Truth as proclaimed by the shepherds

 

LIMAVADY INDEPENDENT METHODIST CHURCH

SERMON NOTES FROM SUNDAY 31 DECEMBER 2023 am

LUKE 2 VERSES 15 – 20

These humble and insignificant shepherds were given the announcement of Jesus’s birth.  They were men of holy character.  Notice the conduct that demonstrated much faith.  There was a respect for God and his Son.  One does not need royal robes to behave with integrity.  Integrity is more likely to be seen in the attitude of the common person such as shepherds.  For one to behave with integrity they must have a true understanding and faith in God’s word and his Son Jesus in their conduct and reaction.  They exposed their true characters.  When the angels declared the birth the shepherds believed what was said.  They did not doubt, believing is as truth in their search for the truth and proclamation of the truth and through their ongoing devotion to the truth.  They wanted to see him but when they had seen him they went back to their work proclaiming him to be the truth.

 

The believing of the truth – verse 15.  The shepherds were not sceptical of the revelation, they were genuine believers of the divine truth.  They were all of one accord in believing the revelation.  Those who claim to be followers must be in one accord in believing the truth revealed through the scriptures.  When there is a oneness in believing the truth then united, will flourish and blessing will occur.  Psalm 133 “behold how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity.”  Had they failed to believe the revelation they would have missed the blessing.  If one had said ‘I don’t believe the revelation, I want to stay and watch the sheep but you go on if you like.”  He would have missed out on everything God wanted to pass onto them and the blessing he had for them.  If we want to experience blessing with all earnestness we need that unity.  The quantity of those who believe the truth today is very small.  They are in a minority.  That was clearly forecasted by Jesus in his Sermon on the Mount – Matthew 7 verses 13 and 14 “Enter ye in at the strait gate; for wide is the gate, and broad is the way that leadeth to destruction and many there be which go in thereat.  Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life and few there be that find it.”  Jesus said “many there be that go thereat” meaning hell.  Then he went on “few there be that find it” meaning heaven. Even when the Saviour ministered on earth he had many opponents yet so few followers and disciples as they approached the cross.  The shepherds were among the minority wo believed.  It is worth asking – are you among the minority?  Have you believed?  Have you entered in through the narrow gate that leads to eternal life or could it be that you are numbered with the majority on the broad road that leads to damnation and hell?  There was not only a oneness among the shepherds in believing the truth but also a quickness.  They immediately believed.  There was no hesitation when they heard the message from the angels.  Most people don’t believe as quickly and promptly these days.  There are those who hear the word of God repeatedly and are slow to believe the truth.  How many of us were saved the first time we heard the gospel?  Not too many.  Individuals are generally slow to believe the truth especially the divine truth of the gospel.  Could it be that someone here has repeatedly heard the truth of the gospel but they are slow to believe it?  You would quickly believe lies and superstitions and other nonsense but slow to believe the truth.  Don’t believe everything you hear.  Believe the revealed truth of God’s word.  There was great evidence that the shepherds believed the message delivered by the angels.  They wanted to see what the angels had informed them about the Lord Jesus – “and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us.”  The responsibility was on them to go and see the Saviour.  When individuals hear the gospel it is their responsibility to seek and receive it.  The onus is on them to seek it out for themselves.  They were also prompt in receiving the message – “let us now go” verse 15 and “and they came with haste” verse 16.  The shepherds didn’t wait for a more convenient time.  They did not put it off until daylight.  They were determined to go and see the Saviour that very night.  Could it be for someone that for years you have had the wonderful privilege of hearing the gospel, its truth has been revealed to you.  Your response has not been prompt.  You have delayed  Don’t put it off to a more convenient opportunity.  That is just waiting too long.  “Behold now is the day of salvation.”  They could have made excuses for not going.  It was night after all and they were looking after sheep but they made no excuses.  “Let us now go even unto Bethlehem and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us. And they came with haste.”  What excuses are you using for not coming to the Lord Jesus?  When the shepherds arrived in Bethlehem they saw exactly what the angels told them – verse 16.  They were not disappointed.  When they believed and sought the scene told by the angels they were not disappointed.  When you believe the gospel truth and seek the Saviour with all your heart you will not be disappointed.  Many of us can testify to that.  He is not a disappointment.  The Lord said through Jeremiah “and you shall seek me and find me when you search for me with all your heart.” (chapter 29 verse 13)  The believing of the truth.

 

Secondly, the broadcasting of the truth – verses 17.  Seeing the Saviour in Bethlehem was not the end.  Not long after they began to proclaim the good news of the truth after they saw him for themselves.  If men and women are going to tell others about Christ they must seek to come to him first.  The shepherds had a personal experience with the truth which made them fit and ready to proclaim the truth.  If anyone wants to be effective they must have a personal experience with the truth.  “And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child.”  What did they proclaim?  The shepherds proclaimed the saying which was told them by the Lord.  A heavenly revelation.  The word of God.  It was not their message, they did not make it up.  3 times there is a reference to divine revelation – verse 15 “which the Lord hath made known unto us”, verse 17 “which was told them concerning this child” and verse 20 “as it was told unto them.”  God’s revelation to them and this is what we are to teach and preach today.  Teach and preach the word of God.  His revealed word to mankind.  Not what we think, not what others want to hear but what God has said through his word.  The subject of the message the shepherds proclaimed – “concerning this child”.  The central theme and point of their message was the Lord Jesus Christ.  They didn’t preach Mary which is Catholicism.  The didn’t preach Joseph which is the cults.  The didn’t preach the manger which is socialism.  No the subject matter was Christ.  They preached Christ.  There are many who like to sermonise the manger and ignore the man in the manger.  People need to hear about the Lord more than anything else.  The shepherds had it right.  The Son of God was the central theme.  If they had excluded the Saviour from their message it wouldn’t have been worth broadcasting or listening to.  What was the response to this great revelation?  Verse 18 “And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds.”  The word “wondered” is the Greek word meaning to marvel, to be amazed.  All who heard the message of the shepherds marvelled at what they heard but there was a problem – they marvelled but never enquired anything further about the Lord.  Could you be standing in awe and amazement at who the Lord is and all he has done and all he is able to do?  You marvel at his mighty works but you inquire no further about the friend of sinners?  You come to church and hear the gospel message but enquire no further about the man of Calvary?  It is sad that there are many who know about the Saviour but are not willing to go any further.  Will you not make further enquiries and allow it to lead to amazement but also repentance and acquaintance with Christ?  “Aquaint now thyself with him and be at peace; thereby good shall come unto thee.” (Job 22 verse 21)  We notice the shepherds reaction but Mary’s reaction was different – verse 19 “But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart.”  That word “kept” means to preserve or keep it.  She treasured it and thought it all through.  She would go through and compare what the angel and the shepherds said to her, thinking it all through.  She had a great depth when considering spiritual matters.  We need great depth when thinking of the spiritual.  She knowingly pondered them in her heart.  She placed great value on every event and every word.  Do we value the things of God?  We are good at talking when we come into church.  We talk about everything we have done or are going to do, we crack jokes but what about sitting and pondering the things of God?  We can talk for ourselves.  Do we think long about the truths we have been taught and the experiences we have enjoyed or just dismiss them from our minds?  Philippians 4 verse “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, 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.”  The believing of the truth.  The broadcasting of the truth.

 

The behaving of the truth.  The behaviour of the shepherds is very commendable and worth note – verse 20 “And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that the had heard and seen, as it was told unto them.”  The shepherds behaved according to the truth revealed unto them.  They saw the Saviour and proclaimed it to the world but they returned quickly to their duties.  They did not let it cause them to forsake their duties.  The true child of God will be faithful to his duties in life.  Faithful with the right attitude and integrity. Our testimonial to the Saviour will be more valuable and effective as a result.  The experience greatly helped the shepherds to do their job better.  When you come to the Saviour you will not be granted a better job or an easier life but he will change your life and help you to do your job.  They not only returned to their duties but returned to them with devotion, glorifying and praising God.  It did not stop them honouring the Lord when they returned.  It was not a flash in the pan devotion to the Saviour, it was ongoing.  It affected their whole way of life.  It was not Sunday only kind of praise.  They were continually praising and glorifying God every single day of the week.  When a man or woman has an encounter with the Saviour they will return praising an glorifying the Lord.  Can you praise and glorify the Saviour today?  Does your heart overflow with gratitude and joy at the encounter you had with him?  The work of the Saviour in the heart and life of an individual causes their life to glorify and honour God.  1 Corinthians 10 verse 31 “whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.”

 

The shepherds were genuine believers of divine truth.  They were all in one accord in believing the truth.  A personal revelation of truth was made to them.  They were fit and ready to proclaim the truth.  The central point and theme was Jesus.  When they saw the Saviour they quickly returned to their duties.  It did not cause them to forsake their duties, they returned with great devotion.  When a man or woman has an encounter with the Saviour they will return praising and glorifying the Lord.

Going home another way

 

LIMAVADY INDEPENDENT METHODIST CHURCH

SERMON NOTES SUNDAY 24 DCEMBER 2023

MATTHEW 2 verses 1 – 12

When the man Christ Jesus came forth in Bethlehem Judea there was a variance in response – creation responded by placing a luminous star in the sky leading the wise men from the east to the place where Jesus was born.  Herod’s reaction was one of fear, he wanted no new king to threaten his kingship.  He ordered the wise men to continue on in their journey and return with news of his whereabouts.  When the wise men entered into the house, saw the baby Jesus and presented their gifts they departed.  The wise men went back to their own country another way – verse 12.  This means that the wise men went home another road with the purpose of avoiding Herod that did not lead back to the city of Jerusalem.  They went home a different road and going home a different way meant it did not lead back to the city of Jerusalem.  They went home a different road and went home differently.  It meant they wouldn’t have met the infant child without being changed forever.  A different state of mind and heart from the moment they looked into the crib and saw the king of glory.  Everything about their character and belief was changed.  They went home another way.  The moment they encountered the man Christ Jesus they were changed.  They might have gone back to the routine and yet were changed.  It is not possible not to be changed if you have met personally with Christ.  When we as believers meet the Saviour and received salvation we went home another way.  We went home changed. Glory to God.  They came the way of wisdom and went home the way of truth and life.  They came the way of history and found in him all history is met. They came in worship and found God’s unspeakable gift to man.  They went home another way.  Throughout God’s word there are many who had an encounter with the Saviour during his earthly ministry.  “and they went home another way.”  We want to consider a number of such people.

 

Firstly the woman of Samaria.  Throughout his public ministry the Lord would go through many cities preaching and teaching the gospel but there was one city he was compelled to go through.  Jesus sat down to rest on a well while the disciples went to find food to eat.  The woman came to the well seeking satisfaction in the empty pleasures of the world.  She was amazed that she was asked by a Jew for water.  Then she asked him of the living water he offered.  “Whosoever drinketh of this water shall never thirst again.”  She had an encounter with the Lord and went home another way.  Her life was changed.  She testified of Christ.  Many Samaritans believed on the Saviour – “come see a man who told me all things whatsoever I did, is this not the Christ?”  A sinful woman fulfilling the lusts of the flesh but she went home another way.  The Lord is able to save.  Down and outs and up and outs.  Hebrews 7 verse 25 “wherefore he is able to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him.”  Could it be that I am speaking to someone tonight, and you are seeking the empty pleasures of the world?  Just like the woman of Samaria seeking for things that cannot satisfy.  Is there a craving in your heart for satisfaction?  Are you searching in all the wrong places.  Come to Jesus, come and drink from his well which will never run dry and when you do you will go home another way.  There will be a noticeable change in your life.  “Fill my cup Lord, I lift it up Lord, come and quench this thirsting of my soul, Bread of heaven, feed me ‘til I want no more, fill my cup, fill it up and make me whole.”  The woman of Samaria met with Christ and she went home another way. 

 

Secondly the woman with haemorrhaging of blood.  It was not an uncommon thing to follow the Saviour.  Crowds followed him to hear him preach, teach and perform miracles.  The crowd thronged around him one day when a timid dying woman reached out and touched the Lord as he was going by.  Her life was completely changed.  She had suffered for 12 years.  She had tried all sorts of treatments that proved insufficient, were not able to help her condition.  In fact she grew slightly worse.  Her picture is one of a symbol of social, religious, financial and religiosity found in many individuals who do not know the Lord as their Saviour.  Many are suffering physically socially, mentally, emotionally, financially, religiously because of sin.  All their self-effort to deal with the problem of sin is futile.  All the religion in the world cannot help the hell bound sinner.  She knew Jesus was the only one who could help with her condition.  She reached and touched the Saviour with her trembling hand and immediately felt the change in her body.  Is there someone like this woman, living in a desperate condition?  You are not saved.  The old sin account has not been settled.  You are still living in your sin.  Dear friend it gives me joy to say that Jesus can deal with your desperate state of sin – “that ye may might know that the Son of Man hath power on earth to forgive sins.”  A touch from her hand and a change in her life.  Jesus said to her “daughter thy faith has made thee whole.”  Her life was miraculously transformed.  She went home another way because she met with the Saviour of the world.  Sinner tonight would you not reach out and touch the Lord as he goes by?  If you would only reach out to him tonight you would go home another way changed.

 

Thirdly we see blind Bartimaeus.  Another example of someone who went home another way after meeting Jesus.  He was blind.  His condition not only indicates problems of sight but mobility.  He was unable to move around.  It hindered him working and earning a wage daily.  He sat by the roadside begging for a living.  He looked helpless and hopeless but there was still hope for him.  One day he heard the master was to pass by.  The Lord was passing by that way, not coming to stay in the locality.  There was a great danger here.  An opportunity for Bartimaeus.  Jesus the performer of miracles was coming but his opportunity could be lost if he didn’t grasp it.  For the unbeliever there is a great hope for you.  The Saviour has come, died on the cross to provide salvation.  There is another opportunity for you to get saved – are you going to grasp the opportunity or waste it?  Isaiah 55 verse 6 “seek the Lord while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near.”  The Lord will not always be found and he will not always be near.  This was Bartimaeus’ last opportunity to meet with the Lord because he would never pass that way again.  When that day came that the Saviour was passing by Bartimaeus seized his opportunity and he cried out “Jesus thou Son of David have mercy on me.”  Not a plea for his rights it was a request for the mercy of God.  Bartimaeus knew that he had a physical condition that would hinder him in time. A sinful condition that would remind him for all eternity.  The only way to get out was a meeting with the Lord Jesus.  “What wilt thou have I do unto thee?”  And his reply? “That I might receive my sight.”  Jesus replied “go thy way thy faith have saved thee.”  Immediate deliverance and evidence of a changed life.  No longer sitting by the wayside begging but now following Jesus in the way.  He received a new lease of life and left the old life behind.  Bartimaeus met the man Christ Jesus and he went home another way.  His life was completely changed and transformed.  This could be your last opportunity to get right with God.  Would you not come to him now and go home another way?

 

Fourthly and lastly the prophet Isaiah.  He had an encounter with the Lord he would never forget.  Isaiah 6 verse 1 “I saw also the Lord.”  His heart was broken.  King Uzziah had died.  Isaiah was in mourning.  He sought for comfort.  He went up to the temple.  Isaiah discovered the King of Kings was not dead.  The throne of Judah had changed occupants.  God was still on the throne and in control.  He saw the Lord high and lifted up, his focus was fully taken up with the Lord.  Holy, sovereign and full of glory.  His response is seen in verse 5 “woe is me for I am undone and I am a man of unclean lips for my eyes have seen the king, the Lord of hosts.”  He saw himself as someone sinful, undeserving of God’s condition.  A clear view of God gave him a clear view of himself.  The closer we are to God the more we will see our sins, faults and failings.  A lost sense of God brings a lost sense of sin.  When he confessed his own sinful condition the Lord cleansed him.  He went up to the temple and he left another way because he met with the Lord.  Isaiah was able to look back to a specific date, a specific time and a specific place when his life was changed because he saw the Lord.  Will there be those of us who class ourselves as born again because we can say like Isaiah “I saw the Lord”?  If we could only get a glimpse of what he saw that day in our day we would be changed in our lives, in our homes in our families, in our churches, in our communities.  We would go home a different way tonight.  If we had a view of Christ tonight we would never be the same again.  We would leave different and put some things right in our lives.  Men and women down through the years, who God has used to see mighty things done can testify of real dealings with God.  Another year is behind us and another before us.  Are you going to go home tonight another way? 

 

The wise men came to Bethlehem, they saw Jesus lying in the manger but they went home a different way.  The woman of Samaria came to draw water and went home another way.  The haemorrhaging woman reached out to touch the Lord and went home another way.  Blind Bartimaeus seized his opportunity and cried out for mercy as Jesus walked by.  He went home another way.  In the midst of mourning Isaiah went up to the temple and saw the Lord.  He went home another way, changed by the power of God.  What about you?  I trust you will come to the Saviour tonight and go home another way.

 

The first birth announcement of Jesus Christ

LIMAVADY INDEPENDENT METHODIST CHURCH

SERMON NOTES SUNDAY 24 DECEMBER 2023

LUKE 2 VERSES 8 – 14

The announcement of the Saviour’s birth was unique and special.  Birth announcements were normally made by new parents.  It was angels and a star that made the announcement of the Saviour’s incarnation.  It was not given to religious leaders in Jerusalem but made to shepherds looking after their sheep.  Men faithful in their regular duties.  Ordinary people busy about ordinary tasks, first given the glory of the Lord. As we note the announcement of the Saviour’s birth to the shepherds there are a number of characteristics we can draw from this portion of scripture.

The shepherds were faithful men.  Faithful and trustworthy.  “The shepherds were abiding in the fields keeping watch over their flocks” – verse 8.  The fact that these shepherds were abiding in the fields shows faithfulness in their duty.  The word “abide” means to lodge or camp out.  A continuous action – abiding.  These shepherds stayed in the field.  They were attentive and focused on what they were doing.  Their utmost priority was fulfilling their present duty.  Faithfully they stood on the job and stuck to their post.  They were faithful minding shepherds.  They knew what it was to be steadfast and unmoveable.  Is that not the cry that we need today particularly when it comes to the work of God?  How many can be counted to stood on the job and stick to their posts like these shepherds?  Are we faithful in our duty?  Are we attentive and focused?  What is our priority?  Is it to fulfil our present duty faithfully?  If there is no faithfulness there will be no fruit in the Lord’s work.  Paul in 1 Corinthians 15 verse 58 said “be ye steadfast unmoveable always abounding in the work of the Lord.”  These shepherds were not only faithful in duty but also faithful in diligence – “keeping watch over their flock by night.”  Watching at night.  They made an extra effort to stay with the sheep and protect them during the night hours.  They were not just going through the motions, they were doing their task with much diligence.  Making the effort.  Faithfulness to the task is more than just showing up.  It was not a matter of passing the time.  It is not a case of diligently doing the job.  Child of God there is a danger of going through the motions, doing enough to get by and never putting in the extra effort.  That ought not to be the case when it comes to the Lord’s work.  We are to be diligent, put our whole heart and soul into everything we are doing for the Lord.  Blessing follows from diligence.  They were faithful and diligent.  When they received news of the Lord’s birth they were not standing around idle.  The Lord reveals his great and mighty plan to those who are faithful not to the slothful and lazy.  We need to be diligent in these days.  They were faithful in the darkness too.  It was dark.  They were not just sunshine shepherds.  They were faithful in their duty in the midst of darkness.  It is easy for these shepherds in the day.  They could see the whole flock without a problem,  They saw all the predators coming to snatch away the sheep.  Their duty would have been more difficult after sunshine.  They could not see as much then in the midst of the darkness.  The shepherds remained faithful.  We are living in a day of great darkness.  We are living in a day of spiritual darkness.  There is a great falling away from the truth.  Anything goes.  In the midst of the great darkness and falling away are we going to remain faithful?  It is easy to be a faithful Christian in the sunshine when things are going well but difficult to continue being a faithful Christian in the darkness.  In this day we must stand firm and true, to continue to be faithful.  Revelation 2 verse 10 “be thou faithful until death.”  The shepherds were faithful men.

They were also favoured men.  When the wonderful announcement was made by the angels who were the first people to hear it?  It was not revealed to the upper class of society.  The first people favoured with the announcement of the Saviour’s birth were lowly shepherds, ordinary men doing an ordinary task.  God did not send an angelic declaration to the Caesar’s, to King Herod or other men in great power.  He didn’t sent a host of angelic beings to the religious hierarchy in Jerusalem.  The chief priests, scribes and elders were not the first to hear.  None of these people who held high positions, were of the right standing spiritually but shepherds were favoured.  Their hearts were not in the right place to receive the wonderful news but the faithful shepherds were favoured by the Lord.  They had the right heart to receive the greatest news the world could ever hear.  Their standing was so pleasing to the Lord that he revealed to the shepherds the news of his son’s birth.  It is not position that receives favour with God.  The heart must be right.  I wonder what is our standing spiritually today?  Are we favoured men and women before God?  What about our hearts?  Are they in the right place?  Eligible candidates in a position to receive from the Lord?  Men who were employed in a very humble occupation were the first to hear of the Saviour’s birth in Bethlehem.  To many they were insignificant and unimportant shepherds but they were greatly favoured by the Lord.  What an encouragement this should be to us walking in the ways of the Lord.  To the world we may seem insignificant or unimportant.  Our employment may seem obscure and unimportant as far as the high and mighty are concerned but we are greatly favoured by the Lord.  Isn’t that wonderful.  The things concerning God’s kingdom are often hidden from the great and the noble and revealed to the humble.  Moses was keeping sheep, Gideon was threshing wheat and Elisha was ploughing a field when honoured by directs calls and revelations from God.  You could have the highest position in the land, the greatest job going, have no favour or communion with God.  You could have the most insignificant job like the shepherds and be greatly favoured by God.  

The shepherds were fearful men – verse 9 “and they were sore afraid.”  As soon as the shepherds saw the host of angels great fear came on them.  It is no surprise to see them fearful.  People in those days would have said that a sign of the supernatural would have doomed them to death.  It not only caused fear to rise up in their hearts but also for the glory of the Lord to arise up too.  The extent of the shepherds fear is found in the word “sore”.  Not just frightened but they were tremendously frightened.  However there was no need to be afraid.  The angel told them why – because the angel came with a good message – verse 10 “good tidings”.  In the midst of fear, they were on the verge of receiving the best news ever given to mankind – that Jesus Christ is our Saviour.  The message of Christ coming to save people from their sin is always a good message.  It doesn’t matter how many times you read it or hear it from preachers God’s message will remain to be a good message.  It was not a message of judgment that they expected to hear.  The Lord’s first message in coming to the earth was to save – John 3 verse 17.  The shepherds had no fear.  The angels came with a good message but also with a glad message – “great joy”.  There is no great source for mankind than the Lord Jesus Christ.  The joy that he brings to the heart and life is not fleeting but lasting, it does not change with the changing circumstances of life.  You can take the joy of the Lord wherever you go.  Philippians 4 verse 4 "rejoice in the Lord always and again I say rejoice."  Even in the darkest hours of his life Paul had the joy of the Lord in his heart.  The joy of the Lord rises above circumstances.  There are many today who have a form of joy that is often disappointing and infrequent.  That is not the case with the joy of the Lord.  The world is fleeting but the joy of the Lord is lasting.  The shepherds had no need to fear because the angel came with a good message, a glad message but also a global message – “which shall be to all people.”  The angel was clear about this message.  It was not a limited one.  It was not restricted to a certain group or class of people in society.  Rather the message was for the whole world.  Every man and every woman – “to all people.”   Throughout the public ministry of our Lord Jesus he made it clear he loved the world.  His mission was the world – John 3 verse 16 – “whosoever shall believe in him shall not perish but have everlasting life.”  At the birth of the Saviour, when the announcement was made the gospel of Jesus Christ is a whosoever message.  The gospel brings joy to all who receive the Lord Jesus as Saviour.  What a global message we have today.

We have considered the shepherds who were first to hear of the birth of the Lord Jesus Christ.  They were faithful men, faithful in their duty, in their diligence and in the darkness.  We must be faithful people, stay on the job and do it with the best of our ability despite the spiritual darkness today.  Not only faithful but favoured men.  Their standing before the Lord was so favoured so much – they were the first to hear of the birth of Jesus Christ.  How is our standing today?  Are we in a position to receive from the Lord?  We saw how the shepherds were fearful, tremendously frightened but they had no need to fear because the angel came with a good message, a glad message and a global message.

The worry, the word and the work for Zerubbabel

 

LIMAVADY INDEPENDENT METHODIST CHURCH

SERMON NOTES FROM SUNDAY 17 DECEMBER 2023

HAGGAI 2 VERSES 20 – 23

Throughout this series we have discovered many truths and lessons we can apply to our own lives.  God did not speak directly to his people through the prophet but used him as an instrument to convey the message to the people.  It was not off the cuff each time.  He spoke the message from the Lord.  He did not claim all these messages were his own but God’s.  Time and again we read the words “thus saith the Lord of hosts” defeating any suggestion they were only from him.  It shows his faithfulness as a preacher, listening to the voice of God.  He was sensitive to what he wanted him to say.  If he wanted to be a true preacher he was to preach the message from God.  The same applies today.  That person must be sensitive to God’s voice and the leading of the Holy Spirit.  They should not present it watered down.  Haggai preached the message with the purpose of it changing the people.  That is what inspired him to go forward to preach the word of God.  As we draw this series to a close there are a number of points we can look at.

 

The worry.  This message is somewhat different from the rest.  The other messages were directed to the remnant of the people but this one is directed to one man – Zerubbabel.  He is mentioned elsewhere but who was he?  The governor of Judah.  He occupied a prominent place in the land.  Why was this message for him only?  He became discouraged and fearful about what lay ahead.  The Lord knew this discouragement and fear would be harmful to the people.  What hope would be for them?  It would not give them much encouragement to continue.  Zerubbabel had to be strong.  The people needed strong, consistent leadership.  If not it would cause them to languish into the old ways.  He longed for them to stride forward with him.  The leadership had to remain fresh and optimistic.  Is that not what we need today?  We are in desperate need of strong leadership.  Zerubbabel is occupying a leadership place.  Churches today need men who are not going to languish.  They need to lead from the front with determination and confidence in the Lord.  What was it that caused him to be overcome with fear?  The nations around Israel were bigger and stronger.  He saw the great and mighty empires around him.  He looked back to the small and insignificant nation of Israel – how can we defeat them?  We are a feeble host and they are a mighty manpower and have experience.  Discouragement is the greatest weapon the enemy will use to hinder and stop the work of God.  The people were still involved in the reconstruction of the temple and the devil did not want it to continue.  How did the devil discourage them?  By starting at the top with the leader Zerubbabel.  The best of leaders are not exempt from fear and discouragement.  They too will face the attacks from the enemy.  Perhaps a lot worse than the average Christian when they seek to move the work forward and build it up.  The enemy will seek to try and bring it down.  That should make us more diligent to uphold those in prayer particularly those in leadership in the work.  We need to pray for ministers, elders, Sunday School teachers, all those seeking to build the work of God up because discouragement will come.  Paul said in Romans 1 verse 9 “For God is my witness whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son, that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers.”  Paul was a man who prayed for the leaders in other churches.  The worry – Zerubbabel was fearful.

 

The word – verses 21 and 22 “Speak to Zerubbabel, governor of Judah, saying, I will shake the heavens and the earth. And I will overthrow the throne of kingdoms, and I will destroy the strength of the kingdoms of the heathen: and I will overthrow the chariots and those that ride in them; and the horses and their riders shall come down, every one by the sword of his brothers.”  In the midst of all the worry, the Lord would have an encouraging word for Zerubbabel.  It didn’t matter if the nations around Israel were much bigger and stronger, the Lord would take care of them and his people.  They would not be a nation of Israel that would not be forsaken by Jehovah the Lord.  God is reminding Zerubbabel and Haggai of this.  He is the same today – he hasn’t changed.  Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever as Hebrews reminds us.  God has not changed.  He will not forsake us.  He will not forsake his people.   He would overthrow those who sat on the thrones of the kingdom.  He would weaken them, disarm them, leave them defenceless and vulnerable in the day of battle.  The horses and riders would be overthrown. What is being described here?  The enemy would turn on its own.  Disunity.  That would be the ultimate destruction.  After hearing all this Zerubbabel had no need to fear.  He had no need to fear anyone.  God can secure us from fear either by removing the thing feared or by subduing the fear of the thing.  Zerubbabel could rest assured the Lord would care for his people, he would preserve and protect them.  If God had not stood with Moses he would never have defeated Egypt.  He stood with him and overthrew the Egyptians.  If he had not stood with Joshua he would never have conquered the nation.  Joshua 1 verse 5 “There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life; as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.”  Surely we have no reason to fear once we have heard this.  We have no reason to fear anything.  There is no need for us to become anxious about the unknown.  The Lord knows everything.  He knows everything we don’t know and he is able to deal with it.  Isn’t that wonderful.  Matthew Henry “we need not look upon those enemies we fear who God looks on with contempt.”  What enemies are you facing today?  Don’t fear but when you ponder and consider the situation Zerubbabel was discovering he had his priorities all wrong.  The Lord wasn’t asking Zerubbabel to worry about the enemy around him.  No he asked Zerubbabel to build the temple.  That is what Haggai is all about.  Instructed by God to do what he could do.  Build the temple.  God would do for them what they were not able to do themselves, staying the enemy.  The Lord is not going to do for us the things we can do for ourselves.  The Lord didn’t say to the people “continue working in the temple and look over your shoulder every so often for the enemy could attack you.”  No God said “focus on the work he called you to do.”  He was to take his eyes off the worry and put them back on the work of rebuilding the temple.  There are times when things are out of our control but we must do for ourselves what we can do and allow the Lord to deal with those situations that are out of our control.  The best way to deal with them is to take our hands off them and quit worrying about it.  Someone said “worry is like a rocking chair, it will give you something to do but it will not get you anywhere.”  Let’s take our hands off the control and place them in the hands that are in control.

 

The work – verse 23 “In that day, saith the Lord of hosts, Will I take thee, O Zerubbabel my servant, the son of Shealtiel, saith the Lord, and will make thee as a signet; for I have chosen thee, saith the Lord of hosts.”  The Lord told Zerubbabel what he would do in the present but also in the future.  God would protect them in their present work.  He led Zerubbabel into a pleasant future. The Lord called him his servant.  This was a special title exclusively reserved for those chosen by God.  God called him his servant.  The encouragement to him.  He made him more determined to finish the work God called him to do.  He was chosen by God.  A servant of the Lord.  Whatever form of service for the Lord we are servants of the Lord.  We are special to the Lord.  We are called by him.  We are saved by him.  Now we are serving him.  He knew his servant.  It is that reminder that will keep us motivated to do the job God has called us to do.  We are serving the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.  We should be seeking to obtain the Lord’s approval by serving him.  1 Samuel 12 verse 24 “Only fear the Lord and serve him in truth with all your heart; for consider how great things he hath done for you.”  The Lord not only called him his servant but marked him like a signet.  That signifies authority.  It vindicated royal authority, a sealed document.  It guaranteed the king would keep his promises and fulfil whatever promises were given within the document.  The signet ring was worn on the right hand or around the neck.  It would never be led out of their sight.  This is the point God is making to Zerubbabel – your are precious to me just like a signet ring.  I have chosen you, I will not let you out of my sight, I will keep you close to me.  Don’t give up, don’t worry about the enemy.  If there is one thing you can take away from this message today it is this – you are precious in the sight of the Lord.  The Lord does not see you as a spark in the distant view.  The Lord knows you personally.  We are graven in the palms of his hands.  We are his precious jewels.  When the Lord was comforting the church he said through Isaiah “since thou wast precious in my sight thou has been honourable and I have loved thee; therefore will I give men for thee, and people for thy life.” (Isaiah 43 verse 3)

 

Zerubbabel was worried but he was to continue on in the work.  Then the word came from the Lord.

The crippled man

 

LIMAVADY INDEPENDENT METHODIST CHURCH

SERMON NOTES FROM SUNDAY 10 DECEMBER 2023

JOHN 5 VERSES 1 – 15

The master was performing many mighty miracles.  Multitudes were astonished at his mighty working power.  He had transformed a terrible set of circumstances when he healed the nobleman’s son.  He had turned failure into success, tragedy into triumph.  The Saviour is confronted by another man in our story.  The Saviour made his way to the pool of Bethesda where a great multitude of people lay sick.  Among them lay a man who was a cripple for 38 years.  Time and again the waters were stirred.  He tried to get into the waters but was disappointed on every occasion.  As he lay beside the pool the Lord appeared and spoke words which brought about his cure.

 

Firstly we see the diagnosis – verse 6.  The Lord Jesus was fully aware of this man’s sickness.  He was infirmed and without strength.  The one who knows all things had full record of this man’s situation.  Why did he then ask him in verse 6 “wilt thou be made whole?”  In other words ‘do you want to be made whole?’  The fact that the cripple was here at this pool was evidence that he desired healing.  There was a genuine purpose behind the question.  The Lord was drawing out a recognition of helplessness and a desperate need of healing.  This question brought home the recognition of his problem.  He had to face up to it.  He had to acknowledge it before he would receive the cure.  Many want to be saved.  They want the cure.  They need a diagnosis but don’t want to face up to the problem.  They do not want to confess and admit they are lost and in need of a Saviour.  Many lost sinners don’t want to go to hell but at the same time they don’t want to get saved.  Have you faced up to the problem that you are a sinner in need of a Saviour?  The Saviour knew all about this man’s problem.  He needs to hear the confession from your lips – that you are lost and in need of him.  The psalmist acknowledged it – “I acknowledged my sin unto thee and mine iniquity have I not hid, I said I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin (Psalm 32 verse 5)  The cripple’s answer to the Saviour was somewhat moving.  He had been lying by the pool for years waiting to get in.  Every time the waters were stirred there was no-one there to help him get in and someone else got there before him.  Verse 17 “The impotent man answered him, Sir, I have no man, when the water is troubled to put me into the pool: but while I am coming, another steppeth down before me.”  The cripped was pinning his hopes on one man.  There was one thing he would learn throughout this whole experience – not to put his confidence in a man.  He would be no good to him in these circumstances. Man could not help him.  Many are depending on a man to forgive their sin, to save them from a lost eternity.  No man can save an individual, bring them from darkness into light.  Only one man – the Godman.  There is one mediator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus. Something else the cripple did not do – he didn’t try and cover up his problem.  He was honest about his condition.  He didn’t say “I am grand” to the question, “I don’t need help.”  No he expressed his problem to the Lord and made no attempt to hide it.  It is often when men are brought face to face with the condition of their heart that they will seek to cover it up.  They will make every effort to hid it.  That could be the case for someone here tonight.  You are trying to cover up the true condition of your heart.  You are not a bad sinner.  You would say “I was brought up in a good Christian home, I don’t smoke, I don’t gamble, I don’t drink alcohol.”  They are attempting to cover up the true condition of the heart.  It is a serious thing to cover up your true diagnosis because you will never receive the effective cure.  If you do not disclose to the doctor your problem but cover it up you will not receive the cure.  If you do not express your true condition before the Lord he cannot impart to you the effective cure.  “He that covereth his sins shall not prosper but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.” (Proverbs28 verse 13)  The diagnosis.

 

The deliverance.  Confession from the cripple was followed by a mighty cure.  “Rise, take up thy bed and walk.”  So great a three fold deliverance took place in this man’s life.  When the Lord does mighty things in individual lives they will rise in character and spirituality.  Sin does the complete opposite, it causes men to become lower and lower in sin but as a result of this man’s desperate condition he was no longer lying low.  The Saviour came and raised him up.  You might be lying low tonight, in the depths of sin but the Lord Jesus can work in your heart and life that will raise you up.  That is why the Lord went to the cross.  He was lifted up so you could be raised up and rescued from your sin.  “And I, if I be lifted up from the earth will draw all men unto myself.” (John 12 verse 32)  The Lord does not lower men in morals or character.  No, the business of the gospel is to raise men.  Have you been raised, lifted from your sin? 

 

“From sinking sand He lifted me

With tender hand He lifted me

From shades of night to plains of light

Oh praise his name he lifted me.” 

 

Not only see the rising but the taking.  “Take up thy bed.”  This was no comfortable bed but a pallet with a piece of material.  It could be moved easily from one place to another.  When this cripple received the cure and received it here he was commissioned by the Saviour to roll it up.  By doing so he was removing everything that was attached to his former life.  He was raised up, cured.  His old bed no longer was needed.  He was not to return to the old ways of living.  He was gloriously healed.  He lived differently from then on.  To take his bed, to roll it up.  Can this be said of everyone who has received the cure spiritually?   What about those of us who are saved tonight?  We have received the cure, we have been raised up – have we rolled up everything that was associated with the old life or could it be there are things we go back to?  Sins from a former life we still cling to?  We must roll them up, be done with them.  There can be no turning back.  We have been saved therefore we must live differently.  “Old things have passed away behold all things have become new.” (2 Corinthians 5 verse 17).  The rising, the taking and the walking – verse 8.  What a deliverance this man experienced.  Surely it was the talk of the country.  This man who was unable to move or do anything for himself has been raised up, rolled up his bed and is now walking.  The wonderful work Jesus did in his life would be clearly noted in his walk.  When an individual becomes a believer he is raised up from sin.  It will be shown in their conduct.  Does your walk show others the wonderful work Jesus has done in your life?  When the master heals us from the plague of sin he expects us to walk in a way worthy of him.  We cannot witness with our words if we are not witnessing with our walk.  The diagnosis.  The deliverance.

 

The direction – verse 14 “Afterward Jesus findeth him in the temple and said unto him, Behold, thou art made whole; sin no more lest a worse thing come unto thee.”  This cripple who was raised up could find no better place to be thanking God for the wonderful miracle taking place in his life than in the temple.  It was in the temple he was commissioned to live a life of certainty.  “Behold thou art made whole”.  Giving him great assurance about the completeness of the work performed in his life and walk.  You have experienced the full extent of my delivering power.  This is one of the first things every believer should be taught when coming to know the Lord as Saviour. The certainty.  Assurance is not to doubt the work Christ has done in their lives.  Are you doubting?  Are you beginning to doubt.  The old devil is trying to rob you of radiant certainty.  It is not something to question or doubt but believe and rejoice in.  Thou art made whole.  “These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God that ye may know that ye have eternal life.” (1 John 5 verse 13)  The Saviour called him to live a life of certainty and victory – verse 14 “sin no more.”  By making this statement he was expressing God’s standard of holiness.  He could not endorse sin.  He could only say what God the Father would say.  “Sin no more”.  The Lord was not telling him to do something that was beyond him.  The master was fully aware that victory over sin in the Christian life is possible.  Living a victorious life is achievable through the help and strength of the Lord.  Romans 8 verse 37 “Nay in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.”  Someone said the victorious Christian life is the victorious Christian life.  Live a life of certainty.  Victory.  Also loyalty.  “Lest a worse thing come unto thee.”  A warning from the Saviour would encourage loyalty to the Saviour.  To fail at this point in his life would invite a worse disaster than the 38 years of illness he had just been delivered from.  The Lord never said what the worse thing would be.  He wanted to understand sin has far more devastating results than sickness.  He showed mercy and love to this man.  It is a terrible thing to turn back to a sin.  Sinning against the light he had just received from the Lord.  A dangerous thing to do.  Sinning against the light you have received.  This cripple would have realised loyalty to Jesus was not optional but mandatory.  He had to be loyal.  There was no going back.  We are living in a day when loyalty is scarce.  Where is the commitment and loyalty from the followers of Jesus?  We are living in a day when turning back and sinning in the light they had received.  What about us?  Are we loyal followers of Jesus?  Committed and dedicated to his cause?  If we are going to please our Saivour and enjoy the fulness of his blessing we must be loyal to him.  Revelation 2 verse 10 “be thou faithful unto death and I will give thee a crown of life.”  We have discovered that Jesus does not do things by half.  He goes all the way.  In response to all that Jesus has done for us tonight are we going to go all the way with him?  I trust you will take the right course of action and direction and life of certainty, a life of victory and a life of loyalty.

Romans 8 - what a great God we serve who never changes!

 

LIMAVADY INDEPENDENT METHODIST CHURCH

SERMON NOTES SUNDAY 10 DECEMBER 2023 – PASTOR SAM GORDON

ROMANS 8 VERSES 12 – 17

One of the greatest truths of scripture is that we are privileged to serve a great God who never changes.  He is always the same.  Hebrew 13 verse 8 “he is the same yesterday, today and forever.”  At the end of the Old Testament in Malachi 3 verse 6 we also read that he is the Lord who changes not.  We live in a world today that is relentlessly changing, it is unstoppable.  Yet in the midst of it all Jesus remains constant.  He is fantastically true.  The Lord never changes but he is always doing new things – in your life, in your church, in the world we live in.  He is always doing new things, brand new things.  We find that as we read Romans 8.  We see a monumental change in this chapter.  In the opening section we have a new pattern from the king.  We are no longer living under a dark cloud of condemnation.  We have a new friend, the Holy Spirit himself.  When you come to Christ you are energised by the spirit of life.  We have a new obsession.  He has given a sparkling new mind and heart.  He gives to every one of us a genuine reason for living.  There are many other new things for us to sink our teeth into.  We follow someone new.  We belong to someone new.  We speak to someone new.  We inherit something new.  We experience something new.  Paul has some unfinished business in verses 12 and 13.  He is going for the jugular.  He reminds us in 2 verses we have, as the people of God, a serious obligation to fulfil.  Paul spells it out in a few easy to understand words.  In verse 12 we are responsible to the Spirit.  Verse 13 we are re-enforced by the Spirit.  You know we ought to take those together.  The challenge for every one of us is – let’s be different.  Let’s be distinctive.  I want you to live your life on the sharp edge of faith for God.  If we toe the party line we are onto a real winner.  We are blessed of God.  We experience victory.  We experience life with a capital L I F E.  Life that is full and overflowing with godly optimism.  However, if you prefer to do your own thing, go your own way we are losers every single time.  Why?  Because the flesh is never satisfied.  The old man is never content.  We will know from experience the more we give in to it the more it demands and the more it wants.  When we come to the point where we repent and are converted that is the moment when loyalties switch.  We march to a different drum.  Paul says there is no point in a life in bondage when you are a liberated people.  We have freedom in Christ.  We might as well enjoy it, live it to the full.  “When it comes to our walk with God there is no point in drinking skimmed milk when you can drink full milk.”  Count your blessings – that is what you have right here. We see here the benefits that will be ours.  In verses 14 to 17 we see that God leads us, each step, each mile of the way.  “God leads his dear children along.”  When we think of that marvellous message there are certain truths that we need to underline. 

 

First when God does the leading we do the following.  We can rest assured that the Lord will never lead us where his grace will not be able to keep us.  There are things we question in our lives.  God knows exactly what he is doing all the time.  As we follow hard after him he will not lead us where his grace will not go before us. 

 

Secondly he will never lead us contrary to the word of God.  He is consistent in all his dealings with us.  We must trust him at all times.  Verse 14.  The fact that we are conscious of God’s leading in our lives is a sign that we really do belong to him. He is our heavenly father.  He wants nothing but the best for us.  We can rely on him to lead us down the paths that ultimately in his time and his purpose will always do us good.  It will not always be easy, we know that.  When God does the leading and we do the following God’s way is always the best way.  He never gets it wrong.  God’s not going to lead you into a spiritual cul-de-sac or a dead end.  God does the leading, we do the following. 

 

In verse 15 he re-enforces the truth of our adoption into a global family of God.  We can reflect on that daily when we come with freshness and vitality.  The moment we become a believer the Lord did a special work of grace.  He did not take us and leave us to get on with life.  He did not shortchange us.  He did not give us a spirit of dread.  He has adopted us – you and I have been personally chosen by him.  We were not only born a second time and we were, but we were handpicked by him.  He not only saved us from sin but adopted us and placed us into his forever family.  If you are a child of God legally you are in his family.  You are there to stay. It is for time and eternity - no matter how long we have in this life.  He has placed us in his global family.  Come what may out there or even in there that is our secure position right now and that will not changed.  It does not matter what blessings there are, we have access to it all and so much more.  The genius of God’s astounding grace.  Adoption in this context of Romans was very important.  The people back in first century knew what Paul was talking about.  When a child transferred from one family to another 3 things happened.  The adopted person lost his rights in his old family.  He gained legitimate rights in the new family.  The child got a brand new father.  Secondly by law the old life of the adopted person was completely wiped out, the debts were wiped clean.  Thirdly in the ceremony the adopted son received the right to carry the name of the new family as well as a share in the family fortune.  That is what God has done for us.  In the Lord we have been taken from the family of Adam and placed in the family of God.  We should never ever forget God adopts wrongdoers, failures, rebels.  J I Packer said “adoption is the highest privilege of the gospel. The traitor is forgiven, brought in for supper, and given the family name. To be right with God the Judge is a great thing, but to be loved and cared for by God the Father is greater.”  Grace that is greater than all our sin.  As a consequence of all that has happened to us we enjoy intimate relationship with God.  God our Father is not someone out there far away.  Uncomfortable, remote and distant.  He is up close relational specialising in personal touch. We can look him in the eye and say “father” or “father my father”.  Not only follow a divine leadership but a divine relationship.  We experience divine worship.  Verse 15.  “we cry unto him Abba Father.”  That word “abba” means “daddy” or “pappa”.  If you were in the land of Israel today children talking to their father would say this.  In Paul’s day this was a totally new concept.  No Jew ever dared called God father.  The cross made all the difference.  As the redeemed of God we can say to him “abba Father”.  That is a term of rich endearment.  Loving trust.  Utter dependence on him. It shows our bonding with the father is real, genuine.  It has a ring of reality to it.  It suggests to me today that whatever comes into your life from that direction or from the opposite direction it does not make any difference.  The thrilling truth is it does not matter what our life is like, when we know Jesus as Lord, God is our father and we love him and he loves us.  The Methodist Charles Wesley said

 

“my God is reconciled

His pard’ning voice I hear

He owns me for a child

I can no longer fear

With confidence I now draw nigh

And Abba Father cry”

 

In verse 16 we see another blessing.  “The Spirit himself bears witness with our Spirit that we are the children of God.”  He comes to us at all hours of the day and night.  He convinces us that we really do belong to the living God.  The fact that you know the Lord and it is not a figment of your imagination, you are not someone living in cloud cuckoo land.  It is a cast iron certainty.  God gives us his word and his word is his bond.  The transaction is legally binding, complete, never to be unravelled, sealed and signed for ever and ever.  The Spirit confirms and affirms our relationship with God.  We are reconciled. Why does he do it?  He knows the devil will come along.  The adversary will plague and pester us with all kinds of doubts and fears.  We live in a world of anxiety.  We are buffeted with all that life throws at us.  It is tough down here.  He gives us the assurance – blessed assurance – that enables us to hold our heads up high.

 

If one should ask of me, how can I tell?
Glory to Jesus, I know very well!
God’s Holy Spirit with mine doth agree,
Constantly witnessing Jesus loves me.

 

That is something you can do when you know the Lord.

 

Now I belong to Jesus

Jesus belong to me

Not for the years of time alone

But for eternity

 

In verse 17 Paul brings it to a finale.  The future for the child of God is getting broader and better as the days go by.  Your name and mine is written with indelible ink in his last will and testament.  It will never be blotted out.  It cannot be accidentally erased or removed.  As a child of God we are home and dry.  What a mind blowing inheritance we have to look forward to.  The value of inheritance is determined by the worth of the one who bequeathed it.  The inheritance we have is from the creator, owner, sustainer of the world.  The Lord is rich in so many ways.  He owns the cattle on a thousand hills.  Earth belongs to him. There is nothing mean about our benevolent God.  Not impoverished.  He is there for you and I to enjoy.  Maybe you are saying great but what have we inherited?  We are heirs of God.  That is fascinating.  We fully inherit everything that God owns.  That is a lot we inherit.  All that God has.  The second way to look at we inherit God – our inheritance is God himself.  We inherit all that he has.  We inherit all that he is talking about.  An inheritance cannot beat that.  Paul throws a spanner in the works.  Earthly grace is guaranteed.  Getting from here to there will not be plain sailing.  We all have good days and bad days.  Days of sun and days of shade, the best of times and the worse of times.  Sooner or later in your life there will be difficult days of suffering and trial.  Moments when our back is against the wall.  In moments like that, that is when we are called to share in the sufferings of Jesus.  God doesn’t have to tell us why.  We live our lives grounded on the promises of God.  God will take all that happens to us and will purge us from sin.  He will use us to conform us more completely to the image of his son if we are going to share his glory for eternity.  What is a few days of heartache by comparison?  Whatever happens down here will prepare us for life in a better place.  When we step out into that life we will appreciate things so much more.  No matter how difficult life is today or in the future cannot compare to the glory that is coming our way.  Paul reminds us of the ultimate reason – the joy of glorification.  Grace today enough for today but grace tomorrow too.  The hurts in your life will be followed by hallelujahs.  If this does nothing else it gives us a breathtaking insight into heart and mind of God.  What he thinks of every one of us.  How much he values and treasures us.  He sees our worth.  It will be worth it all when we see Jesus.  Life’s trials will seem so small when we see Jesus.  Just one glimpse of Jesus.  So bravely run that race until you see Christ.  While we run that race until heaven lets count our blessings.