and would break free from God and live life her way. Sadly she bought the lie. She was not told the real consequences of making that choice. She took the fruit and ate of it. It was looking nice on the tree, on the branch but it turned sour in her stomach. It left her feeling empty, estranged from God and afraid of God and of death, God's judgment. Sin always does that. Sin takes you on a journey. Sin promises so much but ultimately leads you to a lost eternity. The wages of sin is death. Adam and Eve - where are they today? If you eat the fruit you will die. Who told the truth? It wasn't the devil. People are still believing the lie today. You can go on in the journey of sin and believe there are no consequences, no pay day. God was merciful to Adam and Eve. He didn't strike them dead right away. He was merciful to this prodigal son. No doubt the scribes and Pharisees as they heard this story thought that the prodigal son deserved it and hoped he would die there. It was not the end of the story. What happens when he is in the far country? Right at the bottom of the barrel. For the first time this man said 2 words. At the start he said "give me". Now he begins to think of his father's house and his father's love and his father's compassion and his father's mercy and his father's forgiveness. 

Verse 17 "A when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father' shave bread enough and to spare and I perish with hunger."

"when he came to himself." As people go past this meeting tonight they are saying 'look at those people going to that Christian meeting. They are brain washed. They are half crazy, bible bashers.' They think we are insane but don't realise they are insane. They are ignoring their creator, the giver of the gifts of life. They are ignoring death that soon will come and then the judgment to follow. There are 3 appointments in life. The first is the one we have all participated in - the date of our birth. Then "it is appointed unto man once to die." That is the second appointment fixed on God's calendar. You cannot change it. There is however a third appointment - "but after this the judgment." That is a very real appointment. The last great appointment that has to be faced. This prodigal came to himself. All those people who believe in God are not so stupid. All those prepared for eternity are not so dumb after all. You are in a very advantageous position if you are not saved because you are still alive. You can still come to your senses, waken up to the danger you are in. Like this prodigal son. The prodigal son began to speak to himself. "I am going back to my father's house and I will say 3 words - I have sinned." 

Verse 18 "I will arise ang go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven and before thee."

The hardest 3 words for a sinner to say. An important 3 words. "I have sinned". Have you said those words to God? Be very honest before him or have you lived your life differently? Doffing your cap to God but you have never come and faced him in an honest way, in a humble way and said "Lord I am a sinner. I deserve to go to hell. I deserve the judgment of God. I don't deserve your mercy." I need to go to my father, to a person not a church, not a religious system. I have to go to this person and confess what I have done wrong. He got up.

Verse 20 "And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion and ran, and fell on his neck and kissed him."

The choice you have to make. Everyone of us has to make their own choice. As much as we would love to carry people to heaven they have to make their own choice. That is a hard thing to accept. This prodigal son arose. He has to make the first step. He ran away now he has to come and head back home. Here's the good news - verse 20 when he was yet a great way off. What a story. The father saw him. He was waiting, watching, ready to forgive him. Even though he had wasted everything, insulted his father, rejected his father. Even though by taking the inheritance he was saying to his father 'I wish you were dead, I wish you had no influence on my life'. Here's the good news. Whilst we were yet sinners Christ died for us. When we were his enemies he loved us. The Father is here tonight, watching and waiting and he is ready to welcome you home. But you must come. You must come personally and you must come to him. The only thing you have to resolve tonight is this. Not that you are sinner. Not that you are lost. Not that you are on the way to hell. The only thing you have to resolve tonight is are you willing to come back to your creator, to your heavenly Father. Are you willing to come to him and say the same words - "I have sinned. I have failed. I have let you down. I have turned my back on you." This prodigal son is willing to say those words and if you are willing to say them the Father is willing to receive you back. The Father in heaven is willing to welcome you back, to restore you. You might be at the bottom of the barrel metaphorically speaking but he is still willing. Are you willing to change? God is willing to change you, to save you, to turn your life upside down. Here's the conclusion - you don't have to stay in the pigsty. You can but you don't have to. The pigsty of sin is real but it does not have to be final. There is a road back. At the end of that road stands God the heavenly Father. His arms are outstretched. The robe is ready. he has come home Let's have a new relationship. I can forgive you. Jesus is waiting. Jesus is watching. Are you willing to come?

Pilate's Dilemma

 

COLERAINE EVANGELICAL CHURCH

SERMON NOTES FROM SUNDAY 18 JANUARY 2026 – MR JASON CRUISE

MATTHEW 26 VERSE 14 – 16, 36 to 50, 27 verses 1 and 2, 19 to 26

We have read some of the questions that Pontius Pilate asked that day. And as we consider these verses I want you to ask yourself those very same questions and to see what your response might be. Here we have read tonight about Christ and how he was brought to stand before the Roman governor and of course then he was condemned to the death of the cross and led out to that place called Calvary. But you know the Lord Jesus suffered much at Calvary but he also suffered much even before he got to the cross. We heard here this evening about how there in the garden of Gethsemane he prayed to his father. And you know there in the garden of Gethsemane the Saviour he suffered from that awful medical condition known as hematidrosis. And that medical condition, it is where the capillaries rupture and they burst and the blood it seeps through into the sweat glands and it comes out. And we know how the blood of the Lord Jesus fell down to the ground. Those great drops of blood. Such was the pressure that the Lord Jesus was under. But you know there in the garden of Gethsemane despite the pressure and the anguish and the pain that the Lord Jesus was experiencing through it all he was able to say to his heavenly father “not my will but thine be done.” Those words that echo down through the corridor of time. Picture here the scene as Judas Iscariot has made his way to the garden of Gethsemane. You see Judas, he has betrayed the Saviour for 30 pieces of silver. John in his gospel account in John 13 and the verse number 30 he says concerning Judas “he then having received the sap went immediately out and it was night.” There was Judas Iscariot he had just eaten with the Saviour and now he makes his way out into the darkness of the night. No matter how dark that night may have the intentions and the thoughts of Judas Iscariot were so much darker. Here's a man now and he makes his way along to the chief priests and he puts into place the plan that would betray the eternal son of God into the hands of evil men. puts into place that plan that would eventually lead the Saviour to the centre cross upon Golgotha's brow. This man Judas Iscariot, has spent just over three years in the presence of the Saviour. He saw Christ perform many miracles. He heard him preach. He had eaten with them. And yet for the love of 30 pieces of silver, he betrays the eternal son of God. To think that tonight there is a man in a lost eternity who for the love of money betrayed the Lord Jesus. Judas Iscariot is a man that we would often say he kissed the gates of heaven yet went through the gates of hell. Judas Iscariot was a man who was very privileged. He had spent just over three years in the presence of the Lord. He knew the Lord so well. And yet tonight, he's in a lost and a Christless eternity. What a privilege. But you know, as I think of those that are privileged tonight, I think about you. You have been privileged. Maybe you can look back to times whenever you were sent along to Sunday school or you were brought along to gospel meetings and you know the word of God so well tonight. You've been so privileged. Maybe you were brought up in a Christian home. Sadly, you know the word of God, but you don't know the God of the word. You cannot look back to that time in your life's experience whenever you came in repentance and turn from your sin and turn to the only Saviour of men, the Lord Jesus. Oh, Judas was very privileged. On the authority of God's word this evening, we can tell you that you're a sinner. We read there in Romans chapter 3 and the verse 23, for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. 8 billion people around the world tonight. And each and every one misses the standard that heaven requires. Each and everyone misses that standard that God requires in order to enter heaven. What are you relying upon in order to one day enter heaven? If you're not relying upon the only Saviour of men, the Lord Jesus, tonight, I can tell you that you're on that broad and that crowded road that will take you down to a lost and a Christless eternity. We read there in Jonah chapter 2 and the verse number nine, salvation is of the Lord. You cannot do anything tonight to save yourself. The preacher tonight cannot do anything in order to save you, to make you right with God.  Tonight salvation is of the Lord. You cannot buy salvation. You cannot earn salvation. You cannot inherit salvation. It cannot be passed down from father to son or from mother to daughter. But you personally must come to put your faith and your trust in the risen Lord Jesus. He's the only way to heaven. Whenever the Lord Jesus walked this earth during his earthly ministry, he tells us there in John 14 and the verse number six, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No man cometh unto the father but by me.” I ask you the question again this evening. What are you relying upon? What are you trusting in for eternity? There's only two destinations. It's either heaven or it's hell. It's either heaven with the Lord or it's hell without the Lord and eternally separated from the Lord and eternally separated from the love of God. We present to you tonight a loving Saviour. One who loved you so much that he gave his life for you upon the cross. We think of those words of John chapter 3 and the verse 16. “For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believeth on him should not perish but have everlasting life.” Christ went to the cross for the whosoever and tonight salvation is available because of that finished work. What are you trusting in for eternity? Here's the Lord Jesus. And these evil men, they come to the garden of Gethsemane led there by Judas's Iscariot who has betrayed Christ for a paultry 30 pieces of silver. And they apprehend the Savior and now forsaken by his friends. He is led away, brought from the garden of Gethsemane and brought to stand before Annas and then brought to stand before Caiaphas. And then eventually he would stand before the Sanhedrin, the Jewish council. And then in the morning time they would bring him to Pontius Pilate. And we know how Pilate he sent the Lord Jesus away to Herod. And then eventually the Lord Jesus is brought back to stand before the Roman governor. Six trials in total. Three of the trials religious and three of them Roman. And I want us to consider this great meeting between the Savior and the Roman governor Pontius Pilate. Pilate here he has a great dilemma and he tries to sidestep it and he sends the Saviour away to Herod and he thinks that's him out of the equation. He thinks that's the problem dealt with. But you see there came a time whenever the Lord Jesus was sent back to Pontius Pilate. Look with me there at the verse 19. It says there in verse 19 of chapter 27 “When he that is Pontius Pilate was set down on the judgment seat, his wife sent unto him, saying, Have thou nothing to do with that just man, for I have suffered many things this day in a dream because of him.” When he was set down on the judgment seat, you see, there came a point whenever Pontius Pilate was going to have to make judgment, whenever he was going to have to make a decision in regard to God's son, the Lord Jesus. That's just the same for you - each and everyone has to make that decision in regard to what they're going to do with Jesus Christ. It says there in verse 22, Pilate saith unto them, "What shall I do then with Jesus which is called Christ?" They all say unto him, "Let him be crucified." I believe this is one of the greatest questions in the whole of scripture. “What shall I do then with Jesus which is called Christ?” Notice that this is a personal question about a personal Saviour. Pontius Pilate here he doesn't say “what would you do with the Lord Jesus?” He doesn't say “what would they do with the Lord Jesus.” He doesn't say “what would we do?” No, no, Pontius Pilate here says “what shall I do then with Jesus which is called Christ?” It's a personal question. It demands a personal answer. And I put this question to you this evening. What are you going to do with the Lord Jesus? Are you going to walk through the doors of the church another time, still with your back towards God, still in rebellion to the love of God and tonight you're still going to leave this meeting still tramping abroad on the crowded road down to a lost eternity. Maybe you're  going to say, "I put the decision off until next Sunday." By doing that, you've already made your mind up. You've already made up your decision. No, Jesus is not for me tonight. And tonight, you're still in rejection to the love of God. And tonight you're not going to accept the Savior. Maybe you're saying very foolishly tonight that I will not accept Christ this evening, but maybe next Sunday night I'll accept the Savior. Maybe next Sunday night I will give my life to the Lord. Friends, if you and I tonight could lift the cover on hell and peer down in, there is a multitude of people there. And they too said those very same words, "Not tonight, but some night I'll accept the Savior." But you know that night never came. But just in an instant, death came and they were ushered out into eternity and they were unprepared and they were unforgiven and they were unrepentant. And tonight there's no way back. There's no second chance. There's no retrial and there's no acquittal. What an awful thing it would be for you tonight to sit through another gospel meeting still in the day of grace, still in the day of opportunity. Well you can freely come and avail of this great gift of salvation. Yet maybe you will turn your back upon the Savior and in the week that lies ahead to go out into a lost and a Christless eternity and be able to look back to this night through the countless ages and recall the night that you heard the gospel and the night that you were told that God loves you and that Christ has died to set you free and that if you come to put your faith and your trust in him that you can have that assurance of sins forgiven. Look then with me again at verse 22. "Pilate saith unto them, what shall I do then with Jesus which is called Christ? They all say unto him, let him be crucified." You know what marvels me that it says there in reply to that question that Pilate puts to the people? They all say unto him, "Let him be crucified." There wasn't one person that day, not one person that morning to stand and to plead the case for the Savior. All the people that had experienced the love and the compassion of Christ, all those that he had healed and cured. And yet the scriptures tell us they all say unto him, "Let him be crucified." Not one person to stand aside and take the side of the Saviour and to plead his case before the Roman governor. But each and every one that day were happy enough to see the Saviour condemned to the death of the cross. Would you not take the side of the Saviour and would you not come to put your faith and your trust in him? Pilate here has a great dilemma. But look with me then at verse 24. “When Pilate saw that he could prevail nothing, but that rather a tumult was made, he took water and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, "I am innocent of the blood of this just person. See ye to it." Oh, here we see now that Pontius Pilate in his dilemma, he has made a decision. And here now he washes his hands of the whole situation. But water can wash away many things, but there's one thing it cannot wash away, and that is sin. The only thing that can wash away sin is the precious shed blood of Christ. The hymnwriter could say there, "What can wash away my sin? Nothing but the blood of Jesus." Pontius Pilate has washed his hands and now he's about to condemn the Saviour to the death of the cross. He has given the people the opportunity to release the Saviour or to release Barabas. And we all know how the people they chose Barabas. And Barabas he goes free. The Lord Jesus is condemned to the death of the cross. Pilate gives in to the pressure. And I wonder could that be said of you this evening? You have maybe heard the gospel many times throughout the past. Tonight you're still in rejection to the Lord because tonight you're too scared of what the crowd will say. You're too scared tonight what your work colleagues might say, what the classmates might think, or what your friends and family may say. Can I tell you that if you're still in your sin, your friends may laugh you into hell, but they'll never laugh you out. Pontius Pilate gave in to the pressure, but I would press it upon you this evening. Don't be worrying about the classmates tomorrow. Don't be worrying about your work colleagues, but come tonight in repentance and come to faith in the risen Lord Jesus. And do not put it off to another time. We read there in Proverbs 27 and the verse number one, “boast not thyself of tomorrow, for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth.” Not one of us could guarantee that we will see the morning. There were many people they went to their bed last night and they had plans for today. They never woke up this morning. There are many people and they awoke out of their beds this morning and they had plans for this evening and they have never seen this evening but were ushered out into eternity. What an awful thing it would be for you to hear the gospel and to hear about the love of God and yet to still stand in rejection to the Saviour and go out into a lost and a Christless hell. In verse 23, Pilate, he asks that question. “Why, what evil hath he done?” This is a question that he puts to the people, “why, what evil hath he done?” The writer to the Hebrews, he was able to say concerning Christ that he was holy, harmless, undefiled, and separate from sinners. God's son, the Lord Jesus, he was absolutely perfectly sinless and sinlessly perfect. The Apostle Paul could say concerning Christ, he knew no sin. The Apostle Peter could say he did no sin. And John could say in him is no sin. For 33 and a half years, he walked this earth absolutely sinless and absolutely perfect before his heavenly father and before man. You know, I was just thinking today as I thought about Pilate and how he took the side of the people and he gave into the pressure and he rejected Christ and condemned him to the cross. I was thinking about Robert Murray McShane and his niece. And Robert Murray McShane, he had witnessed to his niece on many occasions and told her of her need of the Saviour. And his niece, she came along to hear her uncle preach on many occasions. But you know, her attendance at the gospel meetings, it began to wane and she may be missed a Sunday evening and one Sunday evening led to two Sunday evenings. Then over a period of months, Robert Murray McShane's niece was not found at the gospel meetings at all. Robert Murray McShaney contacted his niece, sent her a letter to see why she was no longer attending the gospel meetings. She sent back word to her uncle that she no longer had any interest in the things of God as she had never accepted the Savior. Now she wanted nothing to do neither with the Savior nor with church nor with Christians or the things of God. Upon hearing this, Robert Murray McShane, he wrote this little poem. He said,

 

"She has chosen the world and its paultry crowd.

She has chosen the world and an endless shroud.

She has chosen the world with its misnamed pleasures.

She has chosen the world before heaven's own treasures.

She hath launched her boat on life's giddy sea,

and her all is afloat for eternity.

But Bethlehem star is not in her view, and

her aim is far from the harbour true.”

 

Have you got time for the Saviour? Would you not come and accept the only Savior of sinners, the Lord Jesus, the one who was willing to suffer and to bleed and to die in your place and in mine? As the hymn goes, “Room for pleasure, room for business, but for Christ the crucified, not a place that he can enter into the heart for which he died.” Have you no room in your heart tonight for God's eternal son of the Lord Jesus? And here now Pilate, he washes his hands of the whole situation and Christ is condemned to the death of the cross. the one who was absolutely perfect and absolutely sinless. Look with me there at the verse 26. “Then released he Barabbas unto them. And when he had scourged Jesus, he delivered him to be crucified.” Picture now the scene as God's son is tied to the scourging pole. And that Roman flagrum with its pieces of metal and bone, they come down upon the back of God's son. Come down upon his back time and time again. And as the psalmist tells us, they left his back like a ploughed field. And there the Savior was willing to endure it all for you and for I. Now condemned to the cross. And picture as they lead the Savior through the city streets, out through the city gates, the Savior begins to ascend the hill for Calvary. The hymnwriter, he could say,

 

“Beneath an eastern sky.

A matter a rabble cry,

a man goes forth to die.

Thorns crowned his blessed head,

blood stained his every tread.

Crossladen on he sped for me,

for me, dear friends, and for you.”

 

The lamb of God was willing to hang there upon the cross at Calvary. Many visitors, you know, have visited the place called Calvary. Visited that place where today we would believe that the Lord Jesus was crucified. That place that is known today as Gordon's Calvary. Many have went there and visited and stood there. Many of them moved to tears as they recall the suffering that took place there 2,000 years ago. But you know, sad to say, there are many visitors. They also make their way there to Gordon's Calvary. They stand there unmoved. Unmoved. As you and I come to Calvary in our mind's eye, are you unmoved tonight? Do you not realize what Christ has done on your behalf and how he was willing to suffer to provide salvation for you and for I? They lead him out there to Calvary and there he's crucified. Crucifixion was first invented by the Assyrians. It was also used by the Persians, but it was the Romans who adopted it and really perfected it as a form of execution to inflict the most horrendous pain upon its victim. There upon the cross the victim would die a slow and a cruel death.

 

“None of the ransomed ever knew.

How deep were the waters crossed, nor

how dark was the night that the Lord passed through.

There he found the sheep that was lost.”

 

You and I could never fathom what Christ endured at Calvary. If you close your eyes tonight, you'll hear the dull blow of the hammer swung low. They are nailing my Lord to the tree. Nailing them to the tree. And there he's willing to suffer for you and for I. So that the Apostle Peter could say in 1 Peter chapter 3 and the verse 18, “For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust.” In the original Greek, it's the just one for the unjust ones. Oh, he was just, he was righteous. He was holy. And there he gave his life for you and for I. We read there in verse 26, then released he Barabbas unto them. And when he had scourged Jesus, he delivered him to be crucified. You see, Christ took the place of Barabbas. He became Barabbas’ substitute. He's your substitute and mine. He endured the righteous divine judgment of a holy God on behalf of you and I. Picture Barabbas as he sits in the prison cell condemned to the death of the cross. Barabbas that morning no doubt was awaiting the people to come and to lead him out to Calvary. But you know Barrabas as he sits in his cell I wonder did he hear the footfall of a Roman soldier make it make his way towards the prison cell. I wonder did Barabbas hear the key going into the door and the key it would turn in the lock and I wonder was there a Roman soldier that said to Barabbas “Barabbas you're free to go.” The man who was condemned was free to go. I wonder did Barabbas say “how am I free to go?” I wonder was there a Roman soldier that perhaps said to Barabbas there's another who has taken your place who could possibly take the place of me a condemned criminal, condemned to be crucified who could possibly take my place. I wonder, was there a Roman soldier who said, "Jesus of Nazareth has taken your place. One who did absolutely nothing wrong, absolutely sinless, and yet he has taken your place." I often wonder, did Barabbas maybe make his way out of the prison cell? Did he run or did he perhaps hold back? Did he follow that crowd that day as they make their way along with the Saviour out to Calvary? Was he among that mob that day? Did he follow out and see this one who has taken his place? Did he watch from afar as the blood flowed from his head where the crown of thorns had been beaten down upon his blessed brow? Does he did he watch as the blood flowed from his hands and from his feet where the nails have been driven in? Did Barabbas stand and wonder how and why has this man taken my place? He took the place of Barabbas. He took my place and he took your place. What are you trusting in for eternity? You know, whenever Christ hung upon that centre cross, his heavenly Father veiled this earth and darkness, there upon that cross, he placed all your sin and all your guilt and all your shame upon his blessed son. And there Christ paid the awful price of sin on your behalf and mine. You have a decision to make. And I put to you tonight the same question that Pilate asked. “What shall I do then with Jesus which is called Christ?” What are you going to do with Jesus which is called Christ? Will you leave the meeting still a Christ rejector like Pilate? Tonight you have a decision to make. It's either the world or it's Christ. It's either heaven or it's hell, it's reject or accept. You have a soul tonight that will live throughout the countless ages of eternity in either one of two places. But I'm thankful tonight that I can tell you that the victory is won and the price is paid and the gift of salvation is freely available. And all you have to simply do tonight is to come in repentance and put your faith and your trust in Christ. You see faith that is how you get saved this evening. Whenever you come into the church tonight here in cold rain, you made your way down to your seat, made your way down to the pew. You didn't shake the pew to see if it was okay to hold your weight. You didn't get on in beneath the pew and look up and see is it okay? Is it stable? No, my dear friend, you simply sat down upon it and you rested your all upon the pew. That's how you get saved tonight. By simply resting your all upon Christ and upon his finished work and have faith in him. You see, the Apostle Paul is able to tell us in Ephesians 2 verses 8 and 9, "For by grace are ye saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, not of works, lest any man should boast.” Salvation is by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone. I put the question to you again, what are you relying upon for eternity? We are told there in Amos chapter 4 the verse number 12, “prepare to meet thy God”. Each and every one of us here tonight, we're all going out to meet God. There are many here this evening and we're thankful that we're going out to meet God as our Saviour. But you know, sadly up and down the land tonight there are many and they're going out to meet God as their judge. From our meeting began this evening, statistics tell us that approximately 7,000 people have went out into eternity. What an awful thing it would be for you if in the week that lies ahead, you too would go out into eternity. Can I press it upon you this evening to come to know Christ as Lord and as Savior tonight? We're thankful that after three days he arose victorious over sin and over death and over hell. We're thankful we can tell you that he's a victorious Saviour. That he is exalted. That he is ascended and seated at his father's right hand in glory. Tonight he calls unto you, my dear sinner friend. “Come unto me all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” The word of God declares, "Behold, now is the accepted time. Behold, now is the day of salvation." May the Lord help you tonight to come to close in with the message of the gospel and come to know Christ whom to know is life eternal.

 

Kiss the Son

COLERAINE EVANGELICAL CHURCH

SERMON NOTES SUNDAY 25 JANUARY 2026 pm - MR CRAIG DENNISON

PSALM 2 - key phrase verse 12 "kiss the Son"

The whole conclusion of the psalm falls on the responsibility of man to kiss the son. Psalm 2 is a beautiful psalm that God has given to show us the glory of God's kingdom. Many people today don't speak of it as a glorious kingdom. Rather they speak of it as in wreck and ruin, battered by Satan. A kingdom that is on the losing side. A kingdom that is wasting away and falling away to nothing. That is not how the bible describes Christ's kingdom. And it is certainly now how Psalm 2 describes Christ's kingdom. There are 3 people who are speaking in this psalm ...

First we have the prophet narrating the psalm verses 1 to 6

Then we have God the Father speaking in verse 6

In verses 7 to 9 the king is speaking

The author concludes in verses 10 to 12

Who is the prophet? Who is the author of this psalm? Many psalms will have a title above them - look at Psalms 3, 4 and 5. Psalm 2 does not have a title. We do know who it is that has written this psalm - king David. We know that with certainty because Acts 4 verse 25 the apostle quotes Psalm 2 verse 1. Just because he is the author does not mean the Psalm is all about him. David was the human author. But If we apply this psalm primarily to David and his life we do it with a terrible injustice. In fact we would be guilty of misunderstanding scripture. Because the primary application of Psalm 2 is not to David but it is to Christ and it is to Christ's kingdom. David Dixon, the Scottish Divine said this psalm does not bear David's name as it's appropriate to Christ. So that's why the title "a psalm of David" was left off because it's not too much to do with David but everything to do with Christ. Now that we have identified that Christ is in this psalm we have to ask the question what is the psalm teaching us about Christ's kingdom? There are only 2 kingdoms in this world. There are not many kingdoms. The kingdom of Christ is a glorious kingdom and there's the kingdom of the devil, the prince of the power of the air. The bible says we are either in one or the other kingdom. We are all born in sin and shapen in iniquity. The bible says there is none that doeth good, none seeketh after God. The bible says every man does that which is right in his own eyes. The bible says "All we like sheep have gone astray we have turned every man to his own way." By birth we are born in sin, in practice we live in sin. We fight against God. We resist his overtures to us in the gospel. We stubbornly refuse to come to God. We consider religion and faith to be a drudgery, a chore and a hassle. That is the natural estate and condition of our heart. That is the condition of the hearts of all those who are in the devil's kingdom. What do we need?  We need a new heart. To take away out stony heart. We need to receive a heart of flesh as Ezekiel speaks about. We need to be lifted from the kingdom of Satan and brought into the kingdom of God. But there's a problem. We cannot do that ourselves. God had to deal with our sin. If he didn't deal with our sin he wouldn't be a just God. He dealt with our sin by sending his son into the world to redeem sinners, to purchase salvation, to secure them as members of his kingdom. We can leave the kingdom of Satan and come into Christ's kingdom but there's only way to do it. The Lord Jesus said "I am the way the truth and the life. No man cometh to the father but by me." "I am the door by me if any man enter in he shall be saved." Christ came into the world, died on the cross of Calvary to translate sinners from the kingdom of Satan to his. What kingdom are you in this evening? There is no middle ground, no mans land. We might not like to think of ourselves of being in the devils kingdom but by default we are in it. There are 3 things to think about in Christ's kingdom.

Firstly, the war against his kingdom. In verse 2 we read of the people who war against the kingdom. "The kings of the earth set themselves and the rulers take counsel against the Lord and against his anointed." There is a war against the Father and the Son. The ungodly gather themselves together. They start their own religion. They start the religion of Islam and they amass massive armies and they take over countries in large swathes. They continue to do so today.  And they think they will advance their own kingdom by military power and by violence. And they say "Look at us. There are so many of us and we must be the right religion." We must be correct. Therefore we will resist the kingdom of Christ. We will fight against the kingdom of Christ. We will persecute those who are in his kingdom. But there's not just those who follow a religion. There are also those who are religious with a non-religion. Think of the atheists for instance. Many hundreds of millions of people declare themselves to be atheist. They gather together in atheistic societies, their humanistic societies and they comfort themselves that there is no God. And they go on campaigns to stop people believing in God. They get their celebrities and TV to try and pedal the notion that there is no God. What are they doing? They are warring against the Lord and against his anointed. They are trying to turn people from the kingdom of Christ and keep them in the kingdom of Satan. They war against the kingdom of God. But for their strength and numbers they forget who they're standing against. They are standing against the Lord. They are standing against the One who has called all things into being by the word of his power. They are standing against the one who holds our next breath in his hands. Think of all the kingdoms in history that have stood against God. Egyptians, Babylonians, Assyrians, Greeks, Romans, Turks, French under Napolean, Stalin, Hitler, Mussolini. They lived in defiance of word of God. They tried to set up their own kingdom. Not realising this was a little kingdom in the kingdom of Satan. Any man who sets up his own kingdom, he's not creating a third kingdom. He just has a little empire in the kingdom of Satan. As we look at the bible we can see how Pilate and Herod did this. Pilate had the king of glory standing in front of him. The Lord Jesus Christ spoke to him, declared himself to be the king. He had the opportunity to bow down before Jesus, to plead for mercy, to plead for repentance, to ask for entrance into Christ's kingdom. He had a glorious opportunity but then he thought about everything. Even his wife came to him and said "have nothing to do with that just man. I have suffered many things in a dream because of him. So Pilate had a decision to make. He even asked the question "what shall I do with this Jesus who is called the Christ?" He himself was perplexed I believe by this question. But then Pilate having thought of it all, do I take Jesus as my king or do I continue to climb the ladder with Caesar? He chose the Roman Empire. He chose that little kingdom in the  kingdom of Satan. Then we think of King Herod and how he wanted to meet Jesus many times. Now he had Jesus before him. What do he do? He mocked him. He rejected him. He didn't seek entrance into Christ's kingdom. He continued in Satan's kingdom. Pilate represented the Roman empire and Herod represented the ancient Jews in rejecting Christ's kingdom. Many today still war against Christ's kingdom, they do it as individuals whenever somebody says "I don't want to believe the teaching of the bible." They are really saying "I am rejecting Christ's kingdom." They are rejecting Christ as king. They are rejecting the teaching of the bible. And they will follow it up by saying something like "This is what I believe."  And then they will tell you about the religion they are following. They have created it in their head and following it in their heart. Whenever somebody says "this is what I believe" and its not in the bible they are really following another kingdom in the devil's kingdom. There are thousands of religions in the devils kingdom. He doesn't care which one you believe in as long as you are in those religions in his kingdom and you don't go into Christ's kingdom. Many today are trying to disprove Christianity and they take great offence at the notion that this book is true. They don't want it to be true. If it is true it means they are living a lie, they are living outside the kingdom of Christ. It means they are not in Christ's kingdom. they are in the devil's kingdom. They do not know that there is an awful eternity awaiting them without God. What do they do? War against his anointed. Many today reject Christ. They don't want it to be true. They make every effort they can not to believe the gospel. They do not attend church. Many spend their life fleeing from the presence of God, living outside God's kingdom with no desire to be in it.

The plan of those who war against the kingdom. Verse 3 "Let us break their bands asunder and cast away their cords from us." What are the bands? They represent the laws of God. These people who are saying we don't just want to break the laws of God but we want to completely abandon them. Casting away the cords is the ordinances of the church. The bands are the laws of God, the ten commandments for example. The cords are the ordinance of the church, the preaching of the gospel, public worship, prayer, the sacraments of the Lord's Supper and baptism. So these people have a plan and the plan is "let us break the bands and cast them away, the cords, let us break the laws of God. We don't need to live by the 10 Commandments any more," They say "we don't need religion, we don't need to follow the instructions of the bible. Let's break them." Whenever we break God's law, it's a sign that we are in the kingdom of Satan. But these people blaspheme the name of Christ. Taking the Lord's name in vain. They create idols in their heart. It might be the idol of money. It might be the idol of entertainment or of sport or of family or even the idol of work. It could be many different idols. Many people even have statues they worship. In India people are building shrines for their God. They don't even see the foolishness of their religion. But this is what men are doing and they are casting away. And we even see this happening within professing Christianity and evangelicalism. "We don't need an evening service. It's not the Lord's day any more, it is only the Lord's morning. We don't need the preaching anymore, it is so old fashioned. Let's get an entertaining group up, let's get many musical instruments to entertain people and fill the church that way." They are despising the ordinance of God. That isn't the work of God's kingdom. Those in his kingdom will love the preaching of God's word. They will love the worship of God. They will love to be gathered with the saints. Those who despise preaching are in the devil's kingdom. But they are even found in the professing church today. When sinners reject scripture they are not only rejecting it but they are seeking to abolish from their own conscience. They might comfort themselves by saying "well God won't send me to hell." They give themselves a pat on the back and say "well I'm a good person. God won't send me to hell." They are effectively saying "I reject the doctrine of eternal punishment. I don't believe the bible that God would punish me for being in the devils kingdom." We are not to live like that. We are to humbly submit to the word of God.

The purpose of those who war against the kingdom. Verse 1. "Why do the heathen rage? And the people imagine a vain thing?" The word rage could also be translated tumultuously assemble. Why do these people assemble themselves together and shake their fist at God? Why are they insensed and mad against the kingdom of Christ? Why do they consider the kingdom of God an offence? Why are they not delighted at his kingdom? Why do they not rejoice in his kingdom? Why are they not jumping up and down with thanksgiving that there is a kingdom rather than us being left in the kingdom of Satan for all eternity? Why are they not happy? The psalmist cannot understand why these people are so angry that God has provided a kingdom and a king, They rage because strangers to God. They don't want to know God. They want autonomy. They want to be their own God. They want to be masters of their own destiny. They want liberty to live however they please without any restraints at all. They want to live without instruction, without judgment, without any punishment for their sin. They also rage because they hate God as a person. They don't just hate the laws of God but hate God himself. Because if you hate anything about God, like one of his commandments, you hate God himself. Because everything that God has said in his word is the divine breath of God. So to say that you hate the words of God you are effectively saying you hate the being of God because God's word and God's being are inextricably linked together. To hate God is to hate his holiness. And that is what men do whenever they reject the laws of God. They are effectively saying "I hate God." Now they might not be just as blunt as that but if they are not in Christ's kingdom, if they are refusing his kingdom that is ultimately the sentiment of their heart.

Secondly, the authority of the kingdom - verse 4. "He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh." He is not pacing back and forth in heaven biting his nails. These people won't believe in me. These people will not come to me. No he's sitting in the heavens. He is not afraid because he laughs against them. Who is the man to think he can fight against God and win? The foolishness of the sinner to think they can stand against God. The bible says when Christ returns men will flee to the rocks, praying for the rocks to fall on saying "Who can abide the day of his wrath?" God is not afraid. All the conspiracies of men, all the religions of men are foolish in the eyes of God. He laughs. He laughs at them. But we also have to say that God will not ignore such behavior as well. He will disappoint their hopes. But he has also, the Bible says, appointed a day in which he will judge the world in righteousness. So all the foolishness of men that God laughs at now, he has appointed a day in which he will judge the world. That's a very solemn day. We are told that everyone will be gathered before the great white throne of Christ, the living and the dead. The sea itself will give up the dead. We will all be there. And the Bible says that Christ will divide people into two camps because there are only two classes of people. He will say to the believers on his right hand, "Come ye blessed of my father, inherit the kingdom." The kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world and they will go into everlasting life. But to those on his left, he will say, "Depart from me, ye cursed. I never knew ye." Now, we all want to know the future. This is the future. This is what God says has happened. We will all be there. We'll be separated. There will be Christ's kingdom. There will be the devil's kingdom. And the devil's kingdom, we're told, will be cast into the lake of fire for all eternity. Today is the day of salvation. Today, we are told, if you hear his voice, harden not your heart. This is the attitude of God against his enemies, there will be that day of judgment. But the Lord has appointed Christ. In verse two, Christ is called his anointed. Here, Christ is distinguished. He is anointed and he's anointed for a certain role to be a mediator. Now, you know what a mediator does? They mediate between two parties that have fallen out. And so, whenever Adam rebelled against God, there was a separation. But Christ came to be the mediator between God and man and to make that way of salvation for us. And how did he do it? Well, he did it, dear friend. By coming into this world to do what you and I could not do. Make full atonement for our sin. And Christ did that on the cross of Calvary. the infinite eternal son of God, took our sin upon his body and soul on the cross of Calvary. He bore the wrath of the father on that cross and shed his blood to redeem so we could be saved. So we could be in Christ's kingdom. Verse six, the father says, "Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion." These are the words of the father vine that his son and his church will be glorified and exalted above all other kingdoms in the world. No other kingdom compares to the kingdom of Christ. And then in verse 7, Christ himself says "I will declare the decree. The Lord hath said unto me, thou art my son. This day have I begotten thee." So this is the Lord Jesus Christ taking up the role to be the mediator between God and men to be the king and head of his church. So the father takes part with the son to establish the kingdom. This is what we call the covenant of redemption where father and son made that covenant in eternity that the son would come and save sinners and establish his kingdom. But notice also the power of Christ's kingdom. This isn't a a dead kingdom. It's not a powerless kingdom. There's many people are are are kings. You've no doubt heard of the uprisings in Iran. Well, there's an exiled prince from Iran who is who is claiming the kingship there. But Christ's kingdom isn't lacking power. It's full of power. Verse eight, we're told that Christ will have the heathen for his inheritance. the heathen, those outside of of the the nation of Israel, those uncircumcised Philistines, they will be his inheritance. They will be in his kingdom. They won't merely be his subjects. They'll be his brothers and sisters. He is our elder brother. We're adopted into the family of God. Christ is our elder brother. He is our king. And we're told that the heathen will be his inheritance. We're told that they will come from east and west to sit down at the table of Abraham. We're told that they will be from every kindred and nation and people and tongue, that means language groups. So, we're told that the various nations of the world will have people who will join the kingdom of Christ. Verse 8 goes on to say, the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession. Not just a little plot of land over there in the Middle East, but the uttermost parts of the earth, Christ's kingdom will extend beyond the boundaries of the Middle East. And do we not see that? Has the gospel not gone forth in starting up in Canada and Alaska all the way down to Peru and Argentina? It's the gospel not gone to those places. Is it not continued to go to those places today? Come into Europe and we see the gospel up in countries like Norway and Denmark go down to the bottom of Africa and has the gospel not gone forth to uh all the nations in between go over to the east? Do we not see in Russia that the gospel has gone there and continues to go there? And in countries like China and India, Malaysia, Australia, New Zealand, the gospel still going out to those places today and men and women are believing. So what's happening? Those uttermost parts of the earth are are coming to Christ. They're coming into the kingdom of Christ. He has them for his possession. So the saint can rest entirely in Christ and knowing that he is safe in his kingdom. But very quickly we'll think finally of the call to the kingdom because Christ's kingdom issues a call to those who are in the kingdom of darkness. And in verse 12 we see that the call is to kiss the sun. That is what Christ is saying to those in the kingdom of Satan. Kiss the son. Embrace the son. This is what David is saying. Kiss the son. Embrace the son. This is what David is telling us to do. Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved. Turn from your wicked ways. Seek ye the Lord while he may be found. This is the gospel message that has thundered throughout the earth for thousands of years. It's the same gospel message that continues to thunder throughout the earth. And I say that gospel message will continue to thunder until Christ comes and calls his people to himself. It is a call that has gone forward in Coleraine for many, many years. And it's a call that is issued to you again tonight to kiss the sun, to embrace the sun, to leave your sin and worldliness and carnality behind, your love and your own ideas and vanities and come to Christ. Kiss him. Embrace him. Take him to be your Lord and Savior this very night. And notice the direction of the call. Who is the Lord directing this to? He's not directing it to those who are already in the kingdom. He's directing it to those outside the kingdom. He's directing it effectively to his enemies. To those who persecuted him, to those who cried out, "Crucify him! Crucify him!" That's who it's directed to. So even though we might spend a whole life living in rebellion against God, he still says the same words to us from we are one day old till we are 101 days old. The message is the same. Kiss the sun. But can I say that invitation to kiss the sun, it's time limited. There's only a certain period you can do it and it's your lifetime. Now that might seem like an awful long time, but dear friend, it expires when you expire. Whenever you breathe your last breath, the invitation's over and it's too late. The call to kiss the son is now. We are not guaranteed our next breath, our next heartbeat. We're not guaranteed tomorrow. The invitation to kiss the sun is now. What is the consequence if we reject this call to kiss Christ? Verse 12, lest he be angry and ye perish from the way when his wrath is kindled but a little. There are consequences in resisting Christ, in refusing Christ. You will face his wrath for all eternity. But notice also the comfort of the call. Verse 12, blessed are all they that put their trust in him. Blessed, happy are all they that put their trust in him. Notice how encompassing that is. All they that put their trust in him are happy because those who are in Christ's kingdom have no regrets. There's nobody in their deathbed ever says, "I regret becoming a Christian. I regret for so many years being a follower of Jesus Christ." No, it's the opposite. Those from the kingdom of Satan, they have the regrets. They are the ones who are heading out into eternity, unknown and unsure. But those who put their trust in him, blessed are all they that put their trust in him. That's what the Lord wants us to do. Put our trust in him. We don't need to memorize the Bible, understand it fully. Be great if we did. God simply says, "Kiss the son and trust in him. This is a psalm which is which encourages men to submit to Christ. It shows us that there are two kingdoms and we need to be in the kingdom of Christ. So the gospel invitation to us is to leave the kingdom of Satan and come to the kingdom of Christ. So I ask you one last time, what kingdom are you in? And what kingdom will you be in when the Lord comes? Make your calling, Peter says, and election sure.

Ye are the salt of the earth

COLERAINE EVANGELICAL CHURCH

SUNDAY 25 JANUARY 2026 am - MR CRAIG DENNISON

MATTHEW 5 VERSES 1 TO 12

Text: Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.

Whenever the Lord saves a person and brings them out of the kingdom of darkness into his kingdom of light, he does not just leave them. He brings them into the kingdom so that they can live as citizens of the kingdom. He gives them instructions of how he wants them to live. Whenever someone is enlisted in the army they generally go for training. They are not enlisted one day and then go out into the battlefield the next.  They normally have preparation classes to attend, drills to undertake. They are given instructions to practice before they go out into the battlefield. The Lord does not leave us a blind men stumbling, wondering how to live to please God. He gives instructions. That is what the bible is all about. Teaching. In every scenario in life we find ourselves in we can turn to the bible for general principles on how to live and behave. The Lord spend 3 years teaching and preparing his disciples for how he wanted them to live. One of the first sermons he preached is this one in Matthew 5. It contains the instructions he gave them. And they are the same today. What would the Lord say to us today? "Ye are the salt of the earth". That is how. He wants us to live as salt. In verses 3 to 12 Jesus details the Christian character. In verses 1 to 12 he tells them these things should be in your heart, shaping your character. You should hunger and thirst for righteousness, be merciful and pure in heart, be a peacemaker. In verses 13 to 16 he speaks a little differently. We see him describe how a Christian should manifest his character in the world. Verses 1 to 12 - these are all the things that should be in you and in verses 13 to 16 what you should be doing in the world.  perhaps an area we struggle with - how do I live as Christian in such a sinful and wicked world? How should I live as a Christian in my family who are unconverted, in school or the workplace, in my own neighbourhood. How does the Lord want me to live? Some people of course realise that this world is so difficult to live in and they go to extremes. They withdraw themselves and live in monasteries or convents. The Amish communities do that for instance.  Do we isolate ourselves to our own church and denomination? Do we conclude that we are the only one in the world that we could possibly have fellowship with? Some take it to that extreme of isolationism. But there's others and they take it to the other extreme. They try to be like the world as much as possible. It could be in the way they dress, the way they talk. They engage in the world's activities and vices even the sinful ones. They say "if we are going to ever win the world we have to be like them, we have to do the things they do, then we can pull them back to the Lord."  We have not been left to figure out what is the best approach. The Lord details how he wants Christians to live in this world. He uses a simple illustration - salt. "Ye are the salt of the world". To know how to live in this world we are to follow the example of salt. There are 3 things we can look at using this illustration ...

the properties of salt

the place for salt

the priorities of the Christian  

First of all we see the properties of salt. Salt's monetary value is minimal. It is cheap to produce. There are salt mines all over the world. Modern shipping makes it easy to ship boatloads of salt from one place to another. And salt is in such extensive supplies. We don't just pour salt over our food in great abundance not caring about the cost of it. We pour it over our roads as well when there is ice. No-one has battered an eyelid over the price of salt. It is cheap, inexpensive. It doesn't cost anything to be salt. It doesn't cost the Christian anything to live as salt in the world. We don't have to pay any money to be salt. We don't have to complete a training course or climb any mountains. It will not cost you anything but applying biblical principles to your life. God has given you and I the ability to be salt this very moment. We don't have to be a Christian for 5, 10, 15 or 20 years before you can live as the salt of the world. The first property of salt is that it is cheap. Its monetary value is low.

Secondly, it is precious. That might sound like a contradiction but salt is precious because of its contribution. Salt is valued more throughout history than it is today. In fact countries of the world used to fight wars over salt mines. For the ancient Greeks it was so precious they thought it was divine, from heaven. Roman soldiers were often paid in salt. You have heard the expression "he is not worth his salt" meaning he is not worth his wages. How precious salt was to people in the past. Salt is also precious today. We need it in our cooking, in various aspects of our lives. The body wouldn't survive. It is also precious to God. He wants you and I to be precious in the world. We are precious in the eyes of God. Every thought, every action, every behaviour is so precious to the Lord. He has saved us from the world and he wants us to manifest ourselves by living as salt of the world. 

The third principle is salt is essential. The world could not survive without it. Nor your body. When the warm weather comes and you begin to sweat and perspire, the body gets drained of salt. It leads to a lack of appetite, headaches and tiredness. If all the salt was removed from the world we would be in great trouble. It is essential. Christians are essential. As salt in the world we are ordained to live here for him and his glory. God does not remove us immediately we are saved. He leaves us to live for him and his glory. Live as salt. It is essential. God has decreed that as Christians we are essentially here on earth for the growth and continuation of his kingdom.

Salt preserves. Before fridges were invented and men killed animals they used salt to preserve the meat. Fishermen when they go on long trips use salt to preserve the fish. It acts as a preservative as well as keeping its flavour. Christians are preservatives of the truth in society. We are the ones here to know truth, promote truth and defend truth in society. As we live as salt of the world we are advancing the truth of the gospel but also of the full knowledge of God as well. If salt were removed from society. Look at countries were there is no gospel. The people live as barbarians. They eat and devour one another. They live lawless lives. When they banish Christianity the people live immoral lives. The law of God is neglected. It is good as Christians in society to preserve truth. Society would be in chaos if all those who advocated for truth were removed. Society would be in a worst state if all Christians were removed.

Fifthly, it provides flavour. There are certain foods that are bland by nature. Salt provides that flavour needed. We cannot see the salt but we taste the effect of it. Christians are those God has provided to bring blessing in society. We are those who have the message of hope. Guidance for those lost. Wisdom and grace to share with those blinded by the god of this world. A life to share with those dead in trespasses and sin. When salt is mixed in you don't see it. Christians should be providing the flavour of the gospel to those who are dead.

Sixthly, salt purifies. It acts as an antiseptic. In countries that don't have medicine they pour salt into wounds to heal. Ezekiel 16 verse 4 "And as for thy nativity, in the day thou wast born thy navel was not cut, neither wast thou washed in water to supple thee; thou wast not salted at all, nor swaddled at all." Covering a new born baby in salt purified it clean. Salt acts as a purifier. I have noticed that if a conversation has taken a dark turn people will stop and say "I shouldn't be saying those things in front of you." Christians have that sanctifying effect on people in homes and schools. The atmosphere is changed as a result.

Seventh, salt is used in worship - Leviticus 2 verse 3 "And every oblation of thy meat offering shalt thou season with salt; neither shalt thou suffer the salt of the covenant of thy God to be lacking from thy meat offering: with all thine offerings thou shalt offer salt." Why was salt important in worship? Salt will not decay or corrupt. That sacrifice on the altar was a picture of the Lord Jesus Christ. His work will never decay, nor corrupt. His work on the cross purifies sinners. The Lord Jesus provides flavour, gives purpose to our lives. The Lord Jesus is precious to our souls. He preserves us from death and he is essential to our salvation. The Lord Jesus was the great fulfilment of that sacrifice of the Old Testament. He is the one we worship. He has done all things well for us. Therefore it should not be a chore to follow his teaching and live as salt in this word.

The place where salt is needed. Where is salt needed? In the world. Think of the physical need of salt. When Adam fell he brought corruption and death for all. He brought decay into the world. The body from the moment Adam sinned started to decay. And man has been dying ever since. The world got worse from the Garden of Eden. Think of Noah, the Lord searched the whole earth and only found 8 people to save in the ark. The world continues in a state of wickedness today. Salt was used to kill weeds. Weeds came in with Adam and the fall. Salt was even used to make places barren. Judges 9 verse 45 "And Abimelech fought against the city all that day; and he took the city, and slew the people that was therein, and beat down the city, and sowed it with salt." Salt was used to make a place barren and reduce the city to nothing. That is what the Lord effectively wants the Christian to do. To show the barrenness of sin. This shows people the fruitlessness of sin. Living for the world produces nothing but deadness and death. The Christian is to show them new life in Christ. Adam didn't just bring physical death. He brought spiritual decay. Sin is pollution, corruption. Sin causes decay in souls of men. The world left to itself will fester in wickedness and sin. It needs spiritual salt. It needs Christianity. The world will continue to die. So how is salt to impact the world? Is Christianity to give counsel on social, economic, political efforts and world affairs? Well certainly Christians should be those who have the best wisdom to do. But in the Old Testament Israel was both state and church but those times have ended. We never hear of the apostles writing on political or economic affairs. How do Christians impact the world? We don't do it by setting up a political party. We don't do it by fighting on social causes. Of course, certainly there is a case for Christians to take their stand on these things but Christians primarily impact the world by preaching the gospel and living as salt of the world. Now God has ordained that through the preaching of the word, men and women will be converted. It is a earth. It is through the preaching that a mass conversion will take place. This conversion leads to transformation of the nations. If the prime minister was converted and started to live for Christ today, if he started to live by the bible people would not want it. He would be out the door very quickly. The change does not happen from the top down but from the bottom up. It affects every facet and pillar of society. We often say that if we just had money, if we just had technology, if we just had resources what an impact we would have on our town and community. Nowhere in the sermon on the mount does Jesus say you need resources to impact this world. Jesus says simply "Ye are the salt of the earth". No money can change communities. It is only as Christians go out and live as salt of the earth.

The priorities of the Christian. "Ye are the salt of the earth." There are a lot of people who complain about the language of the authorised King James version. We don't speak with these words anymore. There is a very good reason why we use these pronouns because English is in many ways an inferior language. Most other languages in the world have different words for one person and a group of people. In English we have only one word and it is the word "you" for singular and the word "you" for plural. So the biblical language make a distinction. So they use the classical Elizabethan language to distinguish between singular one person and plural a group of people and it's a very easy rule to make between one person and another person. Anything that begins with a T - they, thy, thine, thyself is singular and anything begins with y, your, yours, yourselves is plural. A group of people. Now there's 13,000 times that the ESV and NIV use the word you. And if you read those bibles you wouldn't be able to tell if it is singular or plural. But every time you read the King James and come to a verse like "Satan hath desired to have you (plural) but I have prayed for thee Peter (singular). The Lord says here in verse 13 "ye" so that is plural. That is a group of people. He is speaking to his disciples who are there - ye are the salt of the earth. This is a plural pronoun. It is not up to one person to live for Christ. It is not just for pastors, elders or the experienced Christian. All of you are to live as salt of the earth. So you shouldn't sit there today and say "well the rest of them can live as salt of the earth but I will just stick to my own ways." No we are all to live as salt of the earth. This is a command for each and everyone of us. None of us is to be excluded. It is a collective priority. And notice it is a command. It is not a suggestion. It is not saying you should work to become. The Lord is implying this is something you should already. This is not something you are working towards. It is not something for a future day, not a New Years resolution. It is something you should already be living like. You should be the salt of the earth. True salt does not need to advertise itself. You think of going into the garden, you know and can name flowers by their petals, flowers and colours and design. Salt does not need to behave like that. People know true salt when they taste and experience it. A Christian does not need to tell others they are salt. They should be able to observe of them that they are salt. A Christian's presence in the room should be such that people should become aware over time there is something different about them. If we come into the presence of others having been in the presence of Jesus, people will take notice that we have been with Jesus. What was it said of the early disciples? "They took notice of them that they had been with Jesus." And that should be the same for you and I as well.  It is a collective priory and command but also a collective practice. How is the Christian to function like salt? Well we are to purify by our presence. Salt exercises all of its qualities by being different? A small amount of salt makes all the difference. Too much salt can spoil a meal. The Christian not only is to be different in the world but is to glory in our difference. We don't go out of the way to stand out, to broadcast it. People should notice there is something Christlike about them. We are to purify, preserve, shun carnality. We are not to be like the world. And we are also to provide that glorious flavour of the gospel. The gospel makes like not just palatable but worth living. Life without the gospel is bland. It is dead. Life would the gospel is tasteless and pointless. So we are to provide that glorious flavour. Colossians 4 verse 6 " Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man." 

There is an individual warning here for the Christian. "If the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men." There are different types of salt. Some are good for food, a premium salt. Then there are some that are only good to be put into the ground. There are different types of Christians that fit those categories. Some have a great impact on others. They are good for food. But then there are others and well the Lord says they are good for nothing. What a terrible indictment. If the Lord were to say that of us, if we are not living to our best ability, to be true salt but only to be taken out, how will the gospel spread? If the Christian is not living and behaving as salt of the earth, if we have no care for the souls of others. If our main priority in life is for our own happiness then what use would we be? The Lord would say we are good for nothing. Dr Martin Lloyd Jones said "Christians by being Christians influence society almost automatically." This can be lost today. We think we can impact the community with leaflets and tracks and a minister with a winsome personality. We have resorted to worldly methods to impact the world. But the Lord tells us how to impact others - live as salt. Maybe we don't want to admit that we are not living for Christ as we should. We don't want to admit we are not as close to him as we should be. Maybe it is easier to put a leaflet through a door than it is to live for Christ. Sinclair Ferguson said, "Christians may seem small and insignificant in the world but they have the ability to influence all of it."  And we do because we are not left to ourselves. Behind the Christian is an awesome God. In the Christian is the power of the Holy Spirit living within. We cannot and will not fail. The Lord says to us "ye are the salt of the earth". The challenge is - are we living as the salt of the earth? How can we improve and how cane we seek to live better for Christ?

 

Ezra - back to Basics

COLERAINE EVANGELICAL CHURCH

SERMON NOTES FROM SUNDAY 18 JANUARY 2026 - MR JASON CRUISE

EZRA 7 VERSES 6 - 10, 28, 8 VERSES 21 - 28, 31 AND 32

I am in no doubt that each of us know how the Children of Israel were carried into captivity from Jerusalem to Babylon under the reign of King Nebuchadnezzar. The nation of Babylon comes to an end in Daniel chapter 5 in 539 BC. Thus began the reign of the Medes and Persians under Cyrus. In 538 BC the Children of Israel are allowed to return home. The Children of Israel returned from Babylon to Jerusalem in 3 groups or waves. The first was under the leadership of Zerubbabel who had the responsibility of rebuilding the temple. That was completed in Ezra chapter 6. The second wave returned under the leadership of Ezra. He is responsible for the establishment of temple worship. The third wave returned under the leadership of Nehemiah. He is responsible for the rebuilding of the walls. We read that in chapter 7 verse 6. 3 times we read of him as Ezra the priest, 4 times as Ezra the scribe, 5 times as Ezra the priest and scribe. As priest he was a man of the synagogue, a servant of the Lord. In the first 5 verses of chapter 7 we are given Ezra's genealogy. He could trace his lineage back to Aaron the high priest. He was a priest. He stood to serve the Lord. He knew the hand of God on him. 6 times in chapters 7 and 8 the hand of God was on him. He knew the leading and guiding and instruction of the Lord. The fact that it tells us he was a priest. We cannot trace our genealogy back to Aaron but we belong to the royal priesthood - 1 Peter 2 verse 9 "But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light." We belong to the family and fold of God. 4 times we read that Ezra is described as Ezra the scribe. This is a man who knew the word of God. He was a man of the scriptures. A man who spent many hours in the scriptures. He loved to study the word of God. Do we spend time in the word of God each and every day? He spent time in the quiet place seeking the face of God daily. Do you come to the Lord every day? Do you seek God in the quietness of the day? A man of the scriptures - does that describe us today? The life Ezra lived stood as a life wholly acceptable in the eyes of God. He knew God's hand on him. 6 times we read "the hand of God was on Ezra." He knew the blessing of God on his life. I trust that we will seek to live lives acceptable to God, to honour the Lord.

In verse 10 we read of Ezra's three fold commitment to the Lord:

He prepared his heart to seek the Law of the Lord - he sought to study deeply

And to do it - to live it out in obedience to the Lord

And to teach in Israel statutes and judgments - he sought to teach the word of God

Firstly he sought to see those around him built up in their most holy faith. Do we study the word of God? 1 Peter 2 verse 2 "As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby." We all know the new born baby as they hunger for the milk. If they haven't got it they will soon tell you about it. Do you and I desire the sincere milk of the word? Do you study the word of the Lord in your daily quiet time? I pray that we will cultivate a desire to know the word of God asking the Lord each day for a word from him. 2 Timothy 2 verse 15 "study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth."

Secondly, he sought to live it out in obedience to the Lord. Do those who look on your life and mine, work colleagues, friends and family, do they see a man or woman shining brightly for Christ? Are you and I being faithful to the Lord each and every day? Philippians 2 verses 14 and 15 "Do all things without murmurings and disputings. That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world." Are we shining brightly each and every day for the Saviour? The more we walk closely with Christ the more we will become a mirror image of him. If you had come into contact with Ezra you would know within minutes that you were in the presence of God. A man of love and compassion. He had that Christ like character that wants to see people built up for the Lord.

Thirdly, he wanted to teach the word of God. To see the people built up in their knowledge of the word of God. I trust that that will be our desire in the days and weeks that lie ahead.

Verse 28 "And hath extended mercy unto me before the king, and has counsellors and before all the king's mighty princes. And I was strengthened as the hand of the Lord my God was upon me and I gathered together out of Israel chief men to go up with me."

Ezra is making his way towards Jerusalem. He lived at the same time as men like Haggai and Nehemiah. He was born in the later years of the prophet Daniel. Both Ezra and Nehemiah were born in captivity. He knows there is a work to do and it is more than he is able to do all on his own. He gathered together out of Israel chief men to go up with him. He is a man with a passion, a burden and zeal for the Lord but acknowledges he needs help in the work ahead. It reminds me that the best of men are only men at their best. He cannot do the work on his own. We need people to draw alongside other believers, to help in whatever capacity possible. Remember Moses as he went up into the mountain to pray with Joshua in the valley below fighting the enemy. Moses became tired and Aaron and Hur came alongside him and held up his arms. We need people to draw alongside us to pray today.

Chapter 8 verses 21 to 23 "Then I proclaimed a fast there, at the river of Ahava, that we might afflict ourselves before our God, to seek of him a right way for us and for our little ones and for all our substance. For I was ashamed to require of the king a band of soldiers and horsemen to help us against the enemy in the way; because we had spoken unto the king, saying, The hand of our God is upon all them for good that seek him,; but his power and his wrath is against all them that forsake him. So we fasted and besought our God for this; and he was intreated of us."

It took Ezra and these men 4 months to travel. He tells them they are going to stop at this river to fast and pray. Yes he had a passion to preach and study the word of God but he knew he had to seek the Lord for guidance in the way ahead. He will make his way to Jerusalem and will establish temple worship. Men and women will be brought under obedience to the word of God but he prays to God for light and guidance. He knew the need for prayer. The apostle Paul in Colossians 4 verse 2 said "Continue in prayer and watch in the same with thanksgiving." He didn't start to pray or began to pray when things were difficult - he said continue to pray. Paul knew when men or women become Christians they should have a passion to pray. The apostle Paul himself in Acts 9 verse 11 was found in prayer - the Lord spoke to Ananias "And the Lord said unto him, Arise and go into the street which is called Straight and enquire in the house of Judas for one called Saul, of Tarsus; for behold he prayeth." He had only come to faith in Christ and he was praying. 

"Prayer is oxygen for the soul" C H Spurgeon

The Lord Jesus was a man who knew the need to pray. He spent all night in prayer - Matthew 6 verse 12, If he was a man who knew he needed to spend whole nights in prayer surely we should also. David in Psalm 109 verse 4 said "but I give myself to prayer."  Make sure you come every day to pray at the throne of grace. That we would see God's hand move in this day. Ezra knew it would be difficult ahead. There would be dangers along the way. He came and asked the Lord for leading and guidance.

Chapter 8 verse 31 "Then we departed from the river of Ahava on the twelfth day of the first month to go unto Jerusalem and the hand of our God was upon us and he delivered us from the hand of the enemy and of such as lay in wait by the way."

These men have stopped at the River Ahava, they fasted and sought the Lord in prayer and are now departing. It reminds us that there is much need for prayer but there also must be a time to move forward. There is a time to work. The Lord's hand was upon them to deliver them from the enemy. Ezra gives all the glory to God. Ezra knows they have reached Jerusalem not through their own efforts but because God's hand was upon them. He gives God the glory. Often when we come to the Lord we have a catalogue of prayers. Like the 9 lepers only one came back to give thanks. Ezra's acknowledgement of what the Lord has done, They are now at Jerusalem because the Lord was with them. There were dangers along the way but the Lord delivered them.

Verse 35 "Also the children of those that had been carried away, which were come out of the captivity, offered burnt offerings unto the God of Israel, twelve bullocks for all Israel, ninety and six rams, seventy and seven lambs, twelve he goats for a sin offering; all this was a burnt offering unto the Lord."

There is a need for sacrifice when they arrived in Jerusalem. There is sin in their lives. They needed atonement for their sin. You and I will get up tomorrow morning and will seek to live a life that glorifies and honours the Lord. We are simply only sinners saved by grace. We must acknowledge the night that blood had to be shed. The Lord didn't come with a sacrifice of a lamb or goat or bullock. No he offered himself as a sacrifice. The Children of Israel had now returned to Jerusalem and had to offer sacrifices continually. But the righteous divine judgment of a holy God has been made at Calvary. The price for sin has been made by the death of our Lord Jesus. That sacrifice on Calvary was accepted as the sacrifice for all sin.

I pray that we will be men and women of God, spending time in the quiet place with God. That we will be men and women of the scriptures, hearing the word of God daily. I pray that we will live out the word of God daily. That people will see a person who seeks to honour the Lord. That people will be awakened to their great need and come to put their faith and trust in Christ for themselves.

 And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the street which is called Straight, and enquire in the house of Judas for one called Saul, of Tarsus: for, behold, he prayeth,