The gospel preached

Sermon notes from Sunday 26 January 2020

Hebrews chapter 4 - A gospel of no impact

"For unto us was the gospel preached as well as unto them but the word preached did not profit them not being mixed with faith in them that heard it." verse 2

When we turn to the book of Hebrews we realise it has an unknown author in the physical sense.  There have been many arguments over its writer.  There is one thing for sure though - this writer has a great knowledge of the nation of Israel, all the ceremonial rights, ark of the covenant, role of priests.  The Lord is high above all these things.  They have come to an end and Jesus is now Saviour.  Verse 2 is our key verse today "For unto us was the gospel preached as well as unto them but the word preached did not profit them not being mixed with faith in them that heard it."

The writer is comparing the actions of those in bygone days travelling to the land of promise.  Remember Moses bringing the people out of Egypt, going with great promise in their heart.  God went before them as a pillar by day and a flame of fire by night through that wilderness journey.  They came to the banks of the promised land but somehow they would not enter in there.  They would not believe that God had given to them a place of rest.  The author compares it with the people of his day.  An eternal rest is promised to the children of God today.  An eternal blessing through the name of the Lord.  If we are to come in faith and trusting him he gives unto us eternal life.  "He that believeth on the son hath life and he that believeth not the son hath not life."  How do we believe?  We come to the place called Calvary, to that hill where we see 3 crosses standing - one thief on one side and another on the other side.  2 men who had done so many wrong things there.  On the middle cross we see none other than the Son of God, Christ himself.  He is dying there not because of his sin but because of the thieves sin on either side of him and because of the sin of the Pharisees and chief priests, the religious leaders standing watching as well as the Roman centurions.  He is dying because of your sin and mine.  To believe means when I take the Lord as my own personal Saviour.  "All have sinned and come short of the glory of God." (Romans 3 verse 23)  The God of heaven took his own son, placed him on the cross of Calvary, every sin of the whole world was laid on him.  He way dying to atone for the sins of the world, dying there to take your sin and my sin.  Have you accepted him?  The work has been done, completed.  The work pleased his father in heaven with the sacrifice given.  Have you pleased the Lord, have you accepted him as your Saviour, asked him into your heart, into your life?  The people could not go any further, could not take the step into the land, couldn't believe that God had done this for them.  Maybe you cannot believe that God has done that for you.  Until you do that you cannot enter into that rest.  

A gospel of no impact.  How often we ask the question why people are not getting saved, how can someone stand up after hearing God`s voice speaking through his word and not be saved?  That is a gospel of no impact.

The gospel challenges.  Here were people who came to the brink of the Promised Land but could not enter in because they wouldn't receive it by faith.  The gospel message challenges.  It challenges us in the way we are living.  When that happens people close their ears, don`t want to hear this message of how they are living.  Think of the people in Ephesus.  How where they living?  They were worshipping the goddess Diana, not the God of heaven.  Acts 19 verse 28.  For some 2 hours after Paul preached the word of God the people chanted "great is the goddess Diana".  Imagine for 2 hours they stood up after listening to the gospel message chanting "great is the goddess Diana."  Paul challenged the way they were living.  In Acts 17 Paul was in Athens and as he waited for the rest of the team to join him he spent his time looking at the city.  He looked into the eyes of men and women passing by him.  Here was a city given over to idolatry, blinded by that worship.  Paul`s heart was moved and stirred.  He presented to them the gospel.  Challenged the way they were living.  He came to the conclusion that people were very religious, the most religious he had ever come across.  Today there are many who are very religious.  They have their church, they read their bible, they say prayers.  The gospel challenged the lifestyle of the people of Ephesus.  In Acts 17 verse 22 when Paul stood on Mars Hill he said "I perceive that in all  things ye are too superstitious."  Paul was challenging their way of life  Paul was comparing their religiosity with faith in Christ.  They had come so far short.  Have we been challenged in our lifestyle?  "As I passed by and beheld your devotions."  It was not something made up.  He had the proof of their worship of idols.  He found an altar, somewhere they could bring sacrifices to day and daily to appease their gods.  Paul said "I found an altar to the unknown god."  There are these gods we worship but just in case there is one we haven`t named lets put up this altar to an unnamed god.  Paul challenged them about this.  He opens up the word of God to them.  God will one day ask us to stand before him.  God loved us and gave his son to save us.  For the Thessalonians it was the same.  People given over to religious lifestyle.  The gospel challenged them.

The gospel convinces.  This people Paul was speaking of in verse 2 had no problem with the gospel.  The problem was with their hearts.  They were challenged in how they were living, they were now convinced about what they should do.  Sadly though they were not convinced to step into the promised land.  Deuteronomy 1 verse 21 "The Lord has set the land before you, go up and possess it."  Moses brings the word of a promised rest but they couldn't go through with it.  The gospel brings the promise of rest in salvation - "come unto me all ye that are heavy laden and I will give you rest."  Caleb tried to convince the people to go in and possess the land.  They felt it would be better to return to Egypt.  That is what we find in people today.  We present Christ as the Saviour of the world but then comes the convincing.  The Thessalonian people began to compare how they were living, they became opposed to what Paul was preaching.  In Acts 2 the people had been challenged about their lifestyle.  They are convinced that they need to do something.  Have you ever been challenged about your life?  Are you living a selfish life of idolatry?  The jailer in Philippi asked "what must I do to be saved?"  When he looked at the life of Paul and Silas he saw the rest they had, he was convinced he had to do something.  We can only be convinced when we face up to it. 

The gospel converts - are we happy in the life we are living or do we want something better?  God has given an opportunity to be convinced about the lifestyle we should be living that we want to become converted.  Can we look back to a day when we were challenged and then became convinced?  Have we become converted?  Acts 17 verse 34 "certain men clave unto him and believed."  Challenged and convinced but converted.  1 Thessalonians 1 verse 5 "for our gospel came not unto you in word only but also in power and in the Holy Ghost and in much assurance as ye know what manner of men we were among you for your sake."  Paul in an old prison house told a jailer "believe on the Lord and you will be saved."  He knew he had to something.  He believed and was converted, saved by the grace of God.  In Acts 10 God opens the lid and lets us see what is happening in a Gentile house - the angel came to Cornelius as he was praying.  He was told "your prayers have been heard."  Cornelius was a well respected man in his home, looked up to in the community, treated the poor very well, gave all he could, had a great relationship with God because he prayed but he wasn't saved.  We need to understand how close we can get and not be saved.  Cornelius was convicted but he needs to be saved.  He was told to send for Peter.  That however is not conversion.  Cornelius might say he had a religious experience in his own living room when the angel came down but it was not conversion.  Many are challenged that something needs to happen but it is not conversion.  Many today are living their own lifestyle, say they were challenged and convicted in meetings but never converted.  Some would say they have experienced the lovely presence of the Lord.  To be saved or converted is something that Cornelius found when Peter came to his home and opened up the word of God.  The Holy Spirit fell on that meeting.  They accepted what Peter preached about.  They accepted Christ as Saviour.  Salvation is a living encounter with Christ, nothing else.

The gospel changes.  1 Thessalonians 1 verse 9 - when Paul preached to the Thessalonians they took their idols to the one side, they were now waiting on the Lord.  The gospel challenges me that I am not living right.  The gospel convinces me that I need to do something.  Conversion saves my soul.  The gospel also changes me from the inside out.  You are a new creature in Christ.  Galatians 5 verse 1 "Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage."  Is there a change in our lives?  Are we new creatures in Christ?  Paul says it didn't profit them - why - because it wasn't mixed with faith.  To be saved today means you have faith in your heart.

Therefore I will look unto the Lord

Sermon notes from Sunday 19 January 2019

Micah 7 verses 1 - 7

The first week we looked at this verse we considered the word "therefore" at the start and thought of the situation Micah found himself in.  He was living among a people who had a great outward profession for the Lord but were really going through the motions.  Their lips were near to God but their hearts were very far off.  Things were very discouraging, a depraved society, crumbling around him.  There was no-one that he could trust or depend on.  Micah brings himself into the equation in this verse - it is personal to him and to us.  What am I going to do?  Maybe the days will be long and discouraging.  Micah says "therefore I will look unto the Lord."  It is a great profession.  He also has a great patience - "my God will hear me."  Finally Micah has a great peace in his heart - "God will hear me."  What a challenge for us as we go into a new year!

A great profession

Micah is professing his faith in the living God.  He will get his eyes off everything else and place them on the Lord.  Paul could say in Romans 10 verse 10 "For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; with the mouth confession is made unto salvation."  Micah was confessing his faith just as Paul did.  We thought previously about Joshua leading the people into the land of Promise.  The land was being divided up, Joshua looks all around him and tells them they had a choice to make.  They could serve the gods of their fathers before the flood or the gods already in the land of the Amorites but as for Joshua "as for me and my house we will serve the Lord." (Joshua 24 verse 15)  Joshua and Micah made the decision to follow the Lord.  Much water had flowed since Joshua took up the mantle from Moses.  For Caleb it was 40 days from the day when he went to spy in Canaan yet he asked Moses to give him the mountain.  Is that our resolve - to look to the Lord?  Micah meant business with God.  Man had failed him, society was corrupt but he was going to look to the Lord.  Remember David when he returned to Ziglag.  All the houses were burnt and the people had been taken captive.  David`s army are turning against him - if they hadn't been away fighting they might have saved their own village and people.  They were at the point of stoning David.  David said to himself "I will encourage myself in the Lord." (1 Samuel 30 verse 6)  Remember Paul and Silas in the prison house in Philippi.  They were beaten and sore, cast into the prison but at midnight they sang and prayed.  They were encouraging themselves in the Lord.  Moses leading the children of Israel out of Egypt, they were not left to their own devices.  When we bowed our knees at the foot of the old rugged cross, when we realised that Christ had taken our sin, borne our sins on his own body, when the Holy Spirit showed us our need of salvation, when we said that day "Lord come into my heart and life, I am trusting thee as Lord."  Have you trusted Christ as Saviour yet?  We are not left to our own devices when we come to Christ.  He has given us his precious word to lead and direct us for the way ahead.  When Moses came out of Egypt with the multitude of people he could look to the pillar in the day and the fire at night.  God will not leave himself without a witness.  God would direct every step they took.  Can you imagine their faces when they came out of Egypt and the pillar turned a different way from what they expected?  If they had gone the way they had expected it would have been through the land of the Philistines.  They would have experienced warfare going that way and probably would have led to them wanting to return to Egypt.  God knows what is in our lives, how difficult it can be.  We think God doesn't fully understand and is taking us a different way that is not in our opinion the right or best way.  God knows best.  He wants to lead you if only you will let him.  Remember Paul when he was taken into the third heaven one day and shown things he could never imagine.  When Paul was brought back to earth something had happened to him - he was given a thorn in the flesh.  A blessing followed by a hindrance.  He prayed 3 times which really means he prayed continually, possibly up to 300 times for this thorn to be taken away from him.  God said no to Paul and then said to him "my grace is sufficient for you."  Maybe there are difficulties in your life right now and you have prayed earnestly for God to take it from you.  God says "I understand it all today, I am with you in it, keep looking to me."  Paul says "I know the pain of suffering, God will strengthen you in ways you never thought possible."  I am sure when he had to leave Miletus with a friend lying sick he couldn't understand God`s ways but he trusted God to work it out.  If your prayers are not answered today leave it with God.  He will help you through it.  Micah was determined to look to the Lord, to keep his eyes on the Lord.  So should we.

A great patience

Micah now says "I will wait for the God of my salvation."  In the midst of all the coldness and carelessness his only hope was in God and he was willing to wait.  The Psalmist could say "my help cometh from the Lord."  Even when there were no signs to bolster him up.  Let`s get our eyes off the signs and discouragements and look to the Lord.  Psalm 40 "I waited patiently for the Lord."  It was a very difficult period in his life, he described it as being in a pit, a miry clay.  In this hole in the ground signifies there was nothing concrete for him to stand on.  He was in danger of drowning, what terror held him.  He was waiting on God to move, there seemed no hope for him.  Day after day no-one cared for his soul.  He was in a very lonely place.  We can be in a similar place where no-one understands us.  The Psalmist didn't just wait, he waited patiently.  Micah could see no outward evidence of a society coming back to the Lord.  There is very little evidence even today of a people turning back to the Lord and it is very discouraging.  Micah says "my eyes are on the Lord."  It speaks of unanswered prayer for the Psalmist.  How often he prayed and nothing happened.  Are you still waiting today?  That Psalm was probably written at a time when David was on the run from his own son or in the cave hiding from Saul.  He felt very lonely, there were few he could trust and depend on.  Micah was prepared to wait.  No doubt he was crying to the Lord.  God will lift us out of the darkness.  Think of the story of Joseph.  20 years of age and cast into a prison at the behest of Potiphar`s wife.  She slandered his character.  He met 2 men in that prison - Pharaoh`s baker and butler.  He talked with them and Joseph realised they could help him.  He asked to be remembered when they went back before Pharaoh.  When that day came neither remembered Joseph in the cell.  It was 2 years until God moved in the butlers heart.  God moved.  Let`s have patience with God today.  Philip Keller wrote a book entitled "Lessons from a sheep dog."  He tells about a sheep dog he got when it was old and he thought it wouldn't learn any new tricks.  He had a great relationship with that dog.  He would go down into the valley, in amongst the thorns and briars to bring the sheep back to the fold.  The hardest thing for the dog to do was to wait.  The dog would squat down and sit there.  No more commands, just wait.  If he moved the sheep were gone, scattered.  Patience.  That is what we need as we go into 2020.

Micah`s great peace

Micah had peace that God would hear and answer.  Everyone else had let him down.  People had disappointed him.  If we are prepared to stand and wait on the Lord we can have a great peace, a peace that passeth all understanding.  Isaiah 40 verse 13 "but they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings as eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint."  He knew about waiting patiently on the Lord and that is what we need to do.  Walter Scott was considered a dunce.  He was in the house one day when the poet Robert Burns was present.  Robert Burns was admiring a painting with a poem beneath it.  He asked who wrote the poem.  No-one could answer but Walter Scott recited the poem and told who the author was.  Robert Burns told Walter Scott "you will be a great man in Scotland one day" and the rest is history.  Jairus had a daughter who was dying.  He asked the Lord to come to his house to touch her.  On their way to the house someone came out and told him not to trouble the master any more as she had died.  The Lord looked to Jairus and said "she is not dead just sleeping, only believe."  Maybe that is how we feel.  We think things are dead.  People in our family have no interest, they have no chance of coming into the house of God.  Have patience and peace - God will move.  Let us look to the Lord for this year.  Have patience, he knows our anxieties and worries.  We need to have peace and faith.  Trust in the Lord today.

Go home to thy friends and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee

Sermon notes from Sunday 19 January 2020 pm

Luke 13 verses 10 - 17

The little verse we have been taking for our testimony nights is summed up in this passage - Mark 5 verse 19 "go home to thy friends and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee."  The demonic man met the Lord one day.  The demons had to leave his body and went into the herd of swine who drove them over the cliff and into the sea.  The young man wanted to follow him wherever the Lord went.  Look at this lady in synagogue with the spirit of infirmity.  She couldn't look up.  As she comes into the synagogue and listens to the Lord she is delivered from that   What is she going to tell people as she leaves?  The first thing she could have said was - I listened.  This lady had the greatest opportunity.  Sitting in the synagogue when Jesus rose up to preach the word of God, he was handed the scroll and he began to preach.  No man spake like this man.  He spoke to the winds and the waves and even they adhered to his voice.  Never heard anything like it before.  This woman probably came every week, took her place.  For 18 years she was in that condition.  Maybe for the same time she came to the synagogue, heard God`s word but it never touched her heart until this particular day.  No doubt the elders welcomed her gladly but help they could not do for her.  The young man brought to the Lord by his father spoke to the disciples first but they couldn't deliver him.  He was brought to the Lord by his father and he healed him.  This woman had no help from anyone in the synagogue.  Many are depending on their church minister, their works, they will only let you down.  The church cannot save you.  The minister cannot do anything for you.  He can say all manner of good things when you are being buried but he cannot save you.  The only thing that will save you on that day is a relationship with the Lord.  Have you that relationship?  Are you saved by God`s grace?

Here was a woman who listened to everything that was being said, taking in every word.  Think of Lydia out by the river side.  A religious young woman who came out to the river side on the Sabbath day.  Paul and his evangelist were there.  She listened  and never heard anything like this before.  Paul told them of the Lord, how he came to seek and to save the lost  Lydia listened to every word.  Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God.  The shepherds on the hillside on that first night the Lord was born.  The angels came to tell them a Saviour had been born.  What a wonderful message.  There is a Saviour for all sin.  He wants to come into your heart, to make you a new creature in Christ.

She also learned.  The thing keeping her bound came from the very source of Satan himself.  We have all sinned and come short of the glory of God.  We are blinded by the God of this world.  Not believing comes from the source of Satan himself.  He has bound you just like he bound this woman.  Many tonight do not discern their condition tonight, cannot see they are not saved because they do not believe they have sinned.  The parable of the sower.  The preacher went out to sow.  Some seed fell on good ground.  That ground is just like your heart.  The hard ground shows that your heart is hardened to the things of God.  The sower goes out and the seed will fall on hard ground.  The birds will come down and carry the seed away.  That shows the man taking in the word of God into his heart then the devil comes to the person and takes the seed of the word of God.  What a day it was for Nicodemus.  A religious man.  When Jesus told him he need to be born again, when the Lord looked at him and said "except a man be born again he cannot enter into the kingdom of heaven."  That is what the Bible teaches us.  Are you born again?  Have you got some form of religious experience?  Are you born again of the spirit of God.  The Philippian jailer asked "what must I do to be saved?"  Paul replied "believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved."  He realised he didn't have what Paul and Silas had.  He was ready, prepared to do anything.  "All we like sheep have gone astray, we have turned everyone to his own way."  The source was the devil himself.

She looked.  Jesus looked to where she was, he called her out and healed her from her infirmity.  She looked into Christ`s face and responded to what Jesus said to her.  Jesus continues to speak directly to people now.  He is showing people their need of salvation, putting his finger on that which was wrong.  He told the elders this woman has been bound for 18 years, knew all about her and her condition, how long she had been like that.  Jesus knows all about you too.  This woman couldn't straighten up, chained and fettered by Satan.  Now she was an entirely different person.  Remember the leper who came to the Lord.  He came running to Christ.  He recognised who Jesus was.  He came to that place "if thou wilt you can make me clean."  In that moment he was healed, in an instance and he fell down.  That leper was bound, on his way to hell but he left saved by God, reconciled, redeemed by God.  Are you going to continue in your sin?  Continue in that backslidden condition?  Or will you come to Christ just as you are, just as this lady did. 

She could also say I am living for Christ.  She left the synagogue different from the way she came in.  She was now living for Christ.  Her testimony went before her.  The people would recognise her as she was bent in 2.  They would ask her what happened and that gave her the opportunity to tell her story.

Ananias and the task God gave him

Sermon notes from Sunday 12 January 2020

Acts 9 verses 10 - 19

We read in Acts 9 verse 10 this man called Ananias got up out of his bed one morning, got before the Lord and prayed.  Perhaps he read God`s word.  He headed out into the day.  God`s voice spoke to him, gave him a task that I am sure his heart sank into his boots.  Go into a certain house and there you will find this man Saul of Tarsus.  He is praying.  The moment Ananias heard that he said "Lord I cannot do that."  Here am I Lord were the words that stuck out.  Not a phrase preached upon these days, not often challenged from our pulpits today.  Micah chapter 7 verse 7 "therefore I will look unto the Lord, I will wait for the God of my salvation."  We began to think of what the prophet was really saying.  "Therefore" why was that word put in there - we began to look back at the darkest days the prophet was living in.  The government was corrupt, doing what they wanted to do.  Trading standards were at an all time low, cheating and frauding people, using dishonest weights and measures.  The religious world was in apostate way, people were going through the motions.  Their hearts however were far from God.  Micah was beginning to reflect.  To show that he was reflecting on all these things of the past, reflecting on the coldness, no comfort in them.  It brings him to a great resolve.  I am not lying down to this.  Very few could trust each other, mother was turning against daughter, father against son.  Great resolve - therefore I will look unto the Lord, the one who is high overall from everlasting to everlasting who cannot fail me.  In one way or another I will lift up my eyes unto the Lord.  From whence doth come my help, my help comes from the Lord.  You can trust the Lord today.  Micah was looking unto the darkest of days, had a resolve in his heart to look unto the Lord.  We look at the great desire that is within today.

It was personal - "therefore I"  A personal desire to look to the Lord.  Maybe you have been trusting someone today and they have somehow let you down, failed you in some way.  The Psalmist was not going to look to anything else, to anything like armies or chariots or horse but rather to one who was able to do far more abundantly than he could ever ask of think.  We have all these great resolves in this new year.  Micah was resolved to look to the Lord.  One thing is on his mind.  Micah says it was very easy to get swallowed up in the careless activities of society but God asks us to take out stand.  Isaiah 5 verse 7 God called for someone to stand in the gap in Ezekiel but he couldn't find one.  Paul `s great resolve in Philippians 3 verse 13 striving for eternal glory, only one thing on his mind.  We cannot get saved unless we have a clear mind, that must be the utmost thing in our hearts and minds.  When you listen to God`s word heard about about the cross, how Christ came into the world to seek and to save that which was lost.  Then he pointed across and said it was for you and me.  If not first in our minds we cannot get saved.  God speaks to Jeremiah ye shall seek for me and find me when ye seek me with all your heart.  We cannot hold onto any sin in our life, it all has to go.  God says we must repent of our sin, leave things behind, trust Christ as Saviour.  When we get saved we must guard things that are crowding in on us, the sin that doth easily beset.  Paul says to keep our eyes on the finishing line and the crown he is about to win.  Can we say this one thing I do like Paul?  Micah says he will set his sights on God and him alone  Many things that trouble and hurt us.  Paul says this one thing I do  We have to get our eyes set on that eternal glory.  Joshua was an old man in chapter 24, led the people into the Promised Land, he divides the land between all the families.  Will you serve the gods of the Amorites in whose land we dwell.  A challenge before them.  God gave him all the prosperity of the land.  Now you have to chose - the gods of the Amorites or the gods before the flood.  That old man said "as for me and my house we will serve the Lord."  Resolve and desire like Micah of old.  He had seen the hand of the God in his life, the goodness of God.  Is there something in our lives we need to get rid of that God says is not right.  Jonathan Edwards said "trust in God and you have nothing to fear."  He is closing his eyes in death, gathers the family, only one word - "trust in the Lord and you will have nothing to fear."  It is up to you and me to make the same resolve.  The desire was personal.

It was positive - "I will"  As we go into the New Year will we be content to continue as last year or will we have that same desire to live and to serve the Lord?  Ananias said "Lord here am I".  We need to be quiet sometimes in God`s presence and hear what God is saying to us.  Micah said "therefore I will."  Noah in Genesis 6 "when man`s thoughts and intentions were only evil continually."  God separated Noah.  He walked with God  God called Noah to one side, told him what he was going to do, told him about the sins of people, I want you to build an ark.  Noah was given a full description of the ark.  That was a big task.  Sometimes God gives us tasks, we think no way around them.  Genesis 6 verse 22 "thus Noah did get resutls  ..."  According to all God commanded so did he.  God is speaking to us as he spoke to Noah.  You have to do it and he agreed to do.  God puts a task on our hearts.  He is asking you to put his will in your heart.  Micah would look to the Lord.  Elijah complained that he was the only one left to stand for God.  He was mistaken because there were 7000 who hadn't bowed their knees to Baal.  There may be problems and difficulties, situations we have never faced before but God is with us in all of these.  Isaiah 6 he is in the house of God on this particular day gets a vision of God.  Isn't that what we need today - that we might see something special of God.  Isaiah in the presence of God realised his own shortcomings.  God was concerned about the man standing before him that day.  God sent the angels, lifted the coal from altar, touched his lips.  When God asks us to do something are we willing to do it for him?  He is interested in you as an individual for a specific task in the service of God.  He wants you to be able to stand up and say "here am I Lord."  The Lord is not coming to the pastor, to the elders or anyone else but you.  He says "I have a task for you."  Ananias took time to hear what the task was.  Sometimes we don`t take that task seriously.  Micah says I will look unto the Lord.  That is what the Lord is asking for today.

The task was practical.  It was more than lip consent, this was going to be hands on experience for the future.  Are there things lacking in our lives that need to be addressed?  Micah was saying I will look.  It was practical.  Micah chapter 7 verse 8 spoke of the enemy rejoicing over him.  He knew battles and difficulties but he said he would look to the Lord.  Will you make this resolve today - to look to the Lord, to watch for him and seek him?  Will you say "here am I, what would you have me to do?"  This is my resolve, this is the person I want to be in 2020.

God is love

Sermon notes from Sunday 20 October 2019

Romans 5 verses 8, 10, 11, 1 John 4 verses 7 - 10, 12, 1 Corinthians 13 verses 1, 4, 8 and 13

We know that God is holy.  We know that God is just and we know that God is righteous but we have read some verses this morning reminding us that God is love.  It is one of his attributes.  It is something that characterises God.  The theologians would speak of the attributes of God.  Those things that characterise God.  We have referred to some of them.  He is holy.  He is just.  He is righteous.  He is all seeing.  He is all knowing.  There is nothing that escapes him even this morning.  He knows my heart and he knows your heart.  He knows our thoughts before we think of them.  "Invisible, immortal God only wise, light inaccessible hid from our eyes."  God is a spirit.  We cannot see God but we can know him.  God is love.  When we come to the Bible as regards love there is a lot of firsts mentioned.  If you only want to find out the meaning of a word find it in the bible.  When God mentions something for the last time that is solemn too.  In relation to love it is very interesting when it is first mentioned and its instruction.  In Genesis 22 God speaks to Abraham "take now thy son, thy only son whom thou lovest and get thee into the land of Moriah to one of the mountains I will tell you of."  The love the father had for his son.  That is the first mention of love.  Jacob had 12 sons but  Joseph was his favourite.  He proved his love for Joseph and made him a coat of many colours.  David and Jonathan loved each other, they were bosom friends.  David could say "thy love to me was wonderful, passing the love of women."  Human love.  A mother`s love is cherished.  The word of God is teaching us "let us love one another."  Love is of God.  In John 15 Jesus was speaking to his own disciples.  Love displays God.  God is a spirit.  We cannot see God.  In fact in 1 John 4 "no man has seen God at any time."  "If we love one another God dwelleth in us and his love is perfect in us."  Is that love amongst us?  There is something we should cultivate in our own lives to display that love.  Let us love one another for love is of God.  John 15 verse 9  The Lord is exhorting his own to love one another.  Love is being transmitted.  Love originates with God.  God is love.  He is the very essence of love.  Love is with the father.  Verse 9.  Now translated to the son.  "and so have I loved you."  The father transmits his love to the son and the son transmits it to the believer.  "continue in my love."  We are to continue in and love by doing so.  We are manifesting it to others, declaring it to others.  The scriptures really doesn`t define love but love is manifested, shown not defined.  The onus is on us  Love one another by doing, so declaring that love to others.  It was written of the early disciples how they loved one another.  Love receives and love gives.  Interesting that love is not passive but active.  God`s love goes further.  "God commendeth his love towards us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us."  God commendeth, God demonstrates.  I am going to show you by demonstration.  He tells us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us.  This is not calling us to clean up our act then my love will fall into place.  God commendeth his love towards us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for you.  It is us that is in the plural.  John is writing that Christ died for us.  It is amazing we read those verses in John 4 "herein is love not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his son to be the propitiation for our sins."  This is for sinners, guilty, hell deserving and lake of fire sinners.  God commendeth his love towards us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us.  Not that he loved us but gave himself for us.  He is the atoning sacrifice in a simple way.  Christ`s death is an atonement.  Forgave me, elementary explanation.  Take the word attain and divide it in 2, add one reconciliation.  Atonement means to reconcile.  That is why read in Romans 5 verse 10 "for if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.  And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement."  You have accepted Christ.  Look back to a day when accepted Christ, you are reconciled to God, at one with God through the death of his son.  You could come to a church all your life and go to hell.  "we were reconciled to God by the death of his son."  An appreciation of the man who died upon the cross.  The death of Christ, his atoning substitutionary work on the cross for sinners like me and you.

Hear O heavens and give ear O earth for the Lord hath spoken

Sermon notes from Sunday 15 September 2019 pm

Isaiah 1 verse 10 - 20

I want to turn to this first chapter of Isaiah chapter 1 verse 2 "hear O heavens and give ear O earth for the Lord hath spoken."  The Lord has spoken.  Here is the prophet Isaiah not coming to speak on his behalf or on behalf of the king.  All the people in the land know he is saying "the Lord has spoken."  There is a voice speaking tonight.  The Holy Spirit coming to our hearts tonight.  This was not a thought for Isaiah.  God had spoken the word again.  He was the Lord`s messenger in the Lord`s message.  Prophet was bringing the word of God, speaking on behalf of God.  Had the remedy for their sin. 

God speaks about the rebellion of his people.  People turned their backs on him, got far from him, drawing them back to himself.  Happy, contented people in themselves.  God sees them as no-one else sees them.  Nicodemus was a man who came to Jesus by night.  Full of religion, full of good deeds.  There are a few questions I want to ask the Lord.  Look at him like no other man saw him.  He saw sin in his heart.  Unsaved, not redeemed.  On his way to a lost and Christless hell.  The Lord saw the man as no-one else saw him. Isaiah saw a people not right with themselves.  Rebellion in the heart of God`s people.  Verse 2 he takes the thought from the farming language - verse 3.  God was saying to this people when the people go out into the field to feed the cattle the cattle come to him because know him.  They have rebelled against me.  They haven`t taken time to consider.  Will you take a moment to consider how you stand before God in the light of eternity?  Hebrews 3 verse 1 can we consider the Lord for a moment.  The lengths he came down into sin cursed world.  The depths he went to to bear our sin on his body on Calvary`s cross.  Consider the death he suffered.  The loneliness he endured as he cried "my God, my God why has thou forsaken me."  When he died there you were on his mind.  Consider the depths of that tomb on that first morning.  The cloths and napkin apart from itself.  Consider the Lord now exhalted at his Father`s right hand.  He will one day leave that position and come back to the earth again.  Not as Saviour nor to die on the old rugged cross to call sinners.  This time he is coming to the air with the sound of the archangel.  He will call those who are born again of the living God.  Will you meet him in the air or will you miss that great resurrection day.  Will you not heed to Christ.  We live in a rushed age, don`t have much time, always someone wanting to get there faster.  We do not take time to consider things.  We need to take time tonight as we come to this meeting and consider some of the things Isaiah is putting before us.  Remember Cain and Abel who were taught to preset themselves before God.  Abel brought the best but Cain rebelled and brought the best from the ground.  Stand again and see the good paths.  Ye shall find rest for your souls.  We will not walk in this way.  God speaks about rebellion.

God also speaks about religion.  These people were coming the right way but their heart was not in it.  Verses 13 and 14.  2 Timothy Paul talked about the last days.  Perilous people shall come.  The apostle Paul speaking to Timothy about the last days with all their sin, rebellion, stubbornness, they were still have a form of godliness but they will deny the power thereof.  Is that not what we see today in our society.  We hear men preaching, denying the cross of Calvary.  Some even go to the length of denying the resurrection of Christ, deny he will return to this earth.  A form of godliness - a cloak to throw over everything, covers everything.  It is all the evil going on underneath.  They are saying from the house of God form of godliness denying the power thereof.  Bringing lamb after lamb an abomination because heart is not in it.  When you come to Christ you have to come in repentance, prepared to turn away from your sin, from everything holding you back from trusting Christ.  We have to come with all your moral soul.  The rich young ruler couldn't do that.  He had to leave them behind.  Will you come and trust him tonight.  Salvation is a living relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ and nothing else.  The Lord spoke about religion and deception of it.

He spoke of a remedy - verses 16 - 18.  Here`s the answer.  God was not prepared to leave them in their darkness and rebellion.  There was a remedy from Christ himself.  God is not willing that any should perish, to leave anyone in their darkness and in their unbelief.  He has tried and done so much to win men and women.  Jeremiah he had a zeal for God`s people and now because you have done all these works rising up early and speaking.  Such was the urgency of the message that had to be a change of mind and heart.  Instead of coming with sacrifices had to be a change.  There has to be a change in your life too.  God asks you to turn away from that which would hurt you.  This religion would hurt them, damn their souls, take them out into a lost eternity.

God speaks of renewal - verse 18.  Doesn't matter the depths of your sin, the Lord Christ spoke to young woman caught in the act of adultery.  The Pharisees brought her to the Lord, condemned her, pointed the finger "let him who is without guilt cast the first stone."  A moment later he realised there was no-one else there but the girl.  He told her to go and sin no more.  A young man full of devils, the Lord cast the devils into the swine.  He had a brand new change of life from that day on, coming into the personal relationship with Christ, trusting him to forgive him of his sins.  He makes you a new creature.  You live that moment, at that very instant with new thoughts, new ambitions, new goals in life  That is what God wants to give you.

He speaks of retribution - verse 20.  Sets out the sin of people.  Remedy for that sin.  Verse 20 "but if ye refuse and rebel ye shall be devoured with the sword from the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it."  How serious tonight.  We live in a world where anything goes.  God is a God of love.  God is not willing that you should be lost.  We can live as we like, get on with things that we want.  God opens the door of heaven one day and says come in.  When the crowd came to the Lord Jesus told him how Pilate had mangle the blood of people Siloam fell 18 souls were killed.  Suppose ye this where sinners above all sinners they were saying must have been worst sinners but not us knowing unless you repent you shall all likewise perish.  What an awful word.  They came to the door of heaven and cried Lord open unto us.  I never knew you depart from me.  Is that not divine retribution.  Can we put a hand on our hearts and say all is well with this soul, I am right with God because of what he has done.  Depending on that.  Trusting in him alone.  Is that your profession tonight?

Cornelius, the Roman centurion

Sermon notes from Sunday 15 September 2019 am

Acts 16 verses 1 - 10

In chapter 16 we read about Paul and evangelists waiting patiently on the lead of God.  There were various areas they could have gone into but the spirit of God closed the doors to them.  There are various places he would have gone but somehow they were closed to him.  In a vision in the night Paul receives a message from one man "come over into Macedonia and help us."  Thinking again of the man Cornelius the Roman centurion.  The events in his life, the marks and the features of a God given revival.  Cornelius was unsaved man.  We are only looking at the features of a revival around his life, prepare our hearts with the same vigour and zeal he had at the very thought that God was coming.  In Acts 16 the man from Macedonia pleaded for God to come over.  Acts 10 glimpse of Cornelius.  First glimpse of a man on his knees.  This is the beginning of revival. 

First of all here`s a man wanting God to do something.  Sitting in his own home on his knees before God of heaven pleading and praying.  Reminder of Hannah being taunted by the second wife to discourage and get her down.  She took the whole situation to God in the temple - "she poured out her heart."  The bible says that is where God begins to move.  When we get before God and pray, it is then that God sees the desire of our heart.  Man of Macedonia sees the need in his heart and prays and pleads for Paul to come and help him.  If ever we needed anything in 2019 it is a move of God.  We need a people to pray for the province again.  We need God in these days.  This man sees the need all around him, gets before God and prays, pleads with Paul to bring the gospel to them.  Psalmist looking over the apathy around him.  Psalm 119 "it is time for thee , Lord to work." (verse 126)  The Psalmist had come to the end of himself.  His heart was burdened down, weighed down and says to the Lord "it is time for you to work."  Here was Cornelius falling on his knees, wanting God to do something for him that could not be done by anyone else.  Revival has spread through the villages and byways.  "Seek ye first the kingdom of God." (Matthew 6 verse 33)  "Ye shall seek me and find me when you search for me with all your heart." (Jeremiah 29 verse 13)  "without faith it is impossible to please him for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him." (Hebrews 11 verse 6)  Cornelius sitting on his knees praying and pleading for God to work.

A man waiting on God.  It is a lonesome place.  Lone figure praying then saw angel coming into him.  That angel brought a message from the throne room of heaven.  That is where we are told to come to find help and mercy in our time of need.  God has promised that.  Here`s Cornelius getting this word.  This answer was to send for Peter.  How precise that word was.  Knew where Peter was.  He is lodging with a man called Simeon.  He shall tell thee what thou oughtest to do.  He sends off immediately for Peter.  He must wait for the word of the Lord from Peter himself.  He had a the promise of the word of God.  Jonathan Edwards said "revival will break out when a man or woman will sit down with the Bible and believe it word for word."  Acts 10 verse 30 4 days ago.  He waited for that length of time.   Romans 5 verse 3 "we glory in tribulation also knowing that tribulation worketh patience."  Patience is a great characteristic as we wait on God.  Luke 18 parable on prayer.  Shows us widow woman following after an ungodly judge, only thought of himself, never caused her a favour.  She needed that favour from him.  She followed him day after day with the same complaint.  He came out and gave her her plea.  The Lord says this is an example of prayer.  Men ought to pray and not give up.  That woman did not give up.  She followed that man until he came out and asked what her problem was.  Then she poured out her heart.  The Lord said look at this woman "lest by her continual coming she weary me. And the Lord said Hear what the unjust judge saith.  And shall not God avenge his own elect which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them."  1 John 5  "And this is the confidence that we have in him that if we ask anything according to his will he heareth us." (verse 14 )

Here`s a man watching for God.  Acts 10 verse 24 he called his kinsmen and nearest friends to tell them what was going to happen.  Peter was going to come to where this man was and tell him how we might be right with God.  Important news.  Jesus speaks of a hell "where their worm dieth not and the fire is not quenched", where suffering never comes to an end.  "Heaven and earth shall pass away but my words shall not pass away." (Matthew 24 verse 35)  "Heaven is a prepared place for a prepared people."  Made up of people who gave themselves over to the Lord himself.  Cornelius went and told his friends and family. 

A man working for God.  He invites people to come and hear the word of the Lord.  He was telling everyone, gathered all his kinsmen and friends.  Matthew left his seat of custom and invited all his friends into his home for a great supper.  Then he invited Jesus.  He loved his friends and family but he now loved Jesus more.

A man witnessed great things.  Not disappointed because in verse 44 we read that Peter came into his house, stood up and began to preach the words God gave him.  As he did so the Holy Ghost fell on them that heard the word of God.  He witnessed the power of God coming down into that house.  This man witnessed the Holy Ghost coming and seeing people reached.