3 Significant days in the life of the apostle Paul

COLERAINE EVANGELICAL CHURCH

SERMON NOTES SUNDAY 16 AUGUST 2026 - JOHN WEIR

ACTS 9

I think you would all agreed that our lives are made up of many defining days. There is the day of our birth, the day we start or finish school, the day we get our first job, the day we pass our driving test, the day we get married, the day we buy our first home, the day we retire from a job. Memorable days, significant days. The Bible says "Teach us to number our days that we may gain a heart of wisdom." Every day is precious. The older you get the more thankful you become. Did you thank God for another day today? Some people didn't see today, they went out into eternity. Thank God for a brand new day every day. Every day brings us closer to eternity. Very soon we are going to see the Lord. I don't want to have any regrets when I see the Lord face to face for the first time. I want to hear the words "well done good and faithful servant enter into the joy of thy Lord." Paul had many wonderful days. He was known as a saint, a scholar, a scribe and a soul winner. Paul was a man conquered by Christ, consumed by Christ, committed to the cause of Christ. He had 3 big defining days.

First the day of his conversion. It was the most important day in his life. The day when he met the Lord. He was a converted man. In Acts 9 we read how he met the Lord on the Damascus road. A day he would never forget for the rest of his life. When you meet the Lord you never forget that day. Conversion is a real thing. It is a miracle. I remember hearing the gospel for the first time at 19 years of age. I walked into the Metropolitan Church, was convicted of my sins and met the Lord that night. I remember asking the Lord to save my soul and going the next day to the Faith Mission shop in Belfast to buy my first bible. I couldn't wait to get to the church meetings on a Sunday and prayer meetings during the week. The Holy Spirit came into my life. He gave me a new heart and a new mind, a new tongue. The places I used to go I didn't want to go to anymore. Are you genuinely converted today? Maybe you had Christian parents and you went to church every week. You heard the gospel. You attended Sunday School. Maybe you accepted Christ as Saviour there or maybe it was in your bedroom or in a mission. It is the most important thing you can ever do. Matthew 18 verse 3 "Except ye be converted and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven." If you are genuinely converted there should be a change in you. You cannot meet the Lord and still be the same. As the hymn says "What a wonderful change in my life has been wrought, Since Jesus came into my heart." The conversion of the apostle Paul encourages us. No-one is too hard for the Lord to save. Maybe you are praying for many people in your family and they are still not saved - never give up on them. Notice that the apostle Paul was converted suddenly - verse 3. Do you know anyone who has been converted suddenly? Many people share their story that they were converted suddenly. They had no real interest in the gospel at all. Someone invited them to a meeting and they went to please them. Then suddently they were converted. The Lord broke in to their lives. They had no record of reading God's word, or praying. Paul was going to do the devil's work - verse 1. He was putting Christians in prison. He stood against everything that Christians stood for. He spent his life causing havoc in the early church. The devil had him blinded, deceived. Paul was very religious before he was saved - a Pharisee, from the tribe of Benjamin. He knew all the Jewish law and was taught by Gamaliel. But for all his religious upbringing he did not have God's salvation. Do you know someone like that? Many people are very proud of their church. They attend every week, partake of the Lord's Supper but they do not know God's salvation. The devil can deceive people through false religion. "And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry; Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief. And the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus." (1 Timothy 1 verses 12 to 14)  Paul would never forget those awful days. He thanked God for saving his soul. He was proud to be in the family of God. Are you proud to be in the family of God? As we come into God's house, his special place where we come together as God's people, let us praise his lovely name for what he has done in our lives. Acts 9 verse 4 - the Lord saw what this man was doing. He knew what he was doing. Saul was his Hebrew name, Paul his Greek name. The Lord called his name twice. Has the Lord had to do that to you to get your attention? Maybe he has had to call you more than twice. Isn't it lovely to hear God's voice? For us there is the voice of salvation. Sometimes we hear his voice for service. It might mean you are to go into full time service. Or maybe he will ask you to do something for him in the background. Maybe the Lord will ask you to do a job for him this week. Maybe it will mean visiting someone and explaining to them the way of salvation. "My sheep hear my voice and I know them  and they follow me" (John 10 verses 27 and 28) Maybe you are hearing his voice in relation to his service. Maybe you haven't a lot of offer and yet you ant to offer yourself to God today, There are multitudes around this church who need to hear God's voice. They are spiritually dead, under the judgment of God. We have to go out and reach them. Did you reach anyone this last week? Did you buy anyone a bible? Did you invite someone to come to church? "The harvest is plentiful but the labourers are few." Did you know that the most popular funeral hymn is "I did it my way"? Jesus is the only way to be converted. There are so many people attending church who are not yet converted. There are some churches where people never hear they have to be converted. The greatest tragedy in the ministry is not an empty pulpit but a full pulpit occupied by a man who has never truly been born again. Paul was encouraged as a young convert. Barnabas encouraged him. Ananias encouraged him. The disciples of Damascus encouraged him. The disciples in Jerusalem encouraged him. Be an encourager today. Think of those who encouraged you when you first were converted. Paul was also humbled in his conversion - verse 4. He fell to the earth. He recognised he was a sinner. A lot of people don't see that. The first defining day in Paul's life was the day of his conversion.

Secondly, the day of his commitment. Some people I know are converted but they are not always committed. It is hard to get people committed. You can get them out to church on Sunday morning but never see them at the prayer meeting or at the outreach activities. Acts 9 verse 6. Paul asked the Lord "what do you want me to do?" He made it personal. Have you ever done that? What is the purpose of my life? Paul goes to the right person and asked the right question. We have no record of the other men on the Damascus road ever asking that question. Some people are like that - committed to the work of God but others will let them get on with it. Other things take priority. God's work is a special work and it is the best work to be involved in. We are serving the King of Kings. Too many Christians are inconsistent. Faithful people are a thing of the past. We need those kind to build up the work, to keep the work going, all playing a part, all unique, all with different gifts and abilities and talents. We all need to be encouraging one another, supporting each other. We recently moved to Ballyclare, into a new housing estate and it has been wonderful to see new houses built around us. Everyone on the building site has a part to play in getting the houses built, finished and ready for moving ito. We all have to work together in God's work. We all individually have a part to play. Paul was committed. He was prepared to suffer - verses 15 and 16. He was a "chosen vessel". Ananias was told of the great things Paul would have to suffer for God. The Lord was going to use Paul but he would suffer for it. The Lord has people like that. They suffered many things. 2 Corinthians 11 "Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as a fool) I am more; in labours more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft. Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one. Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep; In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness." It was blow after blow after blow and we read in 2 Corinthians 12 of his "thorn in the flesh". But then we read "my grace is sufficient for thee." Perhaps you are involved in God's work and at present you are going through trials. Claim the promise of God given to Paul. Paul was still committed. He preached to big crowds and small ones. He preached to Jews and to Greeks. The motto of his life was simply "For me to live is Christ and to die is gain." The Lord uses ordinary people, failures, people who are willing. "But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty." Whatever the Lord has given you today be committed. You might not always be successful but your labour is not in vain in the Lord.

The third day was the day of his crowning. One day Paul would go home. He would finish his journey and see the Lord face to face. Commentators are not sure how old Paul was when he died. Some say he was between 60 and 65 years of age. Paul said in 2 Timothy 4 verses 6 to 8 "For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing." Paul would go into the presence of the Lord. His trial would be over. He would see the Lord face to face. He was not afraid to die. Have you ever been with someone who is afraid to die? Sometimes I have been with people and meant to be the encourager but instead they have encouraged me. Paul would be rewarded at the Judgment Seat of Christ. In scripture there are 5 crowns mentioned:

The incorruptible (or imperishable) crown - 1 Corinthians 9 verse 25

The soul winners crown - 1 Thessalonians 2 verse 19

The crown of righteousness - 2 Timothy 4 verse 8

The crown of life - James 1 verse 12

The crown of life - 1 Peter 5 verse 4

Paul's service didn't prevent him from suffering. The Lord allowed him to go through those trials. He was beheaded and the Lord allowed that to happen. He was in prison and the Lord allowed that. Think of the different people in scripture - Joseph, Jeremiah, John the Baptist, Peter, Paul and Silas. They were there because they loved the Lord. There are many in prison today for their faith - will you pray for them? They will die today for their faith. 

3 defining days in the life of the apostle Paul. Let's keep pressing on until the Lord calls or comes. I am sure you have heard saints of God who just want to go home, home to heaven. That is the hope we all have. To be promoted to glory soon. Let us die well. Let us finish well. Let us serve our day and generation to the best of our abilities today

The Gospel to the Gentiles

 

COLERAINE EVANGELICAL CHURCH

SERMON NOTES SUNDAY 9 AUGUST 2026 pm – PASTOR H CASKEY

Acts chapter 13 verse 42 – 49

Turning here to the 13th chapter here of the book of Acts. We see here the apostle Paul and Barnabas they have been separated. It tells us that as we go back to the beginning of the chapter, it tells us there in verse one, “Now there were in the church that was at Antioch certain prophets and teachers as Barnabas and Simon and was called Niger and Lucius of Cyrene and Manaen which had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch and Saul.” Then it says in verse number two, “as they ministered to the Lord and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, "Separate me, Barnabas and Saul, for the work where onto I have called them." And so they were separated, and they were sent forth to preach the word of God. It tells us in verse number five, it says, "And when they were at Solamis, they preached the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews." And then in verse number 14, it says, "And now they come to Antioch." So they have moved on. They're in Pasidia now and “they went into the synagogue there. And it was the Sabbath day.” And this is a wonderful sight that we have here because we see these two preachers, these two followers of Christ, and they're going into the synagogue and they take their seats in the synagogue. And when they take their seats in the synagogue, the leader of the synagogue, he gets up and he goes through what he has to do. first and foremost, he reads, he prays or whatever the case may be. But then seeing Paul and Barnabas sitting there, he looks over to them and he says, "Men, if you have a word, then bring it now." And so they get up and they bring a word. And then we read where Paul and Barnabas, they take them down through the history of the Jewish nation. And they take them right from Egypt, through the pilgrimage and the wanderings and they bring them right to the cross of Calvary and they take them right to the empty tomb where the Lord Jesus Christ had risen. And you know, no matter where we begin at, we must always come back in our preaching to the cross of Calvary. We must always come back to the empty tomb because therein is the power of God this evening. Acts 13 and verse number 42, it says, "And when the Jews were gone out of the synagogue, the Gentiles besought that these words might be preached to them the next season." You see, dear friends, there was a hunger here for the word of God.  I want to focus on that little phrase in verse number 42, “these words might be preached the next Sabbath.”

First of all, I want you to think of the priority of the message. Here were a people and they realized in the depths of their hearts that they had never heard anything like this before. Here was something that they wanted to hold on to and they wanted to hear it again. Their request was a simple one. They came to the preachers and they said, "Is it possible that we might hear this again next Sabbath?" The priority of the message. Remember the woman whenever she was at the well? There she tasted of the water that the Lord could give her. That water that would bring everlasting life. She left the water pot that she had brought out of her house to fill. But she had heard something that day that thrilled her soul and she left it all behind her. She couldn't wait any longer. She had now tasted of that water of God's salvation. But do you remember whenever she went out into the city what she said to the men of the city? She just simply said this, "Come and see a man that told me all things that ever I did. Is this not the Christ?" There was a priority about her message. That priority took her away from the well that day to tell others about it. She didn't go back into her own home. Instead, she left the well that day burning with this ambition and with a great burden in her heart to tell others about the message that she had received. Why? There was a priority, but there was an importance about it. Come and see. This man that told me all things. Their request was a simple one. They wanted to hear the same words again the next week. They weren't interested in looking after the preachers. They wanted to hear the message. They knew there was a priority here. They knew there was an an importance here about this message. One of the old preachers of a bygone day, he told the story of how he had been preaching in his church on a particular Sunday morning and he was booked to do a little mission hall that was not far from the church in the afternoon. In the congregation there was a lady who was visiting in the area. She had come over from England and she had heard so much about this preacher and she wanted to come along to the church to hear him. She heard him and then she heard that it was announced that he was preaching in this little mission hall just that very same afternoon. And she thought to herself, "Well, this is great. I'll go along and hear him again." And so she went along to the mission in the afternoon. And the preacher got up and he read his text and he preached the same sermon that he preached on the Sunday morning in the church. And of course whenever the lady was going out she shook his hand and she said “you know I have travelled all the way from wherever it was in England. I heard you were preaching in your church in the morning and I came to hear you but she says you have so disappointed me this afternoon. You just preached the same message word for word as you preached this morning." And the old preacher looked at her and he said, "Well, ma'am," he says, "More fool you for following the preacher." You see, it's the message that's the important thing. It's not the preacher, it's the message that's important. These two preachers had stood up, had taken their congregation down through the whole history of the nation, bringing them right to the cross and to the empty tomb. And the people realized that they had never heard anything like this before. Do you remember Lydia? She left off trading in Philippi that day because she heard about the little meeting that was going on just outside Philippi, just at the riverside. She went along and sat down with the other woman folk and the apostle Paul got up and began to speak. She heard what the preacher said, but something very special happened to Lydia as she sat there listening to the word of God. It tells us that the God of heaven reached down into that very meeting, singled Lydia out and opened up her heart that she was able to receive the word of God and be gloriously saved. It tells us in verse 48, "And when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and they glorified the word of the Lord and as many as were ordained to eternal life." In verse 38, it says, "Be it known unto you, therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins, and by him all that believe are justified from all things from which you could not be justified by the law of Moses." You see, they were hearing something new. They realized the importance of this message because Paul had explained it in such a simple manner. He says “In this man, in the Lord Jesus Christ you have eternal life because he came into this world to seek and to save that which was lost and on the cross of Calvary he died.” He died for your sins. Then he took them to that morning at the empty tomb. He took them there and the stone was rolled back and the ladies looked in and the angel said, "You seek the living amongst the dead. He's not here because he has risen." This was the message that these people needed to hear. That's the same message this evening. That message has not changed. It's the message of God's salvation to you as you sit and listen this evening. Because the God of heaven, he loved you with an everlasting love. And he took his only son, the Lord Jesus Christ, to redeem you from a lost mankind and to save your precious soul. What a wonderful message this is. Think of Jeremiah, the prophet in the Old Testament scriptures. In chapter 37 Jeremiah is in prison. The people didn't like what Jeremiah had to preach. He was preaching about judgment that was going to come upon the nation. The false prophets were saying, "Listen, judgment's not going to fall." Jeremiah was saying, "You're going to be in Babylon for 70 years." The false prophets were saying, "No, if we do leave Jerusalem, it'll be for maybe two years, and the Lord will bring us back again." But the people didn't like Jeremiah's message. And so, they had him cast into prison. And Zedekiah the king, sent privately for Jeremiah. He wanted Jeremiah to be taken out of the prison house and brought into his presence. He said to Jeremiah secretly in the house, he says, "Is there any word from the Lord?” Here was a man who was beginning to think now about God's word more seriously. I wonder, have we ever sat down and thought about God's word more seriously and what it means to us? A young man took a call to a big busy city church. He felt overwhelmed by it. He felt that he wasn't up to the task. He spoke to his father, a learned man in the word of God. "Dad I've been called to such and such a church in the city. I don't really know whether I'm up to the task." "How do you mean, son?" "You know, Dad in that church, it's a great big congregation, but it's a university city. If I get up into the pulpit and start to preach to that congregation, when I look down, there are school teachers there. There are professors in law there. There are barristers are sitting there and bank managers, financial advisors and judges sitting there. When I look down, I'm overwhelmed. What would I bring to a congregation like that?” And the old father responded, "Son, preach the gospel. That's what they need." And you know, that's what we need this evening again, even in our land. Didn't Jesus say, "Man shall not live by bread alone." “Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my word will never pass away?” Jesus came to Capernaum and the crowd gathered around and what did Jesus do? He preached the word unto them. Think of Cornelius. He was sitting in his own little home in the attitude of prayer. He was a man that was well thought of, a man of high esteem, a man who did many, many good things. He was a very religious man, a very devout man, but he wasn't saved. All of a sudden, there was someone standing in his midst. God had sent an angel right down to where Cornelius was. And the message for Cornelius was simply like this. “Send for Peter." The angel couldn't explain the way of God's salvation to him. But the message was “send for Peter. He's in Joppa. And when he comes, he will tell you words whereby you might be saved.” Whenever Cornelius heard that, he didn't tarry. He sent off some of his soldiers to find where Peter was. And whenever Peter heard that this man was looking for him, he didn't delay either. He came at once to where he was. And there he spoke to Cornelius and the gathering that he had brought in because Cornelius realized the importance of the message and the priority of the message. He realized that his little family and his neighbours needed to hear this. He gathered them all in. As Peter began to speak and explain the gospel, the Holy Spirit came and that whole house was turned upside down with the gospel

Notice the plainness of the message. Paul begins his message by taking his congregation down memory lane. He takes them right down into Egypt and speaks of those years of slavery. Then he speaks of the wilderness and how God provided for them. He speaks of the conquering of the land of Canaan. He speaks about the river Jordan been dried up for them to enter in. He speaks about Jericho and the city that fell before them. He brought all these things before them and then he brought them to the cross. A message that was easy to understand. The Apostle Paul when he spoke to the people in Corinth, said “Christ sent me not to baptize.” There was a debate and an argument about the ministry of Paul and the various preachers there in Corinth. Paul said, "My baptismal ministry is not important. I did baptize. but that's not important. Christ sent me to preach the gospel. Not with wisdom of words, lest the cross be made of none effect." Paul explained that the Lord Jesus Christ called him on the Damascus road and he was filled with the Holy Spirit. Then he was sent forth to preach the gospel not with wisdom of words, but the plainness of speech." Paul realized that he didn't need to use flowery language. He didn't need to dress up the gospel message. The central theme of the gospel message is the cross. Here's what Peter said. “Christ also hath once suffered for us, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the spirit.” He went on to say, “who in his own self bare our sins on the tree.” Your sins and my sins were laid upon the body of the Lord Jesus Christ. He suffered, he bled, and he gave his life for you, taking every sin of this old world. I wonder tonight, have you claimed that? Have you come to the Lord Jesus Christ this evening hour? Have you cried out unto him, "I have sinned and I've come short of the glory of God, but my sins have been taken from me and placed upon my Saviour on the cross. And I believe it tonight." In Acts chapter 2, we see there the plainness of speech again. They were all filled with the Holy Spirit. They came out onto the streets and they began to preach with other tongues and the nations of the people could hear the word of God. And then there were those who started to object and Peter stands up and says “these men are not drunk. This is that which was spoken of by the prophet Joel." And he took them right back into the Old Testament scriptures, into the book of Joel, and he began to explain what was happening before their very eyes. And they cried out, "Then what must we do?" And 3,000 souls were gloriously saved.

Notice here the power of this message. This is the message that they wanted to hear. You see, they listened to it on the first Sabbath day, and then they said, "Can we hear this again?" It had a great effect on them, the first Sabbath, but they wanted to hear it again in the second Sabbath. So, we see here the power of the message. It says in verse number 38, "Be it known unto you, therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins." Paul says, "That's our preaching for you. Through this man, we preach the forgiveness of sins. Not through anyone else, not through a church that you may belong to. Not through doing the best that you can and living the life that you want to live, not through reading the Bible and praying, but through this man, through the Lord Jesus Christ, and his willingness to come into this world to seek and to save that which was lost.” Is there any wonder Paul could say, "I'm not ashamed of the gospel." He says, "I'm not ashamed of it." Now, he says, "I'm ready to go to Rome. And I'm ready to preach the gospel in this great intellectual and academic city. I'm ready to preach the simple message of the gospel that Christ has crucified and Christ has died and Christ has rose again from the dead because that is the power of God onto salvation.” Do you remember in Mark's gospel chapter 2 how the four men had a friend that couldn't walk? They took that man and placed him on a little stretcher and they carried him? They had heard that the Lord Jesus Christ was in Capernaum and they took him to where the Lord was. There was a  crowd around the house and they couldn't get into the house, so they just went up onto the roof and they made a hole and they lowered the man down. They began to look up and they could see all that was happening and they could see these men lowering this man down in the stretcher. The Lord saw their faith in doing so. But they lowered that man down and the Lord said, "Thy sins be forgiven thee." And the religious leaders, my they were up in arms. “Who can forgive sins but God only?” they cried out. And Jesus says, "Well, is it easier for me to say, thy sins, be forgiven thee or to say to this man, take up your bed and walk?" You see, the Lord had the power to forgive sins. That's the message that we proclaim this evening. That through the Lord Jesus Christ, you and I can be forgiven of our sins. that you and I can have our home secured in heaven this evening. Isn't that what the apostle Paul says in 1 Corinthians chapter 2 "My speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the spirit and of power that your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God."

There is the prize of this message. In verse number 43 we read “now when the congregation was broken up and many of the Jews and religious proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas; who speaking to them persuaded them to continue in the grace of God.” The prize of this message is to see men and women gloriously saved. Saul of Tarsus could point to a very place in the road. If you had said to this young man Saul of Tarsus, “where were you saved?” He could take you out that road and he could come to this place and he says it was right there. You see, that's the prize of the message of the gospel. If you had to say to Zacchaeus, “Where were you saved?” He could take you to Jericho. He could take you down that street and he could take you to that tree and he could say it was there that I was saved. The woman in John chapter 4, she could take you to the well. It's important tonight, dear friends, as we come to the close of a gospel message can you look back upon that day when you were saved? When you trusted the Lord Jesus Christ as your own and personal Saviour? The story is told of a toll man sitting in his little cabin. It's the dead of night and then a stranger comes down the road and the toll gates are down.  The stranger calls into the little cabin but there's no reply. And so the man jukes down below the barrier, looks in through the window, and the toll man is fast asleep. He wakes him up, and the toll man apologizes. He says, "I hear the call so often, I just sleep through it." How many tonight are sitting in this province at the end of a gospel meeting or a gospel mission and they have heard the call so often that they've just fallen asleep. Make sure that you are saved by God's grace.

 

God's Sustaining Grace

COLERAINE EVANGELICAL CHURCH

SERMON NOTES SUNDAY 9 AUGUST 2026 – PASTOR HENRY CASKEY

GENESIS 49 VERSES 22 TO 26

 

This is a wee portion of scripture that has been on my mind for some time concerning Joseph. And I want us to consider something just this morning in these verses that we find about the life of Joseph himself. Joseph's life as we go through it is a life that touched many, many people. We think of the many, many different situations that he found himself in. And Joseph in those situations as you read through them was a blessing to others. And isn't it lovely this morning that we can come and compare our lives this morning? And we ask ourselves the question this morning, is this life of mine, is it a blessing to others as others look upon it? Do we do something for them? Joseph, of course, was the second youngest of the family of 12. Jacob his father and his mother Rachel had died when he was only a young fellow. Jacob himself is now an old man. He has encountered many trials. He's encountered many problems, many difficulties. Some things that he encountered, he made them of his own making. But you know sometimes life can be like that. You know sometimes life can be turned upside down so very, very quickly. You and I can have burdens this morning. You and I could be going through a tunnel this morning that seems to be so dark and so long and there seems to be no end to that tunnel. Isn't it wonderful this morning to know that God knows all about your situation this morning? God knows everything about you this morning. Whenever Pharaoh asked Jacob how old he was, do you remember what his answer was? He says, "The days of the years of my pilgrimage are 130 years. Few and evil have the days of the years of my life been." Jacob met many trials. Do you remember what Job said when he was speaking about his life?  "Man is born unto trouble as the sparks fly upwards." Sometimes we want that that cozy bed of roses, don't we? We don't want anything to come in sort of to trouble us. But that's not what life's like. Here's Jacob. He's an old man now. He gathers his family around about him. He's going to speak to every one of them individually about the days that lie ahead for them. And it is to this very tribute that he pays to his son Joseph this morning that I want to look at this morning. What does he say about Joseph here in verse number 22? He says, "Joseph is a fruitful bough, even a fruitful bough by a well whose branches run over the wall." And of course, whenever we look at Joseph, we see this picture of Christ. But you know, this morning as I look at Joseph here, I see him now and he serves for me as this picture of the child of God. And I want us to think of him this morning.

 

I want to think of the subject of Joseph here. As Jacob sees him, Jacob is looking at his son Joseph he has some fond things to say. He wants to pay a tribute to him. And he says he's a fruitful bough. The subject about Joseph this morning is the life that Joseph lived. And you know, we ask ourselves is the life that I'm living is it glorifying to God? Is it a blessing to others? I'm not talking about my life here in the pulpit getting up to stand to preach. I'm talking about my life tomorrow morning and right through to Friday evening again. Is it a blessing where I go, can people look at me and say there's a man of God, there's a woman of God, whatever the situation would be and can someone say when you go into a home or I go into a home, ‘my it was good to have that person just for those few moments for my life seemed to be lifted up a wee bit.’ That's the sort of a person Joseph was. That's why Jacob could say he's a fruitful bough. He's planted in good soil. He's beside a wall and his fruit is going over the wall. You see, what's Jacob doing here? He's recounting the 17 years which he missed out on the life of his son. From that day that Joseph walked away from his father to go out to find his brethren to take them some victuals and to find out how they were and Jacob waves farewell to his son and he never sees him again for some 17 years. Here he is at the end of life now he's looking into the face of his son and he's recounting all those years that he missed out on him and all those years that he learned about Joseph and he could now say “you're a fruitful bough.” Jacob heard nothing of him. In fact he believed the report of his brothers that Joseph was dead. Is it any wonder he's looking into his son's face here with amazement? Jacob's heart is so full of praise to God for his son and for the blessing that he has been. He has learned about the twists and he has learned about the turns of his son and the suffering that he's had but realizes something very, very special. The fact that behind all those twists and the fact that behind all those turns of his son that Jacob could see the hand of God in blessing through it all. Isn't it wonderful to think this morning that behind our lives, no matter what happens, God is there. Isn't it wonderful this morning to think that the times in the past week when we come up against a situation that we didn't fully understand and we couldn't get to the bottom of it. We didn't know why it was there. We couldn't know what was happening. God was behind the scenes. And God was using your life in that situation and using my life in that situation just to touch others and to bring the blessing of God to others and to other homes. I think of Esther. Do you remember the story of Esther and how that that little Jewish girl from nothing grew up to become the queen. You see, God was using that young girl in a mighty, mighty way. The nation of Israel had to be delivered at that time. And Esther was the girl that God was going to use. And in all those little twists and turns in Esther's life, God was behind it all, bringing it all together. And that's what God is doing here for Joseph. He's going to bring Joseph to the pinnacle of the Egyptian power and position. But he had to go through all the turmoils to do that. Jacob likens his life here to a tree that's been planted. He likens his son's life to a tree that's bringing forth fruit for the owner. But notice the fruit that's hanging over the wall. You see, that's for the benefit of others. That's for the weary passer by who isn't able to afford the fruit that's behind the wall. But over the wall, the fruit is hanging and he can pluck it and take it and find it for his own nourishment. Remember in John chapter 15, Jesus said, "I am the vine and ye are the branches." You see, God not only wants you and me this morning to bear fruit in our lives. He not only wants us to bear fruit in our lives, but he wants us to bear fruit in abundance. Jesus here speaks in that portion of you and me as bearing fruit. And then he speaks of bearing much fruit and then he speaks of bearing more fruit. That's what he wants this morning. From the moment that you bowed the knee, from the moment that you took the Lord Jesus Christ as your Saviour and as your Lord, I wonder what that experience was for you. Was it in a gospel mission? Was it in a little church service? Was it sitting at the fireside or whatever the case may be? I have a friend who was saved at the big wheel of a tractor. He had been out at gospel meetings some 50 odd years ago in a little tent that had been erected by the Faith Mission and he was there night after night and he'd been hearing the gospel and had been coming under conviction of sin. But it was one day when he was out in the tractor ploughing the field and he just got halfway across the field and he stopped the tractor. He got down by the big wheel of the tractor and he sat down and he called upon the name of the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation and God saved him in the middle of that field. I wonder what it was like for you this morning. For me, it was sitting at a funeral service as the preacher preached and gave out the invitation "Where would you be if you were in this box today?" And I realized that. I wonder where it was for you? Have you got that real genuine conversion this morning? Maybe it was sitting at the fireside. Maybe there was nobody else around you. Maybe you just came to that point where you realized you needed to be saved. I was speaking to a man the other day who I had been visiting from about Christmas time. He had been very ill in hospital. He's 90 years of age. I remember speaking to him and we read and prayed and coming away from his house I said to him "Listen, it's a simple task, but it's a serious task." And I explained how to get saved and never thought another thing of it. I came back about a week later to speak to him again. And we sat down. Oh, he says, "But by the way, I forgot to tell you." He says, "I got saved”. At 90 years of age. He just went to his bed one night and he put his head in the pillow and he thought to himself, "I need to be saved." And there and then he sought the Lord Jesus Christ as his own personal Saviour. I wonder where it was for you. But now that wasn't the end. Whenever you got up off your knees after trusting the Lord Jesus Christ as your Saviour and as your Lord, that wasn't it over. That was only the beginning of your walk with Christ. And God has much more for you. And he wants you this morning to bear fruit. Joseph's life is like this fruitbearing life. The tree is planted in the very best soil. I'm sure the person that planted that tree picked the perfect spot for it and he would plant that tree in very fertile soil. He would make sure it's watered well because without the water it would just die. And you see that's the same thing for you and me. Whenever we trusted the Lord Jesus Christ as our Saviour, we were planted into the life of Christ. We need the water, the water of his word, the water of communication, the water of seeking his face in prayer because without that we just shrivel up and we die. Can you imagine the person that planted this particular tree that Jacob has in his mind? He would come out and he would look at the tree and he would be delighted at the way that's growing. But it just didn't stop there because the fruit that was bearing down on the other side of the wall was used for the benefit of others, for the weary passers by. And that's what God wants of you and me this morning. Oh yes, our lives need to glorify God, but they need to be helping others as well. The spotlight is on my life. The spotlight is on your life to see if it's pleasing to God. Are you and I where God would have us to be? God plants us to the benefit of others. Are you and I in that place this morning? Are we there? Are we saying, "Lord, what about me this morning?" I think of Elisha. Do you remember how Elisha passed by this this little home and in this little home there was a man and his wife who invited him in as he passed back and forth. One day the man's wife was sitting and turned to her husband and she said “I perceive that this is a holy man of God that's passing by us continually.” You see she saw something in his life. She maybe heard something in his talk or whatever the case may be. But she realized that here was someone who was so different from the other people that she saw around about her. This man stood out. He was a holy man of God. God was using this man in this situation in this little home just to touch this little family. Is that what God is doing for you this morning? God's using you to touch others. Remember the boy with the loaves and the fishes. There he was sitting amongst the crowd of people on the hill that day. The Lord Jesus Christ had been preaching and somehow the people had get caught up in this preaching and they forgot what time of the day it was. But there was a long journey home and Jesus realized that this is a people that needs to be fed. So he said to the disciples, "What what have we got? Go out and feed them." Philip thought to himself, “you know, if we had a man's wages for a full year we could never feed this amount of people." And yet Andrew is going out through the crowd and he sees this one little lad and he's opening up his little meal that his mom had no doubt given to him that morning. And as he opened it up, Andrew looked at it. He says, "Son," he says, "Would you give that to the Lord Jesus Christ?" Can you imagine that boy getting up with his little loaves and his fishes? And he's looking all around and he says to Andrew, "What for?" And he's thinking about feeding this multitude of people. He says, "How would this meagre little lunch of mine feed all this multitude of people? It wouldn't in his own hands. But once he placed them in the hands of the master, once he placed them into the hands of the Lord Jesus Christ and the Lord blessed them, he broke the bread and gave it to the disciples and they passed it around and the multitude of people were fed. That boy came that morning sitting just amongst the crowd. But what he had he placed in the hands of the Lord Jesus Christ and it touched the multitude and you know it is still touching people today because there are still people who are getting saved through the reading of that portion of scripture with that boy handing all into the hands of the Lord Jesus Christ. Our lives are still being touched by it and still being encouraged by it.

 

Not only do we see the subject of Joseph here, but I want you to notice the source of Joseph's life as well. We see how he handles himself in every difficult situation, every situation that he's in. We need to look closely at the interpretation here because Jacob interprets it like this - he's a fruitful bough by a well. What was the source of Joseph's life? What was the source of this tree that Jacob was thinking about? It was the well. It wasn't so much Joseph, but it was where Joseph was drawing his power from. And that's such an important feature here. I see this tree as a tree planted, but where do I see the source of the goodness and the fruit coming from? It's drawing from this well that is so close. The roots are established. The roots are going down deep underground. And the drawing from the well is the unseen item that's providing the growth of the tree. Isn't that amazing? Jacob sees this in his mind's eye. He's picturing his son Joseph. He's picturing him just as a tree that's planted there. The roots are going down and drawing the water that brings forth the source of life to that tree from the well that is near at hand. If there was no water there would be no fruit. Jacob puts it so well. By a well, he's like a tree by a well. You know, that speaks to me of the close proximity of that well. It speaks to me of the nearness of it. It was such an important feature. The tree wasn't miles away from the well. It was beside it. You see, the one who planted that tree knew exactly what that tree would need. And it needed to be beside a well. It needed to draw the water from the well to provide the fruit that was needed. It speaks to me this morning of the importance of a close relationship with God. I always remember an old Christian just shortly after I got saved saying to me one night, he says, "Keep short accounts with God." I didn't even know what he meant. And it wasn't until later on whenever you gain a bit more experience that you learn these things. But now I realize what he did mean. We need a close relationship with God. You remember how Jesus explained that relationship again in John 13. Says, "I am the vine." And he says, "Ye are the branches." And it says, "He that abideth in me and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit," and we often pray this, don't we? He says, "For without me, you can do nothing." Imagine being separated from Christ to try to do the work that God has for us. I think of that day of Pentecost. Do you remember whenever there was just a little band of ordinary people that had trusted the Lord Jesus Christ and they met together? They met together there because the Lord had said to him, he says, "Ye tarry in Jerusalem until ye be endued with power from on high." Do you remember how they gathered together and there they were with those words of the Lord Jesus Christ in their mind, in their heart, and they were sitting waiting for this promise? Perhaps they just didn't fully understand the promise, but they were waiting for it. The Lord said it would come and so they were waiting for it. And then it says in verse four in Acts chapter 2, it says whenever that Spirit came, it says they were all filled with the Holy Ghost. Then they went out onto the streets and began to preach. And they were preaching in such a way that every person, every nation heard the gospel, heard the good the good news of God in their own language. But they hadn't the power to do that themselves. It was whilst they waited and whilst they were filled with the Holy Spirit that whenever they come out onto the streets, God gave them the power even to do that. They began to speak with other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance. God was using them. They couldn't do that before. They were drawing from the well of the Holy Spirit. They were drawing deep from the wells of the Holy Spirit on that particular day. Remember how in Acts chapter 4 their ministry was called into question? And there they were. They were standing before the leaders, the Jewish leaders on that particular day. It says in Acts 4 verse 8, "then Peter said unto them." But there's a something before that. It says, "Then Peter filled with the Holy Ghost said unto them." He was able to educate those religious leaders.

He was able to rebuke what they were saying, but he could only do that under the anointing of God with the infilling of the Holy Spirit. You see, he was

drawing from the wells that particular day of the Holy Spirit. Isn't that like you and me this morning? Whenever we get into a situation, into a debate with someone and they bring up something and you answer that person but you think to yourself afterwards, “where did I get that from?” It's the Holy Spirit that just gives you that answer. That's what happened Peter on this particular day. He's filled with the Holy Spirit and he's listening to these religious leaders and they're calling into question their preaching. It tells us that Peter filled with the Holy Spirit, began to rebuke them and he began to educate them. This is the same Peter that just a few days before this was in the garden with the Lord Jesus Christ. The Bible says that he walked afar off. He hadn't many answers that day. The Bible says that he went in to that judgment hall and three times he was asked about the Lord Jesus Christ and he denied ever knowing him. What's the difference now? He's standing here rebuking these religious leaders. How can he do that? He's doing it because he's drawing from the wells of God's Holy Spirit, the Holy Spirit of God. In Acts chapter 13, Paul recognizes the attempts of Satan to pervert the ways of God. Paul had been preaching that day and the leader of the local government wanted to know more about the Lord Jesus Christ and the faith that Paul was preaching about. But there was a man there that tried to keep that leader of the government away from the faith that Paul was preaching about. But Paul recognized the situation that day. Acts chapter 13 verse 15 the Holy Ghost brought joy into the disciples lives that day. We need to be drawing from that same well this morning. What does Paul say the fruit of the spirit is? He says it's love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance.

 

The scope of Joseph's life, Joseph's life was going to tell in other places. His life was going to be a benefit for others. That's what Jacob sees here. He's looking back over his life and he knows the benefit that Joseph was to others. This young man was destined for the throne of Egypt. That's where he was. But to get there, he must go through a lot of trials. And maybe the trials and difficulties that you're going through this morning are because God is bringing you through, to put you into a position that he wants you into. We might take a shortcut. We might not want to be in that position, that we don't want the trials that we have to go through first. Do you remember Joseph had to put up with the hatred of his brothers? They plotted and planned against him. He had to go through that dark deep well experience. We read in one of the psalms how he was pleading with his brothers to lift him out of this but they ignored him and they walked away from him and they left him in that place. A young man of 17 years of age. His whole world turned upside down in the matter of moments. But God was using that and God was with him in that dark place. He must go through that experience. He must go through the degrading situation of coming into Egypt and being sold in the marketplace. Of Potiphar coming and eyeing him up and down and putting his hand into his purse and paying a price for him. That must have been so degrading for him. And then he came in Potiphar’s house and Potiphar's wife taking a longing for him and telling all sorts of lies about this young man of 17 years of age, of what he tried to do to her and getting him imprisoned and put into the prison house. And God was with him. Joseph had to go through all this to take him to where God would have him to be. There was no shortcut. There was no easy way for it. These were lessons that this young man, Joseph, had to learn. And yet all the time his life is bearing fruit. For two years he was in a prison house waiting. He had spoken to the butler and the baker to ask them that whenever they went back into the palace that somehow he would be remembered and they forgot about him. Maybe that's how you feel this morning. Sometimes we can feel like that. You know, sometimes we can feel we're set aside and we're forgotten about and nobody really knows anything about us, but God does. God has you in that situation this morning. And he's going to bring you through into the position that he would have for you this morning. He must overcome all these things. He must go through all of that to get where God would have him to be. Oh, we love the shortcuts. But there's no shortcuts if we want to go through with God. And all the time, this young man's life was bearing fruit. God was bringing him into a position to save a nation, his own nation. That's what God was going to do for him. And the fruit of his life was touching others. It touched Pharaoh because when he looked at this young man, he knew that the Lord was with him. And God brought him through and Joseph was able to sort out that whole governmental problem of that great famine that came into the land. The scope of Joseph's life. Is that your scope this morning?

 

As we come to the close of our meeting, think of the trials and the testings that you're going through, it's because God has brought you that way. Your life has been touching others and God isn't finished with you yet because there's more for you to be done. Let trust and pray this morning as we come to the close of our meeting that we just don't close the Bible and just walk away. But maybe this morning that we might say, "Lord, it's a difficult pathway I'm on, but you know all about it. But Lord, will you bring blessing out of my life today to all that I come in contact with?” And the L

The 3 musts of John 3

 

COLERAINE EVANGELICAL CHURCH

SERMON NOTES SUNDAY 2 AUGUST 2026 pm – MR JOHN WEIR

JOHN 3 VERSES 1 TO 18, 30 – THE 3 ‘MUSTS’ OF JOHN 3

 

John 3 is one of the most famous chapters in the bible. 36 verses in total. John Luther called John 3 verse 16 the heartbeat of the bible. When you become a Christian you have a desire to read the word of God, you cannot wait to get to the Sunday services. The bible is a tremendous book. We must read it every day. It is good to have a bible reading plan and take time to read all the bible. “All scripture is given by inspiration of God.” Imagine meeting some of the prophets in heaven and being asked by them “what did you think of my book”? It is important to keep the word of God and it is important that we respond when we hear the word of God.

 

Firstly, the “must” of salvation – verse 7 “Ye must be born again”. Some people get confused about being born again. Some people talk about being saved, converted or regenerated. They all really mean the same thing. Nicodemus is told he must have a spiritual birth. In the Greek it means to be born from above. Have you had a spiritual birth? That is the requirement Jesus makes. To be in the kingdom of God only the Holy Spirit can perform this in the heart of man. There are many ways to the cross, every testimony is different but it is important we get to the cross and God’s salvation. Ephesians 2 tells us we are dead in trespasses and in sin. 2 Corinthians 4 verse 4 tells us we are blinded by the god of this world. You can talk to people about many things – the weather, farming, shopping for instance but when they hear you talk about the gospel, salvation and the Holy Spirit they don’t want to know. In verse 8 we read about the wind – “it bloweth where it listeth and thou hearest the sound thereof but canst not tell whence it cometh and whither it goeth; so is every one that is born of the Spirit.” We don’t know where the wind is coming from but we see its effects. We can see the leaves moving, we can feel the hair on our heads moving, we can see cut grass blowing. When a person is genuinely converted there should be a change. When you meet the Lord you are not the same. “What a wonderful change in my heart has been wrought, since Jesus came into my heart.” Before conversion there is conviction. The Lord can use many things to convict us but it is important that we preach the word of God. We live in a day and an age where people try all sorts of gimmicks to get a crowd into a building. “Being born again not of incorruptible seed.” There are a lot of people who know the word of God but are not saved. They know the gospel inside out and back to front but are not living for the Lord. Nicodemus knew the Old Testament. He knew all about religion but he was outside the kingdom. I wonder how he felt when Jesus told him he need to be born again. John Wesley was preaching God’s word and was never converted himself. He read Luther’s Preface to the Romans and there were Moravians on the ship when his heart was strangely warmed. He went everywhere preaching the word and many churches were founded. The converted man gets a new heart, a transplanted heart. When you get saved there are certain places you used to go to but don’t go there anymore. We don’t talk like that anymore – why – because we want to please the Lord. The Lord was direct with this man – “you must be born again.” Reverend Wiliam Haslem was an Anglican Vicar in Cornwall. In 1851 he was preaching his own sermon when he was converted. He was preaching on the verse “what think ye of Christ?” Some saw he had now been converted and shouted “the parson is converted. Hallelujah!” The congregation erupted with joy. We read of many ministers converted during the 1859 Revival.

 

Secondly, the must of suffering – verse 14. The Lord Jesus is speaking of his death. Maybe the problem is that Calvary’s cross becomes all too familiar. We sing the hymns, read the bible but does it ever cut our hearts? Do you think about the cross? Are any tears shed? That is sometimes the problem. We become too familiar. Never forget the suffering and agony of Jesus as he hung on the cross. To be saved we must come by the way of the cross. The preacher must uplift the Saviour. He shouldn’t be promoting himself or his denomination or his own achievements. Salvation is totally and completely in him and him alone. “I am the way, the truth and the life, no man cometh to the Father but by me.” Here the Lord speaks of Moses in the wilderness. Nicodemus knew all about the Old Testament and where this story came from (Numbers 21). Sadly in the Israelite history there were ungrateful hearts. The Lord used this story to explain his death. When I think of all Jesus went through for me, how he shed his blood for me, was beaten, mocked and humiliated more than any man. Reflect back on Calvary – he died there for you and me.

 

Thirdly, the must of submission – verse 30 “he must increase but I must decrease.” The words of John the Baptist. He knew when he began his ministry he would fade out. He didn’t want the limelight. Loads of people want that tonight. Stay in the background. Some of the best Christian people are there in the background. Everyone wants to be famous today. John the Baptist wanted to decrease. Stay humble. Sometimes people get big headed and proud. Some people in God’s work don’t know when to step aside. John the Baptist knew. We are not building our own kingdom but God’s. He knew he had to fade away. When our time is over we should bow out gracefully. John the Baptist was a wonderful character. He was full of the Holy Spirit in the womb. His father was Zechariah and his mother Elizabeth. People flocked to hear this rough man. He was uncouth but he had the touch of God on his life. That is why people wanted to hear him. He had God’s approval on his ministry. He told people to repent for the kingdom of God is at hand. Maybe we have never repented of some secret sin. John ate locusts and wild honey, his clothes were made of camel hair. John the Baptist had the touch of God on his life. Maybe because he was humble. If we stay that way the Lord can use us. He must increase and I must decrease. The 3 musts from John 3 – the must of salvation verse 7, the must of suffering verse 15 and finally the must of submission verse 30.

 

The people Jesus came into contact with on the night he died

 

COLERAINE EVANGELICAL CHURCH

SERMON NOTES SUNDAY 26 JULY 26 – MR JASON CRUISE

MARK 15 VERSES 1 – 7, 15 – 31, 34 – 38

 

There are many solemn and sombre scenes we read about in scripture. None more so than the cross. Mark 15 the crucifixion of the eternal son of God. His public ministry is now over. The one who lived an absolutely sinless perfect life is now on the centre cross of Calvary. He who did no wrong, went about doing good. The one who healed the lame, made the blind to see and deaf to hear. The one who did good for all is on the centre cross, condemned to death. As he was brought to Annas, Caiphas, the Sanhedrin, Pilate, Herod then back again to Pilate – many came into contact with him that day. They saw him face to face. As we consider these people which one represents you tonight? I wonder which of these has the same attitude towards the Saviour and his finished work? What will your response be tonight? 

First group are the chief priests – verse 3 “but he answered nothing”. As you hear this message there is the awful possibility that God would cease to speak to you.  Here are these chief priests putting many accusations to the Saviour. He answered nothing. How long has God been speaking to you? What if God were to say tonight is the last night he will speak to you? Leave you in your sin. Maybe you have heard the gospel down the years. You have rejected his offer of mercy. Still found in sin. On the road out to a Christless eternity. “Behold now is the accepted time, behold now is the day of salvation.” (2 Corinthians 6 verse 2) Make sure you are right with God. Come in repentance, acknowledge before him your need of him, that you are born in sin, shapen in iniquity, fallen short of heaven’s standards. You need the Saviour. If you would only cry out tonight you could be saved, made right for home in heaven. What if God would cease to speak to you? Maybe you are saying “I am not really that bad a person, I do good to my neighbours, the sin I have committed is not that bad.” Only one sin will keep you out of the presence of heaven. Romans 3 verse 23. You fall short of the standards God demands, that heaven requires because of your sin. Romans 5 verse 12 “Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:.” On the authority of God’s word you are a sinner. If you are ever going to be saved you will have to first come and acknowledge you need a Saviour. The one who died on the centre cross. Each one of us has an appointment with death. James 1 verse 15 “Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.” “ And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment.” Hebrews 9 verse 27. There are 8.3 billion people around the world tonight. They all have an appointment with death. It is not like an appointment with the doctor – you can cancel it at the last moment. It is an appointment with death. We must keep it. Are you ready for the day of your departure? Have you made preparation for when you leave this scene of time and go out into your eternal destination? Heaven with God or hell, eternally separated from God. Are you still a Christ rejecter tonight?  Verse 31 “he saved others he cannot save himself.” See Christ upon the centre cross. As they whipped his back you can see the blood flow. On his head was put the crown of thorns – they were pressed in so hard. See his hands and feet – the nails were driven into them. See him as he hung there.

“O Christ, what burdens bow’d Thy head!
  Our load was laid on Thee;
Thou stoodest in the sinner’s stead,
  Didst bear all ill for me.
A victim led; Thy blood was shed;
  Now there’s no load for me.”

The eternal Son of God bore all of your guilt, sin and shame. Isaiah 700 years before the birth of Christ said “But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.” On that centre cross Christ bore an awful load, to pay an awful price so you could be saved and made right for heaven and home. The chief priests were cloaked in their own religiosity. They believed they were good enough to get into heaven. Perhaps you are in church every week. Your name is on the roll book. You have been baptised, confirmed, catechised. You believe you are right and ready for a home in heaven. Paul in Ephesians 2 verses 8 and 9 said “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.” As in ages past salvation is by grace alone, through faith alone, in the person of Christ alone.” If you are relying in anything but Christ it is futile. You will find yourself in hell if you leave this earth without a Saviour. Make sure you are right with Christ tonight. Perhaps you can recall times when you were sent along to Sunday School and church services. You know the scriptures so well but you have never had a heart change. You cannot point back to a time and place when you put your faith and trust in Christ. There is no better time than now to come in repentance. A sinner in need of repentance. “He saved others, himself he cannot save.” Not only has he saved others, thankfully he saved many and is still able to save all who come in repentance and faith.

Second, Pontius Pilate – verses 4 and 5. Pilate marvelled. In the original Greek to be in wonder was to be amazed, astonished. Many people stood before Pilate. He was the Roman Governor. He condemned many to death on the cross. Never a man stood before him that left him amazed, in wonder as did the eternal Son of God. Matthew 27 verse 14 “marvelled greatly”. Not only marvelled greatly when alive but also in death. Verse 44 Pilate was never in amazement of astonishment by any man that stood before him in court but now he is. “I find no fault in this man”. Pilate had condemned Christ to death. Matthew 27 verse 22 “what then shall I do with Jesus which is called Christ?” Pilate does not say “what would you do?” What would they do? A personal question demands a personal answer. You must and will ask yourself. “What will you do tonight with Jesus?” Will you log off for another Sunday evening? Leave the building still with your back to God? In rebellion? Trampling the broad road. Now Pilate gives in to the crowd. Are you scared of the crowd tonight? Scared what friends might think? To tell your friends you have put your trust in Christ as Saviour? They will laugh you into hell but never laugh you out. Don’t worry about what people will say, worry about the eternal destination of your never dying soul. Pilate is scared of the crowd. He washes his hands of the whole situation. There is something that water will never wash away – sin. The only thing that can deal with your sin is the precious blood of Jesus. 

“What can wash away my sin

Nothing but the blood of Jesus.”

Hebrews 13 verse 12 “Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered without the gate.”

 

He suffered so you can come and put your trust in him. Now your name is recorded in the Lamb’s Book of Life.

 

Third, the Roman soldiers – verse 24. The men that had led the Lord. Matthew 27 verse 27. They led Jesus into the common hall. They buffeted, smote, spat, pulled the hair off the face of God’s eternal Son. They plaited a crown of thorns and forced it down onto his head. What agony he endured. He suffered that he might be able to go all the way to Calvary to take the sin of all humanity on himself. “For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit.” (1 Peter 3 verse 18)  What are you relying on for eternity? The divine judgment of God was satisfied by the sacrifice offered at Calvary because of the sacrifice offered. The way is open to you to know the joy of sins forgiven. Maybe you are wondering how long would eternity last. If I could tell you that after 1000 years in hell you would be released or after 10,000 years but there is no hope. Revelation 20 talks about the lake of fire, eternally separated from God and the love of God. It is for eternity. We love you and love your soul. We don’t want you to go into that awful place called hell. We read of these men who gambled over the garments of the Saviour. The eternal Son of God wants to clothe him with his imputed righteousness. Romans 3 verse 10 “For there is none righteous, no not one.”  Isaiah 64 verse 6 “But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.” Christ wants to clothe you in his imputed righteousness, make you ready for home in heaven.” Maybe you are saying “you don’t know the awful sins I have committed. My list of sins are so bad.” “Him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast him out.” (John 6 verse 37)  Will you not come to him tonight? Know you are ready for home in heaven. John 14 verse 6 “I am the way, the truth and the life. No man cometh unto the Father but by me.” The only access is God’s son. By coming and trusting in his finished work on Calvary.

We have thought of the chief priests who mocked, Pilate who marvelled and the soldiers who gambled.

Lastly the 2 men who hung on either side of the Saviour. One of these men came in repentance and put his trust in Christ as Saviour. Luke 23 verses 39 to 43. This man hangs at the side of the Saviour. A dying man stepping out into eternity. He knows his time on earth is now over. As he hangs on the cross he becomes discerning. He begins to think of his sin. He became a delivered man. He came to put his faith and trust in God’s Son the Lord Jesus. Verse 41. This man acknowledged his wrong doing, that he is a sinner. If ever you are going to be saved you will have to acknowledge you are a sinner. He did more. He acknowledged that the man on the centre cross had done nothing amiss. The only reason why the sacrifice at Calvary was accepted was the author was the one accepted.All the sacrifices in Leviticus chapters 1 to 6 have to be without blemish. The only one who ever lived on earth and met the criteria for Calvary was Christ. Pontius Pilate could say of him “I find no fault in him.” He lived upon this earth for 33½ years, perfect before man and God. Never one vile word, thought or action. He stares death in the face. This dying man became a discerning man. He became a delivered man. There was only one who could rescue him. He was the man on the centre cross. Verses 42 and 43. These words of Christ are a great comfort to that thief. “Today thou shalt be with me in paradise.” The comfort of every dying person – to be in the presence of Christ in a moment. Joy can become a reality for you if only you put your faith and trust in Christ. Nothing you can inherit, earn or achieve to make you right for heaven. John 2 verse 9 “Salvation is off the Lord.” All of God, nothing to do with the preacher or any church elder. Salvation is of the Lord. If you only would come in true repentance you can know the joy of sins forgiven. We don’t present a dead Saviour in the gospel tonight. He is heaven, in his rightful place at his Father’s right hand. He calls to you “come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest.” After 3 days he arose again. “Christ died for our sins”  We can rely on the word of God. We present to you a living Saviour, the one at God’s right hand. “Whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

  

Eleazar the steadfast swordsman

 

COLERAINE EVANGELICAL CHURCH

SERMON NOTES SUNDAY 26 JULY 2026 – PASTOR BRYAN CRUISE

2 Samuel 23 verses 8 to 12

 

Here in this chapter the dust literally still hands in the air. The Philistines war cry has sounded across the valley. They were determined to crush the Israelites. What did the Israelites do in response? They ran. They should have stood their ground but they fled the area. They scattered. All except 1 man. I want us to focus our attention on verses 9 and 10 this morning. In the mist of this retiring army one man stood his ground. He had no king’s crown on his head. He was not a giant slayer like David. He was simply a soldier in the battlefield. This chapter records David’s final testimony in the bible. Here we read of David’s warriors – men who fought impossible battles, who displayed extraordinary courage. Eleazar was the steadfast swordsman. 

First I want you to see his preparation for the battle. Eleazar’s name means God has helped or God is my helper. His name comes out of the shadows in verse 10. The Lord brought a great victory that day. His name preaches of the divine sufficiency of God. In 1 Chronicles 27 verse 4 we read “And over the course of the second month was Dodai an Ahohite, and of his course was Mikloth also the ruler: in his course likewise were twenty and four thousand.” Eleazar’s father was Dodai and he was the commander of one of the 12 divisions of David’s army. He was in charge of 24,000 men within his division. So Eleazar was the son of a warrior. He came from a lineage of valour. Eleazar likely grew up around battle hardened men. His ability to stand alone was not spontaneous. It took years of training. He inherited the resolve of his father. He watched his father. Dodai’s greatest legacy was not the thousands of men he commanded, it was the one son he raised who refused to back down. Your greatest contribution to the kingdom of God might not be in what you do but who you raise. Maybe you have children or grandchildren – what you say behind closed doors is so important. You can lead an army but it is your private faithfulness at home that is more important. So many carry sorrows in their own households. They may lead well in public but it is what goes on in the home that really counts. Dodai raised someone who could stand alone for his king. This detail hits hard when we ask – “where are the men, the fathers who are raising children who will stand alone?” Eleazar was a man who refused to let go. He had the sword of the Spirit and stood firm. He was nurtured, sharpened in the home of warrior. One of the reasons he could stand was because of the influence of his father. You have influence wherever you are today. Do you know that today? You might say to me “I am just 1 Christian. You don’t understand but tomorrow morning in my school, on the factory floor, in the canteen they will make jokes and jibes at me.” You have influence. Let me tell you this – people who pretend they don’t see you do see you. Whenever someone in the work place gossips about someone else – you are the one who speaks worthwhile truth. You are the person of godly influence. Eleazar did not fight bravely, he fought alone. In verses 9 and 10 we see his brothers fled. Whether it was due to fear, fatigue or faithlessness. They turned their backs on the enemy. It was abandonment. Whenever you lose your spot on the battlefield it means certain death. Eleazar arose to the situation. It was a challenging scenario in front of him. It was a solitary stand. It reflects deep loyalty to his King of kings. The word “arose” means so much more than standing up. It conveys a sense of rising with purpose. Stepping into the defensive. His action was purposeful.  It is the same verb in the Old Testament used to describe leaders to action. Genesis 22 verses 2 and 3 “And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of. ³ And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and saddled his ass, and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son, and clave the wood for the burnt offering, and rose up, and went unto the place of which God had told him.” Before Abraham took Isaac with him he rose up with purpose. Numbers 16 verse 25 “And Moses rose up and went unto Dathan and Abiram; and the elders of Israel followed him.” Whenever rebellion breaks out in the camp, Moses steps into a decisive role. Joshua 1 verse 2 “Moses my servant is dead; now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, thou, and all this people, unto the land which I do give to them, even to the children of Israel.” God called Joshua to arise with purpose. Everyone of those moments marks a moment of purpose. They chose to obey. They signify someone stepping into the frame. It defined them as believing, rooted not in ego but in faith. They believed that the battle mattered. They were standing for the kingdom. Eleazar did not do it because he was stronger than other soldiers. He was more convinced of the fight.  In 1521 when Martin Luther was summoned to recant his teachings, every bishop was against him yet he is recorded as saying “here I stand, I can do no other so help me God.” Eleazar stood. What happens when you stand for God? It was not because he didn’t fear, for I am sure he did feel it. There was a presence with him. 1 Chronicles 11 verse 13 “And after him was Eleazar the son of Dodo, the Ahohite, who was one of the three mighties.  He was with David at Pasdammim, and there the Philistines were gathered together to battle, where was a parcel of ground full of barley; and the people fled from before the Philistines. ¹⁴ And they set themselves in the midst of that parcel, and delivered it, and slew the Philistines; and the Lord saved them by a great deliverance.” Barley was the humblest grain in ancient Israel. It was the food of the poor. John 6 verse 9 “There is a lad here, which hath five barley loaves, and two small fishes: but what are they among so many?” The lad had 5 barley loaves. He was poor. This detail in our text, the fighting on the barley field. The ground seemed common to you and I. They were not defending a palace or a temple or the Israelite version of a treasury building. It was a barley field. If you had only one thing to defend and it was a barley field – who cares about that? Our man knew that it had been entrusted to Israel. It was not about barley but obedience. What you guard does not have to glamorous just God given. You teach Sunday School – who cares about that? You help at mums and tots – just a common thing. You are not one of the super spiritual. If you are given a field to defend in the kingdom of God then do it. Judges 7 verse 21 “And they stood every man in his place round about the camp; and all the host ran, and cried, and fled.” This refers to Gideon’s 300 men – every man stood in his own place. Everyone had a place to stand. You cannot stand in my place and I cannot stand in yours. You have a place to stand for God.

His persistence in the battle.  Our text emphasizes Eleazar’s exhaustion. “He arose, and smote the Philistines until his hand was weary, and his hand clave unto the sword: and the Lord wrought a great victory that day; and the people returned after him only to spoil.” He kept going past the point of human strength. This speaks of Eleazar’s tenacity.  His ability to fight when everything in him wanted to quit. He pressed on. God’s greatest victories come after you struggle. No doubt you have read stories of missionaries who have buried children overseas. Or know the single mother who drags herself and her children to church every week. Or widows who sit alone in the same pew singing the hymns yet is unwavering. Or the man who works various jobs yet he comes early to church to help set out the chairs. Or the woman who has chronic illness yet lifts up others in prayers. People like these press on weary but they don’t let go. Verses 9 and 10 speak of brutal endurance. He fights until his hand grows weary. His hand clave to the sword. That word “clave” comes from the Hebrew word dabaq. It means to cling to, to hold fast. It is used in other places. Genesis  2 verse 24 “Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.” Deuteronomy 10 verse 20 “Thou shalt fear the Lord thy God; him shalt thou serve, and to him shalt thou cleave, and swear by his name.” This word is always used to signify a relentless covenant attachment. Eleazar had a spiritual tenacity. Steadfast. Whenever faith is tested you cling to the sword. You cling to the sword of the Spirit, God’s word – Ephesians 6 verse 17 “And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:”  The sword is the only defensive piece of equipment. The Greek word for the “word” is logos. It is used in 1 John. Paul does not use that word rhema. Not the written word but rather the spoken word. The word of utterance. You not only need the written word but also the spoken word. In any situation bring one verse into your mind that brings confidence to your situation. You need to know the promise for the situation. In Matthew 4 when Jesus was tempted by Satan, he replied “it is written.” Jesus gave a specific word for the temptation. He knew what to say in the specific situation and he used it precisely. The Christian who neglects to read scripture goes into battle with a dull sword. A sharpened sword hidden in the heart, polished by meditation is deady to the believer. A believer must be skilled in scripture. The devil is not impressed by dusty bibles but by a believer who can show his loyalty to his sword. As you and I go into another week we will wield against the sword against the world. We are scripture poor. Colossians 3 verse 16 “let the word of God dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.”

Thirdly, his portion after the battle. The final sentence in verse 10  is both glorious and humbling. Eleazar is the only man who has fought the battle. He has faced it alone. He swung the sword and endured. The glory did not go to Eleazar but to the Lord. The writer of the book wants you to know God did this. Not techniques of human intervention. Harmony between God’s sovereignty and man’s responsibility. The Lord is the one who brought the victory. Proverbs 21 verse 31 “The horse is prepared against the day of battle: but safety is of the Lord.” On the day of battle you are the one who participates in the battle yet the Lord gives the safety and victory. God does not need me today. He works in spite of me. The mighty warrior depended on the mighty God. There is an interesting phrase – “and the people returned after him only to spoil.” The very people who ran away at the start scared and afraid, when they saw the Philistines were defeated they ran back again. The individuals who didn’t risk anything, who didn’t drop any blood, showed up at the end. The spoils were taken from the defeated army. The reward of the victory. Only one man fought to secure the reward – Eleazar. It is fitting that we close with this one sentence. It whispers the gospel more than the account of military might. It is a shadow of Calvary. It is pointing to a greater battle. The loner stand of Eleazar. He fought alone and everyone reaped the benefit. Christ fought alone at Calvary. We reaped the benefit. We received the spoil of a fight we didn’t participate in. All others forsook him. Our Saviour clung instead to a cross. With hands pierced he bore the wrath we deserved. We were undeserving of the spoil of victory – forgiveness, adoption, reconciliation with God. You and I come to Calvary empty handed. We receive a treasure we did not earn. The spoil with the strong. For he has poured out his soul unto death. You contribute nothing to your salvation except faith in Christ. Christ fought the battle for you. All you do is come to Christ with empty hands, come and say to the Lord how sorry you are for your sin. Turn from your sin, trust in Christ for forgiveness. Receive it rich and free. You do not contribute to the fight. You come empty and receive the spoil. The resurrection triumph was the church. We are the beneficiaries. God is still looking for swordsmen. Men and women who are steadfast in the fight. Believers who will stand their ground when others retreat. To cling to Christ when the cost is high. Endure in faith when no-one else will. Will he find a swordman in you today? The field is lonely. The battle is costly. Your hand will grow weary. The King is worthy. The sword is sufficient and God the Lord will bring about a great victory.