What think ye of Christ?

Sermon notes from Sunday 29 July 2018 pm Mr Ian Booth

Matthew 22 verse 42 (think), Hosea 14 verse 2 (learn), Revelation 22 verse 17 (take), Isaiah 26 verses 3 and 4 (trust)

What think ye of Christ? A very important question.  What do you think of the Lord will determine what the Lord will do with you at the end of life`s journey.  The way God has created us, given us a mind, the ability to think.  I am sure you could think things through very seriously.  Right thinking leads to right decisions.  We have got to be able to think and work things out tonight.  We are a people who are able to think for ourselves.  The Bible says a lot about thinking, using what God has given us, he doesn`t want you to make uninformed decisions.  The apostle Paul said "whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue and if there be any praise think on these things." (Philippians 4 verse 8)  This word is true, he wants you to think on what he has said to you, to be with him in heaven.  Another word we find throughout scriptures is "consider".  It is the same root word.  When thinking on something you are giving it serious thought.  We have a great God.  As we think of the Lord he is God manifest in the flesh.  We are to call on his name.  Emmanuel being interpreted God with us.  One who came down into the world, was rejected by men.  "In the beginning was the word."  All things were made by him and without him was not anything made.  That tells us of the greatness of heaven.  Creation declares the glories of God.  Look around at the creation of God.  Thousands of stars, a multitude up there.  God has created every one of them all for his glory.  "When I consider the heavens, the work of thy hands what is man that thou art mindful of him."  The vastness of creation.  Thousands of galaxies.  What is man that God would ever be mindful of him.  Just a speck of dust.  God is interested in every individual.  Not only knows your name and nature, God knows you through and through.   He knows you need to be saved if ever going to be in heaven.  God knows what is in your heart.  He knows your thoughts this evening.  The greatness of this man Christ Jesus.  The goodness of God, provides for us physically.  Psalm 145 verse 16 God opens his hand and satisfies the desire of every living thing.  Every insect, every animal, every person.  Because God is God of all provision he provides for us physically and spiritually.  God has provided a way of salvation through his son to leave the splendours of heaven.  The wonder of his love for sinners like me.  His provision physically and spiritually but also his holiness.  Whenever the rich young ruler came and fell down at the feet of Jesus and said "Good master what shall I do to inherit eternal life", Jesus replied "there is none good except God in heaven."  In Jesus there was no sin.  He was perfect in each and every way.  The goodness of God leads us to repentance.  It speaks of his provision and his holiness.  Consider him who suffered.  Think about him, all he suffered at the place called Calvary.  The pain and suffering.  It is so easy to look at Calvary, see how the Lord was beaten, they pulled the very hairs off his face, they bufetted him, they made a crown of thorns and put it on his head, beating it down with a reed, spitting on him, nailing him to a cross.  On those dark hours God laid on him my sin.  What he had to endure at Calvary.  He suffered the just for the unjust.  That is why he went to Calvary.  He gave himself a ransom for all.  Consider him who suffered such contradiction of sinners.  He bore our sin on his body on the tree.  He was bruised for our iniquities, with his stripes are we healed.  It is only by his shed blood that we can be saved.  We need to think of why He died.  Consider your ways the Bible says because of your sin and mine that the Lord ever came down into the world.  He took my sins on his own body.  We need to consider our ways as we look at Calvary.  Sin so affected the heart of God.  He sent his son down into the world.  Consider our ways but also consider our latter ways.  When you think of the destination at the end of your journey, in heaven or in hell.  Consider the place called hell.  A place of eternal darkness.  You wouldn`t want to go there.  The Bible makes it clear, there are only 2 places, heaven with the Lord or hell without him.  If you died in your sins you cannot be with Christ.  Maybe you have thought at the end of life`s journey I will get into heaven.  Except a man is born again he will never see heaven`s glory.  Thinking on these things will never save you.  Whenever you think of your need of salvation, think about the Lord, where you will spend eternity then you make a decision.  It is then you need to turn unto the Lord.  There is a plan for salvation.  Turn to Christ.  The idea of redemption.  The instructions are to take Christ.  With your words confess your sin, acknowledge you have done wrong, have sinned against heaven.  Like the prodigal son in the far country realised in himself - "I will arise and go unto my father.P  He took with him words by way of repentance and regret.  Psalm 51 David could say "restore unto me the joy of thy salvation."  The publican in Luke 18 took with him words.  2 men walking into the temple to pray, one a publican and the other Pharisee.  The Publican stood afar off and said "Lord be merciful to me a sinner."  Turn unto the Lord.  No point in turning to the preacher or denomination.  They can do nothing for you. The Lord is the only one with whom there is salvation.  There is no other name given among men whereby we must be saved.  Except you repent you will all likewise perish.  Turn from sin and turn unto the Lord.  Peter preached on the day of Pentecost and 3000 souls were saved.  "Repent ye and be converted that your sins may be blotted out."  It is necessary that you repent and turn unto the Lord.  Godly sorrow leads to repentance.  Why shoudl I turn to the Lord?  Because firstly of the problem of sin.  Sin separates us from God.  Sin will keep you out of heaven.  Might look back one day and say "I never done anyone any harm, never done anything only a little white lie or two."  One sin separates you from God.  Unless your sins are washed in the blood of the Lamb you will never make it into heaven.  Sin separates between us and God.  Sin controls lives.  The alcoholic and drug addict are under the control of sin, dominating his life.  We are delivered, set free.  If you are not saved sin is dominating your life tonight, whatever that sin might be holding you back from trusting in Christ.  Sin also destroys lives.  We can see that in society all around us.  Homes being destroyed.  People need help because of sin.  Sins penalty will separate us from the God for all eternity.  "The wages of sin is death."  Separation, eternal life from God.  Why should we turn - because of sin.  What are we turn to - God.  What are we to turn from - sin.  When are we to turn - now.  Repent now.  Acts 17 verse 30 "God now commands all men everywhere to repent because he has appointed a day when he shall judge the world."  The judge is already in place, just waiting for the day of execution.  "The soul that sinneth shall die.  There is good news.  When do we need to turn - now.  Repentance is a change of mind.  There is a great illustration of that in Matthew`s gospel.  When the father tells the son to go into the vineyard and work and he does not.  Later he repented and he went.  That is a change of mind.  Repentance is more than that.  Repentance is a surrender of the will.  I am going to do what my father wants me to do.  He was surrendered at that point.  The apostle Paul was arrested by God on the Damascus Road.  Paul decided then and there that whatever the Lord wanted him to do he would do it.  It is no longer I that liveth but Christ that liveth in me.  Revelation 22 verse 17 refers to "the water of life".  God wants you to have that water tonight.  John 6 verse 37 "if any man thirst let him come unto me and I will give him life."  The moment a man puts his trust in Christ God enters his life.  God pours out his Holy Spirit into his life.  If you repent you can take that life.  There is no limit.  No restrictions to anyone that wants to have forgiveness of sins.  There is no age limit either.  If you want salvation you can come to God.  It is ours for the taking and it is free.  Revelation tells us that there are no restrictions, no questions about your past.  God wants to give you something free tonight.  There is nothing to pay.  God doesn`t ask you to work for it.  It is a gift.  Romans 6 verse 23 "but the gift of God is eternal life."  God want to give you that eternal life.  Not just the quantity but the quality of life.  John 1 verse 12 "to as many as received him gave he the right to become children of God."  Will you allow God to fill that empty void in your life?  Are you thinking tonight that you do need to be saved?  Turn to the Lord and repent of your sin.  Think of those words in Isaiah.  Focus on the mind.  The man who is stayed, fixed on the Lord because his mind is stayed on the Lord.  Trust in the Lord for everything.  For in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength.  Trust in the Lord forever.  He will never let your down.  Trust him to keep your soul.  I know whom I have believeth and I know he is able to keep me.  Commit your life to God and he will do the keeping.  Trust him to do the guiding.  He will guide you.  You are the apple of his eye.  "Ye shall receive power after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you."  It is only the beginning when you trust God.  What you think of Christ will determine what God will do with you.