Nearly persuaded to be a Christian?

SERMON NOTES FROM SUNDAY 19 FEBRUARY 2012

Mark 12 verses 28 – 34

There are just some little portions of scripture, nuggets, that preachers love to return to.  For me this is one of them.  I like to turn from time to time to this young man.  In verse 28 he was described as a scribe.  This wasn’t a righteous living young man here.  He had a great desire for the things of God, studied the word of God, knew the word of God inside out.  Verse 34 after all I have said about this man that he could recite the word of God defend the word of God yet being saved was only brought him so near but that as far as it went.  At the same time as being close he was so far away.  He was a candidate for discipleship yet he didn’t see it.  As far as he was concerned he was on his way to heaven and home yet the Lord stops him and tells him “you are too far from the kingdom.  The observation that is made.  That could fit any meeting.  Maybe could be said of you tonight.  Maybe the God of heaven could look down into this meeting and say you are not far from the kingdom not saved yet but you are not far.  It would take very little for you to be persuaded to be a Christian.

Notice in this statement – the position that is declared.  Thou art not far.  Is there such a place as being near, nearly persuaded to being a Christian.  The spiritual identity of many.  A condition many suffer from.  Got stuck in a certain place and it is hard to move on.  When people come into a meeting there is a battle going on, raging in their heart.  God has been speaking to them in a place that is very special, it wouldn’t be hard for them to take another step and come right into the kingdom of God.  This man is standing in a crowd.  He is taking the word into his heart.  Here in the crowd was a religious, good upright man listening to the questions being asked and how Jesus is replying back again.  Then he steps forward and asks one question – verse 28.  He knew the answer to the question before he asked it.  He was taught it daily.  He returned the answer to Jesus in verses 32 and 33.  Jesus looked into his heart.  He knew all about him, where he stood.  You could fool anyone tonight by saying you are saved but you cannot fool God.  He knows exactly where you stand tonight, knows whether you are a child of God, saved by the grace of God.  He knows the exact distance he has to make up.  Like the prodigal you are out in the far country, out enjoying yourself, there is a party time every day and night.  You have no notion of a father’s broken heart, not giving it a second thought.  There are those who would be swift to shed innocent, are planning to take lives tonight, no thought for the kingdom of God.  Then there are those who are almost there.  Elijah went up the Mount Carmel, went up to take on the prophets of Baal.  He was on his own against 400 prophets of Baal.  He turned to the nation of Israel and said “why halt you between 2 opinions?”  This is not a new position.  It was present in Elijah’s day.  Many would follow God but like the idea of following Baal too.  They have one foot in each camp.  Elijah told the people “if God be God follow him if Baal be God then follow him.”  Can you say in this meeting “I was at that place, I was brought to that place by the Holy Spirit not by a preacher.”  You could get emotional preaching tonight and it is not real.  Like the parable of the sower a little seed fell on the ground but it had no body to it.  It couldn’t stand the test of time.  Maybe you have come to that place, thought about it like this young man but gone away time after time.  Joel talked about “multitudes in the valley of decision for the day of the Lord is near.”  That is where you are at tonight.  The valley of decision.  I would truly love to know “is it well with your soul? If you died tonight would you be in eternal business with God in heaven.”  Notice who declared this – the Lord himself.  The Lord comes tonight in our meeting and knows how every heart is.  John 2 verse 25 Jesus knew what was in man.  In the book of Revelation he knew the spiritual condition of people “you are neither hot nor cold.”  The Lord knows where we are tonight.  The position that is declared.

A privilege that is despised.  When I think of the privilege of getting to this point, a point of decision he despised it.  Here was a man who knew God’s word, was enlightened by it.  What a privilege to sit in God’s presence, to have God’s word expounded, to know where we stand in the light of eternity.  Many cannot say that they know where they stand tonight.  We have a privilege to hear the word of God, to be pointed to the Lord, to the door of heaven who says “by me if any man enter in he shall be saved.”  Many gaze on the face of the Lord and never take that step.  “Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God.”  This young man when he heard the word of God he answered and said “Lord you have spoken well.”  This young man had great knowledge of the word of God.  Saul was sent out to fight the Amalekites.  He had the word of God in his mind, that he was to destroy every living person.  Samuel came to meet him and Saul told him that he had done as instructed.  Samuel then said to Saul “what meaneth then this bleating of sheep?”  Saul told him they have kept the best sheep to bring them to sacrifice.  Samuel told Saul “obedience is better than sacrifice.”  You may know the word of God inside out but if you have never taken the step to Calvary it means you are not believing it.  Think of the privilege you have.  Think of many who have given their lives, many who have been imprisoned, burnt at the stake.  What a privilege to have the gospel message.  Timothy in the New Testament what a great privilege he had.  The Bible says he was brought up in a godly home under the influence of a grandmother who knew and loved the Lord, a mother who taught him the word of God.  They both taught him the word of God.  This was the privilege this young man had.  That could only make him wise unto salvation but it is through faith that is the obedience aspect.  Esau had the privilege of having a birthright, all that the father had would be his.  When Esau came in from the fields one day he was hungry.  Jacob had a pot of stew and Esau wanted some of it.  Jacob told him “if you give me the birthright I will give you this stew.”  You are giving your soul away – for what?  Jesus said we could gain the whole world yet what would it be to lose our own soul?

There is a pursuit that is demanded.  Jesus doesn’t let this young man down.  He plainly and simply tells him.  He doesn’t hedge about it – he tells him he is not far.  There is light on his spiritual condition.  You are not saved but you are not far from getting saved.  Are you genuinely born again tonight, sure of sins forgiven?  The one who knew what it was to bear our sins, he is now seated at the right hand of the throne of heaven waiting to be told and go and bring home every child of God.  If that were the case would it be for you?

There is a peril that is devastating.  There are different attitudes to this portion of scripture.  Some would make out that this young man to be different people.  No-one is too sure, we are not too sure if he ever got another opportunity to take that step.  We don’t read of it.  God is giving an opportunity for you to step out and be saved.  He wants you to come, to trust him.  Judas Iscariot went to the Lord and kissed him and then went out to a lost hell.  Abner got to the city of refuge, he turned around and the enemy killed him.  David said at his death “died Abner as a fool dieth.”  Wouldn’t it be awful to leave this meeting tonight knowing you were almost into the kingdom of heaven, knowing only a step away – will you come, will you trust him tonight?

Obedience and observance to the word of God

SERMON NOTES FROM SUNDAY 19 FEBRUARY 2012

Joshua 6 verses 1 – 21

Sometimes we ask ourselves the question why spend time on an account like this?  We live in the New Testament days, surely there is much there to learn from?  When Paul was writing to Timothy, a young preacher going out into the world, Paul had a little advice for him.  He knew people would reject God’s word.  Paul told Timothy “all scripture is given by inspiration of God.”  In other words as you read the word of God remember it is inspired, breathed by God.  God transmitted his thoughts to men of old and they put them down in writing.  To the Corinthian believers Paul also talked of when the children of Israel came out of Egypt “these things are for our example”.  Surely as we saw last week, saw this man Joshua, the focus of Joshua was on the great city Jericho and beyond it was the blessing of God.  He didn’t know how to handle things from here on in.  We can think ourselves of the problems and difficulties we face in our everyday lives, meet so many difficulties, don’t know how to focus on it.  Then we saw his feelings.  He was discouraged.  He lifted his eyes and saw the angel before him.  His head was down before that but he lifted them upwards.  Then we saw the fellowship – he got down before the Lord and worshipped him again.  His faith was renewed again.  The heading over Joshua 6 could be “the battle is on.”  Do we know anything about the battle?  This battle we are in from the moment you get saved until you go into the presence of the Lord?  There is a battle on for your soul.  Let’s look at how Joshua got around this city.

There is an obedience to the word of God.

Chapter 5 verse 14 says “what saith my Lord unto his servant?”  As we see the children of Israel marching around the city they were doing so in obedience to the word of God.  That is where we fall or stand.  We need to get our eyes on the Lord and ask him “is there a word for me in this situation?”  Remember when the Lord Jesus was out in the wilderness and became hungry, Satan said to the Lord “since you are the Son of God reach out to these stones and make them into bread so you can eat.”  Jesus replied to Satan “man shall not live by bread alone but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.”  It is important that we remember every word is from God’s word.  Today we do not live by physical bread alone but by spiritual bread too.  Martha and Mary in their own homes one day saw a crowd coming down the road.  They realised it was Jesus and his disciples coming to pay them a visit.  It was a home Jesus loved to visit.  Martha goes into the kitchen and begins to prepare a meal but Mary sat down at Jesus’ feet listening to every word that came out of Jesus’ mouth.  She had a hunger for the word of God.  She didn’t want to be in the kitchen, just wanted to be in the presence of God.  It is a tremendous thing to be in the place where God has promised he will be.  Every meeting we conduct is in the name of the Lord.  He has promised us to be there in the midst of that.  Joshua says “is there a word from the Lord.”  Zedekiah was on the throne of Jerusalem.  The Chaldeans were coming at the gates of the city.  Jeremiah was arrested and put into prison.  He was there simply because speaking out for the Lord.  Zedekiah would look out each day and see the enemy advancing towards the city.  He was in the depths of despair, at his wits end.  He sent men down to the prison house for Jeremiah.  They brought him up into the house and did it secretly.  Didn’t want his adversaries to know he was sending for this man of God.  He knew this situation called for action brought Jeremiah up.  Zedekiah asked Jeremiah “is there a word from the Lord?”  When we get down before God is that in the depths of our soul “is there any word from the Lord?”  Jehosophat was brought to fight for King Ahab.  False prophets were arrayed around Ahab.  Jehosophat listened to what they had to say and then turned to Ahab and said “is there not a prophet here from the Lord that we might hear from him?”  We need to be careful because many are being dulled, deceived, taken away because they are not getting it from the Lord.  Seek a word from the Lord today.

The observance to the word of God.

Joshua heard the word clearly spoken to him.  Now he has to be careful to listen to it and put it into practice.  He realised the constrictions God has given to him but he knew to follow them very exactly.  Joshua knew what he had to do so went out and put it into practice.  He must address it.  He makes it clear to the rest of the army to observe what the Lord has said to him.  We have the word of God, the Spirit of God within us and need to be careful to listen and put it into practice.  I’m sure the people probably thought when they heard the word it was such madness.  Joshua told them the priests had to take the ark and go around the walls, then the people were to follow them once every day.  On the seventh day they were to march around the walls seven times and not to be quiet when doing it.  They must use their trumpets and shout, then the walls would fall flat.  I am sure the people thought this man has lost his mind.  God will do a work but he will depend on his people to do that.  We do well to sit in the prayer meeting and take some names on our hearts and pray for them.  The Lord expects us to be doing out bit that he might do his bit for us.  Sometimes God does things unexpectantly.  We think we do things different.  Gideon was a young man in the book of Judges.  The enemy was besieging the city of Jerusalem.  An angel came to Gideon – you are a mighty man of valour and we will deliver this city because of you.  After an argument with the angel Gideon gathers up an army and then God comes to him again and says “there are too many with you.”  From 32000 men God cuts them down to 300.  Sometimes God does things that we could take them through better.  They look foolish in our eyes.  Jeremiah proclaimed that the only way to escape was to surrender to the Babylonian army.  The old false prophets denounced that and said the Lord would not let this happen.  They called Jeremiah all the names of the day.  This however was going to be God’s way.  As we take up the word of God, when the preacher says you have to repent and come to faith in Christ Jesus the false prophets stand up and says “no you are OK, you are all ready for home.”  The false prophet has his answer.  In Jeremiah’s day he was cast into prison.  Do you ever feel like Jeremiah?  You get up and pray and everything in the day goes wrong.  Then you come home and pray and read God’s word but realise the next day there are more problems than the day before.  Jeremiah was faithful but ended up in the prison house.  No matter how difficult the day is God is working out his plan and purpose for your life.  “All things work together for good to them that love God.”

This people were ordered in their walk.

Verse 6 – they were going with the presence of God in that army.  Do others see the presence of God in our lives?  Can you imagine the lookouts shouting out to the generals “here they come.”  This great army marched around that city, see the people watching them as they walk around the city then go back down to their camp.  The next day they do the same thing.  Not a word said, not a sword drawn.  Their walk was disciplined and dependable and ordered.  Your walk must be ordered of the Lord.  Are we walking with the testimony of the Lord in our hearts?  Do people see the presence of God in our lives?  Paul told us to walk worthy of him who called us.  The prison house keeper knew there was something different about the 2 men he had locked up in a prison cell.  He asked them as a result of noticing this.  Do people know they can depend on us?  Stephen as he was stoned – his face shone like an angel.  John Wesley ended up in a ship heading for America.  This ship was being tossed about in the storm.  John Wesley could see people on the ship who were different.  They were Moravians and they got down on their knees and prayed.  When they got to land John Wesley asked them “where was the difference?”  They showed him Jesus.  They didn’t have to testify to him.  They just lived it.

There was the outcome that was witnessed.

With a shout the walls fell as God had promised.  God wants to bring glory out of the situation we are in today.  A humbling experience that God would seek to bring glory to his name through us in the situation we find ourselves in.

Facing obstacles with God

Notes from a sermon heard on Sunday 12 February 2013

Joshua 5 verses 13 – chapter 6 verse 7

Joseph Scriven wrote a little poem dedicated to his mother while living in Canada.  There was a great bond between them.  He knew no doubt because of his move that his mother would be discouraged.  He sent it to her by post.  Some years later the poem was put to music and it read “what a friend we have in Jesus, all our sins and griefs to bear, what a privilege to carry, everything to God in prayer.”  In Joshua chapter 5 we see a man in turmoil.  He had a big problem on his shoulders.  He had a lot of thinking to do.  He was standing here by the city of Jericho contemplating his walk and obedience to God.  As we come into God’s house that is what we are doing – contemplating our walk with God.  What does he want to do with my life?  Joshua is standing at the base of Jericho looking at the great obstacle in front of him.  He knows what God wants him to do and he is contemplating it all.

The focus Joshua had.  40 years previously God had brought the children of Israel out of Egypt.  The lamb had been taken, slain and the blood mixed with hyssop was sprinkled on the door posts.  When the angel came at midnight the firstborn in every home would die but if the blood had been applied the angel would pass over.  That is what the Passover means.  Exodus 12.  God is still looking for the blood today.  Not the blood of a little lamb but rather the blood of his own dear son applied to our lives.  There is only one thing that will deal with your sin – the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ.  He took upon himself our sins.  He died for you and I.  When I come and trust him for all he has done for me then that blood is applied to my life.  The hyssop was the weakest of all the plants to use, it grew out of the little cracks in the walls.  That is sometimes what happens – God takes the weakest for his honour and glory.  It is not about our own ability but rather whom I am trusting in.  40 years on they are back in the same place as 40 years before.  Joshua was thinking of the failure of 40 years ago.  God has a blessing for him.  God has a blessing for us too.  A challenge comes to us.  God wants to bless out lives.  He does not want us to sit at the place where we are sitting.  God calls you now to move on with him.  First thing the old devil throws into our minds is failure.  Do you not remember that time years ago thought what good am I to the Lord and you failed then.  When God asks us to do something failures of the past come to our minds.  This could be any one of us, you and I with this gigantic problem.  Maybe you thought and focused on what was bothering you so couldn’t get mind around it.  A gigantic problem Joshua has taken a moment, left the campsite of the tribes and is standing alone focusing on journey ahead.  Maybe you have focused on something that is taking up your energy, really don’t know how ever going to get around.  Some would suggest this little word “by” actually means “in” Jericho.  That throws a different light on things.  Herein lies an obstacle.  God has something marvellous for our lives then comes the obstacle.  Only we can trust God to take us through it.  None of his adversaries could deliver him.  Only God could take him right through it.  He could only depend on God.  There could be hindrances in our lives but there are obstacles in our lives right now.  W P Nicholson that old preacher of the word of God who saw revival in his day, saw Belfast transformed and probably all of the province transformed too.  He was saved in his little home sitting at the fire.  He told his mother when she came into the room “I am saved”.  She asked him when and how he had got saved.  “Just here, right now at this very moment sitting by the fire.”  He joined a fellowship but felt he was leading an up and down experience.  He couldn’t get on in his life.  Nicholson knew there was something more for his life.  He wanted to know victory in his spiritual life, wanted to be sanctified fully.  God brought him to his Jericho.  For W P Nicholson it was pride that was preventing him going through with God.  Nicholson knew if he was to surrender himself to God he would be asked to do something he couldn’t do.  The greatest fear he had was to be asked to join the local Salvation Army in the town on a Saturday evening.  One day Nicholson fully and totally surrendered to God, went into Bangor and was handed a tambourine.  His Jericho was gone.  I wonder for you and I – what is our Jericho?  The thoughts on Joshua’s mind were how would they ever succeed, ever take this city.  In some places the walls were 25 feet in height and 20 feet thick.  Verse 13 says “then the angel came.”  This was no ordinary angel.  They would say this was the Lord in the way he would appear in days before he came to this earth.  God doesn’t desert us when we stand alone.  He knows all our thoughts.  The focus in Joshua’s life.

The feelings.  Not only do we see this leader of the nation of Israel in focus but notice his feelings.  Verse 13 “he lifted up his eyes”.  When Jesus was going back to heaven he knew he would leave his disciples and as a result their hearts would fail them for sorrow.  He told them “let not your heart be troubled.”  He was afraid of them focusing on the emptiness.  He was now going to be taken away from them.  Is that the problem in your life?  That we can say on the strength of God’s precious word?  Don’t get so focused on this difficulty that we lose out on God?  Peter’s problem as he sat in the little boat with the disciples, turned with the great storm on the waves.  The disciples sitting in the boat were so afraid.  The Lord walked to them on the water.  Peter said “if it you bid me to come.”  Jesus told him to come.  Peter was walking on the water, everything was fine until he took his eyes off the Lord.  He placed them on the sea.  His eyes went down.  We need to be careful we are focusing on something that affects only us.  When I get my eyes on that I lose out on God.  That is what happened here with Peter in the boat.  Eyes off God and on the impossibilities.  2 men were imprisoned for their preaching of the word of God.  They were put in an underground cell.  There was only one window looking out on the street.  The 2 men were then taken up into the king’s quarters and questioned.  The king asked them “how is your accommodation?”  One man began to lament about it – “all I can see is mud, mire and water.”  The other man said “I can see the sky and the sun in the sky.”  He was looking up instead of looking down.  God wants to bless us but for many there is going to be a Jericho to go through and it will not be easy.  Joshua lifted up his eyes.  There is no harm in being focused on problems but it is how we sort it out.  The harm is when we over focus on it.  The angel came to Joshua and it was then he lifted up his eyes.  Abraham was blessed of God with a son.  God comes and challenges him “I want you take your son, the one who you love dearly and go out into the wilderness and offer him up as a sacrifice.”  Abraham never questioned it.  He took his servants with him, then left them at a distance to offer up Isaac.  He took the wood and made an altar, then he laid out his son.  Just then God spoke to him.  We read in Genesis chapter 22 verse 13 that “Abraham lifted up his eyes and looked and behold and behind him a ram caught in a thicket by his horns.”  It speaks of the perfect sacrifice.  If that lamb had been caught by its fleece then the fleece would have been torn and not perfect.  God provided the perfect sacrifice.  Abraham needed to lift up his eyes.  Joshua looked forward.  He knew he was entering into the land God would give him.  The enemy would be there but God had promised the land to Abraham, to Isaac and to Jacob.  Here was Joshua ready to claim the land but the enemy was there.  The enemy will be there for you when you step out for God.  God puts his finger on something in our lives and you have to stop.  Joshua could look back on 40 years in the wilderness but he needed to look forward and upwards.

The fellowship that Joshua enjoys.  Verse 14 “and Joshua fell on his face to the earth and did worship and said unto him ‘what sayeth thou my Lord.’”  His eyes are firmly fixed on the one who has come to help him.  Hebrews 12 verses 1 - 3 “Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses let us lay aside every weight and the sin which doth so easily beset us and let us run with patience the race that is set before us.  Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith who for the joy, that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.  For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.”  Get our eyes and minds fixed on him so that there is no turning away from him.  That Jericho you have could take you and defeat you.  Joshua could have looked at the Jericho and said “I can’t do it.”  He could have turned around and walked back to his nation, told them that he couldn’t do it.  Daniel was in the lions den when the king came down and asked him “are you all right?”  Daniel replied “the Lord has sent his angel.”  What did he think when he went into that den?  This is it?  But then he got his eyes on the Lord.  The Lord sent his angel to him.  Maybe instead of focusing on that big problem we need to worship, thank the Lord for whatever is in our lives at this time and say “I know you are in control of it Lord.”  Paul and Silas were beaten until their skin fell off them, they were sore and wounded but what did they do at midnight?  The lifted up their voices and prayed and praised God.  Whenever you feel you cannot take another step it is good to worship the Lord.  A young man crippled with pains testified how he would come before the Lord and daily ask for God to lift him out of this body of pain.  One day he was going through the motions of asking God to take it away when he lifted up his eyes to the mantelpiece and there were 2 words that said “try praise.”  Although his pains did not pass he was able to praise God and God brought him into the land of blessing as a result.

The faith that was restored.  Joshua said “what sayeth my Lord unto his servant?”  We have listened to this man babble on but has God been speaking behind the babble?  Bringing to your heart something in your life right now to go through with this.  There is a Jericho – God says “put your hand where I am and I will take you through it.”  Is there a decision to be made?  Something that we need to say to the Lord?  Joshua listened to God and God said “you gather up the nation of Israel, go down to Jericho and walk around the city once.  Then the next day repeat that until the seventh day when you walk around the city seven times, shout and blow the trumpets and the walls will fall down.”  Joshua believed his words, went back to the children of Israel and told them what had to be done.  His faith was restored.  God will not ask us to do something we cannot do.  If there is something that God asks of you don’t turn away.  Go through with God today.

Surrender, separation, sanctification and service to God

Romans 12 verses 1 – 21

When we turn to the book of Romans, credited by many as the greatest piece of doctrinal writing we have, it is first of the epistles.  It was most significant and important as had an impact on many leaders of the church in bygone days.  Augustine was saved by reading the book of Romans.  Martin Luther did everything he could to find favour with God.  Tried so many things that he might break down that middle wall of partition, tried to beat and weep himself, go on long fasts in the ministry where he was stationed, tried to climb the stone staircase on hands and knees all to find peace with God.  It wasn’t until he read Romans 1 verse 17 “for therein is the righteousness of God” that it attracted Luther.  He read on and the moment he read it something happened in his heart.  He realised the only way could come to faith was by trusting in Christ.  Luther said of the book of Romans “it deserved to be known by every child of God word for word.”  He went on to say “take the book of Romans and study it, use it for their time of devotion.”  John Wesley was saved through it by hearing Martin Luther’s commentary on the book of Romans.  We find from this chapter that we are moving into the practical part of the book of Romans.  4 things Paul points out.

A call to surrender.  He calls us to surrender to God.  That beckons a question right away for us – was there a moment when we surrendered fully to God?  Not talking about bowing our knees at the foot of the old rugged cross and trusted Christ to save our souls.  If not, not on way to heaven and home, never been born into family of God, not talking of that, was there a moment when we consciously said “Lord here am I take these feet of mine, hands, everything that I have I give them solely to you.”  This is only a little church planted yet Paul comes in with this tremendous teaching “I beseech you therefore.”  The word “beseech” means appeal, plead with.  Surrender your bodies, your best to God.  It is only the very best for God.  We cannot give anything else.  God spoke to Moses out of the tabernacle pointing out the principles and blessings of worship.  “If any man brings to me an offering it has to be a lamb without blemish.  It has to be given voluntarily, got to bring it to the door.”  We can see that man going into his flock, looks at all the lambs in his flock until he finds the lamb that is perfect.  He was doing it of his own voluntary will, offering to God his best.  In Romans 12 he writes “I plead with you that you offer yourselves as a living sacrifice unto God”.  One day when the Lord was preaching a little boy came out to hear him preaching.  Then there was a meal required but nothing was available to offer the people.  Yet this little boy had a lunch.  He was asked if he could give it to the Lord.  He put it into the hands of the Lord who fed the multitude of people that day.  The little boy could have given the half of what he had, that would have been good but not his best.  It is only the best for the Lord.  As the Lord watched all the rich men one day putting money into the treasury he commented on the woman who had given 2 mites to the Lords work.  She could have dropped in one and that would have been good but not her best.  God requires the best.  Are we surrendering our all to the Lord?  Are we giving to him our very best?  A young man was travelling on a train on one particular occasion.  To while away the time people were playing cards.  They looked over at the young man and asked him would you like a hand.  Before he was saved the young man had been a prolific gambler.  He replied “no I don’t have my hands with me, these are not my hands they are the hands of the Lord, they are his.  Before I got saved I would have taken a hand of cards but not now.”  Are we surrendered to the Lord today?  In the book of Romans Paul takes the people through what Christ has done for them in their lives and for their lives.  They all had sinned, there was no difference Greek and Jew alike - it is the power of God unto salvation.  You heard that gospel and you trusted this gospel.  There was a penalty for their sin – “for the wages of sin is death.”  The Lord came into the world to save sinners.  God has done all that for you and he expects something from you.  He asks what are you doing for your life just to save yourself? When you look at the mercies of God it calls for complete surrender.

A call for separation.  “Be not conformed to God.”  We are called to surrender all to God.  Only then can the Lord use it.  The danger for the Christian is conformity.  You know what it is like to conform to someone, to give in to someone little by little.  As long as we surrender all to God that will keep us being conformed to the world.  The danger is a conformity to this old world.  Lot simply conformed.  Abraham was called by God of heaven to take Lot with him out of the land of Chaldees.  They shared many things together, worked together and one time when down into Egypt.  God blessed them there because when they came up out of Egypt there wasn’t enough land to contain 2 herds.  Then there was a strife between Lot’s herdsmen and Abraham’s herdsmen.  They began to complain.  God says there has to be separation.  Abraham told Lot to choose the land he wanted.  Lot saw the plains that were well watered and that was the land he wanted - Sodom.  That is where his feet led him.  When we surrender to God, God calls for a separation.  Land looked good, attractive but Lot conformed to the land of Sodom.  Only took a look for him to see the best.  He pitched his tent towards it.  Then we find him actually living in Sodom, taking an active part in Sodom.  Bit by bit he slowly conformed.  No-one ever backslid all at once, it is a conformity to the things happening around you.  Have we asked the Lord’s blessing on some of the places we have been in this week?  King David lay on his bed, cast his eyes on the rooftop, saw the most beautiful woman called Bathsheba.  Never saw anything like the beauty of that woman before.  He said to himself “I have to have that woman.”  That was the first step.  He shouldn’t have been where he was in the first place.  He should have been at the head of his army leading his men into battle instead of lying in bed.  The devil wasn’t long in using that situation.  Paul says to this church “I beseech you, appeal to you, implore you, offer your lives, bodies a living sacrifice holy acceptable unto God and be not conformed to this world.”  A separation called for, a surrendering of our minds, our heart, our feet, our whole bodies. 

A call to sanctification.  Renewing our minds.  God does his part.

It is a call to service.  Whenever we are at the centre of that we will prove what the will of God is for our lives.

Choosing whom to serve

Notes from a sermon heard on Sunday 29 January 2012

JOSHUA 24 VERSE 15

“And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house will serve the Lord.”

The background to this verse is the fact that this is being spoken by Joshua to the children of Israel who had been brought out of Egypt.  In Exodus 12 Moses had brought them out and led them through the wilderness but it was not his task to bring them into the Promised Land – that was Joshua’s task.  He brought them across into Canaan.  Now he is an elderly man but there is much yet to be reached in this land, to put out the enemy and settle them as God’s people.  Joshua is giving them the lead as he gathers them, reminds them of how God has redeemed them. Joshua makes this challenge – you have to choose now that you are going into the land.  I wonder tonight have you ever made that decision?  Can you stand in this meeting and say “as for me”?  Can you make that declaration in this meeting before you go out?  A choice to be made tonight.  Joshua is challenging them to make the choice.  A choice that you and I must make just as the people of Israel did on that particular day.  You have to make that choice - whether you will close in with God’s offer of mercy or whether you will go out the same way you came in, unsaved, unreached or else you will come in to God’s mercy. 

This was a personal choice.  Notice the language Joshua uses “choose you this day whom ye will serve”.  It is all singular.  What was at stake – verses 17 and 18.  God has been so good to them.  If they turned away then evil would follow them.  Joshua realised the responsibility he had, he knew what was at stake.  Do you realise what is at stake tonight?  The soul that is within you.  All eternity is at stake.  Awaits for the decision that you will make.  Isn’t it awful to make that decision?  Moses set before the people in his day.  I set before you this day, a way of blessing or a way of cursing.  There is a choice to be made.  What choice will you make?  Has God spoken into your life lately?  He is asking you to choose.  No one can make that decision for you.  Pilate as stood before Christ on that day listened to the crowd.  He was listening to the people and looking to Christ.  His heart was being torn out of his bosom.  What shall I do?  Joshua said “as for me”.  What are you going to do tonight?  A personal choice.

A parental choice.  Joshua said “as for me and my house.”  The choice that Joshua is going to make on this particular day would influence his family.  Parents were going to make a choice.  No doubt would affect that family.  Joshua said “as for me and my house”.  To serve the Lord would bring blessing into his home.  Maybe as parent God wants a way into your home tonight, wants you to do that.  Exodus 12 down in Egypt at the Passover night a choice that was made which would affect the home.  Moses brought the choice.  Firstborn in every family would die.  Imagine mother or father in that home would take a lamb, put it to death, take the blood and put it on the door posts.  Would affect the home.  Tthe firstborn would be saved.  The parental choice that night.  Moses asking a father are you going to paint the blood on the door?  A father would have thought of his firstborn son rushed out taken that basin of blood and painted the door.  Maybe God is looking into your home and wants you to be the vessel.  A parental choice.  Remember Cornelius in Acts 10 and 11.  Peter was sent for.  The instructions he was given – “he will tell you words whereby you might be saved and all your house.”  Leadership in the home.  The Philippian jailer rushed in to Paul and Silas  and asked “what must I do to be saved?”  God wants to come into your house that he might do a work of God in your home – will you let him? 

Profitable choice not financially but spiritually.  Would bring the blessing of God into his heart, into his home, into his nation.  What about it for you?  The choice is yours tonight.  You are the only one who can make it.

A precious choice.  Imagine standing at the throne of grace before God and your family all with you.  Are you trying to win them, bring them to Christ?  Will you come to the one who gave his life for you?  The one who can save your soul tonight?

The vineyard parable

Notes from a sermon heard on Sunday 29 January 2012

Matthew 21 verses 28 – 32

When we turn to Matthew’s gospel we are looking at another parable.  We took the theme of a parable last Sunday morning – the sower.  The man who went out to sow his seed in the ground and the types of ground the seed fell into.  One that was manifested was the thorny ground – representing the cares, riches and lusts of other things.  They are in our hearts to choke the good seed of the word of God today. 

We turn to another parable, stems from a dispute read of in the early part of the chapter.  The Pharisees and Jews had challenged Jesus of his authority – verses 23 and 24.  Jesus was vague in his answer for a reason – verse 25.  He wants to bring these people to that place where they are thinking, asking them a question.  He answered their question with a question.  It is to provoke them into thinking.  The Pharisees were not a bit slow, they tried to avoid the question.  There are things that we are trying to avoid in the word of God.  Maybe God has been speaking to us in our lives that are not clear cut.  God is perhaps giving us a question in answer to our questions to him.  Verse 25 “the baptism of John whence was it? from heaven or of man.”  They began to think about that, we need to watch ourselves here.  If we say “from heaven he will say unto us, why did ye not then believe him? but if we shall say of men we fear the people for all hold John as a prophet.”  Jesus brought them to that place of thinking.  This parable we have read is primarily to the Jewish nation.  They didn’t believe that he was the Messiah nor that he had come into the world to seek and to save the lost.  They professed with their lips.  Isaiah foretold this of old.  “Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their hearts far from me.” (Isaiah 29 verse 13)  We need to be careful.  We can sing the words to God, bring glory with all the energy our lips could produce but our hearts could be far from God.  Notice how Jesus opens up this parable – verse 28 “but what think ye?”  He made the Pharisees think but now wants others to think.  That is you and I included.  Doesn’t want us to sit and idle away the time but rather to think.  The first thing the parable teaches here …

Look at the relationship that is set forth in it.  “A certain man had 2 sons and he came to the first and said go work today in my vineyard” verse 28.  Then in verse 30 “and he came to the second and said likewise.”  He is a father and has 2 sons.  He has a relationship with them.  They are in communication with each other.  Is that your relationship with God today?  As sit down before God of heaven in prayer can he speak to me?  Is that the relationship I have with God today?  Is he your heavenly father?  The mistake is made, grave mistake, a serious consequences that will last for all eternity - that we are all the children of God.  That is the mistake that is made.  The Lord at one particular time in his ministry said to the Pharisees “ye are of your father the devil.” (John 8 verse 44)  There was only one way they could come into the family of God.  That is if they were to be adopted.  When we come into this world we come into a family but if for some reason did not want to remain there something had to happen, someone had to adopt me into their family by means of a legal document.  We are born into this world, into the family of devil, born with a nature of sin in our hearts.  Something has to happen, we have got to be adopted into the family of God.  The only way is by coming and put faith in Christ.  That is the simple way of salvation.  We are not all the children of God.  Only way to become a Christian is to be adopted into God’s family.  Only way was by Jesus’ shed blood.  Paying that legal right through his blood.  God is our heavenly father.  Acts 17 “for in him we live and move and have our being.” (Acts 17 verses 28)  In that sense he is our father of all mankind because he is the great creator.  Paul speaks also of the work of Christ on the cross.  Need to grasp this carefully.  When the Lord was dying on the cross, he was dying to save all men.  In that light he is the Saviour of all mankind.  That does not mean all men are going to be saved.  God is not willing that any should perish.  Not in God’s heart that we should perish but rather come to repentance.  Does not mean that all are going to be saved.  Paul wrote to Timothy “for therefore we both labour and suffer reproach because we trust in the living God who is the Saviour of all men.” (1 Timothy 4 verse 10)  Does that not prove we are all Christians on way to heaven and home?  Listen to who he qualifies it “specially of those that believe.”  Potentially we can be all saved but only those who trust the Lord as Saviour.  We need to be careful that is the relationship.  Is he your heavenly father today?  The one that Jesus came to reconcile you to today?

There is the request that is made.  This father had 2 sons and he made a great request to them.  He would do all for them.  Can God come to you and I this morning, trust us this morning to share something of his work with us?  When he was about to pass judgement on Sodom and Gomorroh he came down into Abraham’s presence.  “Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do?” (Genesis 18 verse 17)  He could trust him enough to share it with him.  Abraham began to get on his knees and started to pray.  Why?  Because he had a family in Sodom and he didn’t want to see them perish.  There is a heaven to gain and a hell to shun today.  The request that was made.  The father said to the son “go work today in my vineyard.”  This was a family business, wants to see it go on and prosper.  Speaks to his sons about that.  Has the work of the vineyard at heart.  Asks them to go and work for him.  The God of heaven has such a love for every person in this world today.  John 3 verse 16 that which brought the Lord into this world was the love in his father’s heart for sinful man.  He is depending on you and I today.  To see that work completed today.  Go into my vineyard and work is his word to us today.  When Jesus left this world he gathered a handful of people around him “go ye into all the world and preach the gospel.”  Jesus knew the benefits of the gospel of Jesus Christ.  Are you living in the light of that work?  Are we doing what we can to reach neighbours, friends, loved ones to bring them under the sound of God’s gospel, to work in his vineyard?  When you are saved we have a work for Christ to do that only we can do it.  God calls us to work in his vineyard today.  In Matthew chapter 20 we see a place of employment and the varied work that has to be done.  The hiring of the labourers.  In verse 6 we see something that annoys the masters heart – he sees people standing around all day and they are idle, they do not want to work.  He asks them “why stand ye here all the day idle.”  The vineyard is the church of Jesus Christ.  There is a work to be done in the vineyard.    This man came to his sons - only his children can do the work.  Only God’s children can do his work today.  In Matthew chapter 21 verse 33 see something in the vineyard – tells us here another parable.  “A certain householder which planted a vineyard, hedged it around about, and digged a winepress in it and built a tower and let it out to husbandmen and went into a far country.”  There were trees in the vineyard that had to bear fruit.  Vines are plentiful.  The hedge needs to be maintained.  There are things that need to be pruned in our lives.  The fruit needs to come into our lives.  Is there any holes in the hedge?  Places where we are allowing the devil to get in.  We need to keep hedges maintained.  The old enemy would seek to get in.  The grapes have to be gathered into the winepress and pressed so that the juice might flow out.  Are we gathering in souls to hear the word of God?  The tower built in the midst of the vineyard.  2 men will go up and look for the little foxes that might get in.  It is the foxes that spoil the vine.  We need to be careful.  Little things don’t get into our lives to spoil the vine.  The devil will get in and spoil things in our lives.  Is there a work has for us?  God likens the false prophets of Ezekiel’s day to little foxes. (Ezekiel 13 verse 4)  We need to ensure these don’t get into God’s word.  Jesus wants us to work when it is day for “the night cometh when no man can work.” (John 9 verse 4)  The day of our opportunity will have been gone.  We might have poor health and strength one day.  There are things today we can do.  We can share a word with someone, sharing the gospel needs to be passed on.  Father says to the son you go and do it.  Notice the urgency of it.   God says to us today – go work today in my vineyard.

The reluctance that he met.  The son said “I will” in response to his fathers request to work in the vineyard that day but he didn’t go.  There was reluctance here.  “I will go”.  The other said “I will not go”.  Maybe that is exactly where we are at today.  There is reluctance in the heart.  This young man had a regret.  Like the prodigal – he started to think about it.  Maybe we have said in the past no and he says to us “come” today.  Isn’t it wonderful he is so merciful.  That he would ask us yet again.  Are we really asking God to do business in this place?  To really pour out his spirit, not on the Pastor but you and I, together in this house of God, that we will come into this place with our hearts on fire for God, filled with the Holy Spirit.  We have noted a relationship, a request, a reluctance and a regret.  It all adds up to what you and I will do for God.  Will you go through with God?  Time to put the past behind you, to stand up and be identified with God?

The nature of being born again

Notes from a sermon heard on Sunday 22 January 2012

1 Peter 1 verses 23 – 25

Last Sunday night we were dealing with the tremendous subject “ye must be born again.”  Thinking of Nicodemus, an upright man, lived as good a life as he possibly could, he came through the shadows of the night right to the feet of Jesus.  He began to talk.  He took away all the religious garb he was dressed in.  If ever you want to be in heaven you must be born again, must have been astonished at that saying.  He was probably asking himself “do you not realise who I am, the position I am in, the standing I have in the community?”  Amazed, astonished at what the Lord said.  The Lord said “marvel not that I say unto you ye must be born again.”  A tremendous statement.  The notion of being born again as a subject.  When we come to Peter we find the nature of being born again.  He looks to the precious word of God, as the seed is planted in the heart.

First thing about the word of God in act of bringing men to Christ - there is an awareness that the act brings to us.  Reveals to us where we are, what we need, where we are going.  Remember the woman in John 4.  It was said of Jesus “he must needs go through Samaria” – why – there was a woman there that needed to be saved.  Thank God he is the same Saviour.  The Lord is still willing to save as he was that day in Samaria.  As this woman came to him she came out in the middle of the day.  She was going to draw from the well.  There was someone sitting there.  Jesus was tired from his journeys.  Little did she know he was the Lord.  He revealed to her what she was, exactly what she needed.  The sinner going to a lost and Christless hell.  Water that she might drink of and never thirst again.  The light of God’s person in his son revealed to the woman.  The word makes us aware tonight.  Saul had tremendous faith.  Philippians 2 will tell you of his faith – of the tribe of Benjamin, Pharisee of the Pharisees, member of the Sanhedrin, had much going for him.  That day when he left Jerusalem to go to Damascus the Lord met with him, brought him to his knees.  The Lord revealed to him what he really was.  As that religious man came to the dust of the midday he felt he was the chief of sinners.  He was doing the best he could to get to heaven.  Maybe you could be doing the best you can.  You have a great faith.  Tremendous faith could be in your church, in your minister, good deeds you are doing, never do anyone any harm.  That could be where faith is.  The wrong foundation for your faith.  It will not take you to heaven but the caverns of the damned.  Faith needs to be placed in Christ who came into the world to seek and to save that which was lost.  Your best will not be good enough for heaven.  If your best was good enough the Lord would never have come into this world to save your soul.

The authority the word provides.  God’s word is a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces.  It can filter in your soul, you can leave never thinking about this word but some day in some place it will break into your heart.  Peter says ye were  born again not of corruptible seed … the gospel you are saved by the word of God.  It is quick shaper than any two edged sword.  Psalm 19 verse 7 “the law of the Lord is perfect converting the soul.”  You cannot be saved without the word of God.  “Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God.”  Peter was summoned to the house of Cornelius in Acts 10 where all his family were gathered around him.  Peter begins to teach them about the Lord Jesus Christ, takes him right through his life to the point where he is now in heaven beside his father.  The Holy Spirit came and broke into that meeting.  The authority of the word of God.  It was only through that authority that the house was built.

The acceptance of the word – verse 23.  Proverbs 30 verse 5 “every word of God is pure.”  The only part we have in God’s salvation is that we receive what God says about it.  This word tells me because of what happened in Genesis 3 I have taken on that sinful nature.  Only way to be free of it is to be born again of the word of God.  The woman was saved because she accepted the word told unto her by Jesus.  Zacchaeus was saved because he accepted the word.  You have to accept the word of God today.  The thief on the cross beside the Lord in his final moments called out “remember me Lord.”  Trusted on what the Lord said to him.  The Lord turned to him and said “today thou shalt be with me in paradise.”

The assurance the word carries.  We are born again of incorruptible seed.  The word of God is pure convicting the soul. The word of God comes to you as a challenge.  What have you done with Jesus Christ? Have you taken him as Saviour?  Why not come and accept Christ as Saviour and Lord?  To be on your way to heaven and home or lost on your way to a Christless hell?

Ye must be born again

Notes from a sermon heard on Sunday 15 January 2012

John 3 verses 1 – 17

John chapter 3 is one of the most well known of all the encounters read in the Bible.  Everyone knows about this man called Nicodemus and how he made his way to the feet of the Lord.  He comes by night and there have been many reasons why he did that.  Sometimes people say fear might keep you back – fear of family, neighbours, work colleagues could do that.  Maybe he wanted an uninterrupted meeting with Christ and the best time was at night.  Jesus told him “ye must be born again.”  This is the most important verse in the word of God.  It is the greatest experience of any person.  You must be born again.  Acknowledge you are a sinner before Christ.  That old things have to pass away and the new must begin.  Jesus said “marvel not ye must be born again.” 

The seriousness of this statement.  This is God’s own son sent down into the world that he might die on the cross of Calvary, might make a way from the dark paths of sin.  Genesis 3 when Adam and Eve broke God’s command in the Garden of Eden he has been on way out into lost Christless eternity.  God made a remedy for man.  It all begins at Calvary.  He became obedient unto his heavenly father.  John 19 “I have finished the work thou hast gave me to do.”  Make a way back to God.  To reconcile mankind unto God.  The Lord wants to do that for you tonight, that you might step out and trust him.  Turn to him.  Turn from everything that is dear to you.  Realising that you need Christ.  You have been blinded by Satan.  Came from the lips of God’s own son.  He says to you if ever you wanted to be in heaven ye must be born again.  Born once into this world.  You have to now been born again in the spiritual nature.   This is serious.  Seriousness of this subject within that bosom.  That soul will leave that body of yours, will go out into one of 2 places.  George Whitfield speaking to large crowd when a lady said to him “do you not realise who I am?”  Whitfield turned around “there is coming a day when it will not matter just who you are.”  Jesus was speaking to one of the richest, most influential man in israel.  The Lord said to him “ye must be born again.”  Good master we know that thou art a teacher come from God.  Confessing so much know you are a teacher come from God.  The Lord spoke to him not about his teachings or miracles, he got to the crux of the problem.  He needed to be born again.  I know that one day you must leave this scene of time.  One day the last breath will be taken by you.  That soul must leave and go out into eternity.  It is appointed unto man once to die and after that the judgment.  The seriousness of this message.  The God of heaven will not ask you what denomination you belong to on earth but will ask you what you did with His son.

The scope of the Saviour.  Except a man be born again.  That coverse everyone.  Man’s problem is that he has been born physically with a nature that is sinful towards God.  Isaiah said there was a way between his people and their God.  There is a way – the way of sin.  Paul said in Ephesians 2 verse 3 “By nature you and I are the children of wrath.”  We have been born into a world as sinners.  Because of that the wrath of God is upon us. Thank God he has sent his son to take that judgment on himself.  The judgment of a lost sinners hell.  He took every sin and my judgment and laid it on himself.  We have been born in sin, come under condemnation and judgment of God.  He that believeth not on him is not condemned.  There is no condemnation for the child of God but he that believeth not is condemned already.  Paul in Romans proves extent of man’s great problem “for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.”  Isaiah said “all we like sheep have gone astray.”  The scope of the Saviour is everyone in the world is.  His great love for us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us.  Jesus laid his life for the sins of the whole mankind.  The way to heaven is the same to all – “I am the way the truth and the life, no man cometh to the father but by me.  Riches for religious man Nicodemus led the prayers on the Sabbath day in the synagogue.  The thief hanging on the cross this remedy for sin.  Thief who railed accusations against the Lord on the brink of eternity turned his eyes to Christ.  “This man has done nothing amiss Lord remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom.”  He realised he was the king of that next kingdom.  Jesus said “today thou shalt be with me in paradise.”  The scope of the Saviour.  Do you know that Christ as your own?

The secrecy of the subject – verse 8.  It is dependent on the Holy Spirit.  The wind bloweth where it listeth.  That is the great secrecy around being born again of the Spirit of God.  What actually happens.  God breaks the power of cancelled sin.  The alcoholic can never really understand that power.  Drugs dependent cannot imagine power setting them free.  We cannot tell how it happens but we know it happens.  The wind blows but you cannot see it or tell where it comes from.  The secrecy about it.  On the day of Pentecost Peter stood and preached the word of God.  The Holy Spirit convicted men and women on that day.  Not one could say how it happened but knew it had happened.  You will know when it happens in your life when you come to Christ and trust him as Saviour.

The simplicity of the subject.  “Ye must be born again”  “We are not born again of corruptible things such as silver or gold.”  We do not have to devise a plan to gather up enough to claim the merits of God’s saving grace.  You simply come to Christ.  Simplicity about it.  Come as a child.  The disciples asked the question one day “who will be the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?”  Jesus brought a child into their midst and said “except you be converted and come as this little child.”  A simple subject – “ye must be born again”.  Nothing difficult about it.  In Exodus 12 the children of Israel were down in Egypt.  Plagues affected their lives until the last one came.  God told Moses and Aaron to go in and speak to Pharoah but he hardened his heart.  God told them there would be one last plague.  The people had to take a lamb, put it to death and take the blood and put it on the door posts.  At midnight when God came to visit his people and when he saw the blood on the doorposts he would pass over but if not the firstborn in the family would die.  The simplicity of being born again.  Come to the Lamb of God the Lord Jesus Christ.  Apply it to your lives – “behold I stand at the door and know, if any man hear my voice and open the door I will come in and will sup with him.”  He wants to come in, save you, take away your sin and make sure you are ready for heaven and home.

Continue on in the work of the Lord!

Notes from a sermon heard on Sunday 15 January 2012

Acts 15 verses 36 – Acts 16 verse 4, 1 Corinthians 15 verse 58

Text: “Therefore my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.” verse 58

Paul was writing to this group here in Corinth who had known many problems and difficulties and has this word of exhortation for them.  The days might be dark but I have one word for you “be ye steadfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord.”  In Acts 15 Paul was about to go off on another missionary journey.  He and Barnabas had talked together about the believers in the various places they had visited.  We need to revisit “every city where we preached the word of the Lord and see how they are doing.”  John Mark was there and Barnabas wanted to take him with them.  Paul said no.  We sometimes say division is a bad thing but here we see it is not always such a bad thing.  John Mark had made a decision early on that he didn’t want to go into the work but Barnabas wanted to encourage him.  Paul had the work of God on his mind and he says that to the Corinthian church.

Paul speaks of the concerns for the work of God.  “Therefore”, one of the old preachers wrote many years ago that when you see that word you should always ask yourself “what is it there for?”  It is there to tell us something.  Paul on this occasion wants to illuminate the work of God and our attitude to it.  Paul says here we ought to be steadfast.  He spoke of his sufferings in 2 Corinthians 11.  He told the believers how he had been shipwrecked.  He was not telling them that he might gain sympathy but rather answering those who said he was an apostate, not a true man of God.  He opens himself up to the people.  On one occasion he was shipwrecked, another time he was stoned to death, he was beaten, accused of all sorts of things, ridiculed, people turned their backs on him.  This was the man who could take the word of God and encourage us to continue in the work of God.  “Besides those things” Paul says sufferings, pain, loneliness, shipwrecked, beatings, stoned, ridiculed “that which cometh upon me daily the care of all the churches.”(verse 28)  Do we care for the work of God?  Do we think of the work of God from this Sunday to the next?  Do we care for the one who sat beside us in church?  For someone who is going through difficult, lonely times?  That is what Paul is getting at.  All the care that comes on my shoulders for the work of God.  At Miletus in Ephesus Paul talked to the elders, he had one concern on his heart and he told them that ravenous wolves will come in.  At one time they set aside all the books of witchcraft, brought them into the city centre and burned them (Acts 19 verse 19).  It was an open declaration that they were turning away from the past and turning to Christ in faith.  Is there something we are holding onto in our past that we need to let go of?  It is wonderful when God comes to us in faith.  We need to turn to him.  The Holy Spirit shows we need to turn to him, turn from the past and move with God.  When we come around the Lord’s table we are thinking of the body of the Lord Jesus Christ, that body smote in Pilate’s hall, that blood shed for us as a ransom for our sins.  That is what Christ had done.  Paul feels for the elders in Ephesus.  There would be those in the centre of the fellowship that would lead the people astray, take them from the truth of God’s word.  He said to the Thessalonians “when we could no longer forebear we thought it good to be left at Athens alone and sent Timotheus … to establish you and to comfort you concerning your faith.” (1 Thessalonians 3 verse 1 and 2)  He has the care of the work of God on his heart.  He doesn’t want anything to hinder it, is so caring for it.  When I could hold back no longer I sent Timothy to find out what was happening in your fellowship.  He was afraid the devil would get into this group.  The devil would love to pull apart the fellowship, to bring about divisions into the work of God.  That is why we have to be careful.  Do you have concern for the work of God?  Not to be the biggest or richest, that we are so concerned that this little one will reach out. that man or woman boys or girls will be saved.  Nothing else matters in this old world because of the fact that Jesus is coming again.  We need to have concern for the work of God.

Paul is specifying a combined work.  Paul is writing to “brethren”.  Not elders or deacons or pastors.  That is you and I.  We are in the family of God.  If we are born again of the Spirit of God Paul is laying the responsibility on every child of God.  God’s word is for every Christian.  Paul is writing to a church where there is division and factions – look at 1 Corinthians chapters 1 and 3.  Everyone of us are to be full time workers for the Lord.  We all have to be involved not just the leaders.  Doesn’t matter how young or old, what gender we are.  There is a work God wants us to do.   Are we concerned about him?  He writes to Timothy after leaving him in Ephesus “let no man despise thy youth.” (1 Timothy 4 verse 12)  He had great responsibility in leading the church even though he was a young man.  Anna and Simeon were at the other end of the scale being well on in years.  It was said of Anna “she departed not from the temple but served God with fastings and prayers night and day” (Luke 2 verse 37).  There is a ministry for all of God’s people.  No such thing as retirement in the work of God.  Never get to state of redundancy.  Paul says you keep at it.  Husbands and wives there is a work in partnership in the house of God.  There is a work for the men and women in the house of God – Philippians 4 verse 3.  There is something God wants done on this earth and if you don’t do it it will be still left undone. 

Paul pleads in this verse for a commitment to the work.  Paul is pleading for a dedication to the work of God.  Nothing keeps us steadfast as determined to do a work.  That is the determination we need in the work of God.  To not grow tired of what we are doing.  That is the thought here.  Maybe there is a feeling we haven’t got a freshness any more.  Paul says don’t let that put you off in doing a work for God.  Galatians 6 verse 9.  Go back to Nehemiah’s day.  He was rebuilding the walls in Jerusalem.  The moment he came down and started to build the enemy came in.  The enemy tried to discourage and put him down when he wasn’t expecting it.  Nehemiah’s response was “I am doing a great work.”  He kept at it.  He was dedicated to it.  In Acts the early preachers were arrested for preaching the work of God.  They stood up and said to the leaders gathered around them that day “we ought to obey God rather than men.” (Acts 5 verse 29)  People will try and stop you from speaking.  You will be ridiculed, criticised for it but it is better to obey God than obey man.  Psalm 1 who is the man who is blessed – not the one walking in the counsel of the ungodly, sitting in the seat of scorners but rather he is meditating day and night like a tree planted by the riverside.  Are we steadfast in the things of God?  Is God in your mind when you consider what you can do?

The caution Paul speaks of – “unmoveable”.  Something that is unmoveable is something that is not for shifting.  Imagine the statue in some of the cities – unmoving upon its base.  That is how you should be.  James talks of the double minded man who “is unstable in all his ways.” (James 1 verse 8)  The challenges that come in the work of God – there will always be something to try and shift us.  We need to be careful.  Nehemiah – the enemy thought if they could only move him to a village then he might lose interest, might give up the battle.  Nehemiah looked at the work he was doing and then looked up to the heavens and said “this is the work God has put in my soul and I am going to stick at it, I will not be moved.”  Wouldn’t it be awful if the devil got into your life?  If you have a grievance in your heart the devil can use that, can blow it up, take it out of all context it is in and he can make it as a sure thing.  You can blame everyone around you but the only one at fault is you. 

Paul encourages them to continue in the work – “always abounding”.

There is a crown for the work – “your labour is not in vain.”

There is an enemy who will try to bring you down but keep continuing in the work, going on with God.  Thank God there is a crown at the end of the day.

A new creature in Christ

Notes from a sermon heard on Sunday 8 January 2012

2 Corinthians 5 verse 17

“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature; old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”

This text reminds us what we become when we put our faith and trust in God – He makes us a new creature.  He does not simply dust us down but helps us along the way.  He makes us a new creature, the old things we used to enjoy are removed from us.  The things we meet are the things that God brings along our pathway.  Take 3 words from this text:

“if” speaks of a great possibility

“in” speaks of a glorious position

“new” speaks of a gracious provision.

The great possibility.  The apostle Paul is writing “therefore if any man be in Christ he is a new creature.”  Possibility is that each and every one of us might be saved.  “Whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.”(Acts 2 verse 21)  The tragedy is that if we are not saved then we are on the way to a Christless and lost eternity.  The Lord said “him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.” (John 6 verse 37)  Doesn’t matter who he is, no one is excluded here because the apostle Paul is making a great assumption.  What are the qualifications for any man to get saved, to be a new creature in Christ?  Ephesians 1 verse 13 “after that ye heard the word of truth … ye were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise.”  Firstly must hear the word.  That is the most important message you can hear in your life.  “Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God.” (Romans 10 verse 17)  The one who left heaven’s glory, he took upon himself the form of a servant and accepted death even death on a cross.  “If it be possible let this cup pass from me” (Matthew 26 verse 39) he said.  It was only according to the fathers will.  That is why Christ died on the cross.  He came into the world to seek and to save that which was lost.  No other way but to die on the cross of Calvary.  Paul said first of all with your heart then you believe there comes an exercise after you hear the gospel.  That is to believe what you have heard, to believe and put your trust in Christ.  Heard, trust and then you were sealed with the Holy Ghost.  What do you hear when you hear the gospel – your need of salvation, dependence, trusting, believing, coming.  That is what you hear.  Jesus says “repent and believe the gospel.”  There has to be a turning away from sin.  That is what it means to repent, have a sense of assurance in your heart.  In John 5 we see a man lying at the pool of Bethsaida for 30 years.  He had been there waiting for the waters to stir.  The first person who went into the waters after the stirring would be healed.  Every time it happened he couldn’t get in.  The Lord spoke to him and healed him.  He met him again in the temple.  “Sin no more lest a worse thing come unto thee” Jesus told him.  Remember the woman taken in the act of adultery.  The law said she should be stoned.  Jesus asked “let him that is without sin cast the first stone.”  They all edged away because they knew they had all sinned.  He turned to the woman and said “go and sin no more.”  In John 4 the woman at the well brought her water pot out to where Jesus was sitting.  She was living in a wrong relationship.  That day she met Christ and left her water pot behind.  She was making a clean break.  It is important to hear the word of God.  A message of repentance, a message of the cross, of coming in childlike faith and trusting in Christ.  Have you ever done that?

Notice a glorious position.  “If any man be in Christ” no one can take up this position of his own accord.  It was only taken up by means of baptism not water baptism but the Holy Spirit.  1 Corinthians 12 verse 13 “for by one spirit are we all baptised into one body” we have to be baptised into the body – why – “because by nature we were sinners.”  By nature I am a sinner.  The moment I was converted I was a sinner because I was born in sin, shapen in iniquity.  Heaven’s door was closed in my face because born in that condition.  God has opened the door for us.  We can be reconciled back to God through his glorious gospel.  Perhaps you are now in Christ.  Remember Paul was speaking to believers.  There was a time before you were saved when you were without Christ.  Imagine that for a moment.  You could be here and without Christ.  You could have your church, your ministry, all the credits that go with it, the Bible, a prayer book and all the books that go with church but haven’t Christ.  If not saved “ye were without Christ …” but now Christ brings them right up to date. “ye who were sometimes afar off were made near by the blood of Christ”.  They had trusted in the Lord.  God brought them into a glorious position.  They were now enjoying being “in Christ”.  It means to be free from the penalty of sin.  The Bible says “the wages of sin is death.” (Romans 6 verse 23)  The word death means eternal separation from God.  If there never was a time when you came to Calvary, confessed your sin before God, taken the Lord as Saviour, knew your sins forgiven then if you were to die in that situation you would be cut off from God for all eternity.  Imagine if that were to happen to you tonight.  You would go out into hell and you would be there for countless ages of eternity.  I know there are many who would disagree and preach there is no such a thing as punishment of hell, that you would be simply turned away from it.  This is not what Jesus teaches.  We could have this glorious position.  What a wonderful position to be in.  The penalty is gone.  In the Old Testament scriptures there were 6 cities of refuge.  These cities were for those who would commit a crime unintentionally.  One particular man in question was Abner.  He slew a man, the brother of Joab.  He went to one of these cities of refuse but he wanted to go back to see David.  Abner spoke to David then returned to the city of refuge.  Joab found out he had been with David and followed him.  As he entered the city he spoke to Abner, put his arm around his shoulder, took his sword and killed him.  Abner fell dead in the shadow of the city gate.  David lamented over his death “died Abner as a fool dieth.”  He could have stepped across the threshold into safety of that city but didn’t do it.  He stopped to talk to the enemy.  You are sitting in the shadow of the cross.  One step would take you into safety of heaven and home.  Satan will tell you otherwise, don’t you listen to him.  He wants to damn your soul.  Come to Christ, make the Lord your Saviour.

There is a gracious provision.  Look at the gracious provision “if any man be in Christ he is a new creature.”  You say you couldn’t keep it.  The Lord makes you a new creature, old things have passed away.  Remember the apostle Paul’s testimony.  He would say he was a religious character but he committed some erroneous crimes.  Galatians 1 verse 22 “and was unknown by face unto the churches of Judaea which were in Christ but they had heard only that he which persecuted us in times past now preacheth the fiath which once he destroyed.” God made him a new creature.  1 Corinthians 6 verse 9 “Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God. … And such were some of you but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.”  Are you interested in seeing your soul saved and ready for heaven and home?  Will you not come?  James 4 “he giveth more grace”.  If you were to come to Christ he will save your soul, fill your heart with grace to go on tomorrow.

Principles for planning

Notes from a sermon heard on Sunday 8 January 2012

James 4 verses 1 – 17

Principles for planning

James says there are certain principles we need before we make plans for life.  Verse 15 “ye ought to say if the Lord will”.  Not a sentiment or a phrase to roll off the tongue, it has to be the foundation of everything.

The first principle for planning – a sympathy to the will of God.  An awareness that there is a bigger and fuller plan.  All the plans we make must coincide with God’s greater plan.  God has a plan for us and wants every plan to fit in with that plan and once we do that there will be blessing in our lives.  James talks of a sovereign God who reigns and all our plans must coincide with his plans.  James doesn’t rebuke this people for doing so – verse 13 “go to now”.  In other words let’s consider for a moment. He looks to this people, sees all the business men, the family men with so many plans made and says “lets for a second consider a few pointers.”  He is not scolding or rebuking them for making plans but the mistake this people made were simply neglecting the sovereign God and his plan.  These people were saying they were going down to the city, would live there for a year and make a profit or gain.  James says “hold on let’s bring God into the situation.”  No matter what plans we have made they must coincide with God’s plan.  From the moment you were saved, from the moment he brought you to Calvary, instilled into you that you needed to be saved, accepted him as Saviour did you realise God has a plan for your life and my life?  In Luke 12 we see it very much in the life of this ambitious farmer’s life.  Remember how he had a great harvest.  First thing we see about him was he worked hard, ploughed the field, sowed the seed and the land brought forth plentifully.  God had worked in abundantly providing the crops.  It left the farmer with a problem.  The moment he could see the crops he began to consider the situation he was in.  He looked at his little barns and knew one thing for sure – the barns would be no use to him.  He began to make plans.  The thought came to him – I will have to pull down these barns and build bigger ones.  He set about building them and it took a bit of time.  He was probably a young, fit, healthy man with many years ahead of him.  He had plans not only for today and tomorrow but the ages to come.  Verse 19 the man decided to take things easy as he had much laid up for many years but God says of this man “thou fool”.  He didn’t say that lightly.  What this man didn’t realise on the particular day that he made his plans was that there was another plan God had already designed.  His days were numbered because God said to him “thou fool this night thy soul shall be required of thee.”  In other words you will fill these barns but who will they be for?  There was a plan working that this man never even thought of.  In James the people had planned to go to a city for a year to make money but didn’t know that was not part of God’s plan.  One thing is for certain James said - you didn’t know whether you will gain or lose all. 

The second principle – seeking God’s will.  Verse 15 “if the Lord will”.  It is one thing to be sympathetic to God’s will but another thing to start seeking for it.  Once you start seeking for God’s will for your life it can fly in the face of the plans you have made.  Imagine for a moment before the Government would take any decisions the Government would say “let’s set up a committee, set them up in a room, tell them here’s the plan we want to make but we will ask God what he thinks.”  Imagine what would happen.  What about ourselves?  It is my plan to do this but what would it be like to bring it to God and say “this is my plan for today how is it for you?”  Imagine that in our lives, in our work places, churches if we were to seek God’s plan?  If we were to make a point each morning asking God to show us his way for the day ahead.  Remember the 2 builders who went out to build a house each.  One wanted to build on the sand, the other on the rock.  The foundation becomes the word of God.  They are like those who hear the word of God turn their back on it and go out and do what they want to.  The man who builds on the sand is like the man who neglects the word of God.  That is like asking God for his plan for my life then when we are told it we say “it doesn’t fit into my plan so I will go my own way.”  They are like people building on a poor foundation who when they hit a rough patch in life where do they turn to?  They have no foundation, they are not in God’s plan.  We need to seek God, find out what he would have us to do.  Is God really in our plan?  Need to be careful.  We should say “if the Lord will.”  Saul on the road to Damascus asked “Lord what will you have me to do?”  Moses when he brought the people out of Egypt into the wilderness he went up into the mountain and said “Lord show me the way.”  We are responsible for that family God has given to us.  You are responsible for that Sunday School class.  You are responsible for the souls that you teach.  It is so important that you and I get to grips and know what God would have us to do.  David the king of Israel said “as for God his way is perfect.”

Third principle is - a surrender to God’s will.  The application of that statement of James is a statement saying “don’t go against the will of God.”  Has God been speaking to you today at this present phase in your life.? What is he saying today?  Surrender to it?  Paul’s advice to the Roman Christians in chapter 12 was “I beseech you therefore, brethren by the mercies of God that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind that ye may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.”  It only comes when we surrender our all.  No other time.  We surrender our all to the Lord and say to him “thy will be done.”  Joseph when he went down into Egypt surrendered to the Lord’s will.  That surrender was to the evil of his brothers.  Joseph told them “you meant this for evil but all the time God was working it out for good.  He became the second in line to Pharoah.  God’s plan took him there.  What are we doing this morning?  Have we thought about what we hope to do or where we will be at the end of the year?  Have we sought the Lord for his perfect will?  Have we surrendered everything to him?  Have we said “I will lay my all on the altar, everything to you Lord, take it and use it for your glory?”