The Royal Invitation to the Marriage Supper of the Lamb

Sermon notes from Sunday 11 June 2017

Matthew 22 verses 1 - 14

We are told here in verse 1 Jesus speaks to the crowd in parables.  A parable is an earthly story which Jesus takes up and places on it a heavenly meaning.  The Lord paints this picture of a king.  What is happening in the royal household?  He has a young son who has come of age and is taking to himself a bride.  A great marriage is taking place and he wants to share this great day of celebration.  He wants to invite all and sundry to a great supper.  3 times he sends out the invitation - verses 3, 4 an 9.  He never tires of inviting or sending out the invitation.  Don`t we see that great picture of God.  Every Sunday night a great invitation is given to you and I that we might be saved for all eternity.  He gives that invitation to you.  Invites you to come to the cross, to lay your sin down and take eternal life from his hand.  See here the picture he paints.  entrance into this supper is by invitation only.  Entrance into the kingdom of heaven is by sins forgiven.  We can never attain it or earn it or gain favour with God in any other way.  The invitation into heaven I also hear explained in a way that brings a chill to our soul.  Verse 5 "but they made light of it".  They never gave him a second thought.  Imagine as this invitation came to their very door to come to the great marriage supper.  These very same people thought little of it.  As we gather in another gospel meeting what do you think of it?  Something you do not give very much thought to?  Not relevant to you?  The God of heaven comes with this invitation, extends it to you again.  People expressed their opinion of this invitation.  Let`s consider through these verses that wonderful gospel message.

The first thing I see they thought little of was the function that was before them.  Instructed by servants to issue the inviations.  That king had a son who was getting married and there was to be a great celebration with a dinner for everyone who was invited.  The king is presenting his son, holding him up before all.  He wanted this to be the greatest day of his life.  no-one is to be excluded.  Then see the people discussing it, seeking one another`s advice about it.  God has a great function for us - that Jesus Christ came into the world to seek and to save that which was lost.  After Adam and Eve rebelled in the Garden of Eden sin entered into the world.  We were cut off from God.  We needed to be reconciled to him again.  He sent his son into this world with one purpose in mind - to die on the cross for the world`s sins - yours and mine to buy us a way into heaven.  What if God had turned his back on the world?  We would be facing a lost sinners hell for all eternity tonight but he didn`t do that.  In his great love and mercy he sent his son.  John 3 verse 16 "that he gave his only begotten son" yet we say I never thought of it.  Tonight will you give it some thought?  Consideration of the people here.  It doesn`t matter what the king has done.  We don`t care about that.  See them blatantly turning their back.  How sad it must be for God.  Nothing to do with the church or the preacher or the communion table.  When he gives that invitation men and women turn their backs on God.  They think little of the salvation he offers.  How it must be for God when he pleads with you.  Shows you what he has done for your soul.  How it must grieve his heart when you turn your back on him.  Yet time and time again he comes again with that great invitation.  Verse 5 so caught up in their own activities hadn`t one day to give to the king to celebrate the marriage of his son.  They couldn`t even do that.  Maybe already our minds are so taken up with what is going to happen tomorrow that we are giving so little time to the things of God.  The function is God loves you, sent his son to save your soul.  He came unto his own and his own received him not.  They turned their backs on him, it didn`t matter to them.  The greatest privileges he has given us.  The cross is forgotten about tonight in many meetings.  Way back in Sodom in Genesis 18 God looked down on that city and reached down from the very realms of heaven.   As he went down to that place they were warning Lot to flee from the wrath of Sodom.  They wanted Lot to deliver him out of that city.  When Lot sat with his sons in law he told them God was going to destroy these cities.  We need to get out as quickly as can.  The sons in law thought that Lot was mocking them.  They thought little of the judgement of God.  The Philippian jailer when he got his opportunity he closedAdams in with God`s offer of mercy.  He asked Paul "what must I do to be saved?"  He thought he had to do something to be saved.  Maybe you feel you have to have good attendance at church, give your money in, be a better person than you are at present.  Jesus has done it all at the cross of Calvary for me "therefore repent of your sins, turn away from them and trust him as Saviour and Lord."  Here`s a man saying in his heart `I am ready to do anything to be saved, I want God`s salvation, to be sure I am saved, I don`t want to miss out on this savlation.`  Paul said "believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved."  Believe that God loved you and gave his son to die on the cross of Calvary, believe and you will be saved.  That man went home believing on the Lord.  Maybe you are not saved tonight and the invitation comes again.  Zaccaeus sitting up in the tree when the Lord said "come down."  He wasn`t taking these things lightly, he was going to reach out, he was prepared to take his wealth and prosperity and give it away as long as he could secure his salvation.  Is that what salvation means to you?  Can you set it aside for one minute?  These people made light of this function.

They made light of the feast prepared.  If you are coming to Christ you are coming to someone who is more wonderful than you can ever imagine.  He will give you a joy, an understanding that passeth all understanding, you will never be judged because of your sin.  Not walking at enemity with God.  This was a royal feast coming from the very palace.  Jesus offers you this same feast tonight.  I am confident that whatever crowd comes they will be catered for.  The Lord has confidence in the cross tonight.  He is able to save all that come to him.  Jesus says "him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out."  They were not asked to bring anything, just invited to come.  Maybe they assessed the tables, looked at the tables, thought why would I go there?  Sure I have as much in my own church.  I have my own religion but no relationship with Christ.  That is the difference tonight.  Isaiah 53 "he shall go up before him as a tender plant there is no beauty that we should desire him."  Here was a people who thought little of the invitation.  God says "this is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased."  Remember the woman at the well.  Jesus was speakng to her about water in the well and water he could give her.  The woman looked at Christ, what he had, nothing to draw the water out with and said  "the well is deep you have nothing to draw with."  Thinking light of the things he was offering.  When you look into the face of Christ do you see him as the Son of God, able to forgive your sin tonight?  Many would love to be saved but think to themselves not enough in Jesus.  That is the bottom line.  I wonder tonight what do you make of the provision of Christ? Take heed to what Felix said.  He listened to what Paul had to preach.  He listened with intent and trembled.  "Go your way when I have a convenient season I will call for you again."  Putting it off, made light of it.

Made light of their freedom.  No barriers, hindrances, everyone was invited.  Everyone had freedom to chose.  "Ho everyone that is thirsty," "whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved."  How many times have you heard the gospel, left the meeting saying `I must do something, get right with God?`  Here`s your invitation tonight again.  "My Spirit shall not always strive with man." Remember those words from God.  Felix thought he would use his freedom again.  That one day he would just call for Paul - we don`t read of him ever doing that again.  God has come to you time after time and he calls you but tonight might be the last time he calls.

Made light of their fate.  As they made light of the king`s generosity they never realised that grace would be recalled, that they would be destroyed.  Such was the result of that choice.  We say `God is a God of love and he will not turn his back on everyone` but one day he will though.  "It is appointed unto man once to die and thereafter the judgement."  "For the time is come that judgement must begin at the house of God."  If you are not sure tonight come and trust him.  

Consider your ways

Sermon notes from Sunday 9 July 2017 

Haggai chapter 1

Haggai the prophet is someone who is very precise and direct with his words, he pulled no punches when he came to proclaim the word of God.  In verse 13 he was the messenger of God and he had a message from the Lord.  2 very distinct things.  You can have a messenger with no message.  We need to hear from God today.  Haggai`s words touched the heart of the matter.  He was speaking to God`s people about a programme that had been started and left undone.  They had run out of steam and momentum.  That is very easy for God`s people.  We can be involved in God`s work yet so discouraged and down.  It is good to know there is a word from the Lord.  Haggai was speaking to God`s people who had come out of captivity.  We need to get to the place where we are in the centre of God`s will and presence once more.  For 70 years they had been taken away captive in Babylon just as Jeremiah the prophet had said.  God moved and brought them back into the land.  Cyrus was now the king. The Babylonian king was gone just as predicted in Daniel chapter 5.  This was a new kingdom of the Medes and Persians.  God had promised them to be in captivity for 70 years and he was now going to fulfil that.  Cyrus made a proclamation, then put it in writing and sent it throughout all the kingdom.  In verse 3 we see that the people began again to go back to Jerusalem and build the house of God.  If you are doing God`s will you will find there are all sorts of problems that come from within and without.  Opposition will come.  The word from Haggai is `do not give up`.  Here were a people who came back to Jerusalem and began to seek the glory of God.  In Ezra chapter 4 we see opposition, the enemies were trying to get in.  Just like today we have false teachers and prophets trying to get in and destroy the work of the Lord.  In verse 3 you would think it would end there but in verse 4 this is the same people who offered to help to build the temple.  In chapter 5 verse 5 we see the work stops.  Verse 14 - 16 years whenever it has been standing half built.  In Haggai chapter 1 verses 1 and 2 read that the work has begun again. Haggai`s message is simple - keep at it, do not give up.  Notice a few things in chapter 1 of Haggai.  the message was consider your ways, stop for a moment or 2, consider your ways.

A mistimed project.  In verse 2 Haggai`s main theme was the building of the house of God.  God`s heart and purpose for the people of Israel was that they would come back to Jerusalem and build the house of God.  Once again the very will of God was being left undone.  This is a timely message for us today.  God can come to us and ask us "are we still out for the Lord since the first time we accepted Christ?"  There are things that were being left undone.  This is a timely message for us today.  God can come to us and ask us are we still out for the Lord since the first time we accepted Christ?  There are things stopped, things we are doing now never done years ago because love for me and my precious word.  Timing is a crucial factor.  People sitting in Jerusalem saying it is not time to build the house of God.  If the farmer does not act at the right time the harvest will be affected.  It is very precious.  Moses tried to lead the people of Israel out of Egypt 40 years before the proper time.  Moses knew he was going down to Egypt for a specific purpose.  That was his task.  He tried to do it in his own steam 40 years previously.  He had tried to lead them out and he failed miserably.  Time was so crucial, see the elders here with a bit of power behind him, supposed to be spiritual mind.  Year after year the plans for the house of God were brought before them.  The plans for the house of God were brought before them.  Someone would say we need to get this work done and then someone else would get up and say "it is not the right time, let`s pray about it and seek the Lord."  The end result was that the work of God was being neglected and stopped.  Many are like that with God`s salvation.  Many sit in the gospel meetings, hear the message of the Lord but then the devil deceives them, can put it in the heart that it is not the right time.  God will definitely let me know it.  God has died on the cross for you.  At this moment in time he offers you salvation, invites you to take him as Saviour.  The Bible says "now is the accepted time, behold now is the day of God`s salvation."  You cannot get saved without God.  He will stir you up but if he is stirring your heart about salvation you need to come today.  Paul before Felix telling him how he was saved and showing Felix of his great need of salvation, Felix said "I will listen to you again some day."  He hadn`t time for him, not time to listen to the great things of God.  People in Athens laughed at Paul.  Some said "we will hear you again."  Are you putting off God`s salvation simply because you will have another opportunity?

There was a misguided priority.  Verse 4 you are saying you haven`t time for God`s word yet God`s house stands unfinished.  "Is it time for you O ye to dwell in your ceiled houses?"  By mentioning ceiled houses he was referring to the extravagance the people were putting into their own houses.  Timber and wood was a precious commodity.  Stone was easy to get but timber was not.  God when he looked in could see his house half built.  He looked into the hearts and minds of people.  "we really know your work has to be done but we are not going to do it at the moment."  There was more effort in their own comfort, pleasures and priorities.  We read about David the king in 2 Samuel 11.  It was  the time of the year for the army to do battle, the armies went on with Joab as their commander but where was David?  "He tarried still at Jerusalem".  It is dangerous to tarry when we should be hurrying.  If God says we should go forth we should go forth.  Try not put our priorities before God`s priorities.  It is up to us to find out what they are.  David`s tarrying got him into trouble.  In the evening of the day he went out and saw Bathsheba.  His heart longed after her, he lusted after her.  He had to have her for himself.  We can see where his priorities got him.  Solomon his son on his bed one night heard God speak to him in the darkness.  He asked him what he wanted and it would be granted to him.  He asked not for victory over his enemies or great power, property or land. He told God "you set my father on the throne of Israel, now I am taking this seat and I only want wisdom to reign this people."  God gave him his prayer and wealth was added to his requests.  Then his priorities all changed which took him away from God.  A misguided priority.  Demas was a young man who preached with the apostle Paul.  We read later "Demas hath forsaken me having loved this present world."  He got the wrong priorities.  At one stage he wanted to preach God`s word but then he got his eyes on the world.  He saw the pleasures of the world.  He didn`t fall into the sins of the world but he fell into the trap of a luxurious life, a comfortabe life.  When he was preaching God`s word he was moving about and it was a hard life.  His eyes were lifted to those who had a more comfortable life and he wanted it.

A misunderstood principle - verse 6.  They had the name of God`s people, the God of Israel but one thing we do notice.  They seemed to prosper.  Doesn`t that speak of today`s generation?  What was happening here?  God`s work was being neglected.  "I called for a drought upon the land and upon the mountains and upon the crop and upon the new wine and upon the oil." verse 11  "Except the Lord build the house they labour in vain that build it."  We can get the wrong priorities today even as a child of God and as a famly of God`s people.  It could happen in God`s work, in your life.  You can get the wrong priorities.  We could work for the wrong principles.  Proverbs 3 verse 9 "Honour the Lord with thy substance and with the firstfruits of all thine increase."  If we put God first his blessings will be ours.  That means the firstfruits not the last dregs.  The firstfruits of my time from when I get up in the morning.  To put him first.  The firstfruits of my talent.  "In all thy ways acknowledge him."  Is he first today?

A majestic presence - verse 13 "it is thy presence that makes the feast."

A maintained practice - verse 14 the Lord stirred them up not the the preacher.  That is what we need.

Daniel chapter 7

Daniel 7 verses 1 - 14 Keswick Portstewart Convention Jeremy McQuoid

The movie Bruce Almighty became a blockbuster film in 2003 starring Jim Carrey who gets to be God for a day.  Bruce discovers the job of being God Almighty more difficult than he could ever imagine.  The idea of someone playing God in a movie might make you feel uncomfortable but I want you to ask yourself - "if I was God how would I rule the world, if I was judge over all creation would I use that authority?"  In asking that question we realise how little we understand about God`s wills and ways, the perspective of how God works and does what he does.  He is overseeing the world history all the time.  He is ruling nations right down to the motives of the human heart.  It is important to remember that when we come to the second part of the book of Daniel from chapters 7 to 12.  In these chapters we read of the future of the world.  The progress of evil is leading to the final judgement of God.  He is allowing things to happen we never would, he sees things as we never could.  Often we are left gazing at the majestic, questioning how God rules over all things for all times.  The thought in these chapters begins with God teaching us that he allows evi empires to flourish - verses 1 to 8.  As God rules over all nations at all times God allows evil empires to flourish.  We read here of 4 empires coming after Babylon.  It is one emperor taking over from another.  It is clear that these are allowed to flourish by God - verse 4.  It is God that raises these empires, allows them to have their time of preeminence.  Thousands of years before arises the first beast in verse 4 a lion with eagles wings which represents Babylon.  That is the time when Daniel was living.  Babylon is the king of the empires like the lion is the king of the jungle.  Babylon was known for its hanging gardens and great libraries.  The eagle has its wings plucked of which speaks of Nebuchadnezzar who was humbled by God and became like a wild character as seen in chapter 4.  It is recorded in the British Museum that there is a gap in Nebuchadnezzar`s history when he undertook no international work at all and it maybe relates to that time.  He was restored to santiy and allowed to form Babylon again.  Then the second animal appears, the bear representing the Medes and Persians who took over from Babylon.  The bear was raised up on one side which it is believed signified that the Persians had more influence than the Medes hence the reference to lop sidedness.  It had a ferocious appetite which shows its conquering of the ancient world.  The next beast is the leopard which represents the Greek empire.  Alexander the Great was known for his speed in taking over the world.  It was said his horses were faster than any other.  At the age of 32 Alexander wept and wept because there were no more worlds to conquer.  In verse 6 we see dominion was given to this leopard.  The Greek empire did not come into power on its own.  It was allowed by God to flourish.  In verse 7 we read of a grotesque beast that is different to the other beasts.  It represents the Roman empire renowned for its great military power.  It lasted longer than any other previous empires.  it had 10 horns and there are different interpretations of these, none of which are precise.  In the bible horns represent kings and there were 10 in this verse.  There were 12 Caesar`s in the history of the Roman Empire, 2 of them lasted for a few months so perhaps the 10 horns represent the 10 Caesar`s.  Daniel`s attention is turned to the little horn that comes out of the beast.  It had the eyes of a man, a real human being.  Some greater human leader.  This leader is boastful which fits the image of an anti-Christ given in other scriptures.  He is a world leader still to come in the future world.  We read of this anti-Christ in Matthew, Thessalonians, John and Revelation.    John speaks of a series of anti-Christs leading to the final anti-Christ.  We can begin to think of Nero, Adolf Hitler and others, pyschotic leaders who performed barbaric acts on God`s people.  The anti-Christ is not some comic book character.  We have seen the hallmarks of the anti-Christ in history.  It has only been 70 years since Adolf Hitler tried to exterminate the Jews from Europe.  This passage was not written to reveal who the anti-Christ is but rather to remind us that human evil will continue and increase in our world.  A passage like this asks why does God allow evil empires to flourish?  These are questions we must face up to.  We have to acknowledge we do not know the answers to.  Evil must reach its conclusion before Christ is revealed.  Martyrs are crying out today "how long o Lord?"  Our response is not to come out with some superficial response.  Like Daniel at the end of this chapter "my thoughts greatly alarmed me and my colour changed."  He was troubled by these visions of evil.  The problem of evil is about real pain and suffering.  We have to suffer and watch loved ones suffer and all of it is allowed by God for some reason.  The marginalisation of Christianity, the position of abortion being allowed, the redefinition of marriage in our generation - all of these are signs the end is near.  The progress of evil is a mystery and it shall distrub us.  The Lord when dying on the cross, knowing he had to come to the world to die for the world, was still deeply trobled and asks the question from the cross "my God, my God why have you forsaken me?"  There is no answer for the evil in the world.  "The secret things belong unto the Lord our God but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever that we may do all the words of this law." (Deuteronomy 29 verse 29)  The most faithful people in the Bible always asked questions.  Until we trust God in the mystery rather than trying to work out a nice Christian answer God has himself not given us.  As evil troubles us, ISIS, the loss of Christian values from government, watching loved ones die in the midst of crumbling disease - be clear - these things happen only because God allows them to.  He is not taken by surprise.  He manipulates evil for his own purpose without using evil at all.  It was evil that hung him to the cross but God used evil for the blessing of creation.  We live at the mercy of God who allows evil.  He allows evil empires to flourish for his own sovereign purpose.  If that was the end of the story we would all be in despair.  The passage goes on to say God will judge evil decisively and he will rule the world through Christ.  Verses 9 - 14 are his final words - he will deal with evil once and for all one day.  Notice as describing the little horn he seems to break away from it.  God`s throne is perfecly ordered and glorious - verse 9.  God and the heavenly host take their seats.  Contrast to the evil emperors trying to make their mark on the world.  His hair was white like wool speaking of purity and wisdom.  God will judge the world with righteousness.  How we do not know.  His power to judge the world is real.  "his throne was like the fiery flame and his wheels as burning fire."  Fire speaks of judgement.  Wheels signify always turning.  God is in all places at all times in history watching on all that is going on.  Jesus said "when you pray go into your room and pray for your heavenly father will reward you openly."  We will be rewarded for the secret thing.  It is a vision of the end of history.  How quickly and suddenly these evil powers are brought to nothing by God - verses 11 and 12.  We read of the final judgement as depicted by a great battle.  These human emperors have had their day.  God will snuff them out.  Not really a contest.  Who should we really fear is the question we should really ask.  Don`t fear those who can kill the body but fear the ones who can put the body and soul in hell.  We need to fear him more than anything else in life.  We should really fear God but if we fear him we will really know no other fear.  In verse 13 we read the words "son of man" which was Jesus` favourite title.  This title was used 86 times in the gospels.  He wanted people to understand who he really was.  Verse 14 "to him was given dominion, glory and a kingdom."  This was pointing to a future day when Jesus called himself the Son of Man.  In his trial he told them "you will see the Son of Man return with great power."  The high priest tore his clothes and ordered that he must be killed for blasphemy. (Matthew 26 verse 65)  They knew who he really was at that point.  He is teaching us that God will judge all human evil and will reign the world through Christ.  This prophecy is given 600 years before Jesus comes.  We are to run the race with perseverance.  Jesus is coming to reign the world.  The story has already been written.  We are servants of the Messiah and are called to be signposts to that great and glorious reign.  That sets our lives on a higher plane.  Our lives are not really about how well or otherwise work is going for you now.  You are part of an everlasting kingdom.  Our primary call is to serve the Messiah who will one day rule the world.  One day everything you do or say in Christ`s name regardless how we are received by the world has an ultimate purpose.  What we do in this life he chose in eternity.  Daniel is saying God allows evil human empires to prosper and secondly at the end of the time he will judge that evil decisively and rule the world through Christ.

Thirdly keep the faith when evil seems to be winning.  In verse 8 the anti-Christ is different from other presidents and kings.  In verse 24 he will put down 3 kingdoms.  The anti-Christ is overt, a blasphemer but also will have a religious zeal about him.  "He shall wear out the saints".  Verse 21 "and prevailed against them."  Verse 25 "and think to change times and laws" meaning he will change the laws of the land.  He will create his own alternative framework.  We can see that already in our nation today.  All things are being questioned today like never before as if preparing the ground for some future perverse dictator.  His kingdom will be defeated.  All traces of Christianity will be crushed - verse 25 "and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time."  This means 3 1/2 years of future tribulation.  Some commentators say but it is a time limit on his reign and it will not last.  Verse 26 shows he will be cut short.  Verse 27 "shall be given to the people of the saints of the most High."  That is what breaks the future dominion of the anti-Christ and brings a kingdom to believers.  This will be the return of Christ himself.  Verses 21 and 22 show that one day Jesus will return to the earth in power and glory, he will bring the reign of the anti-Christ to an end.  Hebrews says God will roll up this world like a scroll.  We will reign with him on earth.  The basic truth is simple - keep the faith when evil seems to be having its day.  Our children and grandchildren are growing up in an atheist state, we need to protect them.  Let us keep the children`s work at the top of the agenda in our churches.  This is war as we battle for the minds and consciences of our children.  As the world prepares for the anti-Christ, if ever our nation needed the gospel it is now.  People are searching for spiritual meaning today.  There has never been a greater need to live a vibrant life before people who do not know where they are heading.  They have no answer to death, no rock to lean on in times of trouble, no understanding of life and where it takes you.  In the midst of this climate keep the faith.  When everyone else is losing theirs only Jesus can bring light and life to people.  We have been called to bear the light of Christ.  The greatest job descripton in the world.  There are some answers we will never know this side of glory.  We are promised in God`s word that he will judge evil decisively and rule the world through Christ.  Keep the faith when evil seems to be winning.  The darkest part of the night comes just before the dawn.

Who is my neighbour - the Good Samaritan

Sermon notes from Saturday 8 July 2017 Keswick Convention
Luke 10 verses 25 - 37

Lawyers around the world tend to be the same.  Pouring over case studies, studying how the law can be applied, what can be acceptable and what is not.  It is a general attitude many legal minds had 2000 years ago as they do today.  Jesus often took such people on and this is one example - a story of the neighbourly good Samaritan.  Jesus was saying "right you get out of this one."  Lawyers thrive on testing questions.  Seeing this story in a form of questions will help us understand ths parable.  In verse 25 an expert stands up to test Jesus - "what must I do to inherit eternal life?"  In verse 37 Jesus has answered the questions and says "go and do thou likewise."  In answer to the initial question Jesus tells him what to do - do the same in the case study I have told you about it.  Jesus responds to the initial question with another question in response.  Verse 26 to the eternal life question Jesus asked for a summary of the law.  His answer was perfect - love God, love your neighbours.  He knew his Old Testament, the Jewish scriptures.  Jesus rightly commends him - verse 28 - "do this and you will live."  Get to heaven by believing God.  Salvation is by works is very clear from the lips of the Lord himself.  The lawyer parries with another question of course.  There is something niggling him about the issue with his neighbour - "so who is my neighbour" he asks.  Lets just clarify this, get it straight.  We know nothing about this person, he is clearly no fool, is obviously well educated, hints at his mindset.  How to test Jesus.  Had his mind set out to test Jesus.  He could be legitimate or maybe there is something sinister behind his question.  In verse 29 we read "he wanted to justify himself."  He wanted to do it himself.  Do is the operative word - "therefore do this and you will live".  If you spent your professional like thinking about the law you will always question the boundaries.  That is how it works, hence the neighbour question.  I get I have to live but is there a boundary to that especially when eternal life depends on it?  Jesus takes him on.  He gives as good as he gets.  He always does that.  Jesus was never caught out.  He knew how to handle it.  Jesus gives him more than he bargained for.  Not some nice sweet parable.  Actually this is a legal case study with real punch and it concerns this issue.  We learn 3 things that God expects, no demands.

Love without excuses.  Jesus converts what starts out as a test into an act, a test of the lawyers obedience to God.  Love is key to the law, so it is love that is the key to this story.  It is profoundly disturbing apparently.  The Jerusalem to Jericho road is dangerous.  It covers 17 miles and descends 3000 feet.  A solitary traveller was easy prey.  It is no surprise that this man ends up at death`s door, hardly breathing, hardly moving a muscle, life is literally seeping away as every moment passes.  A truly gruesome scene but apparently a common one.  There is only one conclusion from this story - this man is dead except it is no corpse.  This man is alive.  Only getting up close you can feel the faintest of breaths but you need to get up close.  This road was very busy.  The priest`s family would live near this area, could come down this road to get away from it all for a few days.  Priests were a common sight on this road.  Jesus told a story of reality.  The priest was perhaps going home.  For us today we can hop on a bus or get into a car but in Jesus` day people walked everywhere.  Put yourself in the priests shoes.  He was tired, hungry, had a need to get home quickly.  He makes steady progress down the mountain, probably notices the vultures.  He knows what to do.  He knew his bible.  Contact with dead bodies as described in Leviticus 21 made the priest unclean.  Even though today in our mindset things seem pretty weird this for them was their daily bread.  The biggest threat to his purity there ever was.  Even a moments contact was sufficient.  If he did become unclean he would have to go back up the mountain, go through all that rigamore of cleansing and it was not worth it.  It could have been a trap, accomplices could have been behind the rock waiting to pounce if he did stop.  It makes sense to walk on by.  It was not worth it.  I don`t have the time.  It is not my job.  Someone will come along eventually.  I cannot afford to let a corpse make me unclean.  Except it is not a corpse.  He is alive.  You would only know that if you get up close.  He would not take the chance, not even a chance of contact and lets face it who can blame him.  He had every excuse in the book.  Verse 32 next came a Levite.  He was a junior to the priest.  Jesus was working down the pecking order.  You cannot trust today`s leadership.  They are lining their own pockets.  A Levite was next.  It is no surprise that he does exactly the same thing.  He had every excuse in the book.  When Jesus said at the end "go and do likewise" he clearly does not mean to be liked.  The priest and the Levite were setting themselves up to be attacked.  The lawyer maybe could relate to this story.  He understood every reason in the book not to get close.  This wasn`t a corpse though, he was alive.  The law says nothing about touching someone who was dying.  Nothing whatsoever.  This man in the ditch would be dead soon.  He needed help.  The priest and the Levite avoided their responsibility to love him.  We do the same as Christians, atheists or anyone.  We justify our actions when we put our mind to it.  We can justify any action even in spiritual theological terms.  We might say "I am trying to use my time strategically, trying to use my time wisely, I have this really important political meeting, I cannot do everything, I have to go to my prayer meeting, I need to prepare a bible study, I do not have the time for this, I am sure the Lord will raise someone up to do it."   Old Testament purity was a good thing.  It was the Lord`s own idea.  They are excuses not to love.  You cannot say to a dying man in a ditch it is not a strategic use of time.  If it was me lying there I would like someone to love me.  Loving without excuses.

Love without boundaries.  The average listener would guess what was next.  It was going to be a Jewish person next.  Jesus though plumps for a Samaritan in this legal case story.  The Jews and the Samaritans had centuries of history.  The story was up to now realistic.  Now you have blown it.  Gentiles - well you cannot trust them.  We hate them.  They were probably responsible for the attack in the first place.  Jesus says that is where you are wrong.  You can trust him.  He is the hero.  He realises the man is alive.  He does everything he can to help.  The interesting thing is the dying man is naked.  The thieves have stripped him and it was obvious to passers by if he was Jewish or not.  The Jews and the Samaritans didn`t get on with each other.  They could have guessed he was Jewish, all the more reason to ignore him.  Jesus tells us nothing about this man`s race, absolutely nothing about him.  We know nothing because that does not matter, that is to miss the point.  What concerned the Samaritan was this was a man, a fellow human being who was dying.  He showed love.  Regardless of the race or barriers that could be used as an excuse to ignore him.  Love without boundaries.  Jesus says "do likewise".  Love without boundaries.

Love without accounts.  The Samaritan goes beyond his duty.  He comes to where this man was.  When he saw him he took pity. He was not thinking.  He only thought about the fact that this man was dying.  How could he not help?  He picks him up, takes care of him.  He does not just save him.  He does everything he can to get him back on his feet at extraordinary expense.  He had everything with him - a donkey, wine and water.  He lifts him onto the donkey and he goes to the nearest hostelry and gives money for someone to look after him.  He gives 2 months rent and that is extravagent.  Love for someone who he knows nothing about.  Jesus tells us nothing about the practical giving or this man.  He would return to give more if necessary.  He not only had good intentions but he had money as well.  The Samaritan did have money.  Here was a man of means but something more significant - love.  You don`t have to be rich to have that.  You can be rich and not have it.  It matters what you do with your wealth.  It is profoundly challenging.  How does Jesus conclude this story?  We would expect Jesus to finish his story with a different ending.  We expect him to ask who is my neighbour.  The answer is obvious.  The man lying in the ditch, I have to love him.  The lawyer would have realised he would have had to condemn the priest and the Levite.  It was a difficult pill to swallow.  He would have to accept a dying man in the ditch for that is my neighbour.  That is the fulfilment of the law.  Case closed.  Not what Jesus asks.  "Who was a neighbour to the man in the ditch, who acted in a neighbourly way?"  A very different question.  It is not so much a bitter pill even though the answer is easy.  It is a impossible pill to swallow.  The lawyer responds "the one who had mercy on him."  He cannot bring the word onto his lips - Samaritan.  It gets stuck in his throat.  The answer is not complicated to answer but too hard to accept.  Jesus tells him to do what he did.  That is the end.  We hear no more about this lawyer.  We do not know how he responded.  Can we do what the Samaritan did?  Love without excuses, without boundaries and without accounts?  That is impossible.  No one does that.  We might give generously but no-one gives 2 months rent to a stranger in the street.  No-one does this.  This Samaritan is too good to be true.  Clearly fiction, not real.  This kind of love is impossible.  That is the point.  This love is too much.  We just cannot do it.  It is impossible to work your way to heaven, to do anything to justify yourself.  Heaven`s standard is perfection.  Love that keeps on pouring.  Anything less in heaven would turn it to hell.  If the world could be saved by good book keeping it would have been saved by Moses not Jesus.  The only way is not to be good but through Jesus.  It is only through what he did on my behalf.  Not through what we might do for him because it is too much.  This case study exposes our need to receive this kind of love because we cannot give this kind of love.  That is the amazing thing.  This story is fanciful, absurd up to the point of the life of Christ himself.  Suddenly it becomes all too real because that is what he has done for us.  A love without excuses, boundaries, accounts.  He gives and gives until there is nothing left and he cries out "it is finished".  That is the gospel.  That is grace.  That he died for us.  What we could never do.  That is the wonder of it all.  We do know a Good Samaritan, the one who for our sakes became poor that we might become rich but I cannot leave it there.  Once we have been justified by this amazing act of love on the cross how can we sit still?  How can we not respond with the same kind of love?  "Go and do likewise" because we are finite, limited, how can we not love like he did?  Not earn his favour, never do that but because we have his favour.  Not merely a illustration of love he shows us, but placing a challenge to us who do not love others as Jesus loved us.  We do find excuses.  Jesus says "go and do the same."  Love without excuses, boundaries and accounts.  He did for us what we could never do for ourselves and says in response - we love as he loved us.

Who do you think I am - the parable of the vineyard

Sermon notes from Sunday 9 July 2017 Keswick Portstewart

Luke 20 verses 1 - 19

It must be great being famous, always being recognised wherever you go, getting the best seats in restaurants but I am sure there are occasions when it is difficult.  Your phone is tapped and your every move is watched and photographed.  There is the awkwardness of people recognising you, your name is on the tip of their tongue but sometimes they don`t quite know it.  Imagine ever having to say "do you know who I am?"  There are occasions when failing to recognise someone could get you into trouble.  When you look into a mirror as you are driving along and see a blue light flashing you know what that authority represents.  Tonight`s episode is about recognising authority.  Our story starts with people assuming they had authority over Jesus.  They found him the hardest to stomach, they couldn`t stand him.  Their response was clear - they wanted him dead.  He was a threat.

We see in these opening verses an authority enraged.  He had previously arrived in Jerusalem with a certain amount of fanfare.  He goes into the temple and overturns the money changers and tables there.  They could be forgiven for thinking he was quite mad.  In chapter 20 where is he?  "One day in the temple courts".  He returned to the scene of the crime.  There he is teaching and proclaiming the good news.  It is no surprise that the temple authorities want to have a quiet word with him.  All the Jewish groups have ganged up together and the question is reasonable - "who do you think you are?"  In other words "what gives you the right to stand here and teach after all?"  They had no recollection in their law about anybody having permission to chase the money changers out of the temple.  It was not going to happen on their watch least of all by an uneducated Galilean.  "Who do you think you are?"  It is a question people have asked  about Jesus, many of our unchurched friends have asked us in the past.  They have probably said to us "what gives you the right, why bother us with all this God stuff?"  This question in Luke 20 was quite ironic.  Before his triumphal entry there was a deliberate statement.  Jesus was fulfilling an actual prophecy that God`s king would arrive on a donkey, staking his claim, his authority in the temple.  He was well within his rights to say "do you not realise who I am?"  Jesus is not explicit here.  He is the absolute master of dealing with conflict situations and how to handle hostile crowds.  His timing is not quite right yet but what he tends to achieve here is to throw back their question by asking another question.  It looks like an evasion but it is in fact a brilliant response.  He asks the question "John`s baptism - from heaven or of man?"  John was like the warm up act.  He deliberately wanted to catch them on the hop.  He puts them in an impossible position - verses 5 and 6.  The alternative is too dangerous to think about.  Popular opinion mattered.  They were stumped if they accepted John as who he was.  They could never admit to that.  Why?  Because that would jeopardise their own authority.  He was a threat, a vested interest was of more interest to them than the truth.  Human nature has not changed very much.  It was far too much of a risk.  In verse 7 they replied "we do not know."  Jesus replied "why should I answer you then?"  It was not an evasion but an answer.  Not knowing the answer perfectly is a reasonable response but having the integrity to find out the answer is of course.  Who is this Jesus?  Who does he think he is?  Who do I think he is?  Sometimes it is easy to say "I don`t know" but as long as we do not sit on the fence.  Jesus knows exactly what they are thinking.

An authority usurped - verse 9 onwards.  To put this in a contemporary scenario - it is like a multinational corporation that has factories scattered throughout the world and is run by a man sitting on a yacht in the Mediteranean.  I guess putting it from him his perspective - to be the owner of this vineyard while being completely conned.  In Jesus` area the reality of this story was that there were certain absentee landlords.  This man had a vineyard and he ensured he had tenants in it.  It was reasonable from time to time to expect some if not all of the produce to come his way.  There was no email or telephone.  He has to send an agent to collect the rent - verse 10.  The absence of their boss did not make their hearts grow fonder.  Their behaviour is awful really.  They beat the servant and sent him away empty handed.  In verse 11 they did the same to the second servant.  When it came to the third servant they wounded him and threw him out.  It gets progressively worse.  We can marvel at the violence that degenerates with each new person that is sent.  The owner has only one option left - to send his son - verse 13 "whom I love, whom I trust, who I can rely on."  Perhaps they will respect the son.  Verse 13 is the most poignant verse in the bible.  It seems naive, at worse it seems truly tragic.  Think of this owner for a moment.  What did you make of him?  What has got into his head?  Would you have done what he did?  Then it gets really nasty - verse 14.  Have you ever thought of the logic of these tenants?  Did they honestly think that the owner would turn the vineyard over to them?  This is the last man to stand.  They have squatters rights.  Kill the son then they would be sitting pretty, master of all they see.  What is to stop the owner coming himself?  There is one major flaw and that was it.  What is the biggest surprise of this story?  The tenants or the owners behaviour?  Surely it is the owner.  Why doesn`t he evict them after the first servant was hurt?  In a legal case they would have been out like a shot.  The landlord gave them chance after chance to do the right thing which they resolutely ignored every time.  He shows remarkable patience and trust but also gullibility which could be translated as weakness.  This is extraordinary and it asks the inevitable question - verse 15 "what then shall the owner of the vineyard do?  He shall come and kill those tenants and give the vineyard to others."  We might say that this is the correct action, who would not want some kind of justice in this situation?  The punishment fits the crime.  Give the vineyard to others.  Fair enough after all they have done.  Kill the tenants that seems harsh but it is just a story.  Some are probably getting impatient.  What has this to do with us today?  Verse 19 the leaders, the people who challenged him at the beginning, they knew that he had spoken this parable against them.  That is the key underlying this parable.  They get it.  They felt that Jesus was deliberately and specifically targetting them but why did they think that?  Of course they wanted to arrest him.

An authority identified.  Isaiah chapter 5 verses 1 - 7.  This parable has its origins in the prophet Isaiah.  Jesus updates this parable and adds a few details of his own.  The vineyard is the house of the Lord almighty.  Let us apply that prophecy into Jesus` parable.  The vineyard owner is God himself.  The tenants are the religious leaders of Israel who cultivate the people of Israel to produce fruit of a good conduct and life.  How could they do that when they themselves were self centred?  Who then are the servants?  Isaiah doesn`t have the detail of that but Jesus has - they are the prophets God sends to the house of Israel to produce fruit, to call the people back to himself.  It doesn`t end with 2 or 3 servants but rather scores are sent, some of whose writings are included in our bibles.  He sends one after the other saying come back to me and their fate was often no better than the servants in Jesus` parable.  Who is the son in the parable?  Jesus is talking about himself.  Perhaps they will respect him.  These leaders immediately grasped what he was on about.  Jesus was defending his actions in overturning the tables.  He was God`s last resort, calling on God`s people to bear the fruit of obedience.  There is something even more astonishing to realise.  Jesus is a threat to the authority of these leaders.  It is as if by killing God`s son they would then not be troubled by God himself anymore but that is insane.  This is the logical conclusion for killing the son.  The irony is that they actually know full well who he is.  Why did they ask when they knew?  Why kill him?  It is like speeding up to avoid the police just beause they have the authority to catch you.  They wanted to kill Jesus because he is a threat to their independence from God if he is the rightful heir of Israel.  God sent him to restore the world to himself.  Who does Jesus think he is?  The Lord, my Lord, your Lord.  We do not like that very much.  I would be surprised if every one was happy with that thought - that there is an absolute ruler over all.  There is a huge incentive not just to reject him but to kill him.  This act is part of what the bible calls sin.  I think one of the problems I have is to use the word sin, it is a word that has unhelpful connotations.  Sin is related to all that.  Sin`s best definition is living in God`s world as if it was mine.  Living as a vineyard owner when we are only tenants.  It is having ideas above our own station, usurping a throne that does not belong to us.  Did you have any sympathy with the owner of the vineyard?  Should that state of affairs have been allowed to continue?  We don`t give Jesus a moments thought.  We think he can be consigned as a relic of history.  It is of course people`s preogative to think that, they have every right to think that but he is far more than just a historical figure.  It is fascinating that we might object to the owner coming back.  That is not what worried the people.  He exposes the folly of that by quoting scripture again - verse 17 and the consequences of it in verse 18 are deeply serious.  The Christian story does not end as the parable ends.  He was rejected but then God made him the corner stone.  Why?  By defeating defeat, by being defeated.  What else is the crucifixion if not a defeat?  He is executed as the public enemy of the state.  The 2 men on the road to Emmaeus were leaving because they thought he was the one redeemer of Israel but had now died.  He defeats death and rises again proving to be the Lord he claimed to be.  He shows he has the authority to clean up God`s temple, to come down and boss people around because he is the Lord.  Who do you think you are?  Here is the amazing thing - he is the Lord but not a dictator.  God revealed through Jesus.  He is the God of unique mercy.  He dies on the cross as a means of no-one having to be cast out of the vineyard.  They wanted to get him dead but that is the very act of mercy.  He knows what we are like and what we want.  We want to live in his world as if it is ours, as if he doesn`t exist.  It is about me and the way I do things.  He knows what we are like.  That is why he died on the cross.  That is why he showed the impossible.  He sends his son.  Perhaps they will respect him.  It is so poignant.  He is the Lord who forgives, who gives the tenants chance after chance after chance.  He gives that to us too.  Not just once or twice but 70 times 7.  We even tried his religion, Christianity as if it is all about us and how we do things.  Who do we think we are?  He is the Lord not us.  Thank God he is the Lord of mercy otherwise we would be damned.  For some this is really new.  You genuinely do not know what to think.  Do not use sitting on the fence as an excuse.  These leaders refused to face up to reality.  Having gone through all the motions as if it is your world, if that is a realisation you are making tonight do not go away without thinking that through.  Look how dangerous and challenging that is is - verse 18.  Who is the Lord?  Thank God he is the Lord of mercy.  I hope we realise that this realisation is a reminder of his authority.  It is not about being threatened but rather facing reality, realising who he is - the Lord.  He rides into the kingdom city on a donkey.  That is not normal but he is still the king.  He uses that authority to bring kindness and mercy and forgiveness.  Our Father is the one who sent the son to show forgiveness, mercy and justice.  Who do you think he is?

The awakening of God

1 Samuel 3 verses 10 - 21

As we always do, think it is right and proper to give God the glory and thanks for the week gone by.  What was it all about?  Was it just a slot to fill the church diary, to give us something to do in these long evenings or had we a desire in our hearts?  We have got to give thanks for what has happened in this past week.  Thank God for all the families and children that attended.  We have been primarily reaching out to families about the wonderful news of this book, the Bible.  We have been reaching out to families who are blinded by this world.  We have been seeking to hold forth the word of God in these days.  We want to thank God for all the families that came in this past week.  We want to do so with a few thoughts around Samuel and the influence of Eli.  We have got to get it into context.  One little boy called Samuel under the watchful eye of an old priest who at one time had been anointed by God to stand between the people and God.  He had grown cold, got into a backslidden state.  He watched things happening in his own home and maybe he spoke out against them but nothing was done, he didn`t restrain them or stop them.  Eli was going to be judged for it.  God would take Eli out of his position and raise up another priest in his place.  Eli realised the Lord was calling Samuel.  Eli told him it was the Lord speaking to Samuel and he told him to say "speak Lord for thy servant heareth."  How many times has God spoken to us yet we have closed him out?

Samuel was a child asked of God.  Chapter 1 verse 20.  Hannah had no child, she was barren.  She knew the answer to that barrenness lay with the God of heaven.  "If he would only hear and answer my prayer he would supply the need I have."  She gets down before the God of heaven, begins to pray, brought her problem to him.  Chapter 1 verse 27 when she conceived and brought forth her child then later brought him back to the temple she tells Eli "for this child I prayed."  I have prayed that the Lord would give me a child now she is giving him back to the Lord of heaven.  Imagine having to do that.  What it must have been like for her to give her son up.  Imagine her turning away, walking away, her heart would have been broken.  I`m sure there never was a night when she didn`t pray for him.  This is an earthly story of Samuel.  It started with a woman on her knees praying.  The eternal story started in the heart of God.  He had it all planned and purposed from the word go.  He was not going to reach down into a mighty strong family but rather to the life of a little boy of 8 or 9 years of age.  That was the importance of last week - just to bring the word of God to little ones, that the God of heaven might speak to them, reach them, that they might turn.  Remember the last verse of Judges - "there was no king in Israel and every man did that which was right in their own eyes."  Can you imagine the mayhem, the anarchy.  Imagine in the homes, in the government of the land.  Surely we are not far from that same situation today?  Hannah prayed for this man child.  Chapter 1 verse 11.  She was particular in her prayers.  We need to be praying specific in our prayers.  It brings a real challenge to us.  She is coming believing, she is coming into the place of prayer and believing in the God of heaven.  We need to take that same example tonight.  In Hebrews 11 verse 6 we read "without faith it is impossible to please God."  When we are seeking God we must realise he can answer prayer.  "For he that cometh to God must believe that he is and that he is a rewarder of them the diligently seek him."  He is a loving God, he has power to answer prayer.  James says "let him ask in faith nothing wavering." (James 1 verse 6)  Hannah was asking in faith.  A centurion came to Jesus one day and told him he had a servant at home who was sick.  The Lord said he would come to his home but the centurion asked him not to but rather just say the word and he would be healed.  Remember the people in the wilderness who came complaining to Moses that they had no water.  God told him to go out to a certain place and smite a rock.  The elders questioned what he was going to do.  Moses told them that water would come out of the rock as a result.  Moses did exactly as he was told.  Moses was believing God.  Hannah asked for a child and she received it.  Samuel was asked of the Lord. 

Samuel was also accepted of the Lord.  Hannah promised to give Samuel back if she received her request.  What have you given the Lord today?  Would you be prepared to do what he asks of you today?  What if God was to ask something specifically very precious and real to you today?  Just like Abraham with his son.  It is easy to sing the hymns but when God comes and challenges us, what about it?  Are we prepared to set aside that bit of time for the Lord?  Hannah lent him back to the Lord.  Chapter 2 verses 11 and 26.  He was accepted by God.  When we were born into the world we were born as sinners, we had a broken relationship with God from birth, from conception.  A wall of sin has been built up between us and God.  Jesus came into the world to bring us back into a relationship with him.  The moment we realise we have that broken relationship and ask him to come into our lives, he accepts us not because of anything we have done, not because we have attended church or sat around the communion table.  It is because you have come by the way of the cross and accepted him as your Lord and Saviour.  Ephesians 1 verse 6 "wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved."

Samuel was awakened.  He closed up the doors of the house of the temple, he made sure Eli was in his bed then he went of into his own bed.  Somewhere between that and the morning God spoke to him.  Eli realised the third time it was God speaking.  Samuel was awakened by God out of his sleep.  Job says "For God speaketh once yea twice but man perceiveth it not." (Job 33 verse 14)  Man closes his ears, his mind didn`t want this.  The grace of God is there.  Job tells us God does it through dreams and visions.  Has God been speaking to you in past days about something?  I believe that God is giving the church an awakening call.  We are part of that church,  In this year, 2017 God is giving us an awakening call.  When we see a march through our city for the law to be changed for a new thought on abortion, to introduce same sex marriage - all in contradiction to the word of God, what does the church do?  We will have a car boot sale, a daffodil tea, some scheme for raising money, a vintage rally, a sponsored walk but all the time men and women are going out to a Christless hell.  You and I are getting an awakening call.  When we see things happening on the TV screen, see them in our newspapers it should drive us to our knees in prayer.  We are evangelical in our outreach.  When we see things happening it is God that is speaking in our hearts calling us back into the house of prayer.  Samuel was awakened.  God speaks in different ways - to the very young, the children we reached out to last week.  Sometimes we hear that children cannot take this message in, that they cannot make a decision like that.  The greatest preacher who ever lived said "Except ye become converted and become as little children ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven." (Matthew 18 verse 3) That was Jesus himself who said that.  Sometimes God can speak through sickness or through something that happens in our lives.  Has he spoken to you today?  If you were to go through the pages of Samuel you will read the words "them that honour me I will honour." (1 Samuel 2 verse 30)  "Honour the Lord with thy substance, and with the firstfruits, of all thine increase." (Proverbs 3 verse 9)  

Samuel was given totally to the Lord and the Lord used him.  When we give our all to the Lord, are we prepared to say "here I am whatever you ask I am prepared to do."