COLERAINE EVANGELICAL CHURCHSERMON NOTES FROM MONDAY 7 APRIL 2025 - MR JOHN WEIR
MARK 12 VERSES 28 TO 34
Everyone wants to be in heaven. It is the hope the Christian has. That one day we will spend eternity with Christ. There are many great hymns about heaven, the kingdom of God.
Blessed Assurance Jesus is mine
Oh what a foretaste of glory divine
Heir of salvation, purchase of God
Born of His Spirit, washed in His blood
There's a land that is fairer than day
And by faith we can see it afar
For the Father waits over the way
To prepare us a dwelling place there
In the sweet by and by
We shall meet on that beautiful shore
In the sweet by and by
We shall meet on that beautiful shore
Sing the wondrous love of Jesus
Sing His mercy and His grace
In the mansions bright and blessed
He'll prepare for us a place.
Face to face with Christ, my Savior,
Face to face—what will it be,
When with rapture I behold Him,
Jesus Christ who died for me?
In our chapter we have read of a man who was not far from heaven, not far from the kingdom of God. Are you ready? Maybe you would say "I am not far, almost going to make it." There are 3 groups of people and their positions, where they stood in relation to the kingdom of God.
Firstly, there are individuals who are in the kingdom of God. The vast majority of people tonight have a testimony of saving grace. They could tell how they met the Lord as Saviour, experienced the miracle of new birth. Salvation is a miracle. I am not ashamed of the gospel, not ashamed to tell others in my work place, family and community. "Whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved." You have accepted the gift of the Lord, you serve the Lord, you have repented of your sins. "Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness." "Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him." The true Christian is different from the world. They don't go to the dens of the world. They act different, talk differently. They have come in repentance, turning from living the old life and turned to Christ. Our sins are forgiven. We are adopted into God's family. To know Christ as Saviour, to talk to him, worship him, to love him and live for him every day.
O what a wonderful, wonderful
day, day I will never forget;
After I'd wandered in darkness
away, Jesus my Savior I met.
O what a tender, compassionate
friend, He met the need of my heart;
Shadows dispelling, with
joy I am telling, He made
all the darkness depart.
Heaven came down and glory
filled my soul,
When at the cross the Savior
made me whole;
My sins were washed away and
my night was turned to day,
Heaven came down and glory
filled my soul!
The Christian has a joy, a peace that passeth all understanding. Many throughout the world are Christians. "I will build my church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." The most unlikely people are in the kingdom of God. Think of Paul's conversion. He persecuted Christians, was out to destroy the early church. In Acts 9 he met the Saviour and everything changed for him. He said "for me to live is Christ and to die is gain." That was his motto for life. Think of the woman at the well, the dying thief, the woman caught in adultery - they all met Jesus and were all changed. We have met Jesus and he has done something in our lives. There will be people from every background, tribe and tongue worshipping God in heaven one day - will you be there? Maybe there is someone who is praying for you. They want to see you in the kingdom of God, to get right with God. The true Christian wants to see you into the kingdom of God. They see lost souls perishing and they want to go after them and ask them "is it well with your soul?" Have you compassion for the souls of men and women? People have known days of pain, sorrow, loneliness, despair. They have had trials and temptations. Maybe you are going through something that no-one else knows about. It will all be over when we get to heaven. Annie Johnston Flint was a schoolteacher and had to give it up when she ended up in a wheelchair. She wrote these wonderful words
And in the wondrous city there shall be no more night;
Forever and forever the Lamb shall be its light;
And oh, the joy of knowing, as the Lord's redeemed can know,
While through the dark and dangers of the earthly life they go,
There shall be no more trouble; there shall be no more wrong
There shall be no more sighing, stilling the glory-song;
There shall be no more sorrow, for God shall dry all tears;
There shall be no more sinning, through the eternal years!
I often go into nursing homes and talk to elderly saints who are no longer able to get out to places of worship. As you read with them, pray and talk of blessing through the years, they will often say "i am ready to go home." They have lived for the Lord and served him. They are ready to meet Christ. The Christian doesn't pass away, he goes home. Absent from the body, present with the Lord.
There are individuals who are outside the kingdom of God. They are not Christians. They are not living for the Lord. They have never accepted the Lord as Saviour. Many don't want to hear about the kingdom of God. If they die in their sins they would be lost for ever. It is terrible to be lost. Out of Christ, without a Saviour. Many enjoy their sin. They live for the world, the flesh. They have no interest in spiritual matters. Many are seeking fame, fortune and are climbing the social ladder. They are thinking of themselves. They never think of God and eternity. Today the places of the world are packed with people. They are on the broad road leading to hell and destruction. It is sad. It breaks your heart. Many today claim to be atheists. They have no time for the bible or Christians. They say it is boring, a nuisance. They are accountable to no-one. They live life as if God doesn't exist. We see it in every magazine, social media, television. They all promote a lifestyle that is against God's word. Could the Lord do a revival again? Could he breathe on us? When you get a touch of revival it is hard to settle for ordinary meetings. God is moving and working. Paul to the church in Corinth in chapter 6 verses 9 to 11 says "Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners shall inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you ..." Deep dyed sinners outside of the kingdom of God. Paul went and preached the gospel of the blood of Jesus Christ, the resurrection from the dead. He uplifted the Saviour and many people outside the kingdom were saved and brought in. Some times the most difficult people to reach are church people. People like Nicodemus. They have never been converted, never born again of the Spirit of God. John Wesley said "I went to America to convert the Indians; but oh who shall save me?" Anyone who is saved and knows the Lord needs to warn people to repent and be converted. The preacher is not here to impress people but to warn them of the wrath to come. W P Nicholson was sitting waiting on his mother to make his breakfast one morning when the Spirit of God came on him. There and then he cried out for mercy. This could be your last opportunity. "My Spirit shall not always strive with man." Tonight it could be now or never for you.
There are individuals who are not far from the kingdom of God. There are people who will never come to a gospel mission. But you have come because God has brought you. There is a longing and a desire to get right with God. What brings a person near to the kingdom? Faithful preaching. "Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God." "How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed?" In Jesus' day many of the religious leaders were blind to the truth. Many are brought near to the kingdom by godly parents. They saw a difference in their parents from a young age. Death and sickness can bring people near the kingdom of God. A gospel mission can bring a person near the kingdom of God. The Lord comes near night after night. The singers, testifiers, preachers of the word of God. A marriage break-up can bring you near the kingdom of God. Financial crisis or a business collapsing can bring you near. The loss of a child - God works in mysterious ways. A godly partner can bring you near the kingdom of God. You know they love the Lord. It is amazing how the Lord works.
Whatever group you are in tonight I pray you don't miss the kingdom of God. The alternative is hell and the lake of fire for all eternity. It is not just for a few years but all of eternity. Maybe the Lord is speaking to you. You are not far from the kingdom of heaven.
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