The woman with 2 mites who gave her all to the Lord - how much are you prepared to give?

Sermon notes from Sunday 7 August 2016

Mark 12 verses 41 – 44

This portion is a challenge to us all on how we serve the Lord.  From this portion we notice a woman who gave all she had to the Lord.  She only had 2 mites that made a farthing, something frowned upon but it earned the approval of the Lord himself.  As we come today the Lord is not looking on the outward appearance but the inward approach.  Are we about to give everything we have to the Lord?  For an athlete it is “all or nothing”.  What a strategy before the race took place, building up his muscles so that on the day he could give his all.  As the people of God have we been studying the word of God this week?  Are we ready to give our all to the Lord today?

Notice a position that is described.  This was a widow woman – verse 42.  They had gathered in the house and the Lord was there.  The Lord is not in the vast crowds but he has promised that “where 2 or 3 are gathered together in my name there am I in the midst of them.” (Matthew 18 verse 20)  He knows everything that is going on in every life right at this time.  He wants to know are you willing to give all to the Lord out of your heart?  This woman knew what difficult times where in that home.  She knew the pain of bereavement.  Jesus points to someone who has felt the pains of death, has come through trial and difficulty.  He knows the difficulty you have gone through today.  He is going to teach from this widow woman a great lesson.  Maybe her only income was her husband yet prepared to take out of her purse 2 mites, give first in her life to the Lord.  It is great to be saved today, to look back to the point in life when came under convicting hand of the Lord, when you accepted Christ as Saviour, when you heard the message of the gospel, that time you bowed your knees to Christ, took him as Lord and Saviour.  Is that how you describe yourself today?  Remember what you did with the Lord.  Opened up your life and allowed him to come in.  Here is a woman who could not know what would happen the next day, didn’t have a husband to bring in the wages for her.  Not told the circumstances of her husband’s death.  She had gone through trial yet she is here in the treasury giving all she had to the Lord.  Sometimes we have a difficult trial in our lives.  She didn’t blame the Lord for her trial.  Like the woman with the alabaster box.  She broke it for Jesus.  The disciples complained but the Lord told them to leave her alone.  She has given her all to the Lord.  No doubt the Pharisees were there giving of their great abundance.  Maybe you are thinking well what do I really have, I don’t really have that much.  You begin to see all you have and the abundance of others.  The Lord is asking for your all today.  This widow woman watched as the people gave to the treasury.  This woman was despised because she was a widow.  Maybe you think you are despised because of what you are offering to the Lord today.

The poverty she did not deter.  As she made her way to the box she saw others giving far more.  She probably thought she had nothing to offer.  She made sure the poverty she had would not deter her.  What was so special about her gift.  It caught the attention of Jesus.  She was giving everything she had.  Not only that but she was trusting the Lord for tomorrow.  When God would execute his plan of salvation he sent forth his only son who died on Calvary.  He chose to bear his only son.  He looked down into a poverty stricken town.  He chose a young girl who had nothing whatsoever to offer but what little she had was everything.  Not a great name, no great experience.  Maybe you are in the same position today.  Do you sit back?  Does that mean you give your all to the Lord?  To the mission and outreach work?  To be in we need to be going out.  No longer can you depend on opening the door and the people flock in.  Have you a concern for those going out into a lost Christless hell?  God used the widow woman in the days of Elijah.  She had nothing to give. She was going to make a cake.  Had come to the end of her tether and she would eat it and then die.  Elijah told her to do all that but give him first and she as a result never hungered again.  God uses what we give him here and now.  Are you ready to say “Lord use me today in the work of God.”  Remember the story of the man going into far country and left the talents with his servants.  He wasn’t making any difference in them.  He knew the people he was giving them to would bring them back multiplied.  Except for one who just hid it.  He dug it up when his master returned.  He didn’t use it.  He didn’t double it.  He had nothing from the talent.  How will it be in the day when Christ calls?  Will there be those you have helped to win join with you?  Will you have to stand before God with hands empty and say “I am sorry Lord”?

A pledge that was determined.  She wanted to give 2 mites to the Lord. She was going to give everything.  How many times have we sat in meetings and been challenged by God but forgot about it.  She had a pledge made in her heart.  She was surrendered to the will of the Lord.  Ready to give her all.  The Lord loves a cheerful giver.  Peter was summoned to go to the house of Cornelius.  He was up on the roof top when he saw a vision from Christ.  All manner of unclean animals were coming down onto the sheet from heaven.  Peter was told to arise and eat.  Peter being a faithful believer said “not so Lord.”  The Lord was teaching him a lesson.  He was taking him into a Roman house, to a man outside of the Jewish nation, a Gentile.  He had to teach him this lesson.  Here was a woman with a pledge that was determined.  She was saying all that matters are these 2 mites for the Lord.  In Luke 7 a woman came into a Pharisees house and began to wash the Saviour’s feet with her tears.  She washed the feet of the Saviour.  Think of that for a moment.  Sometimes through difficult tough times have you cried enough tears to fill a basin to wash your feet in?  The custom of the day was tears were kept in a bottle and stored.  “Thou tellest my wanderings put thou my tears in thy bottle; are they not in thy book?” (Psalm 56 verse 8)  Perhaps this woman brought this bottle with her tears and poured it out.  She began to wash and dry the Lord’s feet.  That bottle would have been opened every time a tear fell in her life.  Pain and joy were both reflected there.  She was pouring out this bottle to the Lord.  Every experience was given to the Lord and the Lord commended her for it.  Here was a woman who felt she had so much to thank the Lord for.  The Pharisees sitting at the other side never once offered a kiss to the Lord.  This woman was a sinner and realised she needed Jesus in her life.  Similarly in this story the woman gave her all to the Lord.

There is a price to be delighted in.  This woman gave more than anyone else and the Lord saw it.  One day when the Lord will judge the nations of the world will he say “For I was an hungered and ye gate me meat; I was thirsty and ye gave me drink; I was a stranger and ye took me in; naked and ye clothed me; I was sick, and ye visited me; I was in prison and ye came unto me … Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.”  It is recorded in heaven.  It is going to be the small things that are recorded – things like giving our all to the Lord and being used by the Lord in doing so.

The presence of Christ can bring confusion

Sermon notes from Sunday 13 November 2016

Luke 4 verses 16 – 30

Here we find something that is wonderful and remarkable.  In verse 16 the Lord comes back to the place of his youth, the place where he was reared.  Nazareth was built on a hill.  Even after they listened to the preaching of the word of God they took him outside Nazareth and would cast him over the hillside.  What a privilege it really should have been for these people.  The Lord had come back to the place of his childhood.  It was the custom to enter into the synagogue on the Sabbath day.  What a privilege they had.  The presence of God was there.

Notice the courtesy Jesus was paid.  He was invited to read.  The chief rabbi took the word of God and offered it to him.  He was going to read from the book of the prophet Isaiah.  It was the custom for a visitor to read the word of God and bring a thought on it.  You have the presence of Christ, the word of God being proclaimed.  The power of God was experienced and he was given the place to read.  We need to have that courtesy tonight.  As we listen to the Lord in his still small voice.  He was known to them.  They were happy to share in their worship.  As we come into the house of God it is wonderful to know that same presence.  There were no objections to his word being opened up.  This is a mighty thing to have the presence of the Lord in our midst.  Samuel Rutherford stood to contend for the faith.  Stood in his day when others were being put out of the pulpit for preaching.  He was cast into prison and he wrote to his parishioners to encourage them.  “The strangest thing happened to me even as I lay in my bed in prison cell something happened, Jesus Christ stepped into that cell.  Every stone began to gleam like a pearl of the most costliest price.”  The Lord has promised to be one of our number when we meet together.  How often we favour the testimony, the singer in the meeting, the big named preacher.  Somehow we miss the presence of the Lord, miss his touch because we have our eyes on something else.  Every eye was fastened on the Lord as he opened up the word of God and preached.  I would not want to point you to this preacher but to the Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world.  The blood flowed from his side.  He is the one who is able to redeem and save your soul.  That is what he wants to do tonight.  Maybe you are not saved, maybe you are cold at heart, know you have wandered far from God, not where you once were.  Because of the precious blood, the sacrifice he made for you he can draw you back to himself.  If you know you are not walking with the Lord he wants to draw you back to himself.  In verse 17 he opens the scripture and reads aloud.  Imagine the voice of the Lord falling on their hearts.  What an experience that must have been.  Tremendous that the people listened.

The claims that Jesus makes.  He was given the scroll of the prophet Isaiah.  Sometimes we find that in a meeting like this this was the very portion of scripture for that very day.  Notice in verses 18 and 19 the claims he was making.  He was speaking of one who would come into the world to set the captives free.  Jesus came to set you free from your sin.  Isaiah spoke of the birth of Christ right through to his death in chapter 53.  What a sad situation if we miss the truth about the death of Christ.  We can be saved through that wonderful work at Calvary if we turn the search light on our hearts.  Is the courtesy we give him as Saviour and king of our lives?  What about the claims he makes on us?  We have sinned and never can come to Christ only through the cross of Christ.

The complacency Jesus found – verse 22.  They admired him then they said “is not this Joseph’s son?”  In other words is he not the one who grew up amongst us?  They had grown so familiar with him.  You and I could grow so familiar with the gospel of saving grace.  That is why we can sit in the gospel meeting night after night.  So familiar with the teaching of the cross of the Saviour who came to seek and to save that which was lost.  Therefore we leave him aside, never bothers us very much.  Felix trembled when he heard what Paul had to say.  Maybe there was a time when you felt the burden of your sin, you trembled at the preaching of God’s word.  Almost responded but not now.  That day is gone.  That is sad, sad when people can listen to God’s word and it never affects them.  We grow complacent.  Jesus stood in their midst with power.  They shrugged their shoulders.  They had that complacency.  We have that same complacency tonight.  There was a complacency in Pilate’s judgement hall.  Here was a man who had listened to Christ, got to know him so well but all the people could cry out was “crucify him”.  They didn’t want him any more.  Many churches don’t want this teaching any more.  Does the word of God not affect us any more?  Jesus was given courtesy this day.  We will give him courtesy.  Also think of the claims he makes.

There is the conscience that Jesus teaches – verse 28.  The Holy Spirit was taking the word of God and started to teach them.  Their conscience made them angry.  Maybe it was the claims he had made about himself, that God was speaking directly to their hearts.  Their conscience was pricked.  Maybe the word of God has come to your heart in other meetings.  The Holy Spirit has been touching you, showing you your need of salvation.  In Acts 2 the multitude gathered and Peter was preaching to the people that day.  The Holy Spirit pricked their hearts.  They cried out “what shall we do, how shall we escape if we neglect this great salvation.”  Peter told them “repent and be baptised.  Sometimes we come into a meeting like this with an idea in our hearts that we are alright, not perfect but we are alright.  They were Gentile people and that was the last straw.

The confusion Jesus bears – verse 29.  There was such anger and malice.  They couldn’t get rid of him quickly enough.  They tried to throw him over the cliff where Nazareth was built on.  John the Baptist told Herod he was doing wrong and Herod had him cast into prison.  Verse 30 in all the confusion they were trying to push him over but Jesus slipped away in their midst.  Maybe tonight you will let him slip away from your grip.  Will you listen to him tonight?  Accept him as your Saviour?  Don’t let him slip away, come to Christ, trust him as Saviour, give him your all.  Come to Christ and trust him.

Expressing faith in practical ways

Sermon notes from Sunday 13 November 2016

Luke 17 verses 11 – 19

This week has been all about the theme of remembrance, a time of gratitude, thankfulness for what God has done in the past for us.  We remember those who gave their lives that we might walk through an open door and listen to God’s word today.  We should have gratitude for those who died for our freedom.  Here we read the story of 10 lepers.  I am sure this incident was talked about day after day by those who encountered these lepers on the road on that particular day.  Those 10 lepers came so close to this city and were healed.  I am sure this was talked of for many days to come.  Verse 15 “and one of them”.  There were 10 lepers who came to the Lord, made their way to his feet, cried out “have mercy on us”.  The Lord did have mercy on them and as they turned around they were healed but only one came back to thank Christ for what he had done.  9 ungrateful people, who thought nothing of it whatsoever, took it as done.  One is a wonderful number.  One in the Lord is in the majority.  One boy fed 5000 people.  One woman stood at the well when Jesus passed by and she took his word to her neighbours in the nearby towns and there was a great revival.  One was thankful and could be a tremendous testimony to others.  One came back and of course Jesus was annoyed by it.  Verse 17 he said “were there not 10 cleansed but where are the 9?”  They were away as fast as they could.  In verses 18 and 19 look at the reaction when this man turned around to the Lord, at his comments and testimony.

                                                                          

The expectation in this man’s faith.  Here we see a man who came to Christ expecting to receive something.  Have we come today merely because it is the habit on a Sunday morning?  Do I turn to the scriptures to bring a message just because that is expected of me or have I sat in God’s presence to meet with God?  Have you come in today with an expectation in your heart today?  To hear the word from God, to be encouraged and lifted up?  If we don’t expect to receive anything we will not receive anything.  “But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.  For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord”. (James 1 verses 6 and 7)  These lepers were not allowed to speak to anyone else.  Verse 16 “and he was a Samaritan”.  In his mind that set him at a slight disaster.  In John 4 the woman at the well was so surprised at Jesus talking to her because the Jews had no dealings with the Samaritans.  Why or where did that come from?  2 Kings 17 verse 23.  The people of God rebelled and God then gave them over to their enemy, the Assyrians.  They carried them away but didn’t leave the land empty.  In verse 24 they took men from Babylon and brought them down to Jerusalem.  That left the Jews with a problem – they were a mixed bag of people.  They married and intermarried.  They just could not accept them because of that.  That is why there is so much between the Jews and the Samaritans.  God is no respecter of persons because he sent his only Son to die on the cross of Calvary, to suffer and shed his blood for everyone.  It doesn’t matter your background, where you come from, whether you are young or old, ill or well, rich or poor, unknown or famous.  The Lord can save your precious soul if you will come to him.  You have got to come and trust Christ as your own and personal Saviour.  That precious blood shed on Calvary was for you, for the remission of sins.  You cannot be saved any other way.  To have that assurance of a place in heaven.  Here is a man who came expecting to find Jesus.  Jairus came expecting to find Jesus and to ask him to come to his house and lift his daughter’s hand and she would be healed.  Remember the 4 friends who brought their friend to Jesus on the stretcher.  “When he saw their faith” 4 men who came expecting to receive something.  On another occasion a leper came out to Jesus and said “if thou wilt thou canst make me clean.”

The evidence of his faith.  This man was a living testimony to what God could do.  He was going to have to go to the priest – verse 14.  There was a process to be carried out.  They would have to give an account of what had happened.  When was the last time we gave an account of what God has done for us?  He would have to stand in front of the priest and tell him what had actually happened outside that town.  He stood afar off from Jesus and cried to him for mercy.  As they turned they were healed and saved.  When was the last time you told someone of your faith?  Leviticus 14 verse 11 “and the priest that maketh him clean shall present the man.”  The priest brings him to the house of God and presents him before the God of heaven and those standing about.  There was an offering that had to be made.  Verse 14 some of the blood was sprinkled on the ear, the thumb and the foot.  A blood sacrifice has to be made to bring the man into the presence of God and appease for his sin – verses 14, 17.  The blood has to be placed in his right ear, right thumb and on his right big toe.  Here is the example of what has done as touching his hearing, his actions, his feet and walk.  For you and me today the blood of Jesus Christ has cleansed us from our sin.  He gives us the right practice, brings us into the presence of God and provides protection for our walk with him.  The oil is a picture of the Holy Spirit which was placed on the blood.  The Holy Spirit only comes when the blood has been applied.  The evidence of faith as he stood in the presence of the priest.  In Joshua 5 Joshua looked at the walls of the great city.  God told him he would give the victory into his hand but he had to walk around the city every day without saying a word for 6 days and then on the seventh day to walk around the city for 7 times and shout.  Only then would the walls fall.  Joshua depends on the word of God.  That is the evidence of his faith.  Are we this morning where God would have us because of his word?  They were expecting something on the seventh day.  The evidence of listening to God and responding to it.  Naaman was told to dip 7 times in the Jordan river but he was angry with this.  Reluctantly he did dip 7 times and his skin became the same as a child.  That was the evidence of his faith.  What about us today?  The exercise of this man’s faith.  As they turned to go they were healed.  The 10 were the same, they turned and were cleansed.  This man steps away from the 10.  The 9 had no words of thanks or praise but this man turned to the Saviour.  Something strikes him in his heart.  We have got to step out from the crowd.

The expression of this man’s faith.  He praised the Lord for what he had done.  For every child of God who has trusted him as Saviour and Lord – can we lift up our hearts and say “thank you Lord for saving me from a lost and Christless hell and making me your child today.”

Gilgal - place of presentation and identification

Sermon notes from Sunday 30 October 2016

JOSHUA 5 VERSES 1 – 12

Gilgal - a special place.

It was a place of presentation.  The people came up out of the Jordan.  It was the tenth day of the month and they came before the God of heaven.  There were some 40,000 men prepared for war.  Here were the people coming to present themselves before the God of heaven.  They came in an orderly fashion - they “encamped”.  In Joshua 4 verses 12 and 13 they were prepared for the battle that lay before them.  Why does it separate these 2½ tribes – Reuben, Gad and half the tribe of Manasseh?  They had decided to remain on the other side of Jordan but God told them to go over with the other tribes to gain the victory for them.  They were ready to do battle, to fight.  Are we claiming everything God has for us?  Are we getting into the word of God and experiencing everything he has for us?  The devil will deceive us today.  That is the same devil Eve met in the Garden of Eden.  He blinded her, fooled her into thinking God wouldn’t see what she had done.  The devil has deceived us into saying ‘everything is ok’.  There is another battle going on today.  What about the Asher’s Bakery going on this week?  The battle of freedom of conscience and speech.  That is our battle today.  Do you realise that battle that is going on?  There is the battle for same sex marriage coming before the government again.  That is our battle today.  There is more to church than Sunday morning and evening or as you tuck your bible under your arm when you come into God’s house.  Here were 40,000 people prepared for the battle before them, to root out the enemy and claim the land before them.  We need to claim the battle today.  The abortion battle is going on today too, to save the life of the unborn child in the womb.  That is the battle we have to face.  Think of the Lord’s day.  They are changing laws to bring Belfast into the category of opening the trading hours longer.  The church is more than a social gathering today.  The devil will not fear us giving out cups of tea but whenever we get on our knees to seek the God of heaven he trembles.  When we got saved that was only the beginning, just like for these people when they crossed over the Jordan river.  They now had to prove themselves in the Promised Land.  They had to claim it for themselves.  There is a great battle before us today.  Do we know anything of the powers of darkness?  Is there someone in your heart and thoughts who you would love to see them saved?  Somehow you see Satan hindering you.  In Romans 12 Paul leaves off a doctrinal section to say “I beseech you.”  In other words he is saying ‘will you listen to me?’  “That ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God which is your reasonable service.”  Paul was speaking of the altar and sacrifice and burnt offering.  Every bit of the burnt offering was put on the altar, nothing was taken off it, all for God.  Was there ever a moment in your life when you presented yourself before God as a living sacrifice?  These people were prepared for war.  They didn’t know if life would be taken from them but they were doing it for God.  Have we given everything to God?  Paul said “be not conformed to this world but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind that ye may prove what is that good and acceptable will of God.”  Out on the hillside when that boy sat with the loaves and the fishes and Andrew came and asked him to give it to the Lord, he brought it to the Lord.  It was such a small offering.  What could happen to it?  Was there ever a moment in your life when you said “I don’t have much but whatever I have is yours?”  Paul said “I beseech you present yourselves as a living sacrifice.”  Is there something we can give to him today?  Look at the widow woman giving 2 mites into the treasury.  The Lord said she had cast in everything she had.  It might not have been much.  God looks for everything we have today.  Remember the woman with the alabaster box.  She took it and broke it.  The Lord said she had done all she could.  Have we presented ourselves before the Lord today?

A place of identification – chapter 5 verse 2.  The next 2 verses are taken up with that ceremonial act of circumcision which identified them with their God.  The cutting away of the flesh which identified them with God.  Remember when God called Abraham out of Ur of Chaldees – Genesis 17 verse 10.  Every man child had to be circumcised.  Do we listen to the God of heaven as we read his word?  Genesis 17 verse 11.  That idea, the act of circumcision was a token of the covenant between Abraham and God.  At 8 days old they were to be circumcised.  A token that was neglected.  In verse 5 we see the seriousness and significance of this problem.  The wilderness years speak of a time of disobedience when they left aside this act of ceremony of circumcision.  Kadesh Barnea was only a stones throw from Canaan.  They turned back because they believed God could not give them the land.  The spies were sent out but their hearts melted at the report.  They even planned to raise a captain to take them back to Egypt.  Such was their disobedience.  During those years this act of circumcision was forgotten about.  I’m sure their minds went back to what God said to Abraham that the child should be circumcised.  As they went out and didn’t do that act it was easier to set things aside.  You find if you begin to neglect certain things it is forgotten about as years go by, easy to do nothing, easy to get away from it when times are hard and difficult.  Times of prayer can be set aside.  It is easy done.  After a while it gets easier.  Here were a people presenting themselves before God.  God is reminding them of something that needed to be done.  Even now they were identifying themselves with God.  What is my identity with Christ today?  Can you look back to the day when you accepted Christ as you Saviour, identified yourself with Christ.  They will know you are my disciples when you do the things I ask you to do.  Is there something left undone in my life?  The flesh speaks of will and determination to go your own way.  Circumcision was painful on this particular day.  When God puts his finger on something that has been left undone in our lives it can be painful.  You need to be careful today.  I’m sure it wasn’t easy for David when he had to acknowledge the sin with Bathsheba.  We can set aside things because it is not convenient.  Set aside things that are hurtful.  God put his finger on it and says ‘will you go through with me in this respect before you claim the gifts I have for you?’  There is a responsibility on us today to do it today.  Will we present ourselves?  Identify ourselves with God of heaven?

Acts 2 the beginning of the church

Sermon notes from Sunday 16 October 2016

Acts 2 verses 29 to 47

The church at this point had just experienced that never to be forgotten great experience of Pentecost.  There were in a great spirit of praise and thanksgiving and joy and gladness.  Think of that group in the upper room as they went out into Jerusalem.  They had no army behind them yet God had set his spirit on them.  They were going to be instrumental in the greatest work the world has ever known.  To build for God and for eternity.  It would have been lovely to be amongst them and the consciousness of the people.  They were living on the earth yet living in heaven as well.  

Chapter 2 verses 1 to 4 "they were all filled with the Holy Ghost."  That spirit is still working today.

They were also free  - there was no such thing as someone saying "this is what my grandfather said 100 years ago and we cannot go away from it, that would dishonour their traditions."  That did not occur here, they were free to do what God wanted them to do.  That is a question many of the established churches in NI could ask themselves today.  Are they free to do what God wants them to do or are they tied with rules and regulations?  For many it has to be the status quo.  I am not a person who changes for the sake of change but there should be change when it is necessary.  There are places where it would dishonour God or offend Christians to change things.  The church of God should be open and willing for the will of God.  Are you prepared to submit to what God is saying to you?

There was also a freshness.  That is what we should continually pray and preach for - a freshness.  We should have a consciousness of freshness, that the Holy Spirit would make them come afresh with blessing and quickening.  To be taken out of ourselves and the consciousness of one another into that level where we mount up with wings as eagles.  It is easy to go through the motions without the freshness needed.

They were also flourishing - "fear came on every soul and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles" and "the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved."  Imagine seeing that every week.  People coming into the house of the Lord who had never come in before.

There was a closeness about these people - verse 44.  "all that believed were together"  that is what brought them together.  There was a closeness about them.  "Don`t forget about the assembling of yourselves together."  There is much to rejoice in.  It is good when we can stand together.  There is strength in being together.  There is also warmth in being together as well as security. 

There was also a caring amongst them.  "They sold their possessions and goods and parted them to all men as every man had need".  They had their possessions but their possessions didn`t have them.  Anything we have shouldn`t control and take over in our lives.  They cared for others, what they had they shared amongst those who didn`t have as much.

There was a continuing - verse 46 "and they continued daily with one accord in the temple and breaking of bread from house to house did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart."  That is the desire of God - that we would not only start out but continue every day.  "And they continued stedfastly in the apostles doctrine and fellowship and in the breaking of bread and in prayers."

We need to get back to see what happened in the early church as a result of Pentecost today!

Gilgal - a place of miracle, monument, message and mission

Sermon notes from Sunday 23 October 2016

Joshua 4 verses 19 - 24

Here in verse 19 the children of Israel were "encamped in Gilgal".  Some say it was a city, a province, a land or an area.  It doesn`t matter.  What matters is the significance.  Is there any significance to that place that would bring blessing and challenge to our hearts?  Here we have the children of Israel coming out of Egypt, 39 years wandered about and now they are in the land of Promise.  They were in the place God wanted them to be in.  They came up and placed their feet in Gilgal.  The land of promise.  As these people would reflect what were they reflecting on?  There are lessons here for us too.

The miracle they had experienced.  Gilgal speaks of a place attained by miracle.  Much had happened and taken place since they had left Egypt.  We need to go back to praying, Holy Ghost praying, that God would take notice.  In Egypt Moses was to bring the children of Israel out.  God was sending his servant down to bring his children out after 400 years.  Sometimes God is never in a hurry to answer our prayers.  We have to wait, tarry, hold onto God.  These people were praying and pleading for so long.  God was hearing all about these people yet 400 years passed before he sent his man down to bring them out.  In Kadesh Barnea they had such doubts and fears.  They sent spies into the land and the report came back that the walls of the city were too high and they couldn`t take this land.  2 men disagreed with that report saying "if God be with us we can take this land."  This was the second generation that had come out of Egypt.  The first generation looked at their little ones, cursed God and thought they would suffer in the wilderness yet it was the little ones who were now taking possession of the land of Promise.  In Joshua 3 verse 15 we read of the miracle it took to bring them through the Jordan river.  Now in chapter 4 it was a few days since they had taken possession of that same land.  Can you see something of a miracle in your life in past days?  They didn`t use any efforts to get across that river.  God had made for them a way to get across.  We will never be saved by our own works sitting here in church, it is only through a miracle of God`s grace.  God came down and divided those waters just for them.  Maybe it will take a miracle in your life?  He will use that to speak to you.  How could thse people get across this great river?  God opened up the way and they passed over the sea to go into the Promised Land.  It is a miracle of grace that you and I stand in the land of promise today.  It is a miracle of God`s grace that we are here.  He gave his life for us.  We were destined to be on the way to a lost sinners hell for all eternity.  We have nothing to boast of today.  Not of ourselves, it is all of God.  Salvation is of the Lord.  Barabas shared a cell with Christ.  By reason of his sin and guilt he should have died on the cross but Jesus took his place.  The people wanted Barabas back.  He was a notable murderer and thief but it was grace that brought the freedom to him.  Gilgal is the land of promise, blessing, a place God promised the children of Israel to bring them to.  They were standing here by way of a miracle.  Can we speak of that same reality today?  Are our feet are standing on the promises of God?

A monument that was set up - verse 20.  They took 12 stones out of the bed of Jordan.  One stone for every tribe.  God wouldn`t forget about anyone.  They built them up on the bank of Jordan.  All 12 stood together on the other side of the Jordan river.  2 and 1/2 tribes wanted to stay on the side of the Jordan but God said they had to all go into the land of promise to take the land.  God brought them in.  God wants to bring you into his household today, his family.  There was a monument that was set up.  There was going to be something left behind.  A monument to the goodness and greatness of God`s power.  They left something behind that would tell of God`s redemption.  Do you leave something behind you that speaks about God?  Do we leave the fragrance of God behind us?  The stones would be built for a monument of what God had done.  They told their own story.    Remember the story of Elijah and Elisha.  Elisha came to the widow as he travelled through Shunem he came to a house where a man and wife lived.  His life told for God as visited that home.  They were very interested in the things of God.  Imagine Elijah sitting with them, praying together.  Something happened in the woman`s heart.  She realised he was a holy man of God through the fragrance left behind.  Remember the early preachers in the New Testament church as they came to Thessalonica.  People came looking for them.  They searched everywhere for them and couldn`t find them.  They had a tremendous testimony where they were.  In Acts 17 we read what happened when they found them.  They drew out Jason and certain rulers unto the city crying "these have turned the world upside down."  I wonder is that us today?  Remember the apostle Paul in Ephesus when he began to preach the gospel of saving grace and the sacrifice of the Lord.  Ephesus was a very dark place, given over to idol worship, given over to the occult and everything dark about it.  He stayed there for 3 and 1/2 years and preached in the streets.  Some people in that town were possessed by demons and spirits but they turned to the Lord.  There was one family who listened to Paul preaching and casting out demons.  They knew a man who was demon possessed and began to gather around him and prayed for him.  The spirits within this man  began to speak with one another "Paul I know but who are you?"  He didn`t recognise the teaching of the false preachers.  Paul`s voice was recognised in the very pits of hell.  Do we leave that momument behind us today?  These monuments stood as a record to what God had done in Israel.  As people looked on these stones they were reminded of what God had done.  This church is sitting here in the midst standing for the preaching of gospel but never take it for granted.  God has opened this door.  We have a place where we can bring families to hear words whereby they might be saved.  We do not know how long this church might remain open.

It is a message to be shared.  These stones stood for a monument, a sign among them but also spoke of a message to be shared.  Are we faithful in sharing that same message today?  In verse 6 they were told to tell their children what these stones stood for.  What a responsibility for these people.  They were to tell them about the day the Lord dried up the river and brought the people over into the land of promise.  It a tremendous responsibility for mums and dads to tell their children about God today. We live in days of speculation and theory but we need however to be faithful today.  There is a monument but there is a message to be faithful.  Men and woman have their theories about the age of the earth and how it came into being.  This book tells us how this world came into being, of the sort of person I am, of the sort of person God is, how Christ shed his blood for me  We should never tire of telling our families about the goodness of God and of the transformation that comes to our lives.  The demonic said   he had a testimony of what God had done for him.  One word and he was delivered from his past.  The monument was not enough.  Jesus told him to go back into his own village and tell everyone what God had done for him.  Don`t be ashamed of telling others about what God has done for you.

A mission that lay before them - verse 13.  40,000 people prepared for war.  Some 2 miles from Jericho.  They were still in the land of the enemy.  We are saved today but we are still in the land of the enemy.  There is much land to be claimed.  The enemy needs to be driven back.

Gilgal is a place of miracle.
Gilgal is a place of monument.
Gilgal is a place of message.
Gilgal is a place of mission.

That is what this place, this church stands for today.

Trusting God for what lies ahead

Genesis 32 verses 22 – 32

Trusting God for what lies ahead

Not anyone of us knows what lies ahead.  From these verses we can learn something for our spiritual walk.  These verses are here for our learning and gleaning.  We can take from them the spiritual meaning God would have for us.  We come to the story of Jacob at Peniel, the place where he met face to face with God and his life was preserved.  What sort of illustrations can we take from that?  That you and I might have a meeting with God today.  20 years previously Jacob had met with God at Bethel.  Now God is bringing him back into his own land to meet with him again.  There was much going through his mind at this time.  He left his home in the first place because he had deceived his brother and connived his father.  Look at the lessons he learned as a result of meeting this stranger who he wrestled with.

The strategy Jacob had.  You would have thought by now he would have learned from mistakes in his life.  Jacob was one of those who was going to make his own strategy in life.  Jacob is in the very centre of God’s plan and will.  It is God’s plan to bring him back to this land yet he is not trusting in God, only in his own ability.  His lips said yes to God but his heart is far from God.  He was meeting Esau on his terms.  Maybe there is something in our lives. you know the way God would have you to go but you are saying “I am doing this my own way.”  He had been living in his uncle’s house and was making his way home again but it depended on his own ability.  In verse 13 he told his servants to take all these animals ahead of him so that Esau might be impressed at this gift.  He had married, had sons but things began to change for him.  He is in the house of Laban – chapter 31 verses 1 and 2.  The family of Laban turned against Jacob.  Laban’s own countenance changed and he was beginning to doubt this young man.  Verse 3 God was allowing this in the home of Laban to bring his servant into the situation he wanted.  He was bringing him into the centre of his will.  Maybe that is what God is doing in your life today?  Here is Jacob not resting on God to do that.  He is here going in his own ability.  God had that situation in his control.  Remember in Elijah’s day when God told him to go to the brook Cherith.  God promised him food from the ravens morning and evening and he would have water from the book.  We read in 1 Kings 17 verse 7 “it came to pass the brook dried up.”  God will not let you down, nor fail you.  The ravens came every day.  The water was there to sustain him but one day the brook began to dry up.  His circumstances changed.  Then the bible says “and the word of the Lord came unto him Arise.”  The Lord told him to move onto a widow woman who would sustain him.  God was changing his direction.  Is God changing your direction in life?  Do not be afraid.  It may seem dark but God will step in and show you the next step like he did or Elijah.  Be careful you do not do as Jacob does here.  He begins to take the matter into his own hand.  20 years ago he had robbed Esau now he is going to manipulate the situation for his own good rather than leaving it with God.  Genesis 32 verses 3 – 9.  He is beginning to pray.  Before he had been devising his own plan then he comes to prayer.  If there is one thing to take away from this incident it is this – wait on God.

Jacob’s solitary moment – verse 24.  Jacob was left alone.  He had a great company with him but now he is left alone.  He has sent everyone across to meet Esau and he is left alone.  He divided the family and devised a plan.  It is good to make plans but it is good to keep God in those plans.  Now God is fulfilling his promise to Jacob made some 20 years previously.  Every one of us needs a solitary moment to hear from God.  We may not hear from him in the meeting but we need to make time for God in some part of the day.  Remember the Bereans in Paul’s day – they went home to search the scriptures for themselves to see if what Paul said was true.  Joshua standing before the great walls of Jericho had that one solitary moment before God – Joshua chapter 5 “I have given this land into your hand do not fear.”  Gideon watched the enemy invading his land and went out to thresh some wheat.  In that moment God came to him and assured him of the victory that lay before him.  Moses was in the desert minding the sheep when God came to him.  A solitary moment to speak to him.  Do we have that solitary moment with God?  We need time to let God have his own way in our lives.  A solitary moment to meet with God.  The motivation that should be in our heart – to hear God speaking directly to us.

The struggle Jacob has here.  Genesis 32 verse 24.  This man Jacob identifies in verse 25 as God himself.  The man wrestled with Jacob not the other way around.  This speaks of Jacob’s stubborn will.  A mind of his own and God wants to take him out of that. He was depending on his old nature.  He has made plans and plotted for his family to be safe.  God comes and wants to break that nature in the darkness of the night.  It would be hard to break the mould of the will and nature of Jacob.  Maybe God has to break our will today.  Maybe we are stubbornly still in sin, going our own way.  We believe we are on our way to heaven, we do the best we can, read our bibles but God has to come and break that will of yours.  He has to show you the cross of Calvary, the gift he gives of eternal life through the death of his son.  Maybe that will of yours is saying I don’t want to be saved, I will get to heaven my own way.  He extends his love to you once again.  Is God speaking to you once again?  Does he have to break that will of yours today?  Remember Peter on the rooftop one day.  God came and showed him how he would be used to speak to the Gentile nation.  This was really strange, he had never had any communication with the Gentiles before.  God told him to kill and eat the animals he could see on the sheet before him but Peter said “not so Lord.”

The submission Jacob gives.  Jacob found here that God was bigger than his own problems.  God brings this man down, touches his thigh.  The thigh was the strongest part of man.  He uses the thigh to lift, exert.  That is where God touches.  What is your strongest part?  That God would have to touch, to mould us into the people he would want us to be.  God spoke to the religious man Saul of Tarsus, brought him to the dust and said “it is hard to kick against the pricks.”  The ploughman would go out to plough and would have with him a long rod.  As the oxen stepped out of the furrow he would use the stick to kick them back into the correct way.  God told him ‘I am moulding you into the way you have to go.”  It is sore and painful some times.  God takes us in the direction we don’t want to go.  We say we have always done it this way and do not want to go God’s way.  All God wants is your submission and surrender.  As Jacob arose that morning the light of another day arose.  Now Jacob walked with a limp, the result of a night spent with God.  A stamp on his life.  That is what we need – that stamp on our lives.  It might be hurtful but we need it.  God will not stamp us without a battle or pain.  It will take pain and effort to go through with God.