The fear, focus, following, faith, finding and fruit of the shepherds

Sermon notes from Sunday 16 December 2018 pm

I suppose one of the most beautiful accounts of the Christmas message is found here.  It is the scene of the shepherds on the hillside, the angels coming right to where they were to proclaim that there was born a Saviour.  A wonderful message.

Firstly the fear that gripped the shepherds hearts.  The first emotion that gripped their hearts and was evident on the hillside.  I don`t know whether fear came about because of the sudden appearance of the angels on the hillside.  They seemed to come out of nowhere.  How do we know their hearts were afraid?  Chapter 2 verse 9 "sore afraid".  The very first emotion on a person`s heart when they come face to face with the gospel message is a fear that grips the heart.  Have you experienced that?  Remember Isaiah the prophet in the house of God when the presence of God came down, he said "I am a man of unclean lips."  He realised what he was in the presence of God.  Peter said "depart from me for I am a sinful man."  Paul to the Romans in chapter 1 verse 17 said "for therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith."  There should be no fear, no alarm.  They had a wonderful message about the Saviour.  When the Holy Spirit comes to our heart and we are not saved, when he applies it to our hearts there should be no fear.  The only fear we should have is the fear of the wrath of God.  The message is of saving grace that he sent his Son into the world to shed his blood and die for our sins on Calvary.  The wonderful message that one came to save me.  The Bible tells me of a mark that I have come short of.  The good news is that the Lord came that he might make us up to that mark, that one day we might enter into the portals of heaven with him.  When Adam heard the voice of God in the Garden of Eden his first reaction was to run away, to get as far from God as possible.   He had fallen short of what God expected of him. When God called out "Adam where art thou?" he tried to hide, to take cover because of his shame.  God had a wonderful message for him.  God came to bring redemption for him.  The good news is there is a Saviour for you if you will only trust him.  God is telling you to fear not.  Your heart may be gripped right now.  The wrath of God is abiding on you.  There is a Saviour though tonight.

The focus.  See the angels coming down to the hill with this message.  He doesn`t look for any fancy words.  The focus of his message was none other than Jesus.  Verse 11 pointing these shepherds to Bethlehem, to the one who left the realms of heaven to come down into this world.  Verse 20 the clarity of the message was evident.  The whole focus of the message was Jesus Christ.  Verse 16 they found Mary and Joseph and the baby.  The preacher must focus on the Lord.  If the preacher leaves out the fact that man needs a Saviour, the preacher has lost out completely.  You have gone away knowing you have lost a Saviour.  Man is losing tonight.  We were conceived in the womb as sinners, on your way to a lost and Christless hell for all eternity.  When he was born into the world, grew up amongst men, walked the streets of Galilee, time when rejected by men, that he bled and suffered and rejected - why - because we were cut off from God.  He came into the world to reconcile a lost mankind unto God.  The focus of the gospel message is the Lord himself.  We need to get focused on the Saviour tonight.  The old religious leaders and Pharisees tried to turn people away from recognising him as the Messiah, they didn`t recognise him as the Saviour of the world.

Notice the following.  The shepherds took in what was happening.  They saw the lights, the angels, heard the message and they decided when they heard that message to go and see what had happened.  Verse 15 the angels have descended again into heaven, the hillside has gone dark again but that is not the end.  The shepherds wanted to prove what the angels had said unto them.  They made their way into Bethlehem.  There is a beckoning for a response tonight.  They wanted to see if this thing is a reality.

The faith - "let us go and see this thing"  They exercised faith - verse 15.  Maybe you have never trusted Christ as Saviour, you have heard the message for yourself.  Revelation 3 verse 20.  That is your part tonight.  The Lord has done it all to satisfy his father in heaven.  God uses all sorts of things to catch your attention - sickness, pain, great joy - all to ask you to let him in.  He waits for you to open the door and to allow him to come in.  Paul preached to the people of Athens, he preached about the Lord, how he came into the world, died, was buried and raised the third day, now sitting at his Father`s right hand waiting to receive all who come to him.  When Paul finished "when they heard of the resurrection of the dead some mocked."  They had never heard such nonsense before.  "Others said we will hear you again of this matter."  They couldn`t make up their minds there and then.  They didn`t close in with God`s offer of mercy.  What will be your response tonight?  The shepherds response was "let us go now."  They wanted to prove for themselves that this great Saviour they had heard about was actually born.  In Athens other people believed on that day.

There is the finding.  They made their way down and they found the baby as they were told - verse 16

The fruit that came from this.  The shepherds returned glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen as it was told unto them.  Verse 20.  God makes us a new creature, puts a new song in our mouths even praise unto our God.  Would you come like the shepherds?  They gazed on him.  They took him as Saviour and Lord.  Trust him fully tonight.  Will you come and make him yours tonight?

Joseph`s crisis, compassion, consideration, choices and clarity

Sermon notes from Sunday 16 December 2018

Matthew 1 verses 18 - 25

We can see before us the development of what God has for this world and for our own individual lives in bringing his Son into this world, that he would seek and save a lost mankind.  This whole world was lost in sin and separation because of what happened in the Garden of Eden.  The Lord had it all planned and purposed that you would come to a saving knowledge of God today.  Look at Mary and the type of person she was and the task she had been given.  Now look at Joseph and the type of character he was.   He went unnoticed.  He is seen in the scenes around Jesus` birth in different modes.

His crisis mode.  As the scripture opened up before us here is a young man planning marriage to his young wife, a great future lay before them.  All this was going through his mind.  No doubt he loved and served the Lord.  When the Lord comes to us, opens up a task for us doesn`t it demonstrate his trust and faith in us?  Joseph was honoured to carry it out.  Remember Abraham when he was told how Sodom would be judged for its sin.  God knew him and the task he had for him.  God knows you today.  If he has been speaking to you over the past days he has a task for you.  Joseph has this great future before him, he loves the Lord with all his heart.  His whole world is suddenly turned upside down.  The greatest challenge comes to his heart.  His heart has been plumeted into despair and crisis.  He cannot understand why this has happened to him.  Sometimes a crisis comes to our lives.  Sometimes God allows things into our lives, things we don`t understand and even things we do not like.  It is a test of our faith.  Our faith is tested not in the spiritual sunshine, not in the midst of great blessing but it is tested in our darkest days.  The crisis on this occasion was for the fulfilment and furtherance of God`s plan of salvation.  God was saying to Joseph "I have it under my control, this is for the furtherance of the gospel."  Paul lying in the prison in Philippi, his heart was rejoicing.  Although he was there in chains and in prison yet the word of God was going forth and people were coming to faith and others were waxing bolder in their faith.  "Paul, A servant of Jesus Christ called to be an apostle separated unto the gospel of God. (Which he hath promised before by his prophets in the holy scriptures)" (Romans 1 verses 1 and 2)  It was promised back in the Old Testament scriptures.  He was saying this gospel I proclaim is concerning his Son.  "Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh."  He has fulfilled the gospel promised in bringing Jesus into the world.  Joseph was in a crisis.  Maybe you feel there is something in your ife, this is a real crisis but it might be for the furtherance of the Gospel.  Abraham who had a son in his old age was told by God one day to prove his love and take his son and sacrifice him.  Abraham`s faith was being challenged.  Joseph in the Old Testament scriptures came from a loving home.  He was betrayed by his brothers.  He knew the love of his father.  He had security in his home.  One day he went out to see his brothers.  They hated him, cast him into an old dirty well, sold as a slave into Egypt.  Why?  For the furtherance of the nation of Israel.  That is what eventually delivered Israel.  Maybe God is doing something in your life right now.

Joseph in his compassionate mode.  Verse 19 "then Joseph being a just man."  Joseph heard Mary was expecting and the only conclusion he could come to was she had been unfaithful to him.  He didn`t see the full picture.  Sometimes God challenges us.  We think it strange, don`t know why it is happening but God has it under control.  God doesn`t show us the full picture.  God only reveals to us one step at a time.  He doesn`t show the outcome.  Joseph didn`t know the outcome.  Even though Joseph was in a crisis, his heart was broken, he felt betrayed yet he would not allow Mary to be a public example.  In the eyes of the law she should have been stoned to death.  As far as the people of Nazareth were concerned she had committed adultery.  Joseph showed compassion.  Have we that compassion today?  The apostle Paul had that same compassion.  He wrote to Timothy about Alexander the silversmith.  Paul writing to Timothy knew that Alexander would oppose him.  2 Timothy 4 verse 14 "Alexander the coppersmith did me much evil."  We are not told what Alexander did exactly but Paul went on to say "the Lord reward him according to his works."  I don`t have to worry about those who oppose me.  God is in charge, he will work that out.  Joseph had a compassionate nature.

Joseph in his considerate mode.  "But while he thought on these things."  Joseph didn`t act with haste.  He thought about things.  He didn`t take her to the priest and tell him what had happened not like the crowd who caught the woman in adultery and was brought to Jesus.  Joseph was giving some consideration.  It is good to think things through.  Joseph was considering the feelings of his wife Mary.  The Lord came just as Joseph pondered on these things.  Even when his life was turned upside down Joseph still thought of others.  In the Old Testament Joseph left home at 17 years of age.  He was sold as a slave into Egypt. was wrongly accused and cast into prison for something he didn`t do.  While Joseph was in prison he met the baker and the butler.  Then one day Joseph in this old prison house met these 2 men.  These 2 men were down and sad.  Genesis 40 verse 7 Joseph asked "wherefore look ye so sad today?"  Sometimes we let statements like that run off our lips.  This young man Joseph left his father`s house at 17 years of age, was wrongly accused, meets these 2 men 2 years later, not thinking of himself.  He looks into the face of these 2 men and asks them "why are ye troubled today?"  What a witness.  Sometimes we are too wrapped up in ourselves that we don`t see others.  Joseph of old considered these 2 men.  Joseph here in the New Testament considered his wife.  1 Corinthians 9 verses 19 - 23.

Joseph`s choices.  "While he thought on these things."  Something that wouldn`t leave his mind.  Can you imagine the hurt he felt.  He didn`t know what was happening.  While he thought on these things - he had compassion.  He wasn`t pondering or brooding on these things.  When we get into that mood it will poison us.  We should really take it to the Lord.  This is what Joseph was doing.  An angel came to him - verse 20.  Joseph was waiting on the Lord.  The Lord is opening up something in our lives, asking us to do something.  He doesn`t want us to run ahead of him.  We must wait on him.

Here is the clarity.  He was not to fear to take Mary as his wife - verse 21.

Joseph`s commitment - verses 24 and 25.

Worry and anxiety

Sermon notes from Sunday 2 Deember 2018 am

Matthew 6 verses 25 - 34

This portion of scripture is included within the Sermon on the Mount verses.  The Lord is dealing with the great problem of worry or anxiety, over anxiousness.  That was a problem in the Lord` s day as it is even today.  Verse 25 "Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on.  Is not the life more than meat and the body than raiment?"  The response is simply put in verse 32 "For after all these things do the Gentiles seek; for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things."  The Lord already had it under control.  If you know the Lord as your personal Saviour the devil will try to blot out your life, take you out.  He uses the tool of discouragement, brings that against us.  Then he also goes back in to the armoury again and will bring out the weapon of worry, anxiety, stress and strain to bring us down.

The danger of worry.  We all worry.  The Lord is asking us "what is the point of worrying, it cannot add to our stature."  He spoke of everyday things that concerned his disciples.  They had left everything behind to follow Jesus - their fishing nets and boats.  They left everything to follow Jesus.  There are many things in life that cause worry and concern.  The Lord is talking about an overanxiousness.  We worry about a visit to the doctors, about our employment, our future.  Sometimes we worry and we really cannot put a finger on what we worry about.  It is not easy.  The Lord deals with 2 things in this section - verses 19 - 24 are about the lust of money, the rich people who have so much money that they don`t know what to do with it, they are scared it will fall away.  In verses 25 - 34 Jesus talks about those who do not have enough money.  "For the love of money is the root of all evil" Paul said to Timothy. (1 Timothy 6 verse 10)  We can be as guilty of that as the person who is a multimillionaire.  This section of scripture is saying to us - what the Lord wants from us is our allegiance to him, to trust him more and more and more.  He tells us 3 times in this portion of scripture - verses 25, 31 and 34 "take no thought."  When you and I come to trust the Lord as Saviour we were adopted into the family of God and he looks after us.  To read that little phrase in Greek is stronger - it really means to stop the worry that has already begun.  How do I do that?  It is the feeling that something is beginning to get me down.  Bring it to the Lord.  Worry is a danger to our spiritual growth.  It is also a danger to our medical and mental state.  It is a danger to our wellbeing.  Elijah is a great example of this.  He stood before kings with no fear, confronted the prophets on Mount Carmel.  He called Israel to task "why halt ye between 2 opinions?" (1 Kings 18 verse 21)  He calls the Israelite nation back to God.  He took 400 prophets and puts them to death.  His eyes are on God, his heart is on God`s will yet he hears a voice from the palace that caused him to worry.  Jezebel the queen threatened to put him to death if she got hold of him.  The next verses in the portion of scripture are very important - "and when he saw that." (1 Kings 19 verse 3)  The anger of Jezebel caused Elijah to fear.  When fear grips your heart what do you do?  We run with it.  Elijah`s fear led him to run away, to dwell on it.  It didn`t matter how far he ran, he was still dwelling on what she said and threatened to do.  We find him in the wilderness.  His eyes are off the Lord and focusing on this problem.  He wasn`t looking after himself.  His body was weak and God met him in the wilderness.  Elijah was tired and weak.  He lacked food and sleep and was very anxious.  His mental ability was affected.  He asked to be left to die.  In Acts 16 the jailer in the prison was very anxious.  The next day he would lose his life as a result of the earthquake.  He got himself into such a state he was ready to take his own life.  We see that even today in our province, it is a sad reflection of society.  People see no way out and decide to take their own lives.

The distraction of worry.  Satan`s purpose is to bring you down.  If he cannot discourage you he will get something in your heart that will begin to form and worry.  Before long the devil has you where he wants you.  We have to keep our eyes on him when our minds are full of difficult siuations.  Elijah got his eyes off the Lord, off his plan and purpose.  He was out in the wilderness and wanted to die.  He had a lot of work to do.  The Lord had a purpose for him.  Elijah was able to go in and speak to kings and prophets, to call the nation back to the Lord but he is found sitting in a cave with his head between his knees.  He was no longer interested in the call and work of God because Jezebel the queen got his mind distracted.  Maybe you are worried about your health, your future or your family.  The devil has you focusing on it.  He will bring everything to bear on that situation, show you there is no way out of it.  Maybe no-one else sees that.  That is how you are feeling inside.  You are not where God would have you to be.  You have become distracted.  When Jesus came to the home of Mary and Martha, Mary fell down and began to listen to Jesus.  Martha was more concerned about getting food to Jesus.  She missed out on the very best, just to sit at the Lord`s feet.  She had one thought in her mind.  When Joshua called the people of Israel to cross over the Jordan they were to watch the priests stepping into the water carrying the ark of the covenant.  Joshua told them to keep their eyes on the ark.  Keep your eyes on the Lord today because we have an enemy who is subtle.  What did the writer to the Hebrews encourage them to do - "looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith." (Hebrews 12 verse 2)

The distress that worry brings.  Jesus wants you and I to have utter confidence in God.  He wanted his disciples not to worry where their food would come from.  He gave the example of the flowers of the field, they had no means of putting together fancy designs yet "Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these."  In the Old Testament Saul was sitting in the valley when 30,000 chariots came against him and gathered all around him in the hills.  They had pitched their tents to come against Saul.  The people in Saul`s camp began to run and hide.  Saul was waiting on Samuel to come.  Imagine him watching the time, every second and minute going by.  He then went and did something he shouldn`t have done.  He took one of the lambs out of the flock and sacrificed it.  As he did so Samuel arrived.  Saul feared the Lord had left him.  (1 Samuel 13)  Sometimes worry leads us to do things we shouldn`t.  We feel the Lord has left us.  We give up on waiting on God.  We fail to read his word.  Worry does that.  It takes us away from God`s word.  The devil gets our minds focused on things that are away from God.

The direction the Lord gives.   If you are worried today and it is something in your mind that is really starting to take over do not get anxious.  Bring the worry to the Lord.  All the worry for tomorrow it will not add anything to your situation.  Don`t worry about them today.  Leave the past behind.  You cannot change them.  Verse 33 contains a promise "But seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you."  The Lord is not promising you riches but every day needs to be met.  Verse 34 "Take therefore no thought for the morrow; for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself.  Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof."  The apostle Paul himself said "be careful for nothing but in everything by prayer and supplicatino with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God." (Philippians 4 verse 6)  Peter said "casting all your care upon him for he careth for you." (1 Peter 5 verse 7)  Take it all to the Lord.  Think of Daniel cast into the lions den.  There was the old king who signed the deed for him to be put there, he went home but he was the one who couldn`t sleep.  Daniel was not looking at the lions around him.  He was not afraid there in the den.  He knew the Lord had come and he had closed the mouths of the lions.  He was not anxious.  Peter in Acts 12 was lying in the cell knowing that the following day he would be taken out and killed.  The angel came in and showed him the way out of the prison to safety.  He had left it all to the Lord.  We too can lift our worries to the Lord who tells us not to worry.

A great war in Heaven - Revelation chapter 12

Sermon notes from Sunday 25 November 2018

Revelation 12

When we turn to chapter 12 I believe we are turning to an interesting chapter indeed.  In chapter 12 we see the conflict and conquest and confrontation that exists here.  From Satan`s downfall in heaven until his demise in the bottomless pit.  This most talented, gifted, created being - don`t forget he was like that.  The chief choir master in heaven, given the lead of praise around the throne of grace.  He fell from that position to where we find him.  Look here today and take comfort and encouragement from this passage.  The worse was to come during these 7 years. Get that into your mind.  The words Jesus said were - there was never a time like it before nor will there be again.  This is a slot of time.  There are a lot of souls blinded by the god of this world.  We need to tell them about the things of God, the things that matter most in life, need to tell them to escape from this way of life.  God gave divine protection for his people.  God will bring you out of that tribultation today.  As we look back on the passages of history remember it is his story.  This is a story of God today. 

In chapter 12 there is a panoramic view given by God.  It is the picture of the persons that are involved in this conquest and conflict going on.  Verse 1 "great wonder" or sign in heaven.  Imagine John on the Isle of Patmos, God is giving him this panoramic view of what will take place.  He sees as it were the heavens open and sees this great wonder.  "A woman clothed with the sun and the moon under her feet and upon her head a crown of twelve stars. And she being with child cried travaling in birth and pain to be delivered."  The first thought comes to mind is who is this woman?  There was a woman called Mary Eady in the late 1800`s who started up a work in America known as Christian Science.  Mary Eady claimed to be the woman in Revelation chapter 12 and the child she would bring forth would be the child of Christian Scientism.  Roman Catholics believe this woman to be the Virgin Mary.  Others say the woman represents the church but that cannot be so because Jesus Christ brought forth the church not the other way around.  So who is this woman?  This to me is a picture of Israel.  If we went back to Genesis 37 and the story of Joseph we remember the dream he had on one occasion.  He saw the sun and moon and 11 stars bowing down before him.  The sun represented his father, the moon his mother and the 11 stars his brothers.  We find this same picture here in chapter 12 verse 1.  We find this woman clothed with the sun and the moon.  Joseph`s dream of the very nation of Israel itself.  God has great plans for Israel and he will take them up again here in chapter 12.  "He came to his own and his own received him not."  God will deal with Israel once more and his plans will be fulfilled.  It is through the nation of Israel we have received the Messiah, Christ himself.  In verses 3 and 4 we are introduced to "a great red dragon".  The world and its followers tell us today that there is no such a thing as the devil.  He is not a real person.  God`s word tells us in verse 9 "and the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil and Satan which deceiveth the whole world; he was cast out into the earth and his angels were cast out with him."  People tell us today that there is an evil influence in the world but there is no such a thing as the devil.  They say that the idea of a devil was invented in the 16th Century to keep people in fear but today we are a more educated society and there is no such person as the devil.  The red term is very significant as it shows the viciousness and pain caused to the nation Israel.  This dragon has 7 heads.  In scripture the head speaks of wisdom and the number 7 is the number of perfection.  The head is symbolic of wisdom.  How clever this devil is.  He has perfect wisdom.  Ezekiel 28 verse 15 "Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee."  One day the devil will gather the nations to Armageddon.  The dragon has also 10 horns.  Horns speak of power.  There were also 7 crowns on his head.  Crowns represent dominion and authority.  The devil is perfect in his wisdom, has great authority and power.  He is not almighty though.  God is almighty.  The devil is mighty but not almighty.  He has a tail which speaks of strength.  It was not in his teeth or mouth.  "And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven and did cast them to the earth."  When Satan fell he tried to get above God, to get onto God`s throne and to get the angels to worship him.  He was cast out of heaven into heavenly throne and he took one third of heaven`s angels on that downward fall.  In verse 9 we see the red dragon is the devil himself, Satan.  These are the persons pictured here - the woman represents Israel and the red dragon represents Satan.

A picture of the programme.  Who is the child we see described in verse 4?  He is none other that Jesus Christ.  The devil was there in the Garden of Eden when he was first promised - Genesis 3 verse 15.  The promise of the Messiah was given.  He would one day be sent into the world, that he would live and die to destroy the works of Satan.  From that day Satan got his eyes on the Lord to prevent the Lord entering into this world.  He set about persecuting and bringing monarchs and regimes against Israel.  He did it with Cain and Abel but God brought forth Seth to redeem the family, to carry on the royal line.  Esau promised to kill Jacob but God protected Jacob and brought him back into his home land again.  He stirred up the heart of Pharaoh so that he might destroy the people of Israel living in the land of Egypt.  God raised up Moses and even had him brought up in Pharaoh`s palace.  In 2 Kings we read of Joash who had an evil grandmother.  She put to death all the royal seed for her own cause.  Joash`s aunt went in so quickly and picked him up before his grandmother put him to death.  She hid the child and cared for him.  He was the last link to the royal line.  If he had been put to death the Lord would never have come.  God used her to protect and raise up Joash to the throne again.  The devil with all his powers came against the woman even at the birth of Christ.  God stirred up the evil heart of Herod.  Remember when they came looking for Jesus when he was born.  Herod was so bitter and angry when he found out there was a new born king somewhere.  He sent out an order that all the babies should be put to death.  That was the devil`s hand.  The Lord raised up these people to do his task.  The apostle Paul writing to the Ephesians said "we wrestle not against flesh and blood but against principalities."  The devil can raise up people to say things against us, to discourage us.  Maybe this morning you are being discouraged about someone.  The devil is taking up that person.  He is the real enemy behind it all though.

Satan`s penalty - verse 7.  There was a war going on in heaven.  What we need to understand is that somewhere in the first 2 chapters of Genesis, there was a conflict and Satan was cast out of heaven, cast into the dark.  He is the prince of the power of the air.  We can feel his effects.  He has the power to infiltrate our minds, to bring us down and discourage us.  Then we read here in verse 7 of a war.  This is the war where Satan was cast out.  They are reigning at the moment in the atmosphere.  We are at the middle point of the 7 years of witness on this earth.  The devil is cast out onto the earth.  Think of that for a moment.  The devil is reigning and his angels are reigning too.  One day cast down onto earth - what a day that will be.

The persecution - verse 13.  There never has been a nation as persecuted as much as the nation of Israel.  Remember back in Exodus when they had been given the best of the land when they first went down into Egypt.  Pharaoh began to persecute the nation of Israel, they were used as slaves until Moses brought them out.  Then later they were under the Assyrian regime.  The Assyrians came right to the door of Jerusalem and carried them away for miles under Nebuchadnezzar`s reign in Babylon.  Under the Medes and Persians one man Haaman had a letter signed by the king that all Jews should be put to death.  God used Mordecai to bring Haaman down and he was eventually hanged on the gallows he himself had built.  God was in control.  Under the Roman empire and Caesar the Israelites were persecuted.  Sadaam Hussein declared that he would once more carry the Israelites into bondage before his death.

The protection this nation will have - verse 15.  The devil is going to influence the nations of the world against Israel.  The words used here for water is the same word used for the nations and peoples of the world.  The devil will raise up nations to come against the nation of Israel.  In verse 14 we see the woman was given 2 wings that she might flee into her place.  God has a place for her.  God will not forsake his people.  He has redeemed us and he will keep us.

The call to Samuel

Sermon notes from Sunday 25 November 2018

1 Samuel 3 verses 1 - 10

As I have said already the character of the boy Samuel is very profitable to study.  The time set out here in verse 1 is a very dark time in the land of Israel.  "The word of the Lord was precious" means God was not speaking through the prophets to the nation.  There was no open vision.  Eli the prophet had 2 sons who were very wicked.  Eli was not condemning what they were doing and not speaking out against them.  We find something very real and exciting in the bedroom of this child - verse 12.  God will raise him up and he will beome one of the mightiest prophets Israel has every known.  This is the same child that Hannah had brought to the temple.  She had prayed for him.  She had come to the temple and poured out her heart to the Lord.  She asked for a man child that she might give him back to the Lord.  She brought him back to the priest and gave him back to the Lord.  The lesson here for us is that we should bring our children into the house of God to hear the word of the Lord.  We live in a sinful day, the things of God are treated with lightness, very little reverence to the things of God.  There were days in our province when God swept through our land and men and women were gloriously saved.  If only God would do that again, come with that real freshness again.  Thank God there are ones coming to faith, genuine change, born again of the Spirit of God. 

The appeal God makes - verse 4.  It is firstly a private call.  It was an audible voice.  Samuel was lying in his bed.  The voice was audible enough for him to make Samuel think it was Eli.  God is still calling people tonight.  The Spirit of God is still speaking in meetings, showing us our great need of salvation, showing you God`s son, how he took your place on Calvary, dying in your place that you might never be lost.  He is trying to reveal to you what he has done for you, calling you to leave your sin behind.  Unless we are willing to repent of our sin he cannot save us.  "Thou shalt call his name Jesus for he shall save his people from their sin."  You cannot take it with you.  The woman at the well left her water pot.  She had found the Messiah, Christ for herself.  She trusted him now for new birth.  He gave her water that she wold never thirst again.  He calls us, saves us, sets us free.  This was a very private appeal.  It happened in his bedroom.  Eli did not know what was happening.  God was speaking directly to Samuel.  He jumps out of his bed and runs to Eli`s room.  There is quietness in his bedroom, no noise around him.  Has God ever spoken to you like that?  As you lay down at night and you thought to yourself "what if I never wakened, lifted my head again, where will my soul be for all eternity?"  Elijah in the cave witnessed the earthquake, heard the great wind sweeping across the mountainside, saw the fire that came yet he realised God was not in the earthquake, wind or fire but that God was in the still small voice.  Sometimes God speaks quietly and privately.  There is no set of circumstances to bar God.  God knows no limitations.  In the Old Testament scriptures King Belshazzar threw a great party and invited 1000 of his lords.  He spread the table with the tastiest of things, brought the cups from the house of God.  There was great merriment all around that night then all of a sudden he could see a hand writing on the wall.  A private message for him and him alone.  You can be sitting in the biggest of congregations yet God could speak to you and you only.  Maybe he is speaking directly now.  You are weighed in the balances and you are found wanting.

It was a personal call.  The God of heaven knew Samuel`s very name.  He knew his heart.  Everything about him.  He knew why he was there.  He calls him by name.  God calls us by name.  God knows about it.  He knows whether you are saved or not.  He knows whether you have turned from your sin, accepted Christ as Saviour.  He knows whether your name is written in the Lamb`s book of life or not.  This is a personal call.  Saul of Tarsus was on his way from Jerusalem to Damascus.  He was going with letters to persecute the church.  He was brought to his knees on that road.  He heard a voice calling him "Saul, Saul."  God knew all about him.  Zacchaeus was sitting in the sycamore tree when God stopped at the bottom and told him to come down.  He named him directly.  God is saying to you and calls you by name.  Would you be man or woman enough to surrender your life to Christ?  Could you look back in your life when you trusted Christ as Saviour and Lord?

A prolonged appeal.  We read in this chapter that God comes to him 3 times.  3 times he heard this voice and 3 times he made the trip to Eli.  It was a prolonged appeal.  One of the most solemn verses of scripture is where God is speaking - Genesis 6 "my Spirit shall not always strive with man."  Some day he will stop calling you.  The Spirit of God strives and works.  There comes a time when he leaves.  He doesn`t give up without a battle.  A prolonged appeal.  In the days of Peter he spoke of the longsuffering of God in the days of Noah.  He was a preacher of righteousness.  He was given the task of building the ark.  He followed the design of God.  He was living among a people who were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage.  These people had never experienced rain before.  Noah invited, preached and pleaded with the people.  They would not go into the ark.  God suffered long but then it ceased.

The advice that was given - verse 7.  "Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord neither was the word of the Lord revealed unto him."  There was something about that voice that made him run to Eli.  Eli himself couldn`t understand it.  There are many standing behind the sacred desk who are keeping people back from God`s salvation.  They never had that experience of saving faith.  They know the scriptures but they will tell people there is no call for salvation.  They will tell people "you are a good person, you go to church, you take communion."  The advice you receive can keep you back from the Lord himself.  Is there someone hindering you from getting saved?  Eli was able to explain at the last calling who Samuel heard.  He realised it was God speaking directly to Samuel.  He told him if he heard God calling again he was to say "Speak Lord for thy servant heareth."  Have you heard God speaking to you in other meetings, on other nights?

The answer that came.  Eli said "Samuel if you hear this voice, if God calls again say to him speak Lord."  What great advice to give.  See Philip standing beside the Ethiopian eunich`s chariot watching him pondering the scriptures.  Philip stepped up and opened the scriptures and preached Christ to that man.  This same eunich asked later on "what doth hinder me to be baptised?"  Philip asked him "do you believe with all your heart that Christ has died and risen again?"  He said yes and was baptised that day.  There is an appeal made by God himself.  There is advice given by Eli but the answer had to come from Samuel

There is an appeal from God.  God waits at this moment for an answer.  What will you answer be?  Perhaps it will be "yes Lord I would love to be saved, to know Jesus Christ as my Saviour, to have that assurance."  Is God speaking to you right now?

The war in Heaven - Revelation chapter 12

Sermon notes from Sunday 25 November 2018

Revelation 12

When we turn to chapter 12 I believe we are turning to an interesting chapter indeed.  In chapter 12 we see the conflict and conquest and confrontation that exists here.  From Satan`s downfall in heaven until his demise in the bottomless pit.  This most talented, gifted, created being - don`t forget he was like that.  The chief choir master in heaven, given the lead of praise around the throne of grace.  He fell from that position to where we find him.  Look here today and take comfort and encouragement from this passage.  The worse was to come during these 7 years. Get that into your mind.  The words Jesus said were - there was never a time like it before nor will there be again.  This is a slot of time.  There are a lot of souls blinded by the god of this world.  We need to tell them about the things of God, the things that matter most in life, need to tell them to escape from this way of life.  God gave divine protection for his people.  God will bring you out of that tribultation today.  As we look back on the passages of history remember it is his story.  This is a story of God today.  

In chapter 12 there is a panoramic view given by God.  It is the picture of the persons that are involved in this conquest and conflict going on.  Verse 1 "great wonder" or sign in heaven.  Imagine John on the Isle of Patmos, God is giving him this panoramic view of what will take place.  He sees as it were the heavens open and sees this great wonder.  "A woman clothed with the sun and the moon under her feet and upon her head a crown of twelve stars. And she being with child cried travaling in birth and pain to be delivered."  The first thought comes to mind is who is this woman?  There was a woman called Mary Eady in the late 1800`s who started up a work in America known as Christian Science.  Mary Eady claimed to be the woman in Revelation chapter 12 and the child she would bring forth would be the child of Christian Scientism.  Roman Catholics believe this woman to be the Virgin Mary.  Others say the woman represents the church but that cannot be so because Jesus Christ brought forth the church not the other way around.  So who is this woman?  This to me is a picture of Israel.  If we went back to Genesis 37 and the story of Joseph we remember the dream he had on one occasion.  He saw the sun and moon and 11 stars bowing down before him.  The sun represented his father, the moon his mother and the 11 stars his brothers.  We find this same picture here in chapter 12 verse 1.  We find this woman clothed with the sun and the moon.  Joseph`s dream of the very nation of Israel itself.  God has great plans for Israel and he will take them up again here in chapter 12.  "He came to his own and his own received him not."  God will deal with Israel once more and his plans will be fulfilled.  It is through the nation of Israel we have received the Messiah, Christ himself.  In verses 3 and 4 we are introduced to "a great red dragon".  The world and its followers tell us today that there is no such a thing as the devil.  He is not a real person.  God`s word tells us in verse 9 "and the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil and Satan which deceiveth the whole world; he was cast out into the earth and his angels were cast out with him."  People tell us today that there is an evil influence in the world but there is no such a thing as the devil.  They say that the idea of a devil was invented in the 16th Century to keep people in fear but today we are a more educated society and there is no such person as the devil.  The red term is very significant as it shows the viciousness and pain caused to the nation Israel.  This dragon has 7 heads.  In scripture the head speaks of wisdom and the number 7 is the number of perfection.  The head is symbolic of wisdom.  How clever this devil is.  He has perfect wisdom.  Ezekiel 28 verse 15 "Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee."  One day the devil will gather the nations to Armageddon.  The dragon has also 10 horns.  Horns speak of power.  There were also 7 crowns on his head.  Crowns represent dominion and authority.  The devil is perfect in his wisdom, has great authority and power.  He is not almighty though.  God is almighty.  The devil is mighty but not almighty.  He has a tail which speaks of strength.  It was not in his teeth or mouth.  "And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven and did cast them to the earth."  When Satan fell he tried to get above God, to get onto God`s throne and to get the angels to worship him.  He was cast out of heaven into heavenly throne and he took one third of heaven`s angels on that downward fall.  In verse 9 we see the red dragon is the devil himself, Satan.  These are the persons pictured here - the woman represents Israel and the red dragon represents Satan.

A picture of the programme.  Who is the child we see described in verse 4?  He is none other that Jesus Christ.  The devil was there in the Garden of Eden when he was first promised - Genesis 3 verse 15.  The promise of the Messiah was given.  He would one day be sent into the world, that he would live and die to destroy the works of Satan.  From that day Satan got his eyes on the Lord to prevent the Lord entering into this world.  He set about persecuting and bringing monarchs and regimes against Israel.  He did it with Cain and Abel but God brought forth Seth to redeem the family, to carry on the royal line.  Esau promised to kill Jacob but God protected Jacob and brought him back into his home land again.  He stirred up the heart of Pharaoh so that he might destroy the people of Israel living in the land of Egypt.  God raised up Moses and even had him brought up in Pharaoh`s palace.  In 2 Kings we read of Joash who had an evil grandmother.  She put to death all the royal seed for her own cause.  Joash`s aunt went in so quickly and picked him up before his grandmother put him to death.  She hid the child and cared for him.  He was the last link to the royal line.  If he had been put to death the Lord would never have come.  God used her to protect and raise up Joash to the throne again.  The devil with all his powers came against the woman even at the birth of Christ.  God stirred up the evil heart of Herod.  Remember when they came looking for Jesus when he was born.  Herod was so bitter and angry when he found out there was a new born king somewhere.  He sent out an order that all the babies should be put to death.  That was the devil`s hand.  The Lord raised up these people to do his task.  The apostle Paul writing to the Ephesians said "we wrestle not against flesh and blood but against principalities."  The devil can raise up people to say things against us, to discourage us.  Maybe this morning you are being discouraged about someone.  The devil is taking up that person.  He is the real enemy behind it all though.

Satan`s penalty - verse 7.  There was a war going on in heaven.  What we need to understand is that somewhere in the first 2 chapters of Genesis, there was a conflict and Satan was cast out of heaven, cast into the dark.  He is the prince of the power of the air.  We can feel his effects.  He has the power to infiltrate our minds, to bring us down and discourage us.  Then we read here in verse 7 of a war.  This is the war where Satan was cast out.  They are reigning at the moment in the atmosphere.  We are at the middle point of the 7 years of witness on this earth.  The devil is cast out onto the earth.  Think of that for a moment.  The devil is reigning and his angels are reigning too.  One day cast down onto earth - what a day that will be.

The persecution - verse 13.  There never has been a nation as persecuted as much as the nation of Israel.  Remember back in Exodus when they had been given the best of the land when they first went down into Egypt.  Pharaoh began to persecute the nation of Israel, they were used as slaves until Moses brought them out.  Then later they were under the Assyrian regime.  The Assyrians came right to the door of Jerusalem and carried them away for miles under Nebuchadnezzar`s reign in Babylon.  Under the Medes and Persians one man Haaman had a letter signed by the king that all Jews should be put to death.  God used Mordecai to bring Haaman down and he was eventually hanged on the gallows he himself had built.  God was in control.  Under the Roman empire and Caesar the Israelites were persecuted.  Sadaam Hussein declared that he would once more carry the Israelites into bondage before his death.

The protection this nation will have - verse 15.  The devil is going to influence the nations of the world against Israel.  The words used here for water is the same word used for the nations and peoples of the world.  The devil will raise up nations to come against the nation of Israel.  In verse 14 we see the woman was given 2 wings that she might flee into her place.  God has a place for her.  God will not forsake his people.  He has redeemed us and he will keep us.

Revelation chapter 11 - The testimony of the 2 witnesses

Sermon notes from Sunday 18 November am
Revelation 11 verses 3 - 14

Revelation chapter 11 is the half way stage of the book of Revelation.  This stage is known as Jacob`s Trouble, half way through the 7 years of Tribulation.  Jeremiah spoke of this 700 years before the birth of Christ.  A day that would never be like it again.  We have recently thought of World War 1 and the horrors of that War but it will pale into insignificance when this time here in Revelation is revealed.  Jeremiah was not speaking of the Assyrian, Babylonian or Roman campaigns still to come.  He saw a time in the future, here in Revelation that would never be like it again.  The anti-Christ is begining to stamp his authority on the earth.  This is the man raised up, empowered by the devil himself.  He would be seen as a man of great intelligence and ability, great charm with a great strategy.  Someone that the world is looking after today.  He will have all the answers.  He will bring all the situations together, such is his reign in this period of time.  Daniel talked about the abomination of desolation in chapters 9 to 11.  He will set up an idol in the house of God for people to worship.  The apostle Paul warns us of this man - 2 Thessalonians 2 verse 3 "let no man deceive you by any means."  Paul is warning the believers to not be deceived.  We are living in a deceptive age but we need to watch we are not deceived.  Paul speaks of a great falling away, a lawless society.  Then he talks of the anti-Christ coming.  This is the devil`s man right in the midst of the government and the governments of our world.  He is empowered by Satan.  2 Thessalonians 2 verse 10 "And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish because they received not the love of the truth that they might be saved."  He will win the hearts of those who are not saved.  In the last study we noticed the ministry of the 2 witnesses - their arrival, activity and authority.  There is a statement made in verse 7 "And when they shall have finished their testimony".  God doesn`t allow anything to touch them until they have finished their witness.  God is speaking here of their testimony, of their lives and of their death.

It was a completed testimony.  On the streets of Jerusalem encouraging statement divine protection God has against the life of the child of God.  Think of Job, a righteous man who turned his back on evil.  He loved the Lord with all his heart.  The devil tried to get into his home, tried to bring him down, accused him day and night.  This man trusts and worships you because you have a hedge around him he told the Lord.  If you were to take it all away he will curse you.  The devil tells us, whispers to us "you are not the person you ought to be, not the spiritual man you should be."  The devil needed the eternal permission of God before he could lay one finger on Job.  Until God gave his permission the enemy could not come.  Sometimes we go deep in the valley before we can ascend into the light again but the Lord is going through it with us.  God is in charge of our lives.  Nothing is left to chance.  Ecclesiastes 3 verse 1 "to everything there is a season, a time to every a purpose under heaven."  All is in God`s calendar.  In the parable Jesus spoke of the rich farmer who tried to grab more and more of everything.  God said of him "thou fool this night thy soul shall be required of thee." (Revelation 12 verse 20)  Not one of us knows what a day may bring forth.  These men were sent there for a time and a purpose for the thousand two hundred and threescore days.  Nothing will come against your life or mine until God allows it.  It is easy to run away from tight situations but harder to stick it out.  Paul was told in a night vision there would be no-one in Corinth to come against him.  God wanted him to remain there.  His ministry was not finished.  Are we active for the Lord?  Is there something the Lord has given us to do?  Maybe there are things that are coming against us.  Don`t be giving up.  God raised these 2 witnesses.  God calls it a testimony but he evil people of Jerusalem called it a torment.  They rebelled against these 2 witnesses.  Nothing could be done about it.  The Lord on the cross, before he took his final breath he said "it is finished".  The apostle Paul lying in a prison house said to Timothy "I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith." (2 Timothy 4 verse 7)

It was a celebrated testimony.  The end of their testimony was celebrated, not in a positive way.  Here were people who were glad to see the back of these 2 men preaching the word of God on the streets of Jerusalem.  People were up in arms as a result.  Somehow God lifts the barrier around them.  The anti-Christ comes against them, puts them to death, might have been put to death we don`t know.  The anti-Christ could have no power over their testimony until the Lord said so.  Notice these 2 bodies lying in the streets of Jerusalem.  Such was the hatred of these 2 men.  Such is the hatred of this age.  What if the Lord was to come today for you and you were left to go through this terrible time?  That is the spirit of the age.   This is the holy city.  We see it is now under the title of Sodom.  Such was the awful things happening within this city.  They were not able to buy or sell in this day.  This will happen in days to come.  How wrong it is to follow this lifestyle.  They are put to death as a result.  Bodies lying in the streets.  Think of the early days of the church - remember when Peter, James and the early church members preached the word of God on the streets.  The Pharisees and Sadducees tried to put them into prison.  These men have turned the world upside down.  In verses 9 and 10 these men are dead and the people of the world are rejoicing as a result.  What a time of coldness and callousness, that this death would be celebrated by every kindred, tongues and nations.  There was a time when commentators couldn`t understand this - how would the world praise their deaths?  We only have to think of situations that happen today in the furtherest points of the world, now it is beamed into every home in the world through the internet.  These people will lie there for 3 1/2 days.

A crowned testimony - verses 11 and 12.  God couldn`t forget about these 2 children.  He allowed the anti-Christ to come against them.  He crowns their death with glory.  As people came from all over with gifts, in the midst of their merriment something will happen.  This is perhaps a public execution.  People came to see this scene.  People are laughing and making merry because of their deaths.  All of a sudden God takes these 2 men home.  They hear the voice from heaven telling them to come up hither.  What a day this will be.  What a tragedy for those standing around, the people standing watching as witnessed it.  In Belshazzar`s day 1000 of his servants and lords came to celebrate his great achievement.  They were enjoying themselves when suddenly a mans hand started to write across the wall.  Belshazzar`s knees began to knock together.  These same people in this scene in Revelation will not be laughing and there will be no merriment.

The consequences of their testimony.  These 2 witnesses are lifted off the streets.  There is a mighty earthquake and 7000 men are slain.  

Revelation 11 - the arrival, activity and authority of the 2 witnesses

Sermon notes from Sunday 4 November 2018 am

Revelation 11 verses 1 - 14

The commentators all agree that this is one of the most difficult chapters in the word of God.   Let us get our eyes and minds on these 2 witnesses.  The God of heaven who is watching over the 2 witnesses.  God is their refuge and strength and help.  In 1948 Israel became a state and one day God will take up his dealings with that nation.  We can hardly more than take it in what will happen on this earth in a coming day.  Never a day like this before nor will there ever be a day like it again.  Jesus himself said there is coming a day which will be so evil on this earth.  The first 3 verses tell us about the temple being built in Jerusalem once again during this Tribulation period.  Verse 3 "I will give power unto my 2 witnesses."  Some commentators take this picture as of the church who will go through the Tribulation period and take this passage to confirm it.  Paul tells us the church will come out before this comes into being.  

The arrival of these 2 witnesses on the scene - verse 3 "I will give power unto my 2 witnesses."  They are there at this time of the great Tribulation period.  They are there to take a stand for God in this terrible period.  In verse 10 when the 2 witnesses are killed "they that dwell upon the earth shall rejoice over them."  They will see their dead bodies in the street and rejoice over their deaths.  Such is the climate that these 2 men are living in and are facing.  "I will give power unto my two witnesses and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth."  The total number of  360 days equates to a period of 3 1/2 years.  The antichrist comes to the fore in the 3 1/2 years then he takes over in the second half of the 7 year period and reigns when all evil seems to be let loose on the earth.  God still has his 2 men.  God never leaves without a witness.  These 2 men have a message still to be preached on the streets of Jerusalem.  Think of Daniel when the decree is issued that no man should worship anyone but the king himself.  Daniel was one of the children carried into captivity in Babylon and brought into the king`s palace.  He was given all the best meat and drink available.  Daniel purposed in himself that he would not defile himself with this food and drink.  He made a stand at that point in his life.  Now many years later his purpose is still the same.  He would rather face the lions in the den than submit himself to the king.  His 3 friends would rather face the fiery furnace than submit to the kings command.  We are living in coldness, apathy, men going away from the faith, living for themselves.  God is still calling a people today, one or 2 who will stand faithful to God, to his ways.  This passage of scripture, may be difficult for us but encouraging.  These 2 men would stand for God even in difficult times in Jerusalem proclaiming God in all his fulness.  Times of that ministry and how it is described.  The "great city" is Jerusalem but spiritually it is called Sodom.  Standing for God against this atmosphere of Sodom.  Genesis shows that in Sodom it was an awful city, all the sexuality that was rampant.  God brought judgment to that city.  Today we see a society that is turning from the word of God.  This city had the spirit of Egypt, a nation given over to idolatry, the worship of idols was the order of the day but God does not want us to make our own judgements on this spirit of Satan and Egypt but also where our Lord was crucified.  Jerusalem is being spoken of here.  This is the arrival of the 2 witnesses.

The activity of these 2 witnesses - they shall prophesy verse 3.  They will be clothed in sackcloth, they are going to make known the things of God and the ways of God.  Look at the comparison here to our day.  We think it is hard today, to talk about Christ but that will be nothing compared to the day shown here in this chapter.  These 2 prophets witnessed in Jerusalem.  In chapter 9 the demon spirits released from the bottomless pit, so evil, devious, vicious, not allowed to roam the earth waiting for the day of judgement, kept in chains.  Imagine the demon in the man of Gedarenes.  There were a 1000 demons in him.  He lived among the tombs.  The people tried to chain him, tried to do the best for him but he ripped them asunder when the devil stirred him up.  They were allowed to roam but what about those not allowed to roam, put into the pit.  There is coming a day when the key is given to the enemy and he will open the pit.  Every demon will be allowed to roam on that day.  Jude 1 verse 6.  2 Peter 2 verse 4 "For if God spared not the angels that sinned but cast them down to hell and delivered them into chains of darkness to be reserved unto judgement."  God never leaves himself without a witness.  God gave them power to do so.  There is a great dispute and much has been written about these 2 witnesses to try and put a name on them.  God covers this by not telling us that.  There are those who think they are Moses and Elijah.  One relates to the law and the other to the prophets.  They were there on the Day of Transfiguration with Christ on the mountain top.  Others have their own views.  Doesn`t matter at this point.  We cannot be sure who they were - could be Enoch and Elijah, 2 men who never died yet the Bible says "it is appointed unto man once to die."  These 2 men have not fulfilled that verse.  We see that they have power to shut heaven that it rained not.  Verse 6 similar to Elijah in his own day when he went into Ahab.  They can bring plagues - speaking of Moses and time of the plagues.  They were hated in these days of Revelvation. Here they were willing to stand out from the crowd.  Are we willing to stand out from the crowd? They were laughed at and ridiculed.  Men too say things about us.  Do we just want to go with the flow?  Take Christianity but not too far with it.  People believe that Jesus died to save us and we are all ok even though have never applied it within their own personal lives.  Paul said "that I may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world." (Philippians 2 verse 15)  

The authority of the 2 witnesses - verse 3 "I will give power unto my 2 witnesses."  God doesn`t end until he equips.  If we have a task to do God will equip us.  God says "I will give them power to stand, to preach and to live.  Verse 4 the candlestick needs oil to light and keep on glowing.  Olive trees supply that oil for the 2 candlesticks.  We need to be filled with the spirit of God.  We need help from within.  The referenece to olive trees comes from Zechariah 4 verse 2.  We cannot will something into being.  You cannot will someone to be saved.  Pray and let God work in them.  Verse 5 "if any man hurt them I will put them to death."  Nothing will be allowed to come against them.  Verse 10 many would love to have seen them off the face of the earth.  In Philippians 4 verse 13 Paul says "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me."  Maybe if we had asked if these 2 men would go out and preach on the streets of Jerusalem, they would probably have said they couldn`t do it.  God will give us the strength we need to face each and every day.  In his strength go and he will give you power today.  Paul stood in chains before the magistrates and yet could say "I can do all things through Christ." Maybe we haven`t come to that place where Paul came to on the road to Damascus when he said "Lord what wilt thou have me to do."  Peter was given a specific task to go to Cornelius.  God was asking him to do something against his will and nature.  God had Peter on the rooftop.  He was hungry and praying.  The Lord sent down a sheet of all manner of beasts on it.  God told him to rise and eat.  Peter said "not so Lord."  God would show him that he could go into Cornelius` house and preach Christ to him.  He would be ridiculed for it, brought before the people of God for doing it but Peter knew it was God`s will for him to take this stand.  These 2 witnesses stood firm for the witness of Christ.  Are we prepared to stand against the evil of the land, friendships of others who take us away from God?

Jacob`s Testimony

Sermon notes from Sunday 18 November 2018 pm

Genesis 28 verses 10 - 22

Jacob`s Testimony

Although Jacob was Isaac`s son and Abraham`s grandson he needed to have a personal encounter with God.  We need that same encounter.   It is good to count the cost, to think and to reflect.  Have I had that experience?  A time when I came to the place where I knew I was genuinely saved?  Jacob would never forget this night.  We meet with God in a real way.

It was the resting place he was in.  He had come to the place.  Verse 11 he travelled from Beersheba and thought he would rest for the night.  This is the very latest moment in Jacob`s life.  He had lied to his father and deceived his brother.  He started to build a bed for himself at the end of the day.  It was the same procedure as any other night.  Nothing special about it.  He was tired, weary and settling down for the night`s sleep.  This would be a night he would remember for all his life.  This was the night he met with God.  Maybe this is what we need tonight.  We need a meeting with God for the first time or perhaps it is a fresh meeting with God.  Maybe it is like any other night.  This could be the night you could meet with God, whenever you could point back to this night when you met with God.  This is a spiritual picture for every man or woman.  The God of this world hath blinded the eyes of those who believe not.  There is blindness right from conception in the womb.  The God of this world has done that.  The bible says "who hath delivered us from the power of darkness and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son." (Colossians 1 verse 14)    For all who have been saved, there was a time when you were in the snare of the devil but then he goes on to say "he hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son."  It is not something we could do for ourselves, only the Lord can do that.  "And you hath he quickened who were dead in trespasses and sin."  This ladder came from heaven, the angels were ascending and descending on it and the Lord was standing at the top.  We are unaware of things around us spiritually because we are asleep.  Some times God deals with us in the crowds.  When Peter preached on the day of Pentecost 3000 souls were saved.  God moves into places and saves one, 2, 3 and 4.  He deals with numbers but then at other times he deals with individuals.  Just like here with Jacob, dealing with him as an individual.  In Acts 8 we read of a man coming from Jerusalem in a chariot.  God dealt with him.  God can be dealing with you just as an individual.  Jacob left his home behind, his father and his brother.  A situation he had to step away from.  Remember Abraham`s father Terah.  It was only when Terah died that Abraham moved on with the blessing of God.  Isaiah came into the temple when the king Uzziah died.  It was only then that God dealt with him personally.  Jacob walked away from the situation in his father`s house.  God was dealing with him.  We read later on that Jacob went back again.  Sometimes God does that.  Sometimes we are involved with things that we need to go back and sort out.  That is where God was dealing with him.

The revelation - verse 12.  In the darkness and sleep God came and suddenly everything is different.  God was breaking into his life, doing something for him right where he was.  God comes to the place where we are at.  Not one of us could be saved unless God comes to the place where we are.  God appeared and revealed this ladder from heaven to earth.  It is amazing how God breaks into a life.  Nicodemus came to Jesus at night  He had a few questions for Jesus.  Jesus told him "except a man be born again he cannot inherit the kingdom of God.  The wind bloweth where it listeth and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth; so is every one that is born of the Spirit." (John 3 verse 8)  You can hear the wind but you don`t know where it is coming from.  That is the mystery.  God works in similar ways.  We don`t know how but he does it.  Here was a ladder set up on earth that reached to heaven.  Jesus is the one who reaches down from heaven to earth.  He bridged heaven and earth.  He came into the world to die on Calvary that he might reconcile man to God.  God hears and answers prayer.  Maybe God has been speaking with you today, this week, this month.  Maybe on other nights you have known God speaking with you.  It is amazing how he does that.  This was something that was undeserved.  God was revealing to this young man a past of deception and lies.  He laid claim to the things that were not his by his own devices.  We do not deserve the merits of God.  How the Lord came into this world, would give us life.  There is nothing that merits that God could look upon us in favour.  We were wretched, poor and naked and blind.  The Lord came into this world, endured the suffering, scorn and mocking that we might be saved.  "While we were yet sinners Christ died for us."

Notice the relationship  - verses 13 - 16.  A relationshp that is being formed.  God was not asking Jacob to fulfil a set of ideals of his own.  He would be with him.  God saves us but he doesn`t leave us.  He goes with us.  Many times people say "I would love to be saved but I couldn`t keep it."  God will never leave you when you get saved.  Have you a relationship with God?  When you get saved there is a relationship that is formed.  "To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles which is Chist in you, the hope of glory." (Colossians 1 verse 27)    

A realisation - verses 16 and 17.  It was beginning to dawn on Jacob`s mind what was going on.  God could be speaking and dealing with us for the final time, never to come again to speak again.  Your soul would be lost from this time on.  A crucial time as things fall into place.  God is doing this.  My heart is being affected.  How much care needs to be taken because God could be speaking with you, dealing with you.  Whatever is on your heart needs to be dealt with.

The responding - verses 19 - 22.  Jacob is bargaining with God.  What more could God do for you in giving you his only Son?  He is showing you his great love that if you believe he will become your Saviour.  The gospel is for you tonight - will you respond to him?

The woman at the well

Sermon notes from Sunday 11 November 2018 pm

John 4 verses 1 – 15

Here in John`s gospel chapter 4 we have some very familiar verses we are well acquainted with.  There are so many ways we can apply this message.  I want to notice this woman from the outside totally transformed by the power of God, completely changed.  This is what a man or woman saved by God is.  We are not what we once were and we are not what we shall yet become.  Something had happened in her life.  Miraculous transforming.  Look tonight at this woman, at a very special meeting in Sychar.  This was a meeting that raised many eyebrows.  Here`s a woman who had 5 husbands and was now living with a man that is not her husband.  Can you imagine the gossip among her neighbours when she became a Christian?  A day perhaps so unexpected.  She was a Samaritan and the Jews had no dealings with the Samaritans.  They ignored each other.  Jesus had come to this woman.  She never thought he would ever speak to her.  Sometimes you can come into a meeting like this and never expect to know what really happens.  Sometimes God comes and you leave that meeting saved by the grace of God.  What a wonderful picture of grace we have here, that Jesus would set aside all prejudice and bias and come and speak to this woman, a poor sinful woman.  Grace is the underlying feature in every salvation story.  You can be saved because of that grace.  It is what saves you.  Nothing of you.  That is what we want to be careful of tonight, that this meeting is all about the one who came into the world to seek and to save that which is lost.  What did Jesus give this woman?

A visit.  Jesus was on his way to Galilee from Judea.  He came this way because of one woman.  The Lord left heavens glory, left the praise and worship of angels, stepped down into the world and died on an old rugged cross just because of this one woman, living an immoral life.  He came to that village just to speak to her.  God is speaking to your heart tonight.  Look at verses 5 – 7.  The Lord was there before her.  He was waiting on her to come, the Lord had taken the first steps to see her saved.  The Lord was here tonight before any of us gathered.  He wanted to come into your life and heart, make you ready for heaven and home, to forgive you of your sins.  It was he that made the first move.  He opened up on the conversation first.  You could never be saved without Christ.  He was there before you.  Jonah in the belly of the fish cried “salvation is of the Lord”.  Isn`t it wonderful that Jesus gave this woman this visit.  He didn`t say to any of the disciples to go to Sychar but he wanted to go himself.  When he died on the cross he did it himself.  He came into the world and took on the form of a servant.  He took all that guilt from the world just to die for you.  Jesus visited this woman.  Maybe the Lord will visit you tonight.  Maybe you are saying “I have never had a visit from the Lord like this woman had”.  Perhaps you have heard the old hymns, heard the gospel message, heard the invitation to get saved but never applied it to yourself.  He visits in the quietness of the home, when you are lying in your bed and thinking what if tomorrow never comes.  That is from the Lord himself.  Maybe in times of sickness, when you are feeling so low and down and depressed.  The Lord uses that to come just to you personally.  A visitation from the Lord.  Jesus visited this woman and he can also visit you tonight.  He came to visit in the times of joy in your life and in the times of sorrow.  Perhaps through the birth of a baby or standing at an open grave.  If that was you being lowered into the earth what would you be thinking?  A visitation from the Lord.  What an important day this turned out to be for this woman at the well.  It was the only time Jesus would meet this woman.  In Luke 12 Jesus began to speak about sincerity, reality and genuineness.  Hypocrites are those who confess to be something they are not.  There are those professing to be Christians and they really are not.  Jesus was preaching about that in Luke 12.  He begins to speak about the soul and the lostness of the soul.  You have a soul tonight and Jesus has said “what shall it profit a man if he should gain the whole world and lose his own soul?”  Then Jesus spoke about hell.  In verse 13 a young man comes to the Lord.  All that is in his mind, even though he had heard about the sincerity and hypocrisy, the only thing on his mind is temporal things.  He felt he was hard done by because his brother had taken the inheritance due to him.  He was not touched by the preaching from the Lord.  He had no interest in it.  What sorrow it would be to leave this meeting not saved having heard from the Lord and yet you rejected it.

The Lord also gave her a view.  He showed to her the state of her heart but he also gave her a view of who he was.  The heart is sinful, wicked and deceitful.  No doubt the people of that town judged her.  She lived a sinful immoral life.  She had been married 5 times and was now in a relationship with a man who was not her husband.  That is how the world looked down on her.  The Lord, full of grace and mercy was showing her the state of her heart.  Before a person can get saved the Lord has to show them the state of their heart and whilst we think we are not bad – as good as any man in the street, might not go to church, do read my Bible – God has to reveal to us the state of our hearts.  Isaiah went into the temple, the king had died and Isaiah lifted up his eyes and saw the Lord as never before.  He was high and lifted up but Isaiah also saw himself as a man of unclean lips before a wonderful God.  When I sit before the cross of Calvary I see the Lord sinless and perfect, yet for me the God of heaven laid on him the iniquity of us all.  He became obedient unto death on his own body.  He took the full weight of sin on the cross.  He took the punishment from heaven.  The Lord separated himself from it all. Has the Lord ever revealed himself to you?  He gave this woman a view of himself.  Here was a woman who had 5 husbands, was living with a man who was not her husband.  The world perhaps condemned her but the Lord looked into her heart and had compassion.  This woman was in search of something.  She thought it could be found in relationships but she couldn’t find it in those.  She went from one relationship to another.  Jesus said “my peace I give unto you not as the world giveth.”  What you need is salvation.  Come to Christ himself. 

The Lord gave her a vision of what she could be.  A view of what she was but also a vision of what she could be.  She had a great argument.  She was a religious woman, had great faith in Jacob as he had given the gift of the well.  Jesus said “if you knew the gift I was giving you, you would ask me for it.”  John 3 verse 16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life.”  It is all about believing in Christ himself.  You will never perish but you will have everlasting life.  Jesus told her she would come away thirsty from this well time and time again but when you receive Christ as Saviour you will find your thirst satisfied in Christ and him alone.  What the Lord wants to give to you is eternal life.  This woman left the water pot at the well, she didn’t even fill it.  The very errand that brought her to the well was left.  She found the Lord herself.  She wanted a change of life.  You can have that same change of life.  If you come to Christ and his cross he can save you and change your life once and for all.  You might say “I couldn’t make up my mind right now, I need time to think about it.”  The woman made up her mind there and then.  She enjoyed God’s salvation.  She went out into the villages around her and told them to come and visit Christ for themselves.  Something happened in her life, she was totally transformed.  A sinner coming to the well, speaking to the Lord, opened her mind and took him at his word.  She knew she was a sinner saved by God himself.  She thought of the multitudes around her.  The Lord gave her a vision.  Have we that same vision today?  There was a multitude who knew not the Saviour. 

The Lord gave her victory the moment she stepped out.  You will never prove the Lord’s grace and mercy until you prove it – stepping out and accepting him.  Come to the cross and trust Christ as Saviour.  Are you ready to do that tonight?

The raising of Jairus` daughter

Sermon notes from Sunday 11 November 2018 am

Mark 6 verses 21 - 24, 35 - 43

As we read the account of Jairus we are looking into his home and into his situation today.  A very difficult and distressful situation.  Think of a man whose faith is being tried, is going through deep distress in his life.  He had a little girl of 12 years of age "at the very point of death" in his own words.  He was a ruler of the synagogue, in a prosperous situation.  He had the best physician I am sure, he sat with her but now she was at the point of death.  Some take the view as he was the leader of the synagogue, wouldn`t have had much time for the Lord, saw the Lord as an imposter, preached a false gospel, the Pharisees turned their backs on Jesus and closed their doors on him.  Jairus has reached dire straits now, he was reaching out for Christ.  Nicodemus was a ruler of the Pharisees, used the darkness as a cover to creep into the presence of the Lord.  He didn`t want others to see him.  Maybe he was like Joseph of Arimathea, a secret disciple.  He took up his place in the synagogue but all the time he didn`t believe what he heard there.  We are living in dark and distressful days.  Christians are going through very difficult times.  Christians are discouraged at what we see around us.  Maybe because of that there is discouragement.  They are not coming to the prayer meetings, there is a coldness on their hearts.  Many Christians today are lying in prison cells because of their faith in Burma and China simply because they believed and put their trust in Christ.  That is not the type of persecution the devil uses on us today, rather he uses discouragement.  It is like the story of the devils tools being put up for auction.  They all had price tags except one.  When the devil was asked if this tool was for sale he said no.  He had used that particular tool for years and had brought many Christians down with it.  When asked what that tool was it was the tool of discouragement.  Let us look at Jairus` story.  First look at the words Jesus spoke to this man who was downtrodden, discouraged and distressed "be not afraid only believe." (verse 36)  Then later Jesus said to him "the damsel is not dead, but sleepeth."

These are words of comfort.  Jairus goes to the Lord at a time of great distress, he was going there to secure the presence of the Lord.  He was determined to find Christ, to plead and pray for him to come to his house and give life back to his daughter.   He would be an avenue to work a miracle in his home.  That is the purpose for which we are saved, to be an instrument to work in our families.  You are the reason the Lord can work in your place, in the home or the work place.  Here is a man securing the presence of God in his life.  Are we really securing the presence of God in our homes, in the places we work in, in the community we live in?  This story is very familar.  Little daughter at the point of death, seems to be no hope in Jairus` own eyes.  Is that not the scene in our own homes?  Seeing our sons, daughters, brothers and sisters never going to be saved.  "Don`t be afraid only believe" Jesus says.  When you are on your knees praying for that person in your home don`t get up believing it will never happen - just believe.  In verse 24 Jesus gave his word to come with Jairus.  Jairus knew he had given sight to the blind, that he had spoken and the wind and waves obeyed him.  Jairus was shadowing Jesus.  He knew he would speak to his daughter and change her life.  The same one can do that today.  There were obstacles to Jairus` faith.  Just as Jesus began to follow Jairus down the street there was a woman who had been ill for 12 years.  She reached out and touched his hem and immediately became whole.  Jesus stopped and asked "who touched me?"  The disciples argued with him, after all the crowd was so large that anyone could have touched him.  Can you imagine Jairus standing to one side, perhaps he was anxious for Jesus to move on to his own home.  No he waited patiently.  There will be obstacles in our faith.  Perhaps we are praying for members in our families who are not yet saved.  We have to wait on the Lord.  It is very easy to put someone in the corner and hammer the word of God into them but instead we need to wait on the Lord.  Just as they were heading off again on the way to Jairus` house, someone came from his house and told Jairus his daughter was already dead.  It is all over.  That must have seeped out the spiritual strength from his body.  Isn`t that the same today - some win and some lose in the Christian faith.  It is great to see people coming to Christ to be saved.  Jesus says with words of comfort "be not afraid only believe".  Most of us have friends and family not saved, know people who come into our fellowship.  We have spent time on our knees before God praying for them to be saved.  The old devil comes whenever we pray and tells us to forget about them, that they never will be saved but what does the Lord say - "only believe".

These are words of concern.  The enemy is subtle.  News came from the bedside.  The Lord turns it around by saying "be not afraid only believe."  There is no mistake in the devil`s eyes.  He has a great strategy.  He knows when you are alone, when you discouraged.  That is the time he will be most effective. Notice the timing of this - verse 35 "While he yet spake there came from the ruler of the synagogue`s house certain which said, Thy daughter is dead."  Who is Jesus speaking to?  Firstly to his disciples and then to the woman.  While he yet spoke to his disciples ("who touched me?") and to the woman ("your faith has made you whole") at that precise moment someone came from Jairus` house to tell him his daughter was dead.  The Lord was distracted.  Jairus was standing on his own, then comes the devil and says she is dead.  Maybe you are waiting on the Lord, for him to do something and then the devil comes and says "it is impossible, you will never see that person saved."  Verse 36 "As soon as Jesus heard the word that was spoken, he saith unto the ruler of the synagogue Be not afraid, only believe."  He knew what Jairus was feeling.  The burden he is bearing.  The sorrow that is in his heart.  He turns and speaks to Jairus.  Satan comes when we are vulnerable.  The Lord is concerned about how you feel, about your loved ones, that family member you have been praying so much for.  The devil tells you that you will never see them saved.  The Lord says today "don`t be afraid keep believing."  The statement came like a sword to his heart.  Peter said "cast your care upon the Lord for he doth care for you."

These are words of challenge.  This was something he had to physically and spiritually do.  He was not to give up on the Lord but keep on going.  In verse 39 he told Jairus she was not dead but sleeping.  Do you believe that?  This was Jesus` challenge to Jairus.  Maybe the word of her death came from the very physician who was looking after her.  People immediately broke out into weeping and wailing.  Jesus came into their midst and told them the girl was not dead but simply sleeping.  Challenging words in the last moments of the day.  Jairus was to hold on.  Our words can be challenged in the most hardest of times.  Faith is tested when our faith is in our boots.  When you can hardly walk out the door we have to be paitent.  We have to wait.  How many hiccups are you hitting at in this moment in time?  How many hills do you seem to have to climb today?  How many times have you spoken to people over the years, times when you could have said "Lord get a move on?"  Times when you lost hope and listened to the enemy?  We need to tune our ears to the Lord because he is not dead.  We are going through dark, distressing days.  God is still on the throne and he will remember your prayers.  Remember when Abraham prayed for Sodom.  God came down to judge Sodom.  Abraham began to pray - if there are 50 righteous people there will you save them Lord?  He continued on in his pleading.  He prayed at last for 10.  When the Lord brought judgement on the city he remembered Abraham and his promises.  Maybe the Lord will remember you in your labours, in the tears you have shed and save that person.  "Be not afraid only believe."  God told Jairus he had it all under control.

These are words of crowning glory.  Jesus took the girls father and mother and his disciples in with him.  They stood around the bed.  Jesus took the daughter`s hand and told her to arise.  She got up straight away.  When the Lord saves a soul he does it perfectly.  There are those today professing salvation but they only follow themselves.  God saves to change people`s lives.  The Lord tells the people to feed the girl.  What a miracle.  That is the message the Lord wants us to hear today.  Christians are discouraged and down today.  Will you lift your eyes to the Lord, heed his warning "be not afraid only believe."  That is the challenge for today.