The Queen of Sheba's visit to the king

 

COLERAINE EVANGELICAL CHURCH

SERMON NOTES SUNDAY 3 MAY 2026 pm – PASTOR HENRY CASKEY

THE QUEEN OF SHEBA’S VISIT TO THE KING

1 Kings chapter 10

 

In this reading we have the visit from Queen of Sheba to Solomon. And that's what we want to look at just for a moment or two this evening.

And when the Queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon concerning the name of the Lord, she came to prove him with hard questions. And she came to Jerusalem with a very great train with camels that bear spices and very much gold and precious stones. And when she was come to Solomon, she communed with him of all that was in her heart. And Solomon told her all her questions. There was not anything hid from the king which he told her not. And when the Queen of Sheba had seen all Solomon's wisdom, and the house that he had built, and the meat of his table, and the sitting of his servants, and the attendance of his ministers, and their apparel, and his cupbearers, and his ascent by which he went up unto the house of the Lord, there was no more spirit in her. And she said to the king, "It is it was a true report that I heard in mine own land of thy acts and of thy wisdom. How be it, I believe not the words, until I came, and mine eyes had seen it. And behold, the half was not told me. Thy wisdom and prosperity exceedeth the fame which I heard. Happy are thy men. Happy are these thy servants, which stand continually before thee, and that bear thy wisdom. Blessed and be the Lord thy God, which delighted in thee, to set thee on the throne of Israel. Behold, the Lord loved Israel forever. Therefore made he the king to do judgment and justice.”

And then verse number 13.

“And the king Solomon gave unto the queen of Sheba all her desire, whatsoever she asked besides that which Solomon gave her of his royal bounty. So she turned and went to her own country, she and her servants.

 

I want us this evening just to turn to this portion of scripture and to consider here this visit of the Queen of Sheba. I want to consider that tonight in the light of the glorious gospel of course, in the light of a sinner coming to the Lord Jesus Christ because in Solomon we have a picture of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the woman coming we can see a sinner likewise coming. I suppose as we look tonight, there is no greater iconic figure than this particular woman with all of her riches, with all of her wealth. It is to her and this visit tonight that we want to hear the wisdom of Solomon. As a matter of fact, the Lord Jesus Christ in his day when he was preaching, he pointed to this woman, the Queen of Sheba in Matthew 12. Here's what he had to say. "The queen of the south shall rise up in judgment with this generation and shall condemn it, for she came from the uttermost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon. And behold, a greater than Solomon is here." Imagine that there's coming a day when this woman will rise up and be presented as a living judgment to those who rejected and turned away from the Lord Jesus Christ himself. Now I want to take a look at this tonight and I want to take a simple picture of the sinner coming to Christ this evening and the lessons that we learn from this woman.

I want you to notice first of all that this woman was informed. It tells us that right away in verse number one, it says, "And when the Queen of Sheba heard about the fame of Solomon concerning the Lord, and she came to prove him with hard questions.” She came to prove for herself all things that she had heard about this man. Oh yes, she had listened to the stories. She had heard about the stories of his great wisdom, of his great riches, of his great wealth, of his great kingdom. But somehow she couldn't take in the half of it until she came herself and proved. And you know, we can preach the gospel from morning to night but until men and women come and prove for themselves the “delights of the Lord until all in the altar we lay.” The psalmist said "Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good." Why? We cannot prove the Lord until we come and put our trust and faith in him. Whenever we think of him who loved us with an everlasting love, that he would leave the splendours of heaven, that he would leave the praise of angels that he would turn aside from his Father and would come down into this sin cursed world and be rejected of the religious leaders and men and be beaten and tortured in Pilot's judgment hall that he might save you and me. We can hardly more than take it in what it means to him, “the holy one, to take away our sin.” And yet we sit and we reject that wonderful, wonderful love this evening. This woman was informed. She heard news had come about the exploits of this man to her ears. She had heard also of the things that God had done for him in verse number nine. And how God had blessed them. Isn't that what the psalmist could say? Her mouth was filled with laughter and her tongue with singing. Then said they among the heathen, the Lord hath done great things for them. Here was a situation with this heathen woman. She realized that God had done some great things for Solomon and she wanted to see for herself.  There was something special about the work of God and there still is. My whenever God comes to a life and changes that life,whenever God saves a man or saves a woman, it's just a real trophy of grace. We were looking at that this morning in the story of the woman at the well. The Bible says that she had five husbands and the man that she was living with wasn't her husband at all. She went out with her little water pot and she went to the well to fill water and to bring it back into the house. The Lord saved her at the water well. Isn't that an amazing thing? And just totally transformed her life. Totally changed her. Isn't that what the scriptures tell us tonight? That if any man be in Christ, he's a new creature and the old things they have passed away and all things have become new. That's what the gospel does. Is any wonder the apostle Paul could say, "I'm not ashamed of the gospel." Why? He was going to that great intellectual city. He was going to Rome. He was taking the gospel there. He knew that he would be slandered. He knew that he'd be ridiculed. Bringing such a message to this great city of Rome of this one who came into the world and died upon a cross. The cross was a criminals death and you are coming here to preach that? Paul says I am because “I'm not ashamed of the gospel because it is the power of God unto salvation.” The Apostle Paul could testify “he loved me and he gave himself for me.“ We are nothing tonight but just sinners saved by grace. Naaman was a man who was informed, wasn't he? He had so many great things going for him. A great soldier, a great military leader. The applause of the world was upon him. But he was a leper. And that leprosy would take his life.  But there was a made in Naaman's house. And she came one day to Naaman's wife and said, "You know, if my master Naaman was down with the prophet in Samaria, he would be healed." Naaman's wife went told Naaman. When he was  informed, he went down. And you know the story from there on, he was totally cleansed. Isn't that what the woman at the well said this morning? Whenever her life was totally transformed, she went into the city and she started to speak to the men of the city. She said to them "Will you not come out to the well? Will you not come to where I met the Saviour? Will you not come to the one who told me all things that ever I did, is this not the Christ?" She pleaded with the men of that city. And some of them believed her word and they came and others came and believed the Lord for themselves. She informed others. Are we informing others? Are we telling men and women about the wonderful works of Christ? Isn't that what the hymnwriter said?

“Is your life a channel of blessing?

Is the love of God flowing through you?

Are you telling the lost of the Savior?

Are you ready his service to do?”

Do you remember whenever the apostle Paul was writing to that church at Colasse how he spoke about Epaphras? He says “it was through Epaphras that you believed.” He was the one that brought the gospel to them and told them about the love of the Savior and told them about how Christ died for them and those people believed the message of salvation. You see, Epaphras informed them and we need to be informing people this evening. Informing sinners, about their condemnation, informing about the uncleanness, informing that we have no hope without Christ in this world. We are blinded by the God of this world. That we are without God. We are without Christ and we are without hope. Imagine coming to the end of life and spending your final hours lying on a bed somewhere about to close your eyes in death realizing that you have no hope in this world, that you are going out into a lost and Christless eternity. It must be an awful thing. Like that man in Luke 16.  The Bible says that he died and he was buried and in hell he lifted up his eyes being in torment. What a day that would be. Have you been informed tonight? Maybe someone has handed you a gospel tract and in that little gospel tract, it tells you all things that Christ has done for you. It speaks about your lost state. It speaks about your sinful state. It speaks about the only remedy for sin and that of the cross. It speaks about the love of the Lord Jesus Christ who took your place and my place upon the cross of Calvary. Maybe you are ready to bow your knee tonight. Why not come to Christ and trust him as your own and personal Saviour this evening? This woman was informed.

But then notice something else. She was interested. She developed a keen interest to know more and to prove the message she was hearing. And so she came. You can be informed about the gospel. You can be informed about how Jesus Christ took your place on the cross. You can be informed that you are lost in your sin and going out into a lost and Christless hell. You can be informed about that. And it stops there. But this woman didn't. She had heard about Solomon. She had heard about everything that was happening in his life and how God was blessing him in a tremendous way and how he had this great wisdom and how he had these great riches and she wanted to know more. So she came. She came to where he was. The very reason that Christ used her visit when he preached to the people, was to condemn those who were so privileged and heard so much and how they just simply let it all slip by them. That's what he was doing. He was speaking to a people who had heard so much, who had such a great privilege. Imagine having the Lord Jesus Christ preaching on the very streets of Jerusalem and in that surrounding area, giving to men and to women a great opportunity of being saved and being in heaven. But yet they spurned their opportunity. He said this woman is going to rise up in judgment against you because of your neglect of what you should do. This woman will stand in judgment. She will be called against you for she heard and she acted. Isn't that what the writer in the book of Hebrews says? "How shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation?" Philip Morrow way back in the late 1800s was a New York barrister. He was very very successful and very very highly educated. He was well sought after. But he was also a man of the world. He loved the limelight. He loved the parties and he was a sceptic. He didn't believe in anything about God. He didn't believe in anything spiritually whatsoever. One day he was standing in a line of people. He was going to the theatre and he was waiting for the doors to open up and to get his ticket to go in. But somehow he was compelled. He couldn't understand where that came from but he was compelled to step out of that line and to make his way down the street. And as he was making his way down the street, there was some singing that was going on in a little hall just down the way from the theatre. And somehow he couldn't get over it. It was just lovely to his ears. And as he approached that door, the door was opened up and there's a man standing who welcomed him in and shook his hand and gave him a little leaflet. This great barrister who didn't believe in anything. That night he was informed about the love of God. The preacher that night preached about “God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believeth on him should not perish but have everlasting life.” He preached about the love of God. And this great barrister was sitting just in the midst of all the number that were gathered in that evening. He was informed of what his life was like. He was really counting the cost because he realized that every word that he was saying was absolutely right as to what he was. He had everything that this old world could have. Jesus says, "What shall it profit a man if he gain the whole world and lose his own soul?" He was a young barrister. The world was before him. The money that he was earning was great. He had everything that he could ever ask for. But he didn't have God's salvation. And that night, he was informed that he was a sinner, lost, and undone. And as he sat in the midst of that little congregation, he cried out to the God of heaven that he would come to him and save his precious soul. He trusted in God that night. He was informed. He was interested and he came. And that's how we are saved tonight. We're not saved tonight just because we attend a church. We are not saved tonight just because we switch on YouTube and listen to a gospel service. We are saved tonight whenever we come and trust the Lord Jesus Christ as our own and personal Saviour and forget about everything else that we were trusting in. We might have trusted in our church. We might have trusted in our good works. We might have trusted in the money that we pay into the church. We may even have trusted in the good things of sitting around the Lord's table on a Sunday morning. But that doesn't save us. Only Christ upon the cross, shedding his precious blood, being that once for all sacrifice for sin. This woman was interested and she came. There were those in Jesus’ day who saw many great acts but they never came, they never trusted him. Remember the young man that was possessed of the demons. He couldn't even live in his own home. He couldn't live in his own village. There was a place for him just out amongst the tombs. And there he would cut himself and there he would cry out in the night and no one would pass by. He was such a violent young man. And they tried to contain him. They tried to put straps on him but somehow the enemy within him would just snap the straps. And then one day the Lord Jesus Christ came by and the Lord spoke to the demons that were in him. There was a herd of swine feeding on the on the hillside. The demons asked permission to leave the body and go into the herd of swine. With one word Jesus told them to go. They entered into the swine and they ran down the hill, into the sea and they were drowned. Someone went back and told the owners of the pigs what had happened and they came out to see for themselves. They were informed about it. They were interested enough to come out to see what was happening. And they saw this young man, this young man that couldn't be settled. But when the leaders of that city and the owners of these swine come out, they saw this young man and he was sitting at the feet of the Lord Jesus Christ and he was clothed and in his right mind. What did they do? They turned to the Lord Jesus Christ and said, "We don't want you. We don't want you in this part of the world. We want you to leave." They saw the young man and they saw what God did for that young man but they didn't want anything to do with it. They would rather had their swine. They would rather had their money. They didn't want the things of God. They didn't want the Lord Jesus Christ. So, Jesus had to go. We can be interested but we need to come. Remember in Paul's day whenever he was preaching on Mars Hill. It's recorded for us in the Acts of the Apostles, chapter 17. He informed them of God who created the world, of a coming judgment day and that they needed to repent of their sins and turn away. They were informed and some of them were interested. They were interested enough to stand and to listen. But you know, the Bible tells us that some actually believed. And then there were some who said, "Well, we'll hear you another day." And there were those who just walked away into the darkness. Interested enough to listen, but not to come. There will be those who will walk out of meetings tonight rejecting the message. Just like Felix of old. Paul informed him of judgment to come, of the life that he should be living, of what he needed to do. The Bible says that he trembled. He said to Paul, “Paul, go thy way." When I have a convenient season I will call for you." He had an interest to listen to him in the first place, but no interest to come to Christ to be saved.

Then we notice here that she inquired. In verse number one we read that she came to prove him with hard questions. She inquired. Notice where she's at now. Yes, there was a time whenever she was informed and yes, there was a time whenever she was interested. But now, where's she at? She's right beside him asking these hard questions. She wants to know all about it. She was informed. She was interested. But now she's inquiring further. She comes in verse number three and she asks questions. Remember whenever Paul had to leave Thessalonica. There was a riot there when he preached the word of God. There were those who believed the gospel and were saved. There were those who rejected and caused a riot. Paul had to leave and go down to Berea. When he got to Berea and preached the word of God, he found that the men of Berea were more noble than those of Thessalonica because they listened to the word of God with all readiness of mind. What did they do whenever they went home? They searched the scriptures. They inquired and they heard. They were informed and they were interested. But whenever they went home, they got down the word of God and they began to search the scriptures to see if these things be so. You know, it's one thing to sit in a gospel meeting. It's one thing to listen to what the preacher has to say, but you know we need to be careful. We need to go home and search the scriptures for ourselves. We need to look and see if what was said tonight is according to the word of God. John said in reference to the false preachers that we are to try the spirits and see if they be of God. This this woman inquired.

I love the funny story of the wee boy sitting one night doing his homework

and he said to his dad who was reading the newspaper "Dad what's the capital of Russia?" The dad said "I don't know, son." So that was okay. A minute or two later, the wee boy says, "Dad, what's the population of Russia?" His father responded "Son, I don't know, son." A moment or two later the wee boy says, "Dad, what's the longest river in Russia?” The dad looked at him again and said "Son I don't know." Some time later the wee boy says, "Dad do you mind me asking you all these questions?" And the dad says, "Not at all, son because how else are you going to learn if you don't ask questions?" You see, he was asking the questions but the person didn't know the answers.

There is only one tonight who knows you and me, who knows what I need. Thank God tonight we find the answers in the word of God because he has given them to us. This woman heard about the wisdom of Solomon and so she came to ask these hard questions. Think about Nicodemus. He was one of the wealthiest men at that time. He is a religious man and he has been informed about the Lord Jesus Christ. He tells Jesus that when he meets him “Lord we know that thou art a teacher come from God for no man can do these miracles except God be with him.” Maybe he heard the preaching of the Lord Jesus Christ. Maybe he was there whenever he saw some of these great miracles performed. He was informed about them and he is interested about them. But here he is sitting now in his own home. And all these things are going through his mind. And what does he do? He gets up, gets dressed and says, "I'm going to find the Messiah."  And so he comes to where Jesus was, sits down and has a face-to-face chat with the Lord Jesus Christ. He gets his answers to the questions that he has. It is possible tonight that you have questions and it is possible to ask questions. How does Jesus save? How does his death upon the cross save me? How does this precious blood that you speak about cleanse me from my sin? How does that secure me a place in heaven? How does that change my life? You know, the preacher doesn't know all the answers, but they are here in God’s word. Remember the old Philippian jailer and how he came one night asking the question "What must I do to be saved?" Thank God tonight we can be saved. This woman was impressed. Verse number seven, "The half has not been told." Isn't that the testimony of any sinner? Many people who testify will say ”you know, I wish I'd come earlier. I wish I'd given my life to Christ 20 years before.” Why? Because they have proved Christ to do so much for them and to have so much for us.

She was invited. Solomon just opened up his heart and his home. He says, "Take a look around you and see what is here." Before she went away he sent her away with even more riches than she had previously. That's what you find tonight. Whenever you come to Christ he blesses us with “every spiritual blessing in high places in Christ Jesus.” He takes away your sin, he gives you new life. Would you accept it? Would you accept that as the gift of God this evening? Because he has done so much for you. This woman found that he had done so much for Solomon and Christ can do so much for you.

 

Grace in an Unexpected Place

 

COLERAINE EVANGELICAL CHURCH

SERMON NOTES SUNDAY 3 MAY 2026 – Pastor Henry Caskey

John chapter 4

Grace in an Unexpected Place

“When therefore the Lord knew how the Pharisees had heard that Jesus made and baptized more disciples than John, though Jesus himself baptized not, but his disciples, he left Judea, and departed again into Galilee. And he must needs go through Samaria. Then cometh he to a city of Samaria, which is called Sychar, near to the parcel of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph. Now Jacob's well was there. Jesus therefore being wearied with his journey, sat thus on the well, and it was about the sixth hour. There cometh a woman of Samaria to draw water. And Jesus saith unto her, Give me to drink. For his disciples were gone away unto the city to buy meat. And then saith the woman of Samaria unto him, How is it that thou being a Jew ask drink of me which am a woman of Samaria? For the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans. Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink, thou wouldest have asked of me. asked of him, and he would have given thee living water. The woman saith unto him, "Sir, thou hast nothing to draw with, and the well is deep, from whence thou hast that living water. Art thou greater than our father Jacob, which gave us the well, and drank thereof himself, and his children, and his cattle?" Jesus answered, and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again. But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst. But the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life. And the woman saith unto him, Sir, give me this water that I thirst not, neither come hither to draw. Jesus saith unto her, Go, call thy husband, and come hither.  The woman answered and said, I have no husband. And Jesus said unto her, Thou hast well said, I have no husband, for thou hast had five husbands, and he whom thou now hast is not thy husband, in that thou saidest truly. And the woman saith unto him, Sir, I perceive that thou art a prophet.

And then the woman, of course, she takes of the water that the Lord was speaking about, the well of salvation.

Verse number 28

The woman left her water pot and went her way into the city, and saith to the man, come see a man which told me all things that ever I did. Is not this the Christ." Then they went out of the city and came unto him.

 

As I was reading through this account in the past days of the week and picking the hymns for the meeting this morning, I was thinking of grace. We need grace this morning. And I thought as I read through this portion of scripture in the past week, what a tremendous picture of grace that we really do have here. Here was this very immorral woman living in depravity and sin. And she makes her way out to where the Lord Jesus Christ is, not knowing that he was there, but the Lord knew all about it. And there she found grace and there she found mercy and her life was totally transformed, changed from that moment on. This is a great chapter because here we see the most unlikely source of revival. Have we come this morning expecting God to move in a mighty way? Have we come into the house of God this morning expecting God to really speak to us and to show us this morning? Jesus leaves Judea, we are told, because of a confrontation that was happening. The Pharisees of that particular day, they were starting to pick between John and Jesus and what not, and they were claiming the baptisms of the Lord Jesus Christ. The Lord didn't want that confrontation because it wasn't time for that confrontation. And so he moved on and he was making his way down to Galilee. We read this wonderful verse in verse number four. It says that “Jesus must needs go through Samaria.” He must needs go through Samaria. Now, this was a problem for the Jewish people. This was a problem. If you had asked the likes of Nicodemus, who was one of the leaders in the synagogue, "Is it okay for me to go down through Samaria?" he would have said, "Of course not. You've got to avoid it." They would have to take another route. You see, at the fall of the northern kingdom, when the Assyrian forces carried away Jewish captives, what they did was to replace them in the land. They brought some of their own people and it became a mixed race of people and that to the Jews was something unheard of and that's why we always have this this business of the Jews and the Samaritans having no dealings. But Jesus took this route because of one particular situation. Jesus took this route on this particular day because of an appointment with a woman at Jacob's well.  Do you and I believe an appointment is met this morning?  You see, I want this meeting this morning to be both a challenge and yet I want it to be a comfort this morning in this difficult day that we are living in. Because we are living in days when meetings are small. We're living in days whenever numbers are dwindling away. And that's all you hear about, isn't it? “Oh, not many in, not many coming to the meetings.” And yet we lose out on the one who is here. God speaks to you and me this morning.  I want us to think here about this particular meeting.

First of all – the visit. The visit of the Lord Jesus Christ. We need to have that precious visitation, the visitation of the Lord Jesus Christ himself. Jesus took time to travel a forbidden pathway if you like and to go through Samaria for one lost soul. For one lost soul. Sometimes you know we do get caught up with who's not here and we forget about who is here. Is that how we've come this morning? We've come this morning realizing that God himself has promised to be in this house before we came this morning. He says, "Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst." Isn't it amazing this morning just to think about that? Jesus travelled to this very spot where he would find this woman. He stopped at Jacob's well. He was tired. He was weary. He sat down at the well and he waited. He was waiting for this woman to open the door and come out. It was midday. It was the hottest part of the day. And this particular woman probably wouldn't come out at any other part of the day. Maybe she was embarrassed. Maybe she didn't want people to see her. Maybe she didn't want people casting remarks to her. And so she came out and the Lord was waiting for her. And you have left the house this morning, got into your car and come to church. And you know the Lord's here. He's just waiting for you this morning. We should never lose sight of that fact  but rather we should set our eyes upon the one who has promised to be with us here in this very meeting. Christ himself ought to visit us. He comes this morning to where you and I are. Can you imagine the joy that must have been in this woman's heart? She come out from that home and came to the well. She met with the Saviour and my she left her pot and went into Samaria. She went in to seek men and women to come and to hear him. Can you imagine the joy that she got just by meeting the Saviour? Remember another day in Israel whenever the enemy had invaded and there was poverty and there was hunger and there was enemy soldiers everywhere. The Lord came to a young man just sitting in his own home, a young man called Gideon. And God had a great plan and a great purpose for this young man Gideon because he was going to raise him up to lead the army against the enemy and to bring them out of captivity. God came right to where he was. And you know, God comes to where you and I are spiritually this morning and he shows to us what we can be. Gideon was threshing a little bit of wheat. Perhaps he went out at the night time when the enemy wouldn't see him and he gathered it in. He's going to hide it. It's going to be there for his family and his loved ones. And then the Lord comes. He says, "Gideon, I have a plan and purpose for your life." He meets with Gideon just right where he is. He meets with you this morning. Are you prepared for that this morning? Am I prepared for that this morning? For God to really redirect and change plans for my life? Am I prepared this morning to say, "Lord, here am I. Take this life of mine.  Consecrate it, Lord, to you. Use it, Lord." Do you remember how Jesus took time to draw alongside those two who were traveling along from Jerusalem to Emmaeus? Two disciples, their heads were down and they were discouraged. They're despondent. They didn't know what to do with themselves. They didn't know what the future held. And the Lord just drew alongside. He didn't even speak to them for a moment or two. He just drew alongside and he walked with them. They didn't even know he was there. It's possible to come into a meeting, to go through all the hymn singing, the prayers, the readings, the preaching of the word and to miss him. Isn't that what Jacob said when he laid his head upon the stone? You remember he was fleeing from his father's house. He stopped out in the in the wilderness. He laid down that night to sleep and he had the dream? He saw the ladder and the angels ascending and descending. He got up the next morning and he said, "Surely God was in this place and I knew it not.”

There was the voice. This meeting was marked with the Savior’s speaking voice. The woman appears out of her own home. She comes along to where the well is. She's got a little water pot in her hand, and she's coming there to draw water. The Savior who is weary from his journey is there. And the Lord speaks to her - verse number 7. "Give me to drink." He spoke to her right away. Now this woman, she knows by the Lord's attire that he is a Jew. She can see that from his very presence. And the first thing that comes to her mind is that old confrontation. She says, "But the Jews and the Samaritans, they have no time for each other. And you're a Jew and you're speaking to me." You see, she didn't expect this man to speak. But the Lord spoke. Have we come this morning expecting the Lord to speak? Have we expected the Lord to speak through his word to us this morning? So often we will respond “Lord, I couldn't do that.” In verse number 11 after Jesus offers her water, the woman said, "Sir, thou hast nothing to draw with, and the well is deep, from whence then hast thou that living water?"  She thought to herself, "Well, there's nothing here for me." She didn't expect the Lord to speak. And when he did she thought to herself ‘this man cannot give me anything.’ We can come to church like that. Not really expecting the Lord to deal with me or my problems but he is concerned. Peter said "Cast your every care upon the Lord because he cares for you." The Lord is caring for this woman. Maybe you are here this morning and there is something going on in your life. You have got a great big problem, a great big difficulty and somehow you don't know which way to turn or how to get out of that. But the Lord knows all about it and he waits for you this morning just to allow him somehow to come. We need to be so careful this morning that we are listening beyond the preacher's voice and we are going beyond the sacred page and hearing the voice of the Lord this morning. We often sing that little hymn,

“Speak Lord, speak to me.

Speak and I will be quick to answer thee.”

In Genesis chapter 3 whenever Adam and Eve sinned and rebelled against God, breaking God's laws and they hid behind the trees. Scripture says “Adam heard the voice of God walking in the garden.” Do we hear the voice of God? Remember when Moses was away on the back side of the desert. He came out that day with his little flock of sheep and seen a burning bush. It didn't take Moses by surprise because he would see that many a time in the heat of the desert. But this one was different. This little bush had burned and burned and burned and it caught Moses’ curiosity. He stepped across from where he was and he looked into it. Whilst he was looking into it, the Lord spoke to him. Maybe you want to share that this morning. Oh, not with anybody else, not with me, but whatever the situation in your life is this morning, do you want to bring it to the Lord? ‘Lord, why am I going through this? Why am I dealing with this? Why am I having to go this way?’ And as you're curious about it and as you think about it, then the Lord can speak just as he spoke to Moses. Samuel was just a little boy opening up the doors of the temple in the morning and then closing them in the evening, then going to Eli and seeing if he's all right. One night time something happened. God was going to make a change in the priestly offices there in the nation of Israel. And who was he going to use? He was going to use a little boy called Samuel. Samuel didn't even know his voice. He laid down one night and the Lord called him "Samuel". Old Eli said to Samuel, "No, that's the Lord." He told him if he spoke again he was to respond "Speak, Lord”. Will you say that this morning? "Lord, speak to me this morning."

The victory. This meeting was marked with victory over a sinful life. This woman comes out of her home. No doubt she's weary of her past life. No doubt she's mindful of her sinfulness. And she's coming out here in the heat of the day, perhaps afraid of meeting people. Maybe she didn't want the wagging tongues, whatever. And she was carrying her little water pot. She was going out to that well to draw water and take it back into that home again and into that situation. But God changed that. That little water pot that she had was the connection to a sinful life. You'll notice a little bit later on that she leaves the water pot sitting. That water pot was the connection into that sinful home. You know, no matter our past, no matter where we've come from, God is able to break the power of sin in our lives. He's able to break the power.  Maybe this morning there's something in your life and you're saying to yourself, "Well, God could never forgive me. God could never forgive me the things that I have done. Nobody would want to know me if they knew what my life was like.” But dear friends, God loves you so much. He loved you so much that he would take his only begotten son and send him into this world, to come down into this world, to move about, to walk about, to speak with people, and then to die upon the cross of Calvary. That’s what he has done for you. No matter what that sin is, he will forgive you if you are open and honest to him this morning, to trust him and to believe in him and to realize that he has died for you. He wants to come into that heart of yours this morning, to take away your sin, to forgive you of your sin and wash you in the precious blood. Will you claim that this morning? This woman come out of such a sinful past. She had five husbands and was now living with another man, not her husband at all. But the Lord dealt with her and gave her the victory over sin. God breaks that power of sin this morning. The power that holds us to the old life this morning. And Jesus took this woman through the steps of God's salvation and he introduced her to the living water. That day she went away with great victory. Remember the woman with the issue of blood. For 12 long years she had tried every doctor, every physician, but was not any better. She grew worse until one day she heard about the Lord Jesus Christ and she just reached forth through that crowd that was on the street that day. She just touched the hem of his garment. Why? Because she believed. She believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, that he cared for her and that she would be healed. And the moment that she touched the hem of his garment she was totally delivered. She got the victory over that disease.

The vision. The vision for the lost that this woman left with. She left her water pot. The old life was broken. It was gone. She left the water pot sitting there. The scriptures tells us that she left and she didn't go back into her home again. The Bible tells us that she went down into the city and she began to tell men and women. What was her message? “Come and see a man that has told me all things that ever I did. Is this not the Christ?” She got a vision for the lost. Would we pray for such a vision this morning? To see men and women who are lost and going out into a lost and Christless eternity. Give us a vision for those in our family circle that are lost in their sin.” It says, "And many of the Samaritans of that city believed on him for the saying of the woman which testified, he told me all things that ever I did." And then it tells us in verse number 40, "And when the Samaritans were come unto him, they besought him that he would tarry." And it says in verse 41, "And many more believed because of his own word." You see the work that this woman did. She just went out and she began to tell people, "Come and see this man that I met at the well. He did something for my life that I want you to come and to prove for yourselves.” And some came because they believed her. And others came and when they listened to him, they believed for themselves.

 

This meeting was marked by a precious visitation.

It was marked by the voice of God.

It was marked by a great victory that the Lord gave that day and it was marked by a wonderful vision for the lost.

 

Our meeting this morning has been marked by a glorious visitation of the Lord Jesus Christ. He says, "Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst." What a promise.

 

The scene at the sycamore tree

COLERAINE EVANGELICAL CHURCH

SERMON NOTES FROM SUNDAY 26 APRIL 2026 pm - MR CALVIN STRIPP

LUKE 19 VERSES 1 TO 10

You may remember some time ago in the media the story of the Sycamore Gap tree. It was quite shocking at that time. A famous sycamore tree called the Sycamore Gap Tree, situated beside Hadrian's wall in Northumberland. It was also called the Robin Hood Tree. In September 2023 2 gentlemen decided that for some fun they would cut the tree down. It was estimated to be 100 to 150 years old, the most photographed tree in England. It was valued at around £622,000. These 2 men, Daniel Graham and Adam Carruthers were convicted of criminal damage in May 2025 and both committed to prison. They cut the tree down for some fun. It could not be put back together again. I want to parallel that with a sycamore tree that was climbed. Not cut down but climbed.

The scene at the sycamore tree. Verses 1 to 4. We see firstly the short man up a tree. We must start by saying that this was no coincidence. This was planned by God. We read in the opening verses "and Jesus entered and passed through Jericho." He was on his way to Jerusalem, on his way to the cross. Just like meeting the woman at the well, he made a specific point of being there that day. He made that journey through Jericho. No mistake. No mere coincidence. God had planned this. This man named Zacchaeus was chief among the publicans. An important man. A publican. Not in high regard but in reputation. Quite possibly he was of low regard because of the infamy of his position. Chief of the publicans. He could have sought to manage the other collectors, to bring in to his service more tax collectors for the job. He would have been the chief of those tax collectors. He was very very rich. They often overtaxed the people but the chief tax collector had a different role. The bible specifically says he was rich. Did he overcharge? Quite possibly he did. We find out later in the chapter he confesses to such. A man of high position. He wanted to see Jesus. He was a curious man. Now from Zacchaeus' point of view that morning he woke up, heard from the people that Jesus was coming to his town so decided to find out more about him. Maybe he had heard something of him before now. He wants to find out who he was. An inquisitive man. When he went out that day he realised he could not see Jesus because of the press of people. A multitude of people were out to see Jesus. To see who he was. His name and his work had ran before him. Verse 4. A clever man. He ran before the crowd and climbed up into the sycamore tree to see Jesus for he was to pass that way. It was fortunate he was in that street and in that tree because Christ is coming right past him. Zacchaeus would see who he was, what he would say and do. Zacchaeus thought he had a good vantage point. He was eager, excited. He had made an effort. He didn't go out and say 'look at the press, I will come some other day. Maybe Jesus will come back again another day. This particular day is not going to work for me.' No he didn't say that. he came. There was effort. He climbs this sycamore tree. The easter sycamore or fig tree has the look of a fig tree but the leaves of a mulberry tree. It was leafy. It was a smaller tree compared to our sycamore tree. He was able to get up into that tree. He was of little stature. He gets his vantage point. He is all set. So how do we apply this tonight? Maybe you are here tonight and you are not saved. The Lord knows you. We are here tonight to bring the gospel message to this congregation. If you are here and saved may this message encourage you Christian. Maybe you are here and not saved - something has created a bit of interest, maybe a bit of concern in you. Tonight you have come wanting to hear what this man in the pulpit is going to say. You are eager but let me ask you - are you eager to hear the gospel? The gospel means simply good news. If you have come in, whether you are rich or poor, tall or short, regardless of your lifestyle, your bank balance. I have good news for you tonight - Jesus saves and he saves to the uttermost all those who come to God by him. He was a rich man yet he was empty. He had a full bank balance. I am sure there was some finery on him. Maybe as he climbed up into the tree he was worried about the eastern suit he had on but he was empty. He had a reputation, an infamous reputation. Known by the people as rich but he was empty. He was there because he wanted to know about Jesus. He knew this man was different and so he wanted to see him. He might have been small in stature but bold enough to go up into the tree, to find a vantage point. Though obstacles may be set in front of you regardless of your past sin, your bank balance tonight, Jesus Christ will be offered. Will you trust in him? You see who Jesus is tonight. We see this short man up a short tree peering through the foliage.

A seeking man under the tree - verse 5. He thought he was hidden away in the leaves and Christ walks right under the tree, stops and looks up. He sees him and calls him to come down because today I must abide at your house. What a story. If I could have seen the look on his face. But notice the words in verse 6 "and received him joyfully." Don't miss that tonight. He knew about Jesus. Maybe you have heard about Jesus for many years. Will you receive him joyfully? Or will you reject him? We don't know what a day brings forth, what tomorrow holds. Should you reject Christ one more time this might be the last opportunity you have. He received him joyfully but that is not all. Verse 7 - the crowd saw it and they murmured. They knew him to be renowned in the community as the chief tax collector. They began to murmur. Murmuring that Jesus has come to our city, come amongst us, singled out this tax collector calling him to go to his house. There were many other people - Pharisees, scribes, business men of the time but he has stopped and invited this sinner to come and he will abide in his house today. What a lovely parallel it is. Can you remember when Christ stopped underneath your sycamore tree? You were not expecting it. He looked into your face and said "come down today, I will abide at your house." Not tomorrow, not next week. Can you remember the day when Christ called you. What a wonderful experience that was. Here we see a man being called. Christ wants to abide at his house. Spiritual application - Christ abides with us of course today. We have troubles and trials but the Lord abides with us. What a surprise for Zacchaeus. Jesus stops, looks up and calls him by name. Jesus commands urgency. He was to come immediately. There is urgency tonight. That you come to him when Christ calls. Will you look to Jesus and be saved? There is urgency. We see here the seeking man. The seeking man has found the lost sheep and he calls him now. What a beautiful picture this is. Verse 8 notice the language - "Lord". He is a new man. Now he didn't expect this day to be calling Jesus Lord. This is Zacchaeus' testimony. He is as surprised as this throng are but it was his house Jesus wanted to abide in.  Now we see that he is confessing what he has done in the past. We don't have all the details but in verse 8 whenever the Lord saves us and touches us we are changed. Repentance means to be going in one direction and going in a different direction. He declares that things are going to be different and he is not going to put his hand in any man's pocket. If he has done this he will give fourfold back and he will give half of his goods to the poor. This was a changed man. Let me ask Christian - we know the Lord has saved us and he continues to keep us. As well as the Lord being our Saviour we have the grace. Jesus in his sovereignty has saved us but as well as that grace there is also the government. He is the Lord who rules us. He rules over us. He directs and guides us by his Spirit but is he your Lord tonight? If you are saved tonight are you bending to his government? Is there something the Lord has asked you to do, to say or maybe the Lord has put on your heart. Maybe on that bus journey you take, or in the grocery store you meet someone every week and the Lord has impressed on you to say a wee word for him and you haven't done it yet. He is Lord but he governs over you. May we as Christians bow to him as Lord and Saviour. We cannot deny his grace and his government. If you are not saved you cannot simply be in Christ and accept him and all the benefits of salvation yet deny him as Lord. That it not how it works. You accept him as he is. You will confess your sin to him as you are. You will be under his government. Zacchaeus was under his government. "Lord I give half of my goods to the poor and if I have taken anything from anyone I will give him back fourfold." This man isn't purchasing salvation. He is not purchasing salvation through works. The proof that he is saved, that God has touched his heart, is now working out his salvation. Paul speaks of that - work out your salvation with fear and trembling. He is not coming to the Lord and offering money. Don't you come tonight and say "if I am giving into offering plate that is something when you are saved you don't do that to get saved. Christ saves and keeps you. You want to give to his work and speak about him, get involved in the church, don't do those things to get saved. Our righteousness are as filthy rags. Do we insult God by offering our works. Of course not. Look to Christ tonight. The man who is seeking under the tree, seeking the lost sheep. You look to him not to the church, not to a preacher, not to works. Look to him. Zacchaeus' name means pure. Now he has a testimony to keep, to live up to his name and he will be helped by God. Are we living up to our name? Born again? God gives help. We find here that in this sovereign act God calls him not only from the tree but calls him into his family. He is saved. Christ says in verses 9 and 10 that day, in that moment the lost one was Zacchaeus. What a beautiful picture that is.

The saving man on the tree. You see Zacchaeus climbed a tree to see Jesus but Jesus went to a tree that Zacchaeus could be saved. That you could be saved. Christ died on a old rugged tree and he died for sinners. Will you trust him tonight? C H Spurgeon said "Zacchaeus was looking for one thing and found another." We can all relate to that. Stumbling through life. Looking for this happiness in whatever it might have been but are still searching. Just like Zacchaeus he wanted to see Jesus. He had everything else the world could offer him. For us we were looking for one thing and another thing then we found that other thing. He found us just like Zacchaeus. He thought he had worked it all out. Christ was coming to his town. If you just think that this is a coincidence, that you are hearing about Christ think again. He has been gracious to you. You are hearing about saving grace. Jesus died on Calvary, he shed his blood for sinners such as us. You need the Lamb of God as your sacrifice. That is acceptable before God. Christ was the sacrifice on the cross. The saving man on the cross. The Son of Man is come to seek and to save that which was lost. Salvation is come to this house. May that be said of your house. If you are not saved may you be saved. Trust in Jesus. It is Jesus you need. Keep praying on for your loved ones. May it be said of your house that salvation has come. 

The short man up a tree

The seeking man under a tree.

The saving man on the tree.

That day Zacchaeus was gathered into the family of God. What about you? May you come down from whatever tree you are in, whatever you are hiding in and accept him as Saviour. 

Faint and Failing but not Forgotten

COLERAINE EVANGELICAL CHURCH

SERMON NOTES FROM SUNDAY 26 APRIL 2026 - MR CALVIN STRIPP

ISAIAH 42 VERSES 1 TO 10

Text: "A bruised reed shall he not break and the smoking flax shall he not quench; he shall bring forth judgment unto truth." (verse 3)

There are various texts in scripture which we have marked in our bibles and they come with power. They come with comfort in that special way because in certain times in our lives, on our Christian road, they have been given to us by God. We see them and treat them like a precious jewel. You will have them marked already. This is one of those jewels that has come to me with power and blessing. Christ is the promised servant of God. The promised servant of Jehovah in verse 1. "I have put my Spirit upon him; he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles." Christ is the servant of God. You might even find in your bible the title 'the office of Christ' or 'the servant of God' over this chapter. We are introduced to chapter 42 by Christ the promised servant of God. What about verse 2? Christ does not come in regards to pomp and pride. He comes with humility. He takes upon him our flesh. And then we come to verse 3. We see here that Christ as the servant of Jehovah comes and deals with believers in that preserving and restoring way. He deals with us in sovereign grace. Though we are weak this morning, faint and failing, we are not forgotten. Look at the condition of Christ's people here. Our condition - you and I are in this text. "A bruised reed" and "a smoking flax". Isaiah presents the believer in a realistic spiritual condition. There is no buttering up. The reality in the Christian life. At times we are on the mountain top and then there are times we are in the valley. There are times when we are rejoicing and then there are times when we are low. You have all felt it. Isaiah presents the believer in that realistic condition. There are times when we are a bruised reed and there are times when we are a smoking flax. It reflects the believers condition but yet we are held by his grace. In that condition and through that condition Christ's sustaining grace is there. One of the Puritans Richard Sibbes wrote a famous book titled The Bruised Reed. He said "there is more mercy in Christ than there is sin in us." He went on "a bruised reed is one that has no strength yet Christ will not break it but he will bind it up." Sibbes carefully observes the truth of this text. Christ does not wait for strength before leaving his people. He loves them into strength. That is what he is saying. He doesn't wait for our strength to build up and then leaves us. He loves us into strength. Take heart today. He will love you into strength. Someone also said "when Christ sees the poor soul at his lowest he takes that opportunity to show the most of his grace." When we are at our lowest - no lower point for us - then Christ takes that opportunity to show us the most of his servant to that work. 

The bruised reed - what can we say about it in a spiritual and biblical context? The reed can be used for various things. Usually grown along the Nile. You remember Moses was put into the ark and put amongst the reeds. These reeds are used for various things. Walking aids or canes. Writing instruments. Measuring sticks. All of these things are possible but only when the reed is in the right condition. Not blessed because the reed is fragile. So easily bent and broken. Once it is bent and bruised then it becomes unusable. We cannot use it at all. The image is very powerful when we think of ourselves. At times we feel unusable. How can the Lord use me? Yet we find in scripture he can. If we have a bruised reed we will pluck it out and burn it. Destroy it in some way. it is useless but not God. For he does not break or destroy the bruised reed. He strengthens it. He binds it and provides his sovereign grace in that situation. Though we have the human weakness, the natural frailty yet God comes alongside. Through his word, through the means of the communion table, through encouragement of the saints. We see this wonderful picture that God does not pluck out the reed and have it broken up. It is bound up. It is not destroyed. Richard Sibbes also said "a bruised reed is not broken, it is weakened yet Christ will not break it any further." Christ does not deal with what is already crushed as though it is worthless. Let us use another illustration. If we go to the fruit bowl and see a piece of fruit that is bruised we will lift it out and cast it away. The Lord sees worth in that bruised reed though it is bruised. 

Then we have the smoking flax. What does that teach us? The smoking flax refers to fibre from the flax, stripped off, wound together. Sometimes it is turned into linen cloth. It is twisted together and becomes a wick, put in the oil and wax then the wick comes up with fuel and its lit. The flax draws up the fuel and it burns and gives light. A simple illustration but that is the imagery here. Without fuel the wick is useless. it does not give light. Not just a flax that is put out. It is smouldering. I am sure you have all used scented candles in your home. When you walk into a room and smell them they give a beautiful aroma. At night when you go to blow them out there is an acrid smell of smoke. You and I are designed to carry light. To give forth light to those around us. To our families, to our spouses, to extended family members, those not saved. To those we might not always have an opportunity to witness to but they are watching us. There are times when our light dims and it goes nearly out. It is just smoking. We now become offensive. There is no light in the environment. It needs rekindled. What we really need to do is wet our fingers and then hold it over the candle - then it goes out without smell. That is not what we read about here. "A smoking flax he will not quench." Though it is not inflamed, almost extinguished, almost but not completely. In that condition, though smoking and giving off this erroneous scent. We should be carrying the light but our wick and flax is smoking. It is weak, faint but Christ does not extinguish us. In and by his grace, at the right time God comes to us. Not quite out but so close to being out. Smoking away. Christ will not quench the smoking flax but will blow it into a flame and it will ignite. How do we treat a smoking flax? There is a lesson there. When we see a smoking flax it reminds us of some brother or sister not shining or giving off light as they used to. Maybe at this particular point they are a smoking flax or a bruised reed. Christ will support the light and blow it into a flame. What will we do? What would we do? Many believers confuse weakness with rejection. If we are weak the Lord must reject us. That is the world's idea. They are not strong enough or smart enough, or bold enough. That is not the biblical way.  The smoking flax is not quenched out. Little faith is faith. Remember when the disciples were on the sea of Galilee and a great storm arose. They woke Jesus who was sleeping and asked him "do you not care for us? we are perishing." Have we ever said that to the Lord? The Lord got up, rebuked the wind and the waves and said "O ye of little faith." But it was still faith. The Lord will not reject us because of our little faith, because of our weak faith. He will strengthen it, build it up, reignite it. In Luke 22 we see Peter, always bold and in the Lord's face at times, contradicting the Lord. He spoke against the Lord with oaths and curses. His heart was broken on that third crowing of the cockerel. His conscience was awakened. The scriptures record that Christ looked upon him and his heart broke. In John 21 we find this man who was weak strengthened, reignited, recommissioned. God's children are bruised reeds. God's children are often smoking flaxes. This is where we find ourselves. So often we see our character revealed. It is then we must look to the Lord. He shall not quench, he shall crush that weak faith. He does not cast away the faltering believer. He preserves them by sovereign grace. Someone has said "the lowest spark of grace is precious in his eyes." Yes it is precious because he authored it. he gave us that grace as a free gift. Though it be little, weak at this particular point yet it is treasured by God. What a wonderful truth. To think that though we are weak yet the grace we have is authored by him and given to us. Sometimes we are not exercising that faith. John Owen the Puritan said in relation to the compassion of Christ "not weak affection but a powerful inclination to relieve the tempted. He is never more to believers than when they think him farthest away." When we think Christ is far away, the truth is he has never been nearer. Let that sink in today. When we think he is the farthest away he is the closest because he will not break the bruised reed, he will not quench the smoking flax. Hebrews 7 verse 25. He is interceeding before the Father's right hand side. We have been purchased by a costly price. We have been purchased with that precious blood of Jesus Christ. 

How do we apply this? This truth counteracts things that maybe as Christians we think are not right with in regards to despairing believers. Christians think that if you are despairing then Christ is not interested. Christ is weary of them. I am always despairing, feeling like a bruised reed or a smoking flax. Christ must be despairing of me. Don't let us be hard to the truth that Christ does not break the bruised reed, does not quench the smoking flax. The error we have is that we think Christ is despairing of believers. Another idea is of the proud believer. They are the ones on the mountain top, rejoicing. They should not become proud of that. If you are on the mountaintop you have been blessed in a number of ways. Forget not your brothers who are in the valley. C H Spurgeon was often referred to as 'the prince of preachers'.  As he preached on this text he was often battling with depression. This is what he said "there are times when I feel myself to be nothing but a bruised reed yet Christ will not break me. My hope lies not in my hold on Christ but on Christ's hold of me." His ministry in London became a living commentary on Isaiah 42 verse 3. Thousands of bruised reeds gathered under God's roof as they came to hear him preach. Christ will not break, not extinguish. He will support and finish the work in us. He loves us and keeps us and he will keep us by sovereign grace.

The characteristics of the early church

 

COLERAINE EVANGELICAL FELLOWSHIP

SERMON NOTES SUNDAY 19 APRIL 2026 – MR JASON CRUISE

ACTS 2 – THE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE EARLY CHURCH

 

If you and I were to walk down the street tomorrow morning, Monday morning, maybe down the street here in Coleraine or down the street in Limavady where I come from and we were to ask the question on the street tomorrow morning, what is the church? What is the church? It is highly likely that the person we would ask that question to would most likely point to some great ornate building and proceed to tell you and I how this is a prime example of the church. But I want us to think this morning about what the biblical answer to this question is today. What is the church? Biblically speaking this morning, there is the church universal. That is what you and I become part of the moment that you and I come and put our faith and our trust in the Lord Jesus. That moment that you and I become a Christian and we come to the Lord Jesus acknowledging our sin and our great need and we put our faith and our trust in him, we are then become part of the church universal. The head of the church is Jesus Christ. Paul tells us there in Ephesians chapter 1 verse 20 down to verse 23, "He raised him from the dead and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places far above all principality and power and might and dominion and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come. and hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fullness of him that filleth all in all.” The apostle Paul goes on to tell us there in Colossians chapter 1 verse 18, "And he that is Christ is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things he might have the pre-eminence." The head of the church is not some ruling cleric. It's not some governing body. It is not some earthly king. It is not someone who wears their flowing robes decked in all the religious regalia. No, my dear brethren and sisters this morning, the head of the church is Jesus Christ and Christ alone. You and I make up the church universal. In Peter's first epistle there in 1 Peter in chapter 2 and verse 5, writing to believers, Peter says, "Ye also as lively stones are built up a spiritual house and holy priesthood to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. You and I make up the church universal. And the head of the church today is indeed Christ and Christ alone. Vance Havner the American preacher once said these words. “We are not going to move this world by criticism of it nor conformity to it but by the combustion within it, of lives ignited by the spirit of God.” You and I today are the dwelling place of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit today dwells within you and I. The Apostle Paul says in 1 Corinthians chapter 3, "Know ye not that ye are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?” You are the dwelling place of the Holy Spirit. I wonder tomorrow as we go in to a new week, maybe as we head to work tomorrow morning, Monday morning, or as we head to the shop tomorrow, or as we meet our friends, will those that I come into contact within the workplace, will those that perhaps you will come into contact with in the shop or in the street or over the garden fence, know that the Holy Spirit dwells within you? Are you and I aware that we are indeed ambassadors for Christ in the world in which we live? Paul says there speaking to the Philippians in chapter 2 verses 14 to 16 “do all things without murmurings and disputings that ye may be blameless, the sons of God, without rebuke in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation among whom ye shine as lights in the world holding forth the word of life.” Always keep it in your mind that you and I are ambassadors for Christ. And those that live around about us, they may not read God's word today. They may not consider God's word tomorrow, but they are reading you and I as Christians. You and I, as is often said, we're like walking Bibles. And people are looking on at you, looking on at your conversation and your behaviour. I hope that your behaviour and mine is befitting of the name of a Christian. We are the dwelling place of the Holy Spirit. he closer that you and I get in our walk with God, the more we will realize that we are reliant upon the Spirit of God. You and I could achieve absolutely nothing for God without the help of the Holy Spirit. No matter what you and I would set out to do for the Lord, if we were to set out relying upon our own strength, we would soon find out that it is futile and that we can indeed achieve nothing on our own merit or on our own strength. There's a church, the universal church, but then of course there is the local church and there are many local churches. Paul mentions there in 1 Corinthians 11. He speaks about the churches of God. In Romans 16 verse 16, he speaks about the churches of Christ. In 1 Corinthians 14, he mentions the churches of the saints. Notice it is churches plural. There are many local churches there in certain areas where the believers gather together to worship and to praise the Lord and to seek to win souls for him and to see the people built up in their most holy faith and to see them grow and to see God's kingdom extended. That was the desire that these believers in the early church at Jerusalem had. That should remind you and I of God's grace. Because there in Jerusalem, the very place where God's son, the Lord Jesus, was rejected, the very place where he was scorned, where he was mocked, where he was beaten, and ultimately where he was crucified, was the very place that God set up the first local church. That speaks to you and I today of God's grace, that even there in that area those people would be given a second chance. How thankful we are as believers that God gave us the second chance. We are thankful today that you and I worship the God of the second chance, the third chance, the fourth chance, the fifth chance. Maybe you have fallen away from the Lord and maybe your walk with God today is not what it once was. Can I assure you this morning that we worship and adore and serve the God of the second chance? And can I today press it upon you that if you were to come to him in repentance, if you were to come to him again acknowledging your wrongdoing, that you can indeed come back into full fellowship with the Lord again.

 

I want us here this morning to see the characteristics that were there and those believers in that early church in Jerusalem. The first thing that we see about the people there in Jerusalem is that that church was gospel orientated and it was Christ centred. Look again at verses 23 and 24 "Him being delivered by the determinant counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken and by wicked hands have crucified and slain, whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death, because it was not possible that he should beholden of it." At the very centre of Peter's message that day was the finished work of Christ. In verse 23, he mentions the crucifixion of Christ. And in verse 24, he mentions the resurrection of Christ. Central to the message of those believers was indeed the message of the gospel. And as a church, that should be your message and indeed mine. To those that we come into contact with day and daily, whether down the street or indeed in the workplace. This was the message that these early believers had. Warren Wiersbe once said, "The early church had none of the things that we think are essential for success today." He said, "They had no fancy buildings, they had no money, they had no political influence, and they had no social status. Yet that local church won a multitude of people for Christ. They won a multitude of souls for the Saviour.” You see these believers here at Jerusalem in the early church, they were people who indeed were on fire for God. And the message that they had is the same message that you have today for the people in Coleraine. And it's the same message indeed that is for the people in Limavady. It's the same message for the people across our province today. That there is a God in heaven who loves them and that at his right hand is one who died upon the centre cross for their sin and rose again for their justification. Think of the message that God gave to Ezekiel for the people. Ezekiel chapter 2 verse number 7, the Lord says, "And thou shalt speak my words unto them, whether they will hear or whether they will forbear." God had made Ezekiel a watchman over the house of Israel and the people would either accept or reject the words of Ezekiel. That is the same for you and I today. We simply have to take the message. It is God who does the convicting and it is God indeed who does the saving. Look at verses 41 and 42 "Then they gladly received his word, were baptized, and the same day were there were added unto them about 3,000 souls. And they continued steadfastly in the apostles doctrine and fellowship and in breaking of bread and in prayers.” Notice those two little words that we read there in verse 42 “continued steadfastly.” Those two little words in the Greek Lexicon mean to give constant attention to or to be physically engaged with or to be strong towards. These believers here in that early church gave constant attention to the doctrine of the apostles. They gave constant attention to the teaching that had been given to the apostles and was now being handed down to them.

These believers were not only gospel orientated and Christ centred, but these believers had a great hunger for the word of God. We read in Matthew 28 verses 18 down to 20 “All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you. And lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.” The believers at Jerusalem had a great hunger for the word of God and they had a great hunger to be taught from the word of God and to teach the word of God. I had a conversation with a believer just recently and he said that one of the things that saddened him today in the church was that there is little to no desire to learn the word of God. He said if it was announced from the pulpit that in the incoming week there's going to be a week of ministry meetings or a week of Bible teaching, there would be people in the church who would almost cause a riot - that we are going to have to come out to church every night this week to be taught from the Bible and I have this to do on Monday night and I have that to do on Wednesday night and have that to do on Thursday night and here I'm going to have to forget about all that and come to church every night this week to be taught from the Bible. He said the one thing that saddened him was that there is no desire to learn from the word of God. I know that's not like you in Coleraine this morning and I know it's a lot like the people in Limavady today but sadly it is the story across our province just now. There's no desire to learn from the word of God and to be taught from the scriptures. The Apostle Paul speaking to young Timothy, said in 2 Timothy chapter 2, "Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." You see, Paul knew that if Timothy is going to achieve anything for the Lord, he's going to have to know the word of God. If he's going to achieve anything for the Lord, he's going to have to know the word. He's going to have to be a man that is firmly grounded in the apostles doctrine. That's just the same for you and I. If you and I are going to see anything achieved or done for God, we're going to have to know the word of God. And so, I would urge you, as I urge myself, to cultivate within yourself a greater hunger for the word of God. In the original Greek, the word for fellowship that is used is the word “koinonia”. Koinonia doesn't mean to meet around a cup of tea. No what it really means is to be in unity one with another and to be in partnership. These people were in partnership one with another to see a work done for God. I trust that could be said of you and I. In the original Greek, it also means to contribute. Those believers in the fellowship where they met together in that little assembly of believers sought to contribute to the life of the assembly. I have friends today and they would say that as soon as you would ask for help in the church, there are so many and they would shy away and say, "Well, so and so helped with it last year, they'll help this year.” Or “so and so helped last month, she'll help this month." But really and truthfully, you and I should contribute to the life of the assembly. One older believer who used to attend the church in Limavady where I worship, now dead and gone to glory, used to tell the story about the two men in the boat. He used to talk about the fellows in the boat and say, "If there's no one rowing, the ship won't go anywhere." He said, "We must be rowing together." In Acts chapter 2 verse 42 the writer goes on to tell us here about the breaking of bread and prayers. There is some difference in the opinion of that breaking of bread in verse 42. Some commentators would believe that it is in reference to communal meals where they met together to eat but most commentators and I would agree with them think that this is the act of remembrance where these people were indeed remembering the finished work of Christ upon the cross. These people had a great respect. They had a great adoration and affection and admiration for the person and the work of Christ. They wanted to simply meet together to remember what he had done for them in the darkness there upon the cross. These men and women were indeed steadfast in their faith and steadfast in their service for the Lord. They, like you and I this morning, were linked to a man in the glory. That's the same for you and I today. The one who sits at God's very own right hand. the son of God became the son of man so that the sons of men could become the sons of God. What great love God had for you and for I that he was willing to send his son to suffer in your place and mine. Maybe you don't really know that God loves you. Could I just take a moment to remind you that we read there in John chapter 3 verse 16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life.” The Lord can meet you at the very point of your need. Maybe you're thinking to yourself, "The Lord could never save me. The Lord wouldn't love a person like me." We are thankful the Lord Jesus says, "Him that cometh to me, I will in no wise cast out." At God's right hand today, there is one who suffered, bled, and died in your place in the darkness upon the centre cross there at that place called Calvary. These believers in the early church at Jerusalem, knew that their very existence was all because of Calvary. They knew that the very existence of that little assembly there at Jerusalem was all because of what took place there in the darkness upon the centre cross for them. We read that these men continued steadfastly in prayers. These were men and women of prayer. We thought earlier about George Muller, a man of prayer and we thought about Elijah, a man of prayer. These were people who knew the power of prayer. They knew the value of prayer and they knew the great need for prayer. If you and I are going to see a work done for God, we are going to have to be men and women of prayer. I often tell the story about the steam engine. The man who tried to move the heavy load with the steam engine without first of all lighting the fire. It was never going to go anywhere, was never going to achieve anything. And you and I could achieve nothing for God in and of ourselves, relying upon any merit of our own. We must put our faith and trust in God and we must be men and women of prayer. Paul tells us in 1 Thessalonians chapter 5 verse 17, "Pray without ceasing."  I wonder are you and I like David the psalmist this morning. David says in Psalm 109 verse 4, "But I give myself unto prayer." Could that be said of the speaker this morning, that I give myself onto prayer. Look at verse 47 "Praising God and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.” We see the result. 

These people they were gospel orientated people.

These people they were Christ centred people.

They were sound on their doctrine

They were thankful for what Christ had done for them at the place called Calvary

They were steadfast in their life of prayer.

 And the result was that God moved in a mighty way. “And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.” We could say of these believers that they worshipped the Lord daily, they walked with the Lord daily. They were witnesses for the Lord daily. I trust that that can be said of you this morning and that it can be said of me today. That these characteristics that we find in the believers there in the early church can be found in you and I today because I believe if they are that God will bless in a mighty way and that you and I will see souls saved in this day and age in which we live and that we will see people built up in their most holy faith and that we will see the kingdom of God extended and God glorified. These men and women in the early church, they were immovable. They were firm. They were steadfast in their faith and in their service for God. They had an appreciation, an adoration, an admiration, and an affection for the person and the work of Christ. If those characteristics are found in me today, if they are found in you today, I firmly believe that the Lord will bless in a mighty and a real way and that we will see souls sought and won for the Savior in these days in which we live.

 

A sinner's prayer

 

COLERAINE EVANGELICAL CHURCH

SERMON NOTES SUNDAY 12 APRIL 2026 pm – MR HENRY CASKEY

LUKE 23 VERSE 39 to 43

THE PRAYER OF A DYING MAN

 

“And one of the malefactors which were hanged reeled on him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us? But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dust thou fear God, saying, Thou art in the same condemnation? And we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward of our deeds, but this man hath done nothing of us. And he said unto Jesus, "Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom." And Jesus said unto him, "Verily I say unto thee today, thou shalt thou be with me in paradise."

I want us to take a look tonight at this particular scene that we have before us. Returning again to this scene that just outside the city walls of Jerusalem, just on that hill called Golgotha. And what I want to think about this evening is the words of this of this thief. Two malefactors, two thieves that were hanging on either side of the Lord Jesus Christ on this particular day. One thief was accusing the Lord and ridiculing and criticizing whilst the other was beginning to consider and to think things through. That's what I want to look at this evening. The prayer of a dying man. Sometimes we hear it said there's no such thing as the sinner's prayer. And I suppose in a degree I fully understand with that sentiment that there's no such thing as the sinner's prayer. But here we see this man hanging on at the side of the Lord Jesus Christ on a cross and he was a sinner. And we see him open his mouth and he utters a prayer. So it's a sinner's prayer. It's maybe not the sinner's prayer, but it's a sinner's prayer. And that's what I want to look at this evening. I want to think of this man. Think about some other sinners prayers. You remember how the Pharisee and the publican went up to the house of God and there they began to pray. Do you remember how the Pharisee went in and he got as near to the front of that congregation as he possibly could and he started to pray within himself. He prayed about how many good things he did. He wasn't like this old publican that just wandered in through the door by that old publican. He just opened up his mouth. He lifted up his voice. He says, "Lord, be merciful to me a sinner." And that man went down to his house justified. I think of the prodigal. You remember how he had spent all his money and riotous living. He went out into the world and he lived a great life and he had plenty of friends and fun and so many things going for him until he ran out of his money and then he ran out of friends and money. He thought to himself he would go back and see his father and he went back and do you remember what he prayed? He says, "I've sinned against heaven and before you." You see, dear friends, this evening, this is so important this evening, the words of this dying man. He says, "Remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom." And what was the result of that prayer? The Lord Jesus Christ spoke those words. He says, "Today, thou shalt be with me in paradise." He gave that dying man the assurance that he was on his way to heaven and to home. And isn't it wonderful tonight to have that assurance, to know tonight that we're on our way to heaven and home. The apostle Paul put it so well. He says when he would pass away that it would be absent from the body and present with the Lord. What assurance he had. The Bible says that whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. What a wonderful assurance we can have this evening. The prayer of a dying man. He was standing on the word of God. He was standing on that word that the Lord said. He never doubted it. The Lord says, "Today, thou shalt be with me in paradise." And that man never doubted it. He realized that when he would close his eyes in death, that he would go into the presence of God for all eternity. Ebenezer Erskine was a an old Scottish preacher. He lived way back in the 1700’s. He died about somewhere about 1740 or 1750. But on his deathbed, one of his friends came to see him. And as he was lying upon his bed, one of the friends said to him, he says, "What are you doing with your soul?" And the old preacher said, "What I've always done for this past 40 years, I'm resting on God's word.”

I want to take a look at this prayer tonight. First of all, I want to say tonight that this prayer was a priority. This prayer was a priority tonight. He says, "Lord, "Remember me." You know, this is the most important prayer that this man ever prayed. These are the most important words that this man ever uttered from his lips. You see, this was a matter of great urgency tonight. Soon he knew that he would close his eyes in death. Soon he knew that he would be transported into another world. Here was a man who was believing now in a lost sinner's hell. And here's a man who was believing in a paradise to be gained. And isn't it wonderful tonight to know that there is a heaven tonight to be gained, that there is a hell to be shunned. Here was a man and he was hanging in the balance, ebbing out into eternity. Soon the last breath would be taken. Soon his eyes would close in death and he would be ushered out into another world. He didn't know when that would happen. He didn't know what time he had left, but he wanted to be certain when that would happen. The apostle Paul sitting in that old prison house said to young Timothy, "The day of my departure is at hand." He didn't know when it would happen. And there he was sitting in that prison cell, waiting for the steps of the executioner to come down to put the key into that lock of his cell and open it up and take him out and put him to death. He didn't know when that would happen, but he says, "I am now ready." Isn't that wonderful? Are you ready tonight? Are you ready for that day whenever you Will be ushered out into eternity? In Luke's gospel chapter 16, we read there of two men. One was a beggar man and the other was a rich man. The beggar man was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom. He was carried into the very glories of heaven. The other man was a rich man. And the Bible says that he died. The Bible says that he was buried. And it says that in hell he lifted up his eyes. That old beggar man who lay at the gates of the rich man whose sores were licked day and daily by the very dogs that ran past. He was a man who made preparation for that day when he would leave that scene of time and he was ushered into eternity. The other man didn't. The other man left it and he left it too late and in hell he opened up his eyes. I wonder about us tonight. What's the priority tonight? You see this sinner man who is hanging upon this cross realized there was a great priority. There was a great urgency. He knew that he was going out into eternity, but he wanted to know for sure that he would be safe, that he would be in heaven. Julius Caesar, the Roman emperor, was given a letter on one particular occasion. That letter was marked urgent. He took it as he climbed up into his chariot. He was going to a Senate meeting and he took the letter from the hands of the man who gave it to him and tucked it into the belt that he had and he never opened it. Although it was marked urgent, he never opened it. And when he got to the Senate, he was met by 20 or 30 senators there who were very very jealous of him and who hated him and didn't want to see him gaining any more power than he already had. They attacked him there and then he was stabbed and he was stabbed some 23 times and put to death. When they took the letter from him, it was a letter from the hand of a man and his wife who were warning him not to go to the Senate on that particular day because they had heard that this was about to happen to him. But you see, he didn't heed the warning. He had no priority whatsoever. He didn't take that letter on board whatsoever. The Bible speaks of a man that made a great supper and then he sent the invitations. He sent the servants out around the area with the invitations come for all things are now ready. He had prepared everything. He just wanted to prepare this supper for the people around about. He wanted to throw open the doors and invite everyone that would come along. Then you remember how the people all began to make excuses. The first and he says, "Well, you know, I have bought a little bit of ground and I have to go and inspect it. I have to see what it's like. You will have to excuse me." And the other man, he received the invitation as well. And he said "Well, you know I have bought some oxen and I have to go now and prove them. I have to test them out to see to see what they're like. I don't have time. Excuse me from going." And the third man, he says "I've married a wife. I cannot come." You see, they all began to make excuse. The invitation wasn't treated with the priority that it should have been. I think of Felix as he listened to the apostle Paul. Paul was pleading with him and with that whole congregation. He says, “Paul, When I have a convenient time, I will listen to you again."  The time that was convenient was right there and then when the Apostle Paul was speaking to him, but he thought he had another day. How many people tonight will go out of gospel meetings tonight knowing that this was the night that they should have been saved, that God has spoken directly to them and shown to them their great need, a need of a Saviour, the need of salvation, that they have been born in sin and shapen iniquity and hell will be their home forever and ever. They are getting up out of a meeting and leaving and going out into the open air again probably saying in their heart of hearts, "Well, I'll come back next week. I will make it right next week." The thief here realized the time was running out and he says, "I have to set my priorities." It didn't matter to that thief on that particular evening about anything else. This was his priority. He says, "Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom." This prayer, of course, was a priority.

This prayer was prompt. You see, the thief realized that this was the time to call out. It was a prompt decision. And he seized the opportunity. Isn't that what Isaiah the prophet could say back in Isaiah chapter 55? He says, "Seek ye the Lord when he may be found. Call upon him while he is near.” God is drawing near in this assembly tonight. God is drawing near in assemblies up and down the length and breadth of our land. God is speaking to the hearts of men and women tonight. And somehow there's no priority. Somehow there's no promptness. Somehow there's no reality that this is the day of salvation. Isaiah the prophet could say as God was drawing near to him "Come now and let us reason together." God was speaking to the nation. “Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow. And though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.” Think of that little church at Ephesus and the warnings that were given. The Lord Jesus Christ was pictured standing at the door. That little church felt that they had everything that they would ever need. They were rich, they needed nothing. They had the very best of a congregation, the very best of preachers and the very best of a building but the Lord Jesus Christ was on the outside and there was no promptness. They didn't realize that they were poor, wretched, naked, blind and they didn't realize that the one that they needed was on the outside of the door. The one that they needed was waiting for an invitation to come in. The Lord Jesus Christ stands at our heart's door. He wants to come into our life. He wants us to open the door and allow him to come in. He wants us tonight to trust him for what he has done on the cross of Calvary. He was there dying for you and me. Every sin of this old world was laid upon his body. Do you remember Zacchaeus? He climbed up into the sycamore tree just to see the Lord as he passed through Jericho. There he was sitting up in that sycamore tree and the Lord came and he passed by where he was and he looked up into the tree. He said “Zacchaeus make haste and come down." He probably come down that tree far quicker than he went up it. The Lord said "Make haste and come down." And the Lord says to men and women sitting in gospel meetings around the province tonight, "Make haste and come to the cross. Make haste tonight and make me your Saviour and Lord." Remember that woman with the issue of blood how prompt she was. For 12 years, she suffered. For 12 years, she tried every doctor, every physician, but none could help her. As a matter of fact, the Bible says about her condition, she just grew worse day by day. And then one day she heard about Jesus. He was coming down the very street where she was. She said, "If I may but just touch the hem of his garment, I've got to do it now because in a short time, he's not going to be here. I've got to do it now and I've got to push through and I've got to touch the hem of his garment." And so she did. And she touched the hem of his garment and there she felt the very power of God in her life and that she was fully and totally cleared of that situation. The story, I'm sure you have heard it on many occasion, but it just fits so well tonight. The story of DL Moody back in the great fire of Chicago - 8th of October 1871. He preached a sermon that night on that text of scripture where Pilate says, "What shall I do then with Jesus which is called the Christ?" D L Moody that night told his congregation of some 2,000 people “I want you to go home tonight and I want you to really think about this question what you're going to do with Jesus and I want you to make up your mind. They were all ushered out and of course the great fire consumed the city that very night and a lot of the congregation that were there that night all perished in the fire. And D L Moody vowed from that day from that day till he would go out into eternity that he would never again allow men and women to go out without pleading with them to come to Christ or their precious souls would be lost and lost forever. Here was a prayer that was prompted.  I have spoken on the doorsteps to many people as well as those who have waited behind in gospel meetings and they have said to me, "Well I know I need to be saved. I know that I'll never get into heaven without being saved. I know that I need the Savior tonight." They have got the priority, but there's no promptness. There's no reaching out while Jesus is there. And now is the accepted time. And now is the day of salvation.

This prayer was personal. What is this man praying for? He says, "Lord, remember me." This man was now counting the cost. He was weighing up his options, his sin, his wrongdoings. They were a burden to him now. There was a burden that was bearing upon him. And he knew that he was a sinner. He realized that with all of his heart.  No doubt going through his mind was every wrong action. No doubt at this particular time on that cross, he was weighing up all the sins that he had ever committed. The times when he ran with perhaps the other thief, the times when he ran with the crowd, the times when he robbed, he stole, he plundered, and so many different things. And all this was going through his mind. And he knew that he could not take these into heaven with him. He realized something needed to be done. And he realized that here was the man that could do it on the middle cross. His name was Jesus. This is the very reason that he come into the world. This old thief was starting to think for himself. He's going out now and he's going into his own kingdom. And I want to be with him, but I can't be with him unless my life is dealt with. These sins are dealt with, that they're underneath the blood. And he cried out. He says, "Lord, will you remember me?" And Jesus says, "Today, you shall be with me in paradise." Oh, the ridiculing, the slander and the mockery of the other thief. But now listen to the language of this man. You see, these two thieves, they railed on Jesus, both of them. There was no difference in them whatsoever until this moment in time. And here was this this thief. He said "Dost thou not fear God?" He is shouting over the other thief. This other thief, he's cursing the Lord Jesus Christ. He says, "Save yourself. Save us if you're who you should be or who you say you are. Get us down off the cross and save us." And this old thief on the other side said, "Hold your peace. Do you not consider the condemnation that we are in? We are both condemned together. It's our sinful lives that have condemned us to this fate today. But this man, this man has done nothing amiss.” He said, "We indeed justly for we receive the due reward of our deeds, but this man has done nothing amiss." Here was a man who realized that he was a sinner. He was gone out into a lost eternity. This man is now owning up to his sin. You know, we can't get saved until we acknowledge that we have sinned. We can't get saved until we own our sin. In a sense it mattered not what the other thief was saying to this man. It mattered not what the Roman centurion was saying at the bottom of the cross. It mattered not what the soldiers were doing as they drew lots for the garments of Christ. It didn't matter. The most important person on that particular day was this old thief on the cross. He said, "Remember me." This is personal." In second Samuel, we read the story of when Nathan comes to David. David had sinned against Bathsheba. He had taken Bathsheba and got her husband sent off into the heat of the battle and had him killed. And then God sent Nathan to David. He said to David "I want to tell you a story, a story about two men. One was a very rich man. He had property. He had land. He had flocks. He had herds. The other man was just a simple man. He didn't have very much going for him. He only had the one little lamb. That's all he had.” And Nathan said, "A visitor came to the rich man's house. And instead of him going into his own flock and taking a lamb out of it, he sent his servants down to the poor man. He said, "Go down and get that lamb. I want you to make a feast for this visitor." And when David heard that, he was furious. He said "This man is wrong. This man's done wrong. This man will have to be punished." Nathan looked at him and said "Thou art the man.” David realized that day he had sinned and he bowed his head at the table where Nathan was sitting. "I have sinned against the Lord." You and I have broken God's laws. You and I have sinned against the Lord tonight. And yet, he has died upon the old rugged cross of Calvary that he might reconcile us, that he might save us, that he might forgive us our sins. But until we acknowledge that we have sinned and that I have sinned, then we cannot be saved. Pilate standing before the Lord Jesus Christ, looked at him and he knew what the religious leaders said about the Lord Jesus. He knew what the crowd was saying, but he owned up to it. "What shall I do?" You see, this is personal tonight. Salvation's personal tonight. Salvation is for you tonight. Salvation is for me tonight. I have got to own up to my sin. I have got to acknowledge that Christ died on the cross for a lost mankind. But I have got to acknowledge tonight that he paid the price for me tonight before I'm saved. Have you done that tonight?

The prayer was precise. There was no beating about the bush here. This man knew what he needed to do. The old thief, he realized at this point in time that salvation was of the Lord and there were no fancy words. “Lord, remember me when thou comest into the kingdom.” God waits tonight to hear your prayer. A precise prayer for salvation. This man realized that. It dawned upon his soul that death was coming. There was no time to beat about the bush. Death was coming. Isn't that what the scriptures tell us? “It is appointed unto men once to die and after this the judgment.” Many are sitting tonight putting salvation off. None of us are here forever. David the king could say that there is a step between me and death. Here was a man and he realized that he was a sinner.

Lastly, the prayer was positive. This man's prayer was positive. Why? Because Jesus said, "Thou shalt be with me in paradise." I'm sure that old thief breathed a sigh of relief that day. I'm sure he thought to himself, "Calvary surely does cover it all. All the wrongs that I have done, all the misdeeds that I have carried out, I am forgiven. And I'm on my way to heaven and to home." What a day it was for this old thief. What a day for you tonight in this gospel meeting just to come to Christ. There's one who has taken your place on the cross of Calvary. One tonight that approves of it all. It pleased the Lord to bruise him. Every sin was laid upon him and he has paid the debt and he wants to open the door of heaven for you this evening hour and he waits for you to come. Imagine the Lord is waiting, arms outstretched, waiting for you to make your way to him to hear those words today. “Today thou shalt be with me in paradise.”