Effective service for God

Notes from a sermon heard on 8 September 2013

Matthew 17 verses 14 – 21

Notice the heartache of this man in the passage.  He had a son who was giving him tremendous grief.  Something had happened to him.  He had been possessed by an evil spirit, by the devil himself.  When the Lord asked about when it came upon him his reply was from a child.  The son tried day and daily to take his own life so the man brought him to the Lord.  This passage teaches us about effective service for God. 

The failure they experienced.  See this man brought his son not directly to the Lord but first and foremost to the disciples.  He thought they could do something for him.  This effective service though comes through defeat.  It is not the end of the work.  Maybe you feel like the disciples.  Maybe you had the opportunity to hear off God in this past week but somehow you let it go and you feel defeated as a result.  If the devil can get one little bit of defeat in your life he will pull you down time and time again.  The football manager after his team have lost says “we will take this on the chin and we will learn from it.”  Perhaps that is what you need to hear today.  You will learn from the defeat of this past week.  It is good to do that.  The business man as well – he sets up his stall to sell but somehow it doesn’t do as well as expected.  It doesn’t stop him though because he continues on.  Maybe in this mission you will feel defeated but we shouldn’t let that stop us.  Notice the failure of the disciples first and foremost.  Luke and Mark also record this same account.  Luke actually specifies when this failure actually came.  Luke 9 verse 37 “the next day when they were come down from the hill.”  What were they doing on the hill?  Jesus took 3 of his disciples with him, he wanted to spend some time with them, separated them.  He took the trusted disciples there to the mountain.  What happened?  The clothes of the Lord actually shone with the glory of heaven.  Moses and Elijah then appeared with him and talked with him.  What about?  How he must go to Calvary.  The disciples were learning of the glory of God and the purpose of the Lord Jesus Christ.  The glory of God is completed in the work of the Lord Jesus Christ.  “I have glorified thee on earth, I have finished the work you gave me to do.”  The purpose in the Lord was to save your soul.  He stepped out into his world, rejected of men and there on the cross of Calvary he shed his blood that you might be saved.  That was his purpose.  The moment you step out in faith, invite him into your heart, trust him as Saviour and Lord - God is glorified at that moment.  This picture shows that in the next life there will be people who have left this scene of time and they are waiting on us to join them.  Luke 9 “the next day when they came down from the hill.”  Be careful of the next day.  When you step out from the presence of God, and the blessings of God, when God speaks to your heart, God is right there beside you.  You can leave the house of God knowing it was good to be there because there you met with the Lord Jesus Christ.  Maybe as you sit with the word of God, take it and apply it to your heart, somehow God speaks to you and you know it.  You get up feeling God has been in the room with you.  Then the next day the devil and tries to rob you of the blessing you had sitting reading God’s word.  He tries to take the peace out of your heart.  That is what he was doing here.  These disciples came down the next day and they met a man with a demonic son.  The failure came. Be wary, be careful of the next day experience, guard it.  Put on the full armour of God.  Are you standing in these days?  Remember Jonah when he ran from the Lord.  God gives him another opportunity.  He tells Jonah I want you to go to Nineveh and preach.  As he begins to preach something happens.  Jonah began to see amazing things, tremendous things, a tremendous revival, men and women turning to God.  Then we see him sitting down on the mountainside so sorrowful.  The devil started to come to him there.  It was the next day for Jonah.  Remember David he was in the front of the army, having victory after victory.  The village was empty and bare, everyone with him was ready to stone him.  What did David do?  He encouraged himself in the Lord.  In this place there was a young man who was possessed of the devil and they couldn’t do anything to help him.

The focus they had.  When the disciples considered the events of that day and saw they could do nothing for this young man, they began to examine themselves.  It is good to examine ourselves.  Maybe praying over something and nothing has happened.  If we start to examine ourselves and the devil comes alongside and starts to put his finger on what is wrong in our lives.  Just like Job’s 3 friends.  They told him he wasn’t living correctly.  It was nonsense.  The devil can pull us down very quickly.  Sometimes when you are praying for something God will tell us it is not the right time, you have to wait, delay it for a while.  “What I do now thou knowest not of.”  Maybe there is a straight forward no, I will not answer it in that way.  God answers in another way.  Paul when brought down with great sickness prayed 3 times and the Lord said “no I will not do it but every day though you will have strength to live for me.”  The disciples failed and they brought it to the Lord.  It should always bring us back to the Lord.  Sometimes a failure drives us the other way.  We need to learn this.  Why could we not cast him out?  Notice their humility, the hunger to know and the honesty of the disciples.  Saul was told to destroy the Amalekites.  Samuel came down afterwards and asked him – why is there still the bleating of sheep?  Saul said it is not my fault but the people’s, he had told them what to do but they kept the best of the flocks.  Even in the Garden of Eden Adam blamed Eve.  It was her fault.  She blamed the devil.  The disciples wanted to know why they had failed in this particular point.  There was a hunger and a thirst there, they didn’t want to make the same mistake again.  Joshua with the children of Israel took Jericho then went to Ai.  They thought it would be best not to take the whole army with them but they were defeated.  Joshua almost blamed God for this defeat.  We have to keep coming back to God time and time again.

The features of this failure – verse 20.  Mark tells us there was an argument going on.  Jesus had picked 3 disciples to take up the mountain.  Maybe there was a bit of jealousy, maybe the rest of the disciples were grieved they hadn’t chosen them.  When it came time to serve God they couldn’t do it.  Maybe in this debate I can imagine right with the scribes and Pharisees that the accusations were flying about.  The Lord and the disciples debated with men who were well read and learned.  It was a discouraging debate.  Paul told Timothy to avoid foolish talk when he went down and talked with people.  Avoid people who are foolish in their talk who just want to ridicule and gossip.  Don’t give heed to fables and endless genealogies, “refuse profane and old wives fables and exercise thyself rather unto godliness.”  Jesus told his disciples in verse 21 “this kind goeth not out but by praying and fasting.”  They needed to pray and fast.  We are going into a mission meeting the enemy head on just like the disciples did.  We don’t want it to be just another mission, somewhere to go, entertainment - not a bit of it.  This is a battle.  We need to be praying and fasting.  There are things we need to leave aside in order to pray.  We need to leave them aside, get into the presence of God and pray.  You have to be serious about it, get hold of God, laying hold upon God to do something for us.  We cannot do it ourselves.  The disciples were not ready for active service.

The frustration it must have caused the Saviour.  To see the power given to his disciples but they failed.  Remember when Jesus was in the boat sleeping and the storm got up.  They woke him saying “carest not that we perish.”  The frustration he must have felt at that moment.  Is there failures in our lives today?  Can we focus on Christ, are we prepared to say “Lord here I am I want you to use me?”

Touched through blindness

Notes from a sermon heard on 1 September 2013

Luke 18 verses 35 – 43

Think of a special day in the life of Bartimaeus because it was the day the Lord not only entered into Jericho but his life touched others in Jericho.  “And he cried, saying Jesus thou son of David have mercy on me.” (verse 38)  He was sitting in his blindness, his darkness.  He was lifted by his friends and taken to this place sitting with his bowl crying out as people passed him by.  Somehow he would be able to receive pennies.  One day Jesus Christ came.  One day he lifted up his voice.  One day he cried to the Lord.  Was there a day like that in our lives?  A day when we heard the Lord passing by, when we cried out to him, invited him into our hearts and lives?

It was a blind cry.  It came out from the very depths of the soul of a blind man.  He couldn’t have seen the Lord passing by.  He had to be told about it.  He could only depend on others leading him around.  That is what the Bible says about us today.  As you and I come into this world you are blinded.  We can see the things around us.  We cannot see into the depths of our heart.  Do not know what lies within that heart.  What lies there is the sin nature.  We have been born again the Bible says.  Everyone has sinned, broken God’s laws, broken God’s commandments, come short of what God would have for us today.  This man is crying out for the darkest depths of despair.  David was a young shepherd boy guarding his sheep.  One day he had to defend the whole nation of Israel, went on to become great King of Israel.  He went through an awful time of despair, discouragement, deep despair.  I’m sure there are times we can look back on our lives, can say they were difficult for us to endure.  David looked on it like a horrible pit, couldn’t get out of it by his own will power.  The Bible says “I waited patiently for the Lord and he inclined unto me and he heard my cry.  Jesus says it doesn’t matter who the person is, if that person comes to me I will not pass them away.  Here was a man felt was in a horrible pit, all he could do was lift up his voice and cry.  Remember how the children of Israel in Egypt under hardship, taskmaster.  The people of God got to the place of despair and discouragement.  The Lord took Moses out into the wilderness.  I have a very special job for you.  I want you to go down into Egypt and bring my people out of that land.  He had to have seen the affliction they are under.  I have heard their cry.  Not until they cried out would God move in to take them out of that situation.  Maybe you realise you need to be saved.  There is sin in your heart, never be in heaven because of that sin.  You really need to get saved.  Not prepared to call or cry.  The Lord would not break in without you crying.  “Behold I stand at the door and knock, if any man hear my voice and open the door I will come in.”  Manasseh king is Israel his father Hezekiah brought the nation of Israel back to the Lord.  Father and mother do you see a family underneath you going out into a lost and Christless hell for eternity.  Are you concerned about it today?  Hezekiah did everything in his power to set an example in his home.  Manasseh didn’t want that example.  Don’t blame yourself if one in your home is starting to go the opposite way from you.  What you will answer for is the example you have set before them.  Manasseh did everything in his power to do the opposite of his father, to turn the people away from the Lord.  The Lord spoke to him again and again but he wouldn’t turn.  The Lord sent the enemy against him.  They took and put him in fetters.  2 Chronicles 33 verse 12.  From the pit God heard David.  God heard Manasseh.

It was a begging cry.  Have mercy on me.  He was begging for mercy.  This man had nothing to bargain with just helpless.  A poor blind beggar to cry that somehow God would look on him with favour.  Mercy was not something we deserved because we have sinned, turned our backs on God, broken his law.  The soul that sinneth it shall die but God extends his mercy to us.  He took his only son and he sent him in into this world on that cross of Calvary there he died and suffered for you and I.  He suffered for your sins and my sins, died for your sins and my sins, died to pay the price of them that you would not have to die for them.  Whenever we cry out to the Lord he comes and saves us.  The prodigal son in scriptures came to himself, came to his senses and decided to go back to his father.  He planned what he would say to him.  Now he was returning empty and a beggar hoping to be given the servants position but no the father hugged him, kissed him, put a ring on his finger and a robe on his back and shoes on his feet.  He welcomed him back into his home.  Bartimaeus could hear the noise and questioned what it all meant.  He cried out asking what it all meant.  The people told him Jesus of Nazareth was passing by.  All he had to do was cry out to Jesus and he would save him.  Christ has died for you.  He wants to save you, come into your heart and life.  Forget about a profession you made in the past.

It was a believing cry.  Bartimaeus knew who Jesus was.  Maybe he had knowledge of who he was.  Somehow this man knew the word of God.  Maybe you know the word of God, know everything I am saying.  On the cross of Calvary Jesus died for you but you just haven’t come.  Maybe you know the story, brought up in a home where you were taught the story of Jesus, how he was crucified but it is all a story for you today.  Why not make it a reality.  That is what Bartimaeus did.  It was a believing cry.  David thou son of David have mercy on me.  When we come to Jesus we must believe that he is God and Saviour.  He is the only remedy.  He is the only mediator between God and man.  Believe he is a diligent rewarder of them that seek him.  I wonder are you ready to call out with a believing heart for Christ today?

It was a beneficial cry.  Jesus stopped right where he was and called Bartimaeus to himself.  Do you see Christ calling today?  Telling you you need to be saved?  It is important that you are saved.  Here was a man who heard, was stirred by faith, he cried.   Unless your heart is stirred you will never cry.  You will go out into a Christless eternity.  If you can hear the Lord saying you need this, you need to cry out.  Bartimaeus came to the feet of Jesus.  He asked him “what will you that I do unto you?”  Bartimaeus said “that I might receive my sight”.  Jesus told him “thy faith hath saved thee”.  It was his faith not works that saved him.  All because he cried to Jesus that day.  You will never be in heaven because you go to church, read your Bible or pray.  You will only be in heaven if you trust the Lord as Saviour and Lord.  The consequences are to be lost in a Christless hell for eternity.  Will you come like Bartimaeus of old crying out to him, ask him into your heart and life to be your Saviour and he will do it.

Relationships

Notes from a Sermon on Sunday 26 May 2013

EPHESIANS 6 verses 1 – 9

As Paul concludes this section to the Ephesian church he addresses relationships within the home – children to parents, father and mother and children.  All before he goes into the section on the armour of God and the battle the Christian is in.  In these coming days there is going to be a great onslaught for the home.  It will be changed for ever if this bill goes through.  Already we can see the debates for and against same sex marriage.  There is a generation rising up now that knows nothing of the word of God, of the Lord and what he has done for us.  Paul is saying in verse 4 “ye fathers provoke not your children to wrath but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.”  This is about reaching the next generation with the word of God. 

As Paul speaks here this has to be done with a priority.  A priority on you and me as those leaders in the work of God to reach the next generation.  We cannot save them, that is not within our powers to save anyone.  It is within our power that they grow up knowing the things of God.  Joshua in the days when the children of Israel were brought into the land of Canaan divided up among the people, when people came into believing it was the land God gave them, a land of vineyards never planted yet God gave them this land and it was theirs to work for him.  There arose another generation that knew not the Lord.  We need to be passing on the knowledge of saving grace of the Lord, seek to win others for Christ.  There is a great responsibility on us today.  We need to show our little ones that God’s own son came into this world to be made sin for you and I.  That is the responsibility we all have for the children in our homes.  It is placed on you by the word of God.  “Bring them up in the nuture (discipline) and admonition (teaching) of the Lord.”  That is the responsibility we have.  It is widened out into the fellowship to reach out to those in our own fellowships.  Timothy as a child in his mother’s and grandmother’s home trusted the Lord as Saviour.  How Paul could commend that home – “you were taught there Timothy about Jesus being the Saviour of the world who died to save him from his sins.  It was a priority.  2 women folk made priority to reach him for the gospel of Christ.  Sometimes we have our priority wrong.  What are they in life and for our children?  In Judges 3 we read of a young child that was to be born called Samson.  A young man with tremendous strength through his hair.  It wasn’t to be cut.  Then he was betrayed by a woman.  He wouldn’t give that secret up to her but eventually he did.  Before he was born an angel appeared to his mother out in the fields.  One day she was told she would have a child, would be a mighty man who would rise up to judge the nation of Israel.  The angel told her everything about this child.  She ran home and told her husband they would have a son.  Manoah rushed to the spot where she had met with the angel.  “Lord if we are to have this child tell us how we should raise him.”  Judges 13 verse 12 a priority to reach the next generation.  That is the priority of the work of God.

There is secondly a patience - we are to teach the children patiently.  It is easy to provoke a child but we are not to do that.  We have to have patience to work with the Lord to teach them the things of God.  There will be many a heartache.  We need to have that patience whether in the home or in the Sunday School.  It can be discouraging to have everything ready for the children to share yet feel falls on deaf ears.  “My word shall not return unto me void.”  When you take the word of God you have the promise that it will not return unto God void.  It will accomplish that which God hath ordained.  It takes patience.  James talks of the farmer going out into the field sowing the seed and he waits patiently.  He waits for the rain to bring on the crops, to reap a harvest.  Think of the patience of the prodigal’s father.  I see that man standing at the gates of his own home waiting for the son to come home again, to see sense and make his way home.  Day after day he is waiting for that.  How sad it was for him when his son walked out on him.  That man could have just turned around and said “go out and you make your bed where ever I don’t really care any more.”  No doubt he said to that son “there will always be a bed for you here if you ever decide to return home.”  One day he was standing and in the distance he saw a speck.  He never left that position gazing, waiting for his son to come home.  Are we teaching children patiently?  Don’t give up and give in.  It is really easy to take step back and give in.

Thirdly we have to be persistent – “bring them up”.  Consistent in our teaching and constant in our teaching.  In Timothy’s house the teaching began at an early age but it was persistent.  It was built upon.  Think of Moses, look into his home as his mother left her son never to see him again possibly.  Because condemnation was on male children that day he was laid in an ark of bulrushes.  She made it so safe and secure for him.  No doubt she prayed to the God of heaven asking him to keep him safe as she laid him in the water.  She asked the Lord to keep him safe.  Pharaoh’s daughter came down to the water, saw the ark in the water, opened up the lid of the ark and just then the child wept.  Something touched the heart of Pharaoh’s daughter.  Miriam saw the situation and asked her if she wanted a nurse for the child.  Pharaoh’s daughter said yes if you get one then I will pay her to look after the child.  Miriam called for Moses’ mother to look after him.  She would have taught Moses persistently day after day all about the things of God.  She knew it was a limited time so was persistent.  We have to be like Moses’ mother.  Later in life when Moses had been brought up in the king’s palace he made the decision not to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter.  He was going to take on the sufferings of his own people the children of Israel.  He took their pain on himself.  As we teach children we have to realise where they might end up.  The instruction in Deuteronomy is clear – pass on from one generation to another – that is our responsibility.

Teach them prayerfully.  Hannah brought up Samuel to the house of God, she met Eli the priest who remembered her prayer.  She had promised God to give him back to the Lord – “Lord if you give me a child I will give him back to you.”  I wonder when we get to heaven’s glory and say I prayed for them.  Thank God they are gathered around the Lord’s feet today.

Teach them with persuasion.  Paul is told not to provoke them but to persuade.  Let’s hold on until we see a generation reached for the things of God.

LOST

Notes from a sermon heard on 12 May 2013

Luke 15 verses 1 – 7

The subject of Luke’s gospel chapter 15 would be LOST.  In Luke’s gospel chapter 15 we find 3 sections – a lost sheep, a piece of lost silver and then a lost son.   Look tonight at the lost sheep but not concentrating on the sheep itself but the loving shepherd.  We want to contrast that to John chapters 10 and 11 where it talks about the Good Shepherd and what he says about himself – “the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.”  We see Christ as he comes into this world, as he walks along the laneways of the towns and villages, see him on the middle cross dieing for you and I.  4 specific thoughts:

A thoughtful endeavour.  The people are gathered together in chapter 15 verse 1.  They are drawn to the Lord.  Something special about this man.  The way he preaches and teaches.  He can draw men and women to himself.  He brought publicans and sinners to hear him.  Read there of the Pharisees in verse 2 came and murmured.  They didn’t like what he said.  They didn’t like people praising him, bowing at his feet.  Just as the old scribes tried to hinder people coming to the Lord so too will the devil do all in his power to hinder you coming to Christ.  Maybe you have already realised that you are not ready for heaven and home.  Are you willing and ready to do something about it?  Are you longing to make Jesus Saviour and Lord as your own?  If so you will be in a fierce battle because the devil will do all to rob you of the good seed of the word of God.  He will do all to hinder you to come to Christ.  Has God been opening your heart to the claims of salvation, that your soul is standing in the balance?  You need to do something about it.  This man was tired and weary.  He couldn’t rest until he found that one sheep that was lost.  Jesus cannot rest until he has found you.  He has you on his heart and mind.  The only thought he had on his heart was that the little sheep is on the mountainside.  Spiritually speaking the day is far spent.  The night time of judgment is coming on this old earth.  The devil and the demons of hell roam the streets of this world seeking to devour whom he may.  We can point you to the one who came into the world to seek and to save the world.  That on the cross he might die for you and me.  The devil tempted Jesus to come up to the pinnacle, the highest point to prove who he was.  “Every kingdom of the world I will give to you if you bow down and worship me.”  The old devil was defeated on that day on the mountain.  The only thing on Jesus’ mind that day was your soul and mine.  In the Garden of Gethsemane, in the darkness of the night Jesus comes to his father and says “nevertheless not my will but thine be done.”  Are you concerned about that soul of yours?  The mind of the Lord is what Paul paints for us in Philippians 2.  He did not strive to seek himself equal with God, “he made himself of no reputation and took upon him the form of a servant.”  The shepherd had one sheep on his mind.  God had one thing on his mind and soul – you.  Jesus wept over Jerusalem one day and said “how often would I have gathered you as a hen does gather her chicks.”  He went into the market place and started to plead with men and women to come to him but they didn’t come.  How many times has God spoken to you about your need of salvation?  Has he reached into that heart of yours?  Have you turned your back on God and said no to the Lord?  On his heart and mind tonight is your precious soul.  Christ looked at those who had hammered the nails into his hands on the cross and prayed “Father forgive them for they know not what they do.”  The devil had blinded them.  How many times has he to pray for you as you walk away from his offer of mercy?

His tireless efforts.  He began to look for this sheep which was lost.  He put actions to his thoughts.  He wants to find this sheep.  Almost can imagine the shepherd, picture him as he goes out to find it, going back over all his ground, seeking for this little sheep.  The Lord doesn’t give up on us.  He didn’t give up on his journey to the cross.  Throughout his life he was tireless in his efforts.  Think of John 4 and the encounter with the woman at the well.  “Jesus must needs go through Samaria.”  Why?  There is a woman who needed to be saved.  She was living a sinful, wreckless life.  Just to save her soul he would have come into the world just to save her.  He has come into the world just for you.  As he approaches this area he was weary and tired and hungry.  He rested on the well.  The woman comes out, lost in her sin yet the Lord doesn’t say just give me a breather.  He begins to speak to this woman.  He has time for her.  He has time for you tonight.  When Jesus came into one of the villages parents wanted the children to be touched and blessed by him.  The disciples thought differently.  They tried to turn them away but Jesus said “forbid them not for of such is the kingdom of God.” (Mark 10 verse 14)  If you have a moment to give to Christ he will meet you there.  In Luke 14 and the parable of the feast we see the sufficiency of the feast and the scope of the feast.  The man had a son getting married so he sent out invitations “come for all things are now ready.”  Everyone he sent out an invitation to wouldn’t come to the feast.  They turned their backs on it.  There is a invitation that goes out today for the gospel – “come and receive Christ as Saviour.”  As we read of this feast we know the feast is a picture of the nation of Israel who turned their back on the Lord.  “He came unto his own and his own received him not.”  The gospel was then opened up to you and I.  The servants were to go out to those who were invited, then to go out into the cities and villages to bring in the lame, the halt and the blind.  They were go to everyone and everywhere while there is still time.  There is a tireless effort going out tonight to bring men and women into the kingdom of God.  There is a tireless effort made for your soul.  He has you on his mind.  He has come in search of you.

A triumphant experience.  When he found the lamb in verse 5 he laid it on his shoulders.  The shepherd searched until he found the lost lamb.  A tireless effort took the Lord to the cross where you and I are saved.  I see the devil rubbing his hands with glee.  He feels he has unleashed his master plan to get rid of Christ.  He gets the nation of Israel to reject Christ.  All the religious leaders build up a case against Christ then Judas Iscariot receives a few silver coins to betray the Lord.  The devil seems to be in control then when he gets the opportunity to enter into the soul of Judas.  He only has to tell Pilate your friends will turn against you if you don’t reject this man.  Psalm 22 every demon in hell gathering around the cross then Jesus cries triumphantly “it is finished”.  The great plan of God’s salvation is completed and the devil is defeated for all eternity.  The Lord Jesus spoiled the principalities.  He delivered us from the powers of darkness and translated us into the kingdom of his son.  Maybe like the sheep you think you are safe, everything is well but you are lost.  With the next breath you have you could drop into the depths of hell for all eternity.  Thank God he triumphed at the cross of Calvary to save your soul.

A thankful expression.  The lamb was put on his shoulders and he went home telling his neighbours “come and rejoice with me this lamb was lost but now is found.”  All heaven awaits for your decision tonight.  If you were to come to Christ all heaven will sing over the sinner coming in repentance tonight.  Will you come tonight?

What must I do to be saved?

Notes from a sermon on 5 May 2013

Acts 16 verses 24 – 34

What must I do to be saved?

Verse 31 “believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved and thy house”

This is the question I was asked one time and it came from someone seeking to know and understand the way of God’s salvation.  Have you ever sat down and contemplated the things of God?  That where will your soul be when you take that last fleeting breath?  When a person becomes interested and desires to know more of God’s word then the devil gets active.  We are dealing with eternal issues.  The destiny of that soul of yours.  Seeking to bring with clarity the gospel of saving grace.  We realise there is an enemy who will seek to keep you blinded and stop you coming to the cross of Christ.  Verse 31 is the answer to the question.  We live in a day of easy believism.  It is easy to be saved.  We need to be careful and consider this great question from the lips of someone.  No doubt heard about these preachers who had met with the woman at the river side.  Heard how they opened up the word of God.  Heard of Lydia, a woman who had come to sell her wares, how she responded.  God opened her heart and she was saved.  Heard of the little girl who went out saying “here is the men who show us the way of God’s salvation.”  No doubt heard these same men praying and praising God in his own prison house at midnight.  Question he asked now is ‘what must I do to be saved?’  It matters not about the person in front of you or behind you or beside you.  The Lord has come into this meeting with one view – that he might save your precious soul.  Looked at the answer in verse 31.   “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved.”  Beginning to break up the gospel for this man.  What a responsibility for Paul.  The man recognises his need to be saved.  Realises something he had to do to be saved.  Didn’t understand what it was.  Not like the young religious man who came to Jesus and asked “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”  A good living, religious man.  He was not like this man who was a cold, callous man.  He realised he needed to be saved.  This is a great realisation.  Anyone can come.  Have you ever come to this place where you realise you need to be saved?  If you were to close your eyes in death your soul will be lost for all eternity.  The man had a thought for himself.  He realised didn’t know how to be really saved.  You have to believe on the person of Christ.  What a responsibility on Paul’s shoulders.  Here was a man’s soul hanging in the balance.  He must direct this man in the way of God’s salvation.  What a responsibility to show him clearly how he might be saved.  What a responsibility to open up the word of God and show them their need of Christ.  Point them to the way of heaven and home.  Lead them to that way.  What a responsibility that we might all point men and women to Christ.  It was an earthquake that brought him to that responsibility.  Maybe he thought Paul and Silas were mad, insane but he began to realise his need.  It may be something totally different that brings you to that point where you really don’t know how you can be saved.  There was nothing he could do because the Lord had done it all.  When Jesus went down into the waters of baptism he followed John the Baptist.  When the heavens opened and a voice was heard “this is my beloved son.”  This is the one the world rejected.  The only place we find for him was on the middle cross of Calvary.  Remember on the mountain of transfiguration Jesus shone as bright as the midday sun.  Again the heavens opened and a voice said “this is my beloved son.”  Do you believe that he has come to be the Saviour of your sins?  Has Jesus touched your life?  Yet this man was told to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ.  The person of Christ.

He had to believe in the purpose of Christ.  He came to seek and to save that which was lost.  That he came to die on the middle cross to die for your sin and mine.  Here is Paul realising this soul was in the balance.  Serious question with dire consequences.  In Luke 19 we read of Zacchaeus of Jericho.  He knew the Lord was coming to his town that day.  He wanted to make sure he could see him coming.  He didn’t know this would be the last time Jesus would enter Jericho.  He got up that morning, he wanted to see the Lord, he made his way onto the city streets.  He couldn’t see because he was little of stature.  He climbed a tree to watch as Jesus passed that way.  He is passing this way tonight.  He wants to save your soul.  You do not know if you have got another opportunity to touch him as he passes by.  He was going to be in the purpose of Christ.  The son of man is come into this world to seek and to save.  He came to transform lives, to make men and woman ready for heaven and home.  “God sent not his son into the world to condemn the world but that the world through him might be saved.”  (John 3 verse 17)  We are condemned already, no hope for us.  He didn’t come into the world to pass sentence of condemnation.  He took our place on Calvary.  There he suffered and died for your sin.  If you are looking to anything else tonight you will be lost for eternity.  Believe on the person of Christ and believe on the purpose of Christ.

The provision of Christ.  Did he do what he said he would do?  What was provided through the death of Christ?  What must I do to be sure I am saved?  The apostle Paul probably said more than is recorded.  He showed him his sin and his need of salvation.  God has provided in the Lord who is able to open the door into heaven tonight.  He has provided a place for you.  Between you and God there is a state of hostility.  The carnal mind is at enmity with God.  We are enemies to God but while we were yet sinners Christ died for us.  The provision he gives is peace.  He takes away state of hostility and places peace instead.  “Being justified by faith we have peace with God.” (Romans 5 verse 1) God knew the provision that was needed.  A way of reconciliation for every man, woman, boy and girl.  Paul reminded the people of Ephesus “in whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins.” (chapter 1 verse 7)  He provided a peace with God.   Do we believe that tonight?  If you want peace in your heart you have to believe in the person of Christ, the purpose of Christ and the provision of Christ. 

The promise of Christ – “and thou shalt be saved”.  Didn’t say perhaps, maybe, some day but rather “will be saved” the moment you take Christ as Saviour, believe on him as the sinless son of Christ.  His purpose was to save your precious soul.  Provision that he does for you what he said he will do.  The moment you take him at his word he comes into your heart and promises you will be saved.  In John 4 Jesus met with woman with a chequered and sinful past.  She admitted to it all to the Lord.  He discussed the importance of this woman’s soul.  Looking down into the well the Lord said something to this woman “whosoever drinketh of this water will thirst again but I have water that if you drink of it you will never thirst again.”  That sinful woman standing at the well on that particular day opened her heart and lifted up her heart to Christ.  “give me of this water that I will never thirst again.”  She believed on the promise.  What is the promise of Christ to you tonight?  “Him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out”.  Are you saved tonight?  Born again of the spirit of God?  Do you know your sins forgiven?  How can I be saved, know that I am saved?  “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ.”  Sort it out tonight.  Are you saved?  Do you know you are saved?  Are you sure you are saved?  Are you ready for heaven?  If God was to close his hand tonight and stop your breath tonight, step out into God’s eternity would it be well with your soul?  If you cannot answer honestly would you not trust him?  Come to Christ and take him as Saviour and Lord.

Keep the lamp burning bright

Notes from sermon on Sunday 12 May 2013

Acts 2 verses 1 – 13

Zechariah 4 verses 5 and 6 “Then the angel that talked with me answered and said unto me, knowest thou not what these be? And I said, no my Lord. Then he answered and spake unto me saying, this is the word of the Lord unto Zerubbabel saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit saith the Lord of hosts.”

God reveals to Zerubabbel the character and nature of God’s work.  We sometimes think God’s work can be carried on by man’s own talent, understanding, wisdom but that is not so.  God challenges the prophet here “not by might nor by power but by my spirit.”  Somehow when you speak in the work place people don’t want to hear.  When you speak to neighbours they don’t want to hear.  When you speak to your family they don’t want to hear.  The unsaved man or woman is blinded by the god of this world.  He controls the situations of this world.  Yes God is sovereign but the devil has the world under his control.  Those who have never came to a saving knowledge of Christ and his work on Calvary’s cross.  He has blinded their eyes.  As you talk you realise you are coming against a brick wall.  Maybe they have a sympathy to the work of God and to the word of God but blinded to the need to be saved.  It is only by God’s spirit not by wisdom of words.  Paul says it is by God’s Holy Spirit.  We have been learning about the society in which this man lived.  It was cold to the word of God.  They had come back from Babylon and yes had started the work of rebuilding the temple but were cold to it all.  The situation they found themselves in – cold and indifferent to the word of God.  Then we see the scene he saw – the simplicity of it, the secrecy of it and the sufficiency of it all.

Here was the lamp burning bright.  What was the secrecy of it?  The filling of the lamp.  He saw the bowl sitting on the top.  He saw 7 pipes running to the 7 lamps.  The secret of this lamp was the filling of the oil.  Oil symbolises the Spirit of God.  The Holy Spirit is not someone we can see but he is active in our midst.  Jesus speaking to Nicodemus in John chapter 3, a religious Pharisee who came by night with questions on his heart.  The Lord Jesus saw more than the questions.  He was not right with the Lord, not saved.  We can get so close to the door of God’s salvation.  Judas kissed Jesus’ cheek yet he went and hanged himself.  Coming to the door of God’s salvation.  “thou art not far from the kingdom of God” (Mark 12 verse 34) Jesus once said to the scribe who turned and walked away.  When Nicodemus came to Jesus, Jesus spoke of the work of God’s salvation.  “The wind bloweth where it listeth and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth.” (John 3 verse 8)  Sometimes we can give a good guess as to what is working on your heart yet the one beside you says there is nothing here for me today.  The Spirit of God comes to you and strives with you, directing your attention and eyes to the state of your heart today.  Goes to the very heart and shows you that you are not saved.  The greatest need you have.  He shows you the 3 crosses and in particular the middle cross.  He shows you that Jesus died for your sin.  There on that cross God was speaking to a downcast nation, ridiculed, wanted to see them strive with the word of God.  He reminds them not of their own ability.  We are living in a very discouraging age.  There is much by way of ridicule for the child of God.  Need to be constantly filled with the spirit of God.  The secret of the child of God.  The secrecy is not in the ability he has not in the knowledge of the scriptures.  It is in the filling of the Spirit of God.  How important that is.  In Acts 5 we read of Peter standing before the religious leaders.  “And we are his witnesses of these things, and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him.” (verse 32)

The secrecy of the flow.  God has a fresh infilling of the Holy Spirit just for you, for you to do what you have to do.  You need this filling constantly.  The infilling would have been no use if there had been a blockage in the pipe.  Acts 2 the disciples were filled with the Holy Spirit.  The Spirit came into all of them that he might flow through them to reach the multitudes.  The Spirit of God has to be flowing through us.  Paul writing to Timothy speaking of the importance of remaining close to God.  He tells Timothy to flee from these things – 2 Timothy 2 verse 21 “if a man therefore purge himself from these he shall be a vessel unto honour sanctified and meet for the masters use and prepared unto every good work.”  Sometimes you and I get ourselves into a situation where God is not able to flow through us.  We need to turn away from these things that are hindering God flowing through us.  God points out something we need to be doing then we need to get back to it.  Need to make sure the Holy Spirit is flowing through us.

The secrecy of the fruit.  He had seen the lamps burning ever so brightly.  That is what we need to be doing today.  He can use us in situations and there will be fruit in our lives.  “Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” (Matthew 5 verse 16)  In John 15 Jesus said “I am the vine ye are the branches.”  The secrecy is my abiding in him, drawing my every substance from him that through him I might bear fruit.  God can use us, any one of us, from the weakest to the strongest, from the youngest to the oldest.  He will not do it until we step forward and ask him to use us for his service.  God came to Gideon while he was under a tree threshing wheat.  The angel of the Lord drew near to him, spoke to him.  Gideon’s response was simple – ‘If the Lord is with us why are all these things happening to us?’  God was going to use this man of disbelief and doubt, make him a great leader.  How many have not said when things are not going well “I must have done something terrible that God has forsaken me.”  He wants you to lift up your eyes and offer yourself to him totally.  In the Upper Room when the spirit came and filled every believer Peter going out stands in the streets of Jerusalem, he faces all the religious leaders. has no fear in him now.  No unbelief in him.  He stands and preaches the word of God.  Why because it is the secrecy of the word of God.  3000 souls that day were saved because of those words.  The disciples gave their life to the Lord and waited until they were filled with the Holy Spirit.  Are we filled?  Are we saved first and foremost?  Saved by God’s grace, knowing God’s forgiveness?

A vision of the character and nature of God's work

Notes from a sermon heard on 5 May 2013

2 Corinthians 10 verses 1 – 18

We can all have different views of God’s work and what should be happening in God’s work.  Need to be careful we do not overstep the mark when it comes to God’s work.  There are those in opposition to God’s work.  In Paul’s day there were those who said Paul wrote brilliant letters but he was a weak frail man when he came to speak in person.   Paul addressed those false preachers going about Corinth.  Isn’t that how God determines to work?  They were not to despise the day of small things.  In Zechariah 4 verse 6 we see a vision of the character and nature of God’s work.  Don’t get discouraged it is “not by might nor by power but by God’s spirit.”  God’s work is not driven by one person’s power, it is driven by the Spirit of God.

The scene before Zechariah verse 2.  He knew immediately what this vision was about.  It took him back into the temple of God.  It took a priest to ensure the light was burning brightly and continually.  Here was a lamp burning bright and no man’s hand is near it.  This is the scene that God wants to show his prophet.  God was going to do something and no man’s hand was near it.  God’s work is moved by men and women on their knees crying out to God to move in a special way.  If there is anything we need today it is a vision from God.  Jonah was given a commission by God but he wanted to do his own thing.  God told him to go to Nineveh and preach to them but Jonah ran away.  He got in a boat, went to the bottom of it and put his head on a pillow and slept like a baby.  There are many today perishing in their sin - in our homes and in our family circles.  We need a vision of what God can do, not what we can do.  It is “not by might nor by power but by his spirit.” 

Notice something about this scene: the simplicity of it.  Zechariah looked at this scene and he could see this lampstand with 7 lamps attached to it and there were 7 pipes running from the 7 lamps which ran down to 2 olive trees.  They were getting an oil supply from the trees.  There was no man’s work involved in it.  We live in a day of coldness and apathy.  It is a day when we need to be getting back to God again.  We want to build God’s work of our own initiative but it will never work that way.  When Paul preached he said “I preach that your faith might stand not in the ability of man but in the spirit of God.”  There are some people saved today but sadly there will come a day when that work will fall to pieces.  “For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds.” (verse 4) 

The society Zechariah lived in.  Joshua 6, 7 and 8 tells the story of Gideon.  When he lifted up his eyes and looked out he saw the Midianites who were like grasshoppers in multitudes.  God came to Gideon and said “I am with you.”  Gideon replied “Lord if you are with me why are there so many things happening?”  That is a question on many people’s minds today – why are there so many tragedies, sicknesses, death?  In Gideon’s day the people had turned away from God yet here was the angel coming to Gideon “I want you to gather the people together and drive these people from the land.”  Gideon gathers up 32,000 but God says “you have too many I couldn’t give this victory into your hand.”  Why?  Because they would become proud and would think they had won the victory for themselves.  With one swipe God left Gideon with 10,000 men.  God was in control when he said yet again “there are too many”.  Gideon took them down to the river and he walked up out of the river with 300 men.  Today too many get discouraged at the situation in their homes.  We have to hold on to the fact that God is still in control.  Gideon was filled with the spirit of God.  God is still looking for Gideon’s today.  To stand up for this situation today.  We need to be praying and seeking God’s will and direction in what is happening all around us.  God needs people filled with the spirit of God to stand with the minority and lift up their voices in prayer, to see that evil will be removed from the land.  The lamp was doing what it was destined for – it was burning.  God wants to use you and I today.  That is the simplicity of it.  “Let your light shine before men” Jesus said “that they might see your good works and glorify God.” (Matthew 5 verse 6)  When Paul wrote to the Philippian church he referred to it as “a crooked and perverse nation among whom ye shine as lights in the world.” (Philippians 2 verse 15)  Zechariah shows the simplicity of it all.  “I am the vine you are the branches”.  The person who dwells in the vine takes all its substance and source from the tree itself and it is bearing fruit all the time.  The old devil will discourage us today.  Do you think what you do for the Lord is of any use?  The boy with the loaves and fishes simply gave them to Jesus to be used by him.  What is that among so many?  We need to be careful because the work of God is not driven by thousands of people but God uses the ones and 2’s.

The situation in which Zechariah found himself in.

The scene he saw: the simplicity of it, the secrecy of it and the sufficiency of it.