Mission Notes Second Week

SERMON NOTES FROM GOSPEL MISSION 18 SEPTEMBER 2016

Revelation 3 verses 7 – 13

I want to look at the picture the Lord gives us here in verse 8.  The Lord speaks to John on the Isle of Patmos.  “I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door.”  We associate an open door with a welcome, a friendliness.  A door has been opened by God for you.  He remains hopeful that you will come through that open door.  It doesn’t matter who you are, how far down you think you are, how religious you are.

This door speaks of a door of opportunity.  This is not of man’s making.  Man could not open a door for you.  The rich young ruler came to Jesus one day.  He realised he didn’t have eternal life.  He asked the Lord “what must I do to inherit eternal life.”  He couldn’t go through with the Lord.  That is what happens in gospel meetings.  We get a hunger for the word of God, would dearly love to be saved, to know he is in our hearts and minds.  Maybe the cost is too high.  We cannot leave the life we are living.  We have to turn away, reject his salvation.  The rich young ruler rejected the Lord and what he could do for him.  The disciples came and asked “who then can be saved?”  The Lord replied “with man it is impossible.”  Man cannot save.  The church cannot save.  Following the church teachings cannot save.  Only Christ can save you.  There is nothing we can do to save a precious soul.  In Acts 8 God opened up the way for the gospel into Samaria.  In Jerusalem there was a young man called Saul of Tarsus.  He was a wicked man and he hated the name of the Lord and the Christians.  He had heard the Christians were filling Jerusalem with their doctrine.  Men and women were coming and being saved.  Saul was angry at the preaching of the word of God.  The devil gets angry at the preaching of the word of God.  Saul was haunting the church so that people had to leave the city.  Philip came and preached the word in Samaria as a result of the people leaving Jerusalem.  There was a man travelling from Jerusalem on the road to Samaria.  He was sitting in his chariot and had the word of God open, reading from the prophecy of Isaiah.  He read of how the Lord suffered and bled and died.  The Lord told Philp to go and speak to the man.  God has opened a door for you to come and trust the Lord as your own Saviour.  God has ways of opening doors today.  Jairus in the scriptures had a daughter who was sick.  He went off to find the Lord.  During the time they walked to his home a woman reached out and touched the hem of Jesus’ garment.  She met with Christ through another man’s trouble.  Trouble bring us to the Lord just in the normal every day things.  Something comes to your mind, maybe something that has been said.  Somehow God brings that to you mind.  In John 4 a woman at the well in her normal day practice met with the Lord.  As you come into the meeting tonight the furthest thing in your mind was to trust the Lord as Saviour.  Maybe tonight you are not saved.

The door speaks of options.  Sometimes we come to a house and it is hard to find the door.  When God shows his door of salvation he doesn’t hide it from you.  There are options to the open door.  You have an option right now.  To enter in through the open door or reject it.  God has given you a free will.  God shows you a way that is open and gives you the option to accept Christ.  As Jesus looked over Jerusalem one day he said “how often would I have gathered you like a hen gathers her brood and you would not.”  The prophets had proclaimed the unsearchable riches of Christ and the people turned to Christ as a result.  This world is coming to a close one day.  In the palace of Agrippa God opened a door for him to hear the gospel of saving grace.  There will be no excuses for you tonight.  Paul stood before Agrippa and began to proclaim the gospel to him.  You know my life Agrippa he proclaimed.  As a result Agrippa said to him “almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian.”  Is there someone who knows they are not saved.  You would love to be saved.  Maybe you are not far from the kingdom of God.  The young man in scripture was almost but not there.  Paul preached in Athens on the judgment of God, on the creation of God and the resurrection of God.  Some began to mock and laugh while some said we will hear you again.  Others believed that day.  Some thought it was so funny that a man would rise from the dead.  Some wanted to hear it again but there were those who were wise and pleaded for God for mercy on their knees.  What is your option tonight?  Will you take him as Saviour?  See what he has done for you, consider him as you Saviour?  See him coming out of Pilate’s hall, as he was nailed on the cross of Calvary.  Those nails that pierced his hands and feet and a crown of thorns was placed on his head.  His final cry was “it is finished”.  We are dealing with a finished Saviour tonight.  Surely you cannot be saved until you are in heaven some say?  The Bible says “there is no other name give among men whereby we must be saved.”

The door speaks of opposition.  This verse tells of those with little strength and those of the synagogue of Satan.  God had to open the door for them.  There is opposition in the fact we feel we could not enter into this situation.  There was also opposition on the outside as well.  Inside you will hear a voice saying “there will be another time for this” but there is also outside influences who will hinder you by saying “if this is a Christian I don’t want anything to do with them”.  There were those in the early church who said they were Jews and they were not.  There will be great opposition tonight if you want to get saved.  The apostle Paul and Silas came to the place in Cyprus to a counsellor who wanted to get saved.  He had an assistant beside him, a sorcerer who turned his master from the faith.  There will be those who will try to turn you away from the faith.  Many will turn you away from the cross.  People will talk you out of getting saved.  Jesus said “watch out for those who say they are Jews but they are not.”  There are also those who are ministers, claiming to be preaching the word of God.  They will oppose you too.  “Except a man be born again he cannot enter into the kingdom of heaven.”  Jesus spoke of the Pharisees who would not enter in themselves and prevent others from entering in too.  God has opened a door for you.  If you realise you are not saved come to Christ and trust him as Saviour and Lord.

SERMON NOTES FROM GOSPEL MISSION 22 SEPTEMBER 2016

JOHN 12 VERSES 20 – 29

I want to turn you to verse 22 “The same came therefore to Philip which was of Bethsaida of Galilee and desired him saying Sir we would see Jesus.”  These men were converted to Jewish religion and had made their way to Jerusalem.  I want us to consider the journey they were on and what lessons we can learn.  First they told Philip they wanted to see Jesus.

Notice here that there is a conscience that was stirred.  These Greeks of course were no doubt converts to the Jewish religion.  Somewhere they had come under the teaching of the rabbis, had been taught the doctrines and teachings of the Jewish faith so that when these feasts came around their conscience told them they should be in Jerusalem.  There were 3 feasts in the year they were expected to be at.  How true that - isn’t there something within us that cannot be satisfied until we find Jesus.  They could not be satisfied until they found Jesus.  We wanted something else, to see the Lord.  Here were men and they made their way to the feast.  Their conscience told them to be in this feast where the rest of the people were gathered.  They were like the young man who came to the Lord and asked “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”  He realised he wasn’t saved.  He had a religion.  He was able to say of the commandments “all these have I kept from my youth.”  He knew in his heart of hearts though he didn’t have eternal life.  What does it mean to have eternal life?  When you close your eyes for the last time it is “absent from the body and present with the Lord.”  Eternal life is yours for ever.  This young man realised he didn’t have that.  As we bring this mission to a close at this stage are you still sitting like in other meetings – unsaved?  No conscience of God in your soul.  That void cannot be filled until you find Christ as Saviour and Lord.  This feast would be there for them to worship.  There is something in us that draws us out to worship.  Satisfied to a degree.  It is not long until you realise there is a void though.  The feast they were celebrating was a feast of remembrance.  They remembered the people, the children of Israel when they were in Egypt.  Remembered the night when God put into place a plan of redemption.  People were being held in slavery and they had to take an innocent lamb and put it to death.  The blood from the lamb was to be poured into a basin, then hyssop was taken which symbolised not the strength of their faith but the weakness of it.  They were to dip the hyssop into the blood and spread it over the door lintels.  People were delivered out of the hands of Egyptians that night because when God saw the blood on the doorposts he passed over that house.  John the Baptist pointed to Jesus and said “behold the Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world.”  He gives atonement for you and me.  Their conscience took them to this feast.  Maybe that is where your conscience takes you on the Lord’s day even in an unsaved condition.  Just because you go to church every Sunday you think that that is your ticket to heaven.  It has nothing to do with it.  Your salvation is based on the one who left heavens glory to appease his father.  Salvation is in nothing else.  You are not on your way to heaven and home.  Will you come tonight?  You and I can be a great church member yet not be saved.  That makes people angry sometimes but that is what scriptures tell us.  I have been born in sin and shapen in iniquity.

A curiosity that gripped them.  Perhaps they had now entered into the city, heard the stories of Jesus now they wanted to meet Jesus for themselves.  The raising of Lazarus was still very much in the mind of the people.  Lazarus had taken ill and died.  His 2 sisters sent word for Jesus to come but he tarried.  When he came he spoke into the tomb and told Lazarus to come forth.  Verses 17 and 18 you cannot get more of a testimony than this.  Verse 11 a clear cut testimony of living and saving grace.  He was living in their community.  The evidence was there for all to see.  “If any man be in Christ he is a new creature”  There was a story in their heart.  To know Jesus.  Maybe there is one you know who has been saved for many years.  You can look at them and say ‘that man or woman is a saved man or woman and that is the person I want to be.’  Remember Zacchaeus - the curiosity filled his heart when he heard Jesus was coming to his town.  He was a tax collector.  Maybe he remembered Matthew sitting at his desk.  Maybe he heard about Jesus coming to him one day and saying “follow me”.  Zacchaeus went out into the street but he had to climb a tree to see Jesus himself.  When Jesus stopped at that tree he told him to come down.  His curiosity led him to meet Christ that day.  These mens curiosity brought them to meet Jesus.  Maybe you need to get your eyes of the religious ceremony and find that man who once died for you.

A challenge he received.  A message that was returned to them.  Verse 23 “the hour is come that the Son of man should be glorified.  Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit”.  It was to his death that he was referring to here.  When that day would come and he would be taken to Calvary to be crucified he would die for the sins of these men.  He brought them face to face with his death.  It is only as I look to the crucified Christ that I can see him as the Saviour of mankind because he is not on the cross nor in the tomb but at the right hand of his father in heaven.  “He was delivered for our offences and was raised again for our justification.” (Romans 4 verse 25)  Jesus is standing waiting for you to make up your mind, pleading because he doesn’t want you to walk away.  These Greeks wanted to see him.  They ended up not just with a glimpse.  They wanted to hear his teaching and follow after him.

A conversion that was introduced – verses 25 and 26.  There is a conversion introduced.  Zacchaeus sitting in the tree thought he was out of sight but Jesus stopped and told him to come down.  We come to that same place to night, the place of decision.  There is only one who can make that decision – you.  You are not saved, you know not the Lord as Saviour, you are still in your sins.  Come to Christ, the one who suffered and died for you is able to open up heaven’s door for you.  Step out of your religiosity and say “we would see Jesus”.  When Simeon saw the baby Jesus he asked to depart in peace “for my eyes have seen the salvation of God.”  Will you come to Christ?  Will you begin your walk with God as Enoch did who began his journey to heaven?

SERMON NOTES FROM GOSPEL MISSION 23 SEPTEMBER 2016

1 Corinthians 1 verses 12 – 24

In these verses we read the apostle Paul is in the midst of an argument, a debate.  He was often in debate with the religious leaders of his day.  He is speaking here of baptism.  Paul makes it clear, he was instrumental in baptism but his full ministry was not this entirely.  Verse 16 the apostle Paul was so aware of the cross in people’s lives that he didn’t want to miss out on that.  He was very quick to get to the cross in any of his teachings.  The gospel is the centre of the bible and the cross is the centre of the gospel.  That is why Paul could say “I am not ashamed of the gospel for it is the power of God unto salvation.”  He was sure of what the gospel would do.  It is the power of God unto salvation.  Paul was so clear of the cross.

The place of the cross.  Not talking of the location of the cross, that hill of Golgotha but we are talking about the place given to the cross in your life and mine.  What does the cross really mean to you?  Does it have any significance in your life?  Galatians 6 verse 14 “God forbid that I should glory save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ.”  Paul brought a basic message each time – that he should glory in nothing except the cross.  All glory was to the cross.  It was the most important event in his life.  Paul in Colossians showed the importance of the cross in their lives.  The preaching of the gospel “bringeth forth fruit as it doth in you since the day ye heard of it and knew the grace of God in truth.”  It was bringing forth fruit unto repentance.  With the cross at the centre point it is bringing you to a decision.  As you have listened night after night or maybe down through the years you have to make a decision.  You have listened to the word of God, not talking about a relic on a hill but the cross.  The death and sacrifice paid for our sins.  He gives the attitude of the Jewish people – verse 23.  It was to some a “stumbling block.”  They couldn’t understand it.  Their Messiah was come to deliver them from the yoke of their captors.  They couldn’t understand the Messiah was the one who took the form of a servant and died on a cross.  They wanted a sign, flashing lights.  If you are waiting to get saved, that something will happen that is significant it doesn’t always happen like that.  God comes into your heart, shows you the cross in another light.  He shows you the blood of Christ which cleanseth you from every sin.  That is God’s work and that is what he does.  It could be as simple as you sitting in your seat and you feel that pulling and turning of your eyes to the Lord saying “will you come to me.”  There is no flashing lights, no stars falling from the sky.  Simply look to Christ.  To the Greeks what was the gospel?  Verse 23 “unto the Greeks foolishness.”  They were highly educated people.  They were so well read but could not understand this man would come into the world and die on the cross.  This would be the deliverer from sin.  I wonder what place do you give to the cross tonight?  Which side of this argument are you on?  The cross is a stumbling block or foolishness.  There are only 2 divides.  The two walking on the road to Emmaeus had their heads down, their hearts were sorrowful.  Jesus drew near and walked with them.  “Why are you so sorrowful?”  They began to tell him what had happened in Jerusalem – that the one they believed to be the Messiah was crucified, buried and rose again and they began to say what they thought of it.  They believed he was a mighty king who would deliver them from the Roman Empire.  They had a wrong idea of the cross.  The cross was not to be a deliverance from human enemy, but a deliverer for all time of their situation and the bondage of the devil.

The price of the cross.  The God of heaven took his best, not archangels or prophets but his own son.  To take your sin and mine.  Remember Abraham of old who had one son.  The one son he waited so long for, the son in whom the promise of God was fulfilled.  One day God tested Abraham telling him to take his son and sacrifice him to prove his love for God.  Abraham took his son on a 3 day journey to prove he loved his son.  He knew the cost of sacrifice.  The God of heaven knows what it is like when he sent his son into this world, to be misused and treated badly, bruised and battered until he was unrecognisable.  That is the cost of our salvation.  It cost the God of heaven everything.  It cost the Lord his life.  As you think of the cross don’t think it was cheap, that your salvation cost you nothing but it was very dear to the Lord above.  Isaac asked the question “I can see the wood but where is the sacrifice?”  Abraham replied “God will provide himself a lamb.”  Later John the Baptist cried “behold the Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world.”  Romans 8 verse 32 “He that spared not his own son but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?”  Which side of the cross are you on?  Philippians “Christ being in the form of God thought it not robbery to be equal with God.  But made himself of no reputation and took upon him the form of a servant and was made in the likeness of men.”  He went to the cross to save you and me. 

The pardon of the cross.  That is why we sing “He paid a debt he did not owe, I owed a debt I could not pay.”  If there was no cross then there could be no reconciliation.  There was a great separation between us and God.  Jesus dying on the cross took that away and reconciled us back to him again.  Christ made a great payment for the debt.  The soul that sinneth he shall die.  You would die in your sins and be in hell for all eternity.  The Lord took on himself the form of a servant, stepped into the world and went to Calvary.  He bore that sin on his own body.  He blotted out the ordinance nailing it to the cross.  It was custom when debt was owed that the invoice was nailed in a public place and marked ‘paid in full’.  The Lord paid our debt on the cross of Calvary.

The peace of the cross.  Ephesians 2 verse 13.  On the cross of Calvary he mended that division between Jew and Gentile.  He paid it all reconciling us to God.  The broken relationship has been mended because Jesus died on the cross of Calvary.  Jesus could say “my peace I leave with you.”  Which side of the cross are you on?  Is there a peace in your heart tonight that passeth all understanding?  Have you taken eternal life from the hand of Christ?  Can you say “it is well with my soul because I trusted Christ as Saviour and Lord?”  The blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth us from all sin.  That is the peace of the cross.  I will never find peace in anything else.

The power of the cross – verse 18.  There is a power to break every sin and set you free.

The problem of the cross.  Will you come tonight?  What will you do with the cross tonight?  Come the cross at the end of the meeting, trust the Lord to make you a new creature.  Will I settle the old question?  The cross of Calvary - which divide are you on?  Sitting with those who are perishing or are you on the side that is saved by the grace of God?  If you are on the side perishing you can step over and be saved.

SERMON NOTES FROM MISSION 25 SEPTEMBER 2016

MARK 5 VERSES 25 – 34

This account is about a woman ill for 12 years.  A well known account with many illustrations born out of this story.  Don’t want to look primarily at that - not look at her plight and pain, suffering or the Pharisees.  One little thought – the touch she made changed her life, transformed her life, made her a new creature in Christ Jesus.  Sometimes our minds are taken up with other things, we make God’s salvation so complicated.  We cannot take it in.  It is not doing but believing.  To believe you have got to trust the Lord.  Are you believing him?  It is the condition of our heart that matters, not what we say or do.  That is maybe were you are tonight.  Maybe you are trying to say all the right words but it is not in the saying, it is trusting.  “Whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.”  Many have said “I have asked the Lord to come into my heart a thousand times.”  You don’t have to do that.  Salvation is not doing but it is in trusting him as Saviour and Lord.  The centurion standing at the cross  witnessed the darkness falling, the words of the Lord “it is finished” and as Jesus gave up the ghost he said “surely this was the Son of God.”  As we come face to face with the risen, resurrected Saviour tonight what will you answer?

The simplicity of the touch.  She didn’t have to run half way down the road.  She reached forth her hand and touched Jesus’ garment.  Her plight was so serious.  She had been with many doctors and only grew worse as a result.  One of the cures was to go to where 2 roads met with tankard of wine and she would be healed.  Another was to plant vine bushes in a trough and watch them growing day by day, yet she was nothing better.  She could find no seasons of healing.  She just got so discouraged.  You were born into this world with the nature of Adam through his sinning in the garden.  All your life you have been trying to remedy that.  Something you have got to do with it. Somehow you cannot find it.  Maybe trying to do the best you can, are a good church attender, help everyone that needs help, all this will get me into heaven but every time you go away discouraged.  One day this woman heard the most wonderful name that ever came into her lips.  She had heard stories of him, how he healed the leper, gave sight to the blind.  If I could touch his clothes just one touch.  It is just a call tonight, lifting your voice in true believing faith.  One touch that is all it is.

Notice the secrecy.  This woman’s heart and mind was filled with what Jesus could do for her.  Jairus had a daughter who was ill.  He wanted to find Jesus to bring him into his home that Jesus would try to heal and raise her to health and strength again.  This woman heard what Jesus was doing, heard this day he was in her street.  Maybe the Lord has been filling your heart throughout this mission, hearing about his death on the cross and suffering for you and me.  Filling your heart and mind with what he could do for you if only you would let him in.  Verse 31 there was a multitude of people there that day.  She touched the hem of his garment.  The crowd was pressing in on him yet he felt this one feeble touch.  Not one person knew what was going on in that person’s heart.  The disciples questioned Jesus ‘look at the crowds yet you felt one touch?’  This woman reached forth and with one touch the virtue flowed out of his body and into hers.  Salvation can be like that.  God can be working in the heart of one person, the person might not know what is going on, what God is doing in your heart but the only person to be touched is you.  This is how personal God’s touch is tonight.  Salvation is personal to you alone.  Jesus said “him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out”. (John 6 verse 37)  “Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11 verse 28)  Salvation is something that is personal.  No-one else could know this woman had touched him on this particular day.  It is your decision tonight.  Are you ready to acknowledge this yet?  Salvation means you need to go deeper with Christ.  Maybe you know about the Saviour.  You know he came into this world that he died on the cross.  Heard what he can do.  Still you sit on the edge.  You haven’t closed in with his offer of mercy.  You can be saved just as you are.

The sincerity of it.  This woman had come to the end of herself.  This woman was determined.  Verse 28 she had heard of Jesus.  She was sincere in her heart.  If she could touch him.  She was sincere about doing it.  Never been saved.  If not sincere about it without the Lord she would never be cleansed.  On one occasion there was a leper who came to Jesus.  He was determined to come and be healed.  He came to where the Lord was.  If thou wilt.  He didn’t say could you?  Sincere in what he believed.  Thou canst make me clean.  That man was made clean.  He came with a sincerity on his heart.  He came believing.  A man came to the Lord, had a son with him who was filled with a demon.  That demon tried to destroy the son.  The devil will do all he can tonight to damn your soul in a lost sinners hell.  We need to be reminded there is a heaven to be gained and a hell to be shunned.  What about you tonight?  That man brought this son to the Lord “if you can help me, please he is terribly afflicted and this demon does all to destroy him.”  He believed all things were possible.  If you are not sincere about the sin you have you will never be saved.  This man said “Lord I believe help my unbelief.”  The size of his faith – “for by grace are you saved through faith.”  Has God been speaking to you?  Do you realise that you are lost and unsaved?  Maybe there was a time years ago when you had an experience but not salvation.  You have been living in that trying the best to keep it up now you need to come afresh.

The surrender of this touch – verse 33 this woman had touched his garment.  The virtue flowed from him to her.  Now he challenged “who touched me.”  She has to acknowledge it as well.  She had to stand up before the Lord, the people, her friends, her family, the religious leaders, everyone.  There is a encounter “if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus.”  “For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” (Romans 10 verse 10)  You can come simply, secretly, sincerely and be gloriously saved but then before you go out you will have to stand and say “Lord it was me.”  Maybe tonight God has been speaking already and you have trusted the Lord.  Maybe you have come back to the Lord.  There has been an apathy, a coldness but now you have decided to come back again and surrender to his leading tonight.

The sufficiency of this touch.  Just one touch and a woman who for 12 years had suffered so much was made whole.  She felt in her body she was completely whole.  If you trust the Lord you will receive the sufficiency of grace not only to save your soul but keep you hereafter in your salvation.

Mission Notes September 2016 (first week)

SERMON NOTES FROM GOSPEL MISSION HELD ON 12 SEPTEMBER 2016

Romans 5 verses 1 – 12

“Wherefore as by one man sin entered in to the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned.”

The apostle Paul points us right back in time in history.  The problem we have in the world tonight is sin.  That thing we have inherited.  If I want to know the earnestness, the seriousness truth of it we need to understand not only why we need to be saved but from what we need to be saved.  To do that we need to go back to the time referred to by Paul – Genesis chapters 1 to 3.

Man’s creation.  The apostle Paul had no problem with man’s creation.  1 Corinthians 15 verse 22 “For as in Adam all die even so in Christ shall all be made alive.”  Following the days of creation on day 6 something special happened.  On that day God said “let us make man in our own image.”  When he had made man in his image then he put something special on him – he declared him to be “very good”.  In whose image was he made?  God’s.  That begs the question ‘has God got a face, arms, legs, body?’  “God is spirit and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.”  The likeness we have with God is that we have a will power to care.  There is one distinction between man and the animals – man has a soul.  When an animal dies he goes inward but man’s soul goes upward.  The day that soul will leave your body it will go to one of 2 places – there are no second chances.  There is a heaven that is prepared or a hell that is prepared.  Heaven is prepared for those saved by God’s grace.  Hell is prepared for the devil and all his angels.  Have you realised you have a soul tonight?  “God breathed into man and he became a living soul” (Genesis 2 verse 7)  Remember the account of the rich farmer in the gospels.  He had his share of this world’s goods.  He had a good harvest but God called him a fool.  He told this man “this night thy soul is required of thee. Then whose shall those things be?”  Where would his soul be in eternity?

Man’s company – “it is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him.” (Genesis 2 verse 18)  God gave Adam a wife.  The plans God had for man were plans for good and not evil.  They were born out of a heart of love.  God has still a great love for you and I.  “For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life.” (John 3 verse 16)  God had it all planned, for his son not to die as a martyr but as a Saviour.  If you go through Genesis 2 you will see that all the animals made by God were not a match for Adam.  There was nothing so good that God had to create a woman for him.

Man’s commission – “and God saw that it was good.” (Genesis 1 verse 21)  There was no sin in these 2 chapters.  Man was a perfect being.  There was no sin in his nature and in his environment.  “And the Lord God commanded the man, saying Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat; But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil thou shalt not eat of it; for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.” (Genesis 2 verses 16 and 17)  God was pointing out man’s free will to choose.  God has placed that will in each of us – either accept Christ as Saviour or turn your back and go out without Christ again.  Man wasn’t made as a robot to obey perfectly.  God expected man and desired man to obey him but man chose to disobey him.  Maybe you are not sure whether you are saved.  God has given you a choice.  It is not the will of God that you should perish.  He will not break into your heart.  He doesn’t want you to be lost in a sinner’s hell.  He wants you to come to Calvary, to gaze on the one who died for you.  His blood avails for your sin.  His arms are standing outstretched.  He wants you to come.

Man’s carelessness.  You know you need to be saved and you know why you need to be saved.  When man had that free will placed in his heart he chose not to accept it.  In chapter 3 we see another of God’s created beings coming into the Garden.  A fallen angel.  A created being, the devil was not there from all eternity past.  God created him and he fell.  He came into the Garden to trip up God’s creation.  Eve succumbed to the temptation and took of that fruit.  “She gave me of the tree and I did eat” (Genesis 3 verse 12)  Adam in his wilful choice reached forth his hand and took the fruit from Eve’s hand.  He was careless.  Are you carelessly listening to someone who is turning you away from the things of God?  Maye it is not a partner, a husband or wife, a son or daughter but it could be anyone.

Man’s condemnation.  Adam ran away from God when he heard him calling because he knew he was condemned.  The conviction of sin was set in his heart.  God came calling in the cool of the day “Adam where are you?”  You can hide behind many a thing – a good personality, the conduct of life, good churchianity, good upbringing but they are holding you back from coming to Christ.  You are still prepared to wait another while.  Adam heard the voice of God.  Are you hearing the voice of God tonight?  Are you hiding from God tonight?

Man’s calling – chapter 3 verse 21 “Unto Adam also and to his wife did the Lord God make coats of skins and clothed them.”  Adam had to take skins of the animals to make a covering for himself and Eve.  Death had to take place in the Garden to make atonement for Adam’s sin.  God had to take his son to die in our place to make atonement for our sin.  Sin entered into the world by Adam and from then on into every generation.  It was passed down from one man to another because Adam disobeyed God.  Sin has entered into the world.  Jesus is the remedy for sin.  He came into the world to pay the debt and price of sin.  You need to come and trust Christ.  The debt has been paid.  All you need to do is come and accept it.  There is salvation for you but it will never be yours until you bow the knee and trust Christ as your own and personal Saviour, invite him to take away your sin and make you his child.

SERMON NOTES FROM GOSPEL MISSION HELD ON 13 SEPTEMBER 2016

Genesis 3 verses 1 – 9, 22 – 24

This chapter points to a specific time in the world’s history.  In chapters 1 and 2 we see the beauty of God’s creation.  God looked and behold it was very good.  Chapter 3 gives a pointer to something that is about to change.  “Now the serpent was more subtle.”  This verse takes us on a journey.  Critics are keen to play down these first 3 chapters of the bible.  Chapter 3 is written to deter us from sinning.  If there is no sin there is no need for forgiveness and no need for judgment, no punishment, no harm being done.

The danger of sin.  The passage starts off with the portrayal of sin, how the devil takes up his entrance into the Garden of Eden.  He took on the role of a serpent and was able to creep up on Eve without her knowing.  The devil is able to attack the souls of men and woman until their souls drift out into eternity.  Verse 9 “where art thou?”  A question asked by God to Adam and Eve.  A question asked by God to you tonight.  Spiritually speaking where art thou?  You may take on persona of a Christian, doing all the right things.  Where does God see you tonight?  Forget how many times attend church, help out your neighbour.  If you don’t see the danger of your sin you will not realise the importance of that question.  We must understand the danger that Adam and Eve were in.  As the gospel message goes forth he is on the prowl again, longing to take that soul of yours.

Sin causes deception.  Satan used deception as he tricked Eve.  “Hath God said ye shall not eat of every tree of the Garden.”  A seed of doubt was placed in Eve’s mind.  Verses 4 and 5 “ye shall not surely die for God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof then your eyes shall be opened and ye shall be as gods knowing good and evil.”  He was telling Eve everything she wanted to hear.  I am sure she had looked at that fruit on previous occasions, knew by looking at it that it was good.  Up to now she avoided it.  Now the serpent comes into the midst and appeals to her conscience.  Try one bite of it.  Maybe you have been close in the past to accepting Christ.  Maybe it is churning around.  Now there is fear in your mind, your friends will never accept it if you get saved.  You are a good person as you are, a church attender, surely God cannot mean you to repent right now.  All the fiery darts he has been firing since that day to now are the same deceptive power of soul.  Sin will take you further than you want to go.  Maybe you want to live for as long as you can rather than get saved.  Would sin be so appealing if the wages were paid to you immediately?  The scriptures say the wages of sin is death.  How awful to neglect your salvation for the pleasure of sin for a season.  That is the work of the devil tonight.  Don’t overlook your salvation tonight.  2 Corinthians 4 verse 4 “the God of this world hath blinded the eyes of them that believe not.”  Do you see your need or has sin already caused that deception in your heart?

Sin causes destruction – verses 7 and 8.  Up until this point Adam and Eve lived in harmony with God.  That relationship was broken.  They hid themselves from the presence of God.  Up until this point they had happily communed with God now their first instinct was to run away.  Sin had deceived and sin had destroyed and it led to the first shedding of blood in scripture.  All because of sin.  What a price was paid.  Adam and Eve lost their communion with God.  That animal lost its life all because of sin.  Did Eve ever accept all these events would occur?  Looking at the short term effects and ignoring the long term consequences.  Are you prepared for the consequences of neglecting salvation?  That sin, refusing to give it up?  Is it really worth it when you consider the consequences of what will happen?  God is showing you your need of salvation.  For some reason we look at what we will be giving up rather than what we will be gaining.  Don’t let sin deceive or distract you from that relationship with a loving God.  We have a Saviour who left the splendours of sin to give us redemption through his blood.  We find sin much more appealing than what is on offer – salvation in Christ.

Sin causes division – verses 23 and 24.  Look how far sin had taken Adam and Eve from the day of creation.  Closeness with God. He would come down to the garden in the cool of the day.  They enjoyed that every single day.  Verse 8 God knew what had happened.  Imagine how that must have seemed.  Sin had now entered that garden and there now came a division.  They knew God could not come into such a presence.  He is of purer eyes than to behold iniquity Isaiah.  Your iniquities have separated from you and your God.  If you are outside of Christ there is that separation from you and God.  Look on that soul of yours, sin is still causing deception and destruction and division.  The fellowship was broken but there was complete separation in the Garden.  God sent down a cherubim that stood in the entrance to the Garden.  Complete separation.  There is coming a day when there will be another separation.  One day God will come back to this scene of time.  He will take those who are his home to heaven but those who are not will be refused entry into heaven.  The Bible talks of 2 destinations.  There will be those saved and those lost for ever.  Sin is real and division is real.  Satan blinded Eve to the last moment.

Sin commands a decision.  It was Eve’s decision to eat that fruit.  We live in the consequences of that sin yet we still have a decision to make.  Each of us have made a decision already in this mission.  You have got up and left the mission still in your sin.  No-one can make that decision for you.  Eve passed it to Adam.  He had the choice either to leave it or take it.  He tries to blame everyone else – verse 12 “the woman whom thou gavest to be with me she gave me of the tree and I did eat.”  As you look into the face of Christ he asks you “what have you done with my son?”  You can make as many decisions as you like but remember the consequences when it comes to the end of your life.  Tonight I need to make a decision to turn to God or do nothing about it at all.  Verse 9 “where art thou?”  That question comes to you once more.  If you do not understand the dangers of sin you will not understand the consequences of that sin.

SERMON NOTES FROM GOSPEL MISSION 14 SEPTEMBER 2016

Genesis 3 verses 1 – 9, 22 – 24

This chapter points to a specific time in the world’s history.  In chapters 1 and 2 we see the beauty of God’s creation.  God looked and behold it was very good.  Chapter 3 gives a pointer to something that is about to change.  “Now the serpent was more subtle.”  This verse takes us on a journey.  Critics are keen to play down these first 3 chapters of the bible.  Chapter 3 is written to deter us from sinning.  If there is no sin there is no need for forgiveness and no need for judgment, no punishment, no harm being done.

The danger of sin.  The passage starts off with the portrayal of sin, how the devil takes up his entrance into the Garden of Eden.  He took on the role of a serpent and was able to creep up on Eve without her knowing.  The devil is able to attack the souls of men and woman until their souls drift out into eternity.  Verse 9 “where art thou?”  A question asked by God to Adam and Eve.  A question asked by God to you tonight.  Spiritually speaking where art thou?  You may take on persona of a Christian, doing all the right things.  Where does God see you tonight?  Forget how many times attend church, help out your neighbour.  If you don’t see the danger of your sin you will not realise the importance of that question.  We must understand the danger that Adam and Eve were in.  As the gospel message goes forth he is on the prowl again, longing to take that soul of yours.

Sin causes deception.  Satan used deception as he tricked Eve.  “Hath God said ye shall not eat of every tree of the Garden.”  A seed of doubt was placed in Eve’s mind.  Verses 4 and 5 “ye shall not surely die for God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof then your eyes shall be opened and ye shall be as gods knowing good and evil.”  He was telling Eve everything she wanted to hear.  I am sure she had looked at that fruit on previous occasions, knew by looking at it that it was good.  Up to now she avoided it.  Now the serpent comes into the midst and appeals to her conscience.  Try one bite of it.  Maybe you have been close in the past to accepting Christ.  Maybe it is churning around.  Now there is fear in your mind, your friends will never accept it if you get saved.  You are a good person as you are, a church attender, surely God cannot mean you to repent right now.  All the fiery darts he has been firing since that day to now are the same deceptive power of soul.  Sin will take you further than you want to go.  Maybe you want to live for as long as you can rather than get saved.  Would sin be so appealing if the wages were paid to you immediately?  The scriptures say the wages of sin is death.  How awful to neglect your salvation for the pleasure of sin for a season.  That is the work of the devil tonight.  Don’t overlook your salvation tonight.  2 Corinthians 4 verse 4 “the God of this world hath blinded the eyes of them that believe not.”  Do you see your need or has sin already caused that deception in your heart?

Sin causes destruction – verses 7 and 8.  Up until this point Adam and Eve lived in harmony with God.  That relationship was broken.  They hid themselves from the presence of God.  Up until this point they had happily communed with God now their first instinct was to run away.  Sin had deceived and sin had destroyed and it led to the first shedding of blood in scripture.  All because of sin.  What a price was paid.  Adam and Eve lost their communion with God.  That animal lost its life all because of sin.  Did Eve ever accept all these events would occur?  Looking at the short term effects and ignoring the long term consequences.  Are you prepared for the consequences of neglecting salvation?  That sin, refusing to give it up?  Is it really worth it when you consider the consequences of what will happen?  God is showing you your need of salvation.  For some reason we look at what we will be giving up rather than what we will be gaining.  Don’t let sin deceive or distract you from that relationship with a loving God.  We have a Saviour who left the splendours of sin to give us redemption through his blood.  We find sin much more appealing than what is on offer – salvation in Christ.

Sin causes division – verses 23 and 24.  Look how far sin had taken Adam and Eve from the day of creation.  Closeness with God. He would come down to the garden in the cool of the day.  They enjoyed that every single day.  Verse 8 God knew what had happened.  Imagine how that must have seemed.  Sin had now entered that garden and there now came a division.  They knew God could not come into such a presence.  He is of purer eyes than to behold iniquity.  Your iniquities have separated from you and your God.  If you are outside of Christ there is that separation from you and God.  Look on that soul of yours, sin is still causing deception and destruction and division.  Knowing God loves each soul.  The fellowship was broken but there was complete separation in the Garden.  God sent down a cherubim that stood in the entrance to the Garden.  Complete separation.  There is coming a day when there will be another separation.  One day God will come back to this scene of time.  He will take those who are his home to heaven but those who are not will be refused entry into heaven.  The Bible talks of 2 destinations.  There will be those saved and those lost for ever.  Sin is real and division is real.  Satan blinded Eve to the last moment.

Sin commands a decision.  It was Eve’s decision to eat that fruit.  We live in the consequences of that sin yet we still have a decision to make.  Each of us have made a decision already in this mission.  You have got up and left the mission still in your sin.  No-one can make that decision for you.  Eve passed it to Adam.  He had the choice either to leave it or take it.  He tries to blame everyone else – verse 12 “the woman whom thou gavest to be with me she gave me of the tree and I did eat.”  As you look into the face of Christ he asks you “what have you done with my son?”  You can make as many decisions as you like but remember the consequences when it comes to the end of your life.  Tonight I need to make a decision to turn to God or do nothing about it at all.  Verse 9 “where art thou?”  That question comes to you once more.  If you do not understand the dangers of sin you will not understand the consequences of that sin.

SERMON NOTES FROM GOSPEL MISSION 15 SEPTEMBER 2016

Genesis 5 verses 18 – 24

What we have been trying to ascertain in the mission?  The critics would wish to destroy the integrity of the book of Genesis.  If there is one book they would try to take out of the bible it would be Genesis.  Even some theologians would say these creatures were mythical, not real people and these events never took place.  They cannot believe in a 6 day creation, it must have taken place over generations of time.  They cannot believe in a young earth that is only 10/12000 years old.  They give us proof of fossils and rocks that are years older than that.  They cannot believe in Adam and Eve.  I want tonight to look at the man called Enoch in verses 22 – 24.

There was a turning point in this man’s life.  He was 5 generations from Adam.  There was a very definite place that he came to.  A time in his life when he had a great change of heart.  Everything around him began to change.  He got his eyes off the temporal things of earth and placed his eyes on the God of heaven.  Was there such a turning point in your life?  We need a relationship with God.  Our relationship has been broken through sin.  Whenever Adam and Eve sinned against God something happened – sin entered in.  With that came a separation between man and God.  It was only rectified when Jesus was sent to the cross of Calvary.  As he died he shed his blood.  He was reconciling mankind to Christ.  God was in the world reconciling mankind unto God.  “I have finished the work you called me to do.”  He died so that the relationship broken in the Garden of Eden would be reconciled.  Not talking about relationship with church membership, with anybody, no a relationship with God experienced through the Lord.  Was there a moment when you turned around and came to the foot of the rugged cross, a moment when you turned and began to live your life for God?  Enoch was born into this world.  Romans 5 verse 12 “as by one man sin entered into the world.”  Is it any wonder people want to get rid of the events in the garden of Eden, because it takes us right back to the beginning of time.  In the beginning God created.  God took from the soil of the ground and breathed into man.  From him he took a rib and made his wife Eve.  Yet the world says we cannot take that.  This man Enoch walked with God but there was also a time when he didn’t walk with God.  Something happened – a child was born into his home.  Maybe that spoke to him.  Methuselah came into this home.  Enoch realised he needed a relationship with God now.  The greatest thing we can do is to put forth and trust in the Lord.  In Judges 13 when the woman was told of Samson’s birth she went out and told her husband.  Manoah her husband ran back to where the angel was and asked him to repeat what had been said.  Manoah then asked “how shall we order this child”.  That is what we need.  Whenever Enoch saw this little one his first thoughts were on him and then to God of heaven.  Surely there is a God in heaven.  There was a turning point when he looked into the face of his little child.  Remember Lydia in Acts 16.  She had a turning point.  When she went out into the gospel meeting by the riverside and Paul opened up the word of God, as she listened to the word of God, God reached down into her soul and she opened up her heart to God.  Paul and Silas in the prison at night singing praise to God.  At midnight there was an earthquake.  The prison house began to crumble.  The prison guard decided to take his own life there and then.  Paul told him to stop.  The guard cried out to Paul “what must I do to be saved?”  It was a turning point in his life.  Was there a moment like that in your life?  A time you trusted him?  Seen him taking your sin, dying just for you?  When you asked him to come into your life?  A time you trusted him and he came in?  He died just for you.  Ask him to come into your heart and save you.

A trust that was personal.  After the birth of this little boy he placed his trust in the Lord.  We are not told of any other members in his family doing the same.  He took a decision to walk with God.  May have been walking with God before that, we don’t know.  When this child came into his home that changed his heart.  He decided to walk with God from that day on.  Maybe this is the day when you begin your walk with God.  Your husband or your wife cannot decide for you.  This is a personal choice which God can only bring you to.  Only God can bring conviction of the heart, show you your true nature, show you the cross of Calvary, the blood that was shed for your sins.  If there is the slightest glimmer in your heart that you need to be saved don’t mess about with that.  Pilate came to that same dilemma.  His wife told him “have nothing to do with this just man I have suffered much by way of a dream about him.”  Pilate’s own conscience told him he had to make a decision.  He could find nothing wrong with him.  His conscience was telling him this was an innocent man.  He turned to the crowd and listened to them.  He looked to his position and the social ladder he was climbing.  He decided to give Jesus into the hands of the sinful men.  He washed his hands and tried to justify himself.  What will it be for you tonight?  Will you try to wash your hands?  It was a personal decision.  He heard his wife, knew his conscience, heard the crowd but he had to ask himself what shall I do.  As the Lord is presented to you what will you do?  Methuselah’s name means ‘when he is dead it shall be sent.’  His name was looking at the judgment of God because it was pointing forward to the flood.  When the son died the judgment would fall.  When we close our eyes in death judgment will come.  “It is appointed unto man once to die and after this the judgment.

A testimony that is pleasing.  Hebrews 11 verse 5.  Enoch had a testimony of pleasing God.  This man had a living testimony.  If any man be in Christ he is a new creature old things have passed away behold all things have become new.  That is the proof in your life.  A day in your life when all the old habits were broken and gone.  It is not a question of you trying to keep it.  It is the Lord that keeps it.  It is the Lord who cleanses and breaks the power in your life.  Many are happy to sit in the old places they sat in before they were saved.  Here was a man who had a living testimony.  Onesimus was a servant of Philemon.  Paul said he had become a profitable servant but he wasn’t before.  He stole from his master and ran away.  When he met Paul in the prison house he met Christ as his own Saviour.  That was a turning point for him.  Before we are saved we cannot please God.  Without faith it is impossible to please God.  Acts 22 speaks of Ananias, a devout man having a good report in the city.  When God worked mightily in that city the people brought their books and burned them.  Those books tied them to a past of witchcraft and sorcery.   They were cutting their ties with the past.  That is what God does.  Have you that clear testimony?

A transport that was powerful – verse 24 “God took him”.  He didn’t pass through the valley of the shadow of death.  He was the second man as such like this.  There was a day in history when he was sitting in his home or maybe out in the fields, we don’t know when God reached down from heaven and took him. A beautiful picture here.  One day the Lord will come again and it is nearer that we think.  He will come to the air and with a shout and the trumpet.  He will take those who have been saved, their bodies will rise up to meet their souls in the air.  Those who are saved.  We may not enter into the valley of death.  1 Corinthians 15 we shall not all sleep we shall all be changed.  Some of us may not die but be risen with Christ one day in the air.  The Lord is going to come and he will take every child of God home to be with him.

SERMON NOTES FROM GOSPEL MISSION 16 SEPTEMBER 2016

Genesis 3 verses 4 – 15

We have been spending these few nights in the mission in the book of Genesis going back to the root of the problem of mankind.  Need to know that remedy that mankind needs because we come to the place of Calvary.  Genesis is a book of beginnings, the origin of creation, how the world was formed.  How the animal and mankind came into being.  How relationships came into being, marriage was instituted.  Sin came into being, the fall came because of sin.  The first night we looked at Adam and his disobedience.  Then we looked at Cain who was defiant.  God pointed to him that the sin offering was sitting at the door, that would appease the holy God if brought into his presence.  Cain was adamant that he would not turn to God.  Many are like that – defiant and they will not come to God.  Jesus said to the Pharisees ye would not come to me.  Many know the way of the cross yet are defiant.  They say we will go our own way.  Last night we looked at Enoch who was a disciple.  He walked with God.  As we turn tonight have you begun to walk with God?  That you have stopped one day at Calvary, brought your sin to him, taken from him salvation.  You have a relationship with God himself tonight.  We see Christ as great and mighty deliverer.  John 4 the woman at the well met Christ that particular day who gave her water that she would never thirst again.  Come see a man that told me all things that ever I did.  This mission has no other goals or aims tonight.  It is not a mission to build up our own ego, build up our church but to point men and women to Christ whereby they might be saved.  Philip found Nathaniel and told him we have found the one who was to come into the world.  Nathaniel said can any good thing come out of Nazareth?  Philip replied come and see.  The Psalmist said “O taste and see that the Lord is good.”  When Jesus said to John’s 2 disciples come and see when they asked him where he was going.  You have got to come to the cross and trust him as your own Saviour. 

The simplicity of his arrival – verse 15.  We find here the first gospel reference.  Sin entered into the world and right on the heels of that God comes and gives the remedy for sin.  Is it good church attendance, doing the best you can, coming from good family, all the good works you can possibly do?  God had to reach down and take the innocent animals to put them to death, shed their blood and take their skins to cover the sinfulness of Adam and Eve on that day.  That is what had to do on that day.  For you sin and my sin.  God cannot take the little animals, he wouldn’t sacrifice an animal.  He took his only son and sent him into the world to die for our sins.  We have got to come to the cross, trust the Lord as Saviour and Lord.  This text suggests, depicts something of the simplicity of his entry into the world.  700 years before Christ’s birth Isaiah 7 verse 14 the name Emmanuel means God is with us.  Christ would be born into world through the virgin Mary.  Jeremiah 31 verse 32 “The Lord hath created a new thing in the earth.”  Remember how the angels came down and rehearsed these words to Mary “thou shalt conceive in thy womb and bear a son.”  To Joseph he said “and she shall bring forth a son and you shall call his name Jesus for he shall save his people from his sins.”  Not to be born in a palace but in a stable in the back streets of Bethlehem.  Nothing to boast about in this.  The simplicity of the one who came into the world as a baby.  The wise men came to a palace of King Herod – why – because they thought it was the place where he would be born.  He shall be born of a woman.  The simplicity of his birth.  The sincerity of it.  He came into the world sinless and perfect.  There was no sin found in him.  Even on the cross of Calvary he said “Father forgive them for they know not what they do.”

There is a separation he causes.  God speaks of 2 differences – the seed of a woman is primarily Christ.  The dividing line is those who are of the devil.  There was a division of the people because of him.  The same separation is still present in this world.  Many fail to make the decision to the direction of their own soul.  There are 2 families – the family of God and the family of the devil.  Many believe that there is but one family alone.  We are all on our way to heaven and home.  Sadly that is not true.  Jesus taught us of the wheat and the tares in the parable.  The seed was sown and as it grew the enemy came in and planted his tares.  Jesus likened it to those in the world – Jesus’ children and the devil’s children who are so similar.  Dare not risk separating them – let them grow together until the harvest time then separate them.  When it comes to harvest time of this world, there will be those who are saved and who will go out into the splendours of heaven but there are those who go out into the caverns of the damned.  Are you in the family of God, on your way to heaven and home?  Was there a moment when you trusted Christ as Saviour and Lord?  We can be the very best of church people, people who do so much for society yet not be saved.  Saved means to know the Lord as Saviour, to have your sins forgiven.  Jesus came into the world to seek and to save that which was lost.  The preaching of the gospel is to them that are lost foolishness.  Are you saved?  Do you know the Lord as your own and personal Saviour.  There is a dividing line and it might be even in your own home.

The suffering that he encountered.  It shall bruise thy seed and thou shalt bruise his heel.  The devil will cause an injury to the Saviour.  The devil would bruise his heel.  Isaiah he saw in a vision Calvary’s cross.  He said in chapter 53 all about the suffering Saviour.  He could see 3 crosses, the Lord standing in his very midst yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him.  It doesn’t mean that God was satisfied in the pain he was enduring.  That was the only way we could be saved.  Verse 5 he was wounded for our transgressions bruised for our iniquities.  God wants us to see this promise of the Saviour, coming into the world to die for us.  We have remission through his blood, not in any church or preacher.

The sovereignty that he will exercise.  He shall bruise thy head.  The devil will bruise his heel but Christ shall bruise the devil’s heel.  Death cannot hold him.  He has the power to forgiven.

The salvation that he achieves.  Isaiah 53 verse 11.  Will you allow him to bear your iniquities.  He has born them on the cross now wants you to come simply and accept what he has done.  Take the pardon and liberty he wants to give you.  Justified by the power of God.  The woman said come and see the man.  That is the man we are pointing to.  The man Christ Jesus through the eye of faith you can see the man who died to take your sins.

The woman with 2 mites who gave her all to the Lord - how much are you prepared to give?

Sermon notes from Sunday 7 August 2016

Mark 12 verses 41 – 44

This portion is a challenge to us all on how we serve the Lord.  From this portion we notice a woman who gave all she had to the Lord.  She only had 2 mites that made a farthing, something frowned upon but it earned the approval of the Lord himself.  As we come today the Lord is not looking on the outward appearance but the inward approach.  Are we about to give everything we have to the Lord?  For an athlete it is “all or nothing”.  What a strategy before the race took place, building up his muscles so that on the day he could give his all.  As the people of God have we been studying the word of God this week?  Are we ready to give our all to the Lord today?

Notice a position that is described.  This was a widow woman – verse 42.  They had gathered in the house and the Lord was there.  The Lord is not in the vast crowds but he has promised that “where 2 or 3 are gathered together in my name there am I in the midst of them.” (Matthew 18 verse 20)  He knows everything that is going on in every life right at this time.  He wants to know are you willing to give all to the Lord out of your heart?  This woman knew what difficult times where in that home.  She knew the pain of bereavement.  Jesus points to someone who has felt the pains of death, has come through trial and difficulty.  He knows the difficulty you have gone through today.  He is going to teach from this widow woman a great lesson.  Maybe her only income was her husband yet prepared to take out of her purse 2 mites, give first in her life to the Lord.  It is great to be saved today, to look back to the point in life when came under convicting hand of the Lord, when you accepted Christ as Saviour, when you heard the message of the gospel, that time you bowed your knees to Christ, took him as Lord and Saviour.  Is that how you describe yourself today?  Remember what you did with the Lord.  Opened up your life and allowed him to come in.  Here is a woman who could not know what would happen the next day, didn’t have a husband to bring in the wages for her.  Not told the circumstances of her husband’s death.  She had gone through trial yet she is here in the treasury giving all she had to the Lord.  Sometimes we have a difficult trial in our lives.  She didn’t blame the Lord for her trial.  Like the woman with the alabaster box.  She broke it for Jesus.  The disciples complained but the Lord told them to leave her alone.  She has given her all to the Lord.  No doubt the Pharisees were there giving of their great abundance.  Maybe you are thinking well what do I really have, I don’t really have that much.  You begin to see all you have and the abundance of others.  The Lord is asking for your all today.  This widow woman watched as the people gave to the treasury.  This woman was despised because she was a widow.  Maybe you think you are despised because of what you are offering to the Lord today.

The poverty she did not deter.  As she made her way to the box she saw others giving far more.  She probably thought she had nothing to offer.  She made sure the poverty she had would not deter her.  What was so special about her gift.  It caught the attention of Jesus.  She was giving everything she had.  Not only that but she was trusting the Lord for tomorrow.  When God would execute his plan of salvation he sent forth his only son who died on Calvary.  He chose to bear his only son.  He looked down into a poverty stricken town.  He chose a young girl who had nothing whatsoever to offer but what little she had was everything.  Not a great name, no great experience.  Maybe you are in the same position today.  Do you sit back?  Does that mean you give your all to the Lord?  To the mission and outreach work?  To be in we need to be going out.  No longer can you depend on opening the door and the people flock in.  Have you a concern for those going out into a lost Christless hell?  God used the widow woman in the days of Elijah.  She had nothing to give. She was going to make a cake.  Had come to the end of her tether and she would eat it and then die.  Elijah told her to do all that but give him first and she as a result never hungered again.  God uses what we give him here and now.  Are you ready to say “Lord use me today in the work of God.”  Remember the story of the man going into far country and left the talents with his servants.  He wasn’t making any difference in them.  He knew the people he was giving them to would bring them back multiplied.  Except for one who just hid it.  He dug it up when his master returned.  He didn’t use it.  He didn’t double it.  He had nothing from the talent.  How will it be in the day when Christ calls?  Will there be those you have helped to win join with you?  Will you have to stand before God with hands empty and say “I am sorry Lord”?

A pledge that was determined.  She wanted to give 2 mites to the Lord. She was going to give everything.  How many times have we sat in meetings and been challenged by God but forgot about it.  She had a pledge made in her heart.  She was surrendered to the will of the Lord.  Ready to give her all.  The Lord loves a cheerful giver.  Peter was summoned to go to the house of Cornelius.  He was up on the roof top when he saw a vision from Christ.  All manner of unclean animals were coming down onto the sheet from heaven.  Peter was told to arise and eat.  Peter being a faithful believer said “not so Lord.”  The Lord was teaching him a lesson.  He was taking him into a Roman house, to a man outside of the Jewish nation, a Gentile.  He had to teach him this lesson.  Here was a woman with a pledge that was determined.  She was saying all that matters are these 2 mites for the Lord.  In Luke 7 a woman came into a Pharisees house and began to wash the Saviour’s feet with her tears.  She washed the feet of the Saviour.  Think of that for a moment.  Sometimes through difficult tough times have you cried enough tears to fill a basin to wash your feet in?  The custom of the day was tears were kept in a bottle and stored.  “Thou tellest my wanderings put thou my tears in thy bottle; are they not in thy book?” (Psalm 56 verse 8)  Perhaps this woman brought this bottle with her tears and poured it out.  She began to wash and dry the Lord’s feet.  That bottle would have been opened every time a tear fell in her life.  Pain and joy were both reflected there.  She was pouring out this bottle to the Lord.  Every experience was given to the Lord and the Lord commended her for it.  Here was a woman who felt she had so much to thank the Lord for.  The Pharisees sitting at the other side never once offered a kiss to the Lord.  This woman was a sinner and realised she needed Jesus in her life.  Similarly in this story the woman gave her all to the Lord.

There is a price to be delighted in.  This woman gave more than anyone else and the Lord saw it.  One day when the Lord will judge the nations of the world will he say “For I was an hungered and ye gate me meat; I was thirsty and ye gave me drink; I was a stranger and ye took me in; naked and ye clothed me; I was sick, and ye visited me; I was in prison and ye came unto me … Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.”  It is recorded in heaven.  It is going to be the small things that are recorded – things like giving our all to the Lord and being used by the Lord in doing so.

The presence of Christ can bring confusion

Sermon notes from Sunday 13 November 2016

Luke 4 verses 16 – 30

Here we find something that is wonderful and remarkable.  In verse 16 the Lord comes back to the place of his youth, the place where he was reared.  Nazareth was built on a hill.  Even after they listened to the preaching of the word of God they took him outside Nazareth and would cast him over the hillside.  What a privilege it really should have been for these people.  The Lord had come back to the place of his childhood.  It was the custom to enter into the synagogue on the Sabbath day.  What a privilege they had.  The presence of God was there.

Notice the courtesy Jesus was paid.  He was invited to read.  The chief rabbi took the word of God and offered it to him.  He was going to read from the book of the prophet Isaiah.  It was the custom for a visitor to read the word of God and bring a thought on it.  You have the presence of Christ, the word of God being proclaimed.  The power of God was experienced and he was given the place to read.  We need to have that courtesy tonight.  As we listen to the Lord in his still small voice.  He was known to them.  They were happy to share in their worship.  As we come into the house of God it is wonderful to know that same presence.  There were no objections to his word being opened up.  This is a mighty thing to have the presence of the Lord in our midst.  Samuel Rutherford stood to contend for the faith.  Stood in his day when others were being put out of the pulpit for preaching.  He was cast into prison and he wrote to his parishioners to encourage them.  “The strangest thing happened to me even as I lay in my bed in prison cell something happened, Jesus Christ stepped into that cell.  Every stone began to gleam like a pearl of the most costliest price.”  The Lord has promised to be one of our number when we meet together.  How often we favour the testimony, the singer in the meeting, the big named preacher.  Somehow we miss the presence of the Lord, miss his touch because we have our eyes on something else.  Every eye was fastened on the Lord as he opened up the word of God and preached.  I would not want to point you to this preacher but to the Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world.  The blood flowed from his side.  He is the one who is able to redeem and save your soul.  That is what he wants to do tonight.  Maybe you are not saved, maybe you are cold at heart, know you have wandered far from God, not where you once were.  Because of the precious blood, the sacrifice he made for you he can draw you back to himself.  If you know you are not walking with the Lord he wants to draw you back to himself.  In verse 17 he opens the scripture and reads aloud.  Imagine the voice of the Lord falling on their hearts.  What an experience that must have been.  Tremendous that the people listened.

The claims that Jesus makes.  He was given the scroll of the prophet Isaiah.  Sometimes we find that in a meeting like this this was the very portion of scripture for that very day.  Notice in verses 18 and 19 the claims he was making.  He was speaking of one who would come into the world to set the captives free.  Jesus came to set you free from your sin.  Isaiah spoke of the birth of Christ right through to his death in chapter 53.  What a sad situation if we miss the truth about the death of Christ.  We can be saved through that wonderful work at Calvary if we turn the search light on our hearts.  Is the courtesy we give him as Saviour and king of our lives?  What about the claims he makes on us?  We have sinned and never can come to Christ only through the cross of Christ.

The complacency Jesus found – verse 22.  They admired him then they said “is not this Joseph’s son?”  In other words is he not the one who grew up amongst us?  They had grown so familiar with him.  You and I could grow so familiar with the gospel of saving grace.  That is why we can sit in the gospel meeting night after night.  So familiar with the teaching of the cross of the Saviour who came to seek and to save that which was lost.  Therefore we leave him aside, never bothers us very much.  Felix trembled when he heard what Paul had to say.  Maybe there was a time when you felt the burden of your sin, you trembled at the preaching of God’s word.  Almost responded but not now.  That day is gone.  That is sad, sad when people can listen to God’s word and it never affects them.  We grow complacent.  Jesus stood in their midst with power.  They shrugged their shoulders.  They had that complacency.  We have that same complacency tonight.  There was a complacency in Pilate’s judgement hall.  Here was a man who had listened to Christ, got to know him so well but all the people could cry out was “crucify him”.  They didn’t want him any more.  Many churches don’t want this teaching any more.  Does the word of God not affect us any more?  Jesus was given courtesy this day.  We will give him courtesy.  Also think of the claims he makes.

There is the conscience that Jesus teaches – verse 28.  The Holy Spirit was taking the word of God and started to teach them.  Their conscience made them angry.  Maybe it was the claims he had made about himself, that God was speaking directly to their hearts.  Their conscience was pricked.  Maybe the word of God has come to your heart in other meetings.  The Holy Spirit has been touching you, showing you your need of salvation.  In Acts 2 the multitude gathered and Peter was preaching to the people that day.  The Holy Spirit pricked their hearts.  They cried out “what shall we do, how shall we escape if we neglect this great salvation.”  Peter told them “repent and be baptised.  Sometimes we come into a meeting like this with an idea in our hearts that we are alright, not perfect but we are alright.  They were Gentile people and that was the last straw.

The confusion Jesus bears – verse 29.  There was such anger and malice.  They couldn’t get rid of him quickly enough.  They tried to throw him over the cliff where Nazareth was built on.  John the Baptist told Herod he was doing wrong and Herod had him cast into prison.  Verse 30 in all the confusion they were trying to push him over but Jesus slipped away in their midst.  Maybe tonight you will let him slip away from your grip.  Will you listen to him tonight?  Accept him as your Saviour?  Don’t let him slip away, come to Christ, trust him as Saviour, give him your all.  Come to Christ and trust him.