The Rich Young Ruler

Notes from a sermon on Sunday 2 September 2012

Mark 10 verse 17 - 22

The Rich Young Ruler

A person of distinction. You see just like today many had no time for Jesus’ ministry. They did not want to hear and believe that he was from God and was God’s own son. Many stood outside, against it, particularly the religious leaders and rulers of the country. They wanted nothing to do with Jesus. Very few would have listened to him but rather condemned him. This young man was different. There are 3 actual accounts given of this story. He was a rich young ruler who came running to Jesus Christ. He had no doubt heard about him and he heard Jesus was in the district and so he ran to the Lord Jesus. He really wanted a conversation with him. He wanted to hear it for himself. Nicodemus was like that. He was a member of the Sanhedrin. Jesus told him “except a man is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” He met the woman at the well and he told her the water she was drinking wouldn’t satisfy her but the water he gave would. Here is a young man running catching up with Jesus Christ. This was a man of distinction. Somehow he wants to hear about eternal life. You are a person of distinction. Listening to the gospel means you are a person of distinction. This young man didn’t worry about the others. He came running, he was energetic, he meant business with Jesus. He showed respect when he said “Good Master what shall I do that I might inherit eternal life?”

A person of desire. He wanted to know how he can obtain eternal life. Maybe he heard about this before and now wanted to know how to inherit eternal life. Jesus had changed the lives of many people, raised people from the dead. Now this young ruler wanted to get to Jesus and he asked a very direct question. Perhaps over the past number of weeks or days you have heard about eternal life, you are interested but still you are not saved. Have you a desire to learn more about the things of God, to find faith in Christ? This man had come to the right place and he had to take that step if he was going to do anything about it. He has come to the one who is the way, the truth and the life. What can I do in my own self that I will be absolutely sure of eternal life? As there is eternal life so there is eternal death. You have a living soul, when your heart stops death takes you but your soul will live on. In Genesis God breathed into man the breath of life and man became a living soul. You have a soul, something that you can call your own but it is also something that you can lose. “What shall it profit a man if he shall gain the whole world and lose his own soul.” You can lose it for ever, to be eternally cut off from God, all hope of salvation is dead. To be cut off from God for ever, to receive punishment for ever in hell. You are either heading for eternal life if saved by God’s grace or eternal death in the place called hell. He wants to find the right way, comes to the right place. We cannot go to the wrong person if we want to find the truth. This man had a desire, he wanted eternal life. He is facing the Lord. He is healthy and strong because he ran to find Jesus. He wants to find eternal life, he is not satisfied with the life he has. Perhaps many times thought of getting saved, those thoughts have gone through your mind before. “Boast not thyself of tomorrow for you know not what a day will bring forth.” Do you want that assurance of having eternal life? It is only faith in Christ that can save you. Nothing else can do it. You are in a really privileged position, hearing the gospel message.

A person of discipline. The Lord knows how to deal with everyone differently. Everyone is watching him to see what Jesus will do. You know the commandments he tells him, the rules of the Old Testament. Jesus knew this man had been brought up well. “All these have I obeyed from my youth” the young man replied. Maybe you have been brought up in the things of God, you know the commandments too. Maybe you have tried to do all the good you can in your life. What a future this man had. He was speaking truthfully, he knew the religious system, a person brought through the ranks yet no assurance of eternal life. Perhaps you read the word of God, say your prayers every night but yet you are not saved. There are so many in our churches today who seek to do good deeds but who are outside of the blood of Christ. Love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy mind and with all thy soul.” Here is the crunch – you have to follow me and every blockage must be left aside.

A person with a decision to make. You may have tried to keep the commandments, do all the good you can but are outside of Christ. Perhaps there is something you are putting before God. This young man had a decision to make. There was a barrier and the Lord knew all about it. The Lord told him to give up everything and then come and follow him. Perhaps there is one thing that is keeping you out of heaven? There may be friends or a problem that is keeping you outside of heaven. It can be a stumbling block. The young man wanted eternal life yet his riches, his position had a grip on him.

A person who was deceived. When God deals with a person, the convicting power of the Holy Spirit takes place. You cannot leave a situation like that and be happy. The young man went away sad. There is a line drawn and if you step over it you will be lost for ever. We never learn of this young man getting saved. One thing kept him out, he remained lost.

Almost persuaded

Notes from a sermon on Sunday 4 November 2012

Acts 26 verses 19 – 32

“Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian”

If you were to read some of the commentators and bible scholars about this passage you might take the attitude of King Agrippa being sarcastic when he comes to the apostle Paul. This lonely is before him, brings the claims of the gospel to him, they would say this is a sarcastic answer to what Paul had to say. He is thinking to himself “the intellect I have do you think for one moment I would lay claims to such a message as this? Almost thou persuades me to be a Christian.” This is a man who was shaken to his very boots. He maybe in all sincerity he was saying “Almost thou persuades me to be a Christian, to trust in Christ who came to seek and saved the lost.” What does it mean to be almost persuaded? I am sure there are many in a lost eternity tonight who sat in gospel meetings and missions and heard the claims of Christ. They sat in all earnestness the appeal being made at the end, didn’t want to make any enquiries yet – almost persuadest but in a lost appeal. The faculty of their minds is working well, they can look back to a time when they sat in a meeting like this – almost persuaded but went out never to hear the claims of the gospel again, never saved. What an awful thing to be almost persuaded and yet to be in a lost eternity.

We need to be confronted with the gospel. In order to be confronted with the gospel Paul had to attire the chains of a lonely prisoner. Imagine how God used such a man, such an occasion. Here was a king coming to preside over his position. He takes the judgement seat and all are seated around him then Paul is brought in and he brought the gospel message to him. We need to be confronted with the gospel message to be saved. We need to hear it upon our lives what God intended for me. “Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God.” The claims of the gospel on you. Cornelius was in his own home when an angel appears to him. “Your prayers have been heard in the realms of heaven, you must send for Peter in Joppa, he will come and tell you words whereby you must be saved.” It is wonderful what God would do to bring a man to Christ. The Ethiopian eunuch was travelling back to his own land pondering the scriptures. He was reading from Isaiah 53 about a “lamb being led to the slaughter so he opened not his mouth.” He couldn’t understand it, all of a sudden just at the side of his chariot was Philip. God was moving in the heart of Philip to bring this man to a saving knowledge of Christ. Romans 10 verse 13 “whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.” How do you get to that place where you can call on the Lord? Romans 10 “how shall they call on him on whom they have not believed and how shall they believe on him of whom they have not heard?” We need to be confronted with the gospel. Firstly King Agrippa was confronted with the claims of the gospel and he was almost persuaded. In verse 20 Paul spoke to Agrippa about repentance. When you were born into the world you were like all other men, you were a sinner, you needed a Saviour. God in his mercy and love sent a Saviour on the cross, he died to be your Saviour. Have you ever been persuaded like Agrippa was? You need to be confronted with the claims of the gospel. In Genesis 19 and the tale of Sodom and Gomorrah their sin reached the very heavens above. God said “we are going down to investigate to see if it is true.” The angels came down and they realised everything was exactly as they had heard. Judgement was about to fall. They decided to save Lot and his wife and his children. As they spoke to them it says “they lingered”. Are you still enjoying your sin even though the claims of the gospel have been set forth for you? Have you realised you don’t know your sins forgiven, don’t have eternal life? You are lingering, you haven’t stepped out for God. The angels took hold of Lot’s hand and took them out of the city. Lot’s wife looked back and the moment she did that she was turned into a pillar of salt. She was almost persuaded but lost.

To be almost persuaded means we need to be convicted in our minds. To give it some intellectual thought. Consider the claims of the gospel in the mind, to be convinced you are almost a Christian. Paul turns to the scriptures and asks “do you believe the prophets” verse 27. He asks King Agrippa but it is not really a persuasive argument. Now you can sit down and go through the scriptures to show you need to be saved and how you can be saved and when we can be saved. Paul takes him back to the word of God. No persuasive argument but all based on the evidence of the word of God which brings light to our soul. “King Agrippa do you believe the word of God?” Paul asked. Do you believe God’s word that you will never be in heaven unless you are born again of the Spirit of God. Jesus sat before a religious man and said “except a man be born again he can in no wise enter into the kingdom of God.” “King Agrippa do you believe the prophets, I think that thou believest.” To be confronted is part of it. To be convinced of it is another part of it. Acts 17 Paul preaching to the religious people takes them to the word of God reminds the people of the God they have to deal with, the God who created the heavens and earth, the one who you need a relationship with, he has watched the ignorance for so long he commands every man every where to repent of their sin. Paul tells them of how Jesus died, how one day he rose again and will one day judge the earth, how one day we must stand before him. When Paul preached this message what happened? Some believed in the Lord as their personal Saviour. Some left and mocked Paul but another section walked away and said “we will hear again of this matter.” They were almost persuaded. You can be almost and not saved, almost convinced of truth in your mind but not saved. Almost saved is to be completely lost and lost for all eternity.

To be almost persuaded means confused of what to do. Agrippa thought he was doing the safe thing, taking the middle ground. “Paul” he said “you have set forth the word of God so clearly, plainly and I am almost persuaded.” On the other hand Agrippa was trying to keep in with his own crowd. Chapter 25 verse 24 and chapter 26 verse 30. Agrippa was sitting on the judgement seat, beside his was his partner and governor along with a great crowd. The crowd will keep you back from stepping out for Christ. Elijah in the Old Testament climbed Mount Carmel to face 500 prophets of Baal. Elijah knew the Children of Israel were not sure, they were standing with a leg in each camp, they were in the valley of decision, almost saved but halting. Perhaps you would love to be saved but you don’t know what reaction that will get tomorrow from your family or friends. “How long will ye halt between two opinions?”

To be almost persuaded is to be cheated out of a decision. Out of God’s presence for ever by the god of this world, the devil himself. He blinds your mind to the claims of the gospel. In the parable of the sower some seed fell on hard ground. It doesn’t get covered up, left on the top of the ground and the birds of the air fly down and pick it up. It is likened to someone hearing the word of God, it falls on your heart and you are not willing to act and respond to it. Just like the birds of the air the devil comes right into the gospel meeting and he takes it away. Paul is standing in his chains, he has been faithful to the God of heaven and brought the word of God to Agrippa. Festus stands up and says “much learning doth make thee mad.” He was causing a disturbance in the meeting. The god of this world wants to keep this man Agrippa in the darkness of his sin and damn his soul for ever. Maybe you are like King Agrippa, you are almost persuaded. You have been there before and again you are brought to that place of almost being persuaded. Almost will not suffice when you are called from this scene of time.

Do you love me?

Sermon notes from Sunday 4 November 2012

John 21 verses 1 – 17

“Lovest thou me?”

Jesus takes Peter to one side, away from the disciples and asked him “do you love me Peter? Do you really love me?” He was not asking him what he thinks of him. It is a direct question, a soul searching question. Someone has pointed out the interesting fact that the last time Peter was challenged was standing at a fire. The Lord came to meet with his disciples on this third occasion. The disciples were fishing in their boat when the Lord came walking by the seashore. He prepared a fire and make breakfast for when the returned. On the last occasion when challenged Peter had denied Christ 3 times now Christ comes at it in 3 different angles. If Jesus was standing in our midst today and came with this direct question “do you love me” how would we answer? I could reply “I preach for you” but the Lord would say “yes but do you love me?” You could reply “I go out on the doors and give out tracts” but the question would still me “do you love me?” If everything was stripped away today would we still love Jesus?

It is a probing question. It goes to the very core of Peter’s feelings, his heart. Peter was following the Lord and then comes this question “do you love me?” There was no way to hide. Previously when Peter was standing outside the Judgement Hall someone had said to him “here’s one of them”. Then another said “we saw him with you.” A third person said “even your very speech betrays you.” Three times Peter denied the Lord. Three times the Lord challenges him – “do you love me?” It was a probing question. This is what the Lord expects of us. He is God and he doesn’t need our love but he expects us to give it to him. The question is not “do you fear me” nor is it “do you adore me” or “do you admire me” but “do you love me?” Imagine the Lord opening that wound again for Peter. Sometimes the wound has to be probed just in case there is an infection that will spread throughout the whole body. It was in the wake of Peter’s past experience. It goes back to the Old Testament, all the prophets looked forward to the Messiah coming, even predicted his death, predicted that he would have to die for the sins of the world. Peter knew this. The Lord took the disciples aside and told them he must go to Jerusalem, betrayed into the arms of evil men, rejected by the nation, put on the cross and then die. When the events unfolded however they neglected all these scriptures. It pointed back to Peter’s carelessness. Peter became careless about his prayer time. When Jesus took them into the Garden of Gethsemane and began to pray to his Father in heaven, he went back to his disciples and found them asleep. He asked them “could you not even give me one hour to shoulder the burden with me?” What a challenge to us today – one hour to seek the Lord’s face with others of a similar mind! Peter was taken into the wrong company. He began to walk afar off. He had neglected the place of prayer, of reading God’s word and then we find him in the wrong company, opting to sit with the ungodly and listen to the ridicule of God. If we get careless about God’s word, if we get careless about prayer, if we get careless about the things of God the company we then keep doesn’t matter. Many can profess salvation and faith in Christ yet can sit under a dead ministry. Peter’s carelessness led him into the wrong company. We also see Peter’s cowardice. When he was challenged about the Lord all he could say was “I don’t know him.” He couldn’t find the bottle to stand up. Once we get careless and into the wrong company we soon forget about the Lord. We wouldn’t stand up for him, we wouldn’t speak out. This probing question came into the work of confrontation. When the cock crowed the third time Jesus simply looked at Peter and Peter wept. It came in light of commendation. When Jesus had risen from the dead the disciples were told to go into Galilee – “tell the disciples and Peter”. Peter was not forgotten about. What mercy and grace the Lord has. How many times has the Lord spoken to us about certain issues and we have turned our backs on him each time yet he comes time and again and reminds us of his great salvation. He shows us Jesus on the middle cross shedding his blood and given his life an atonement for us. The Holy Spirit challenges us each time but we reject him and say no. Time and again the Lord comes and shows us mercy and grace. Peter was not to be forgotten about. The word “lovest” in verses 15 and 16 is a special word. It is used 4 times here and comes from the Greek word “agape”. That is a strong word and means a sacrificial love, unselfish, has no motives behind it. In other words “do you love me for who I am?” That is the love the Lord expects from us. John 17 verse 26. Imagine for a moment the love God had for his own son – that is the love that is shared with us today. It is like the little boy on the hillside one day who gave all that he had – 2 loaves and 5 fishes for use by Jesus. He must have loved the Lord so much, wanted to be where the Lord was, listening to him, in his presence, unselfish in his love for the Lord. It is like the widow woman who gave all she had – 2 mites – to the work of the Lord. Why? Because of her love for the Lord. She knew the Lord would provide for her. Her love was for the Lord alone. Do you love me without any selfishness? John said “we love him because he first loved us”. Imagine if he had waited for our love before he gave us his love.

It is a personal question. Jesus was talking directly to Peter. On one occasion in the past Jesus had stepped into Peter’s boat to teach the crowd that was gathered on the seashore. He asked Peter to launch out a little bit from the shore. Jesus turned and poke directly to Peter. Maybe he is doing the same to you today. In the wake of certain occasions in the past he is asking you “do you love me?” Maybe you are going through certain blessing at the moment and he asks – “do you love me?” Maybe you are going through trials and he wants to bring you close to himself – “do you love me?” Peter had been bombarded by his enemies but now the Lord is coming afresh to him. Maybe you have experienced a similar onslaught and the Lord is speaking directly to you. Jesus asked Peter “how deep is your love for me?” Only Peter could answer that question. Jesus wanted to know if Peter loved him more than the disciples, more that his boats and fishing and more than the other disciples who loved Jesus. Peter couldn’t judge the love the other disciples had for Jesus. Jesus was asking him however if he loved him more that John or more than the sons of Zebedee. Is it possible to let a relationship rule and get above Christ? Remember when Elisha was ploughing in the field and Elijah came to anoint him as the next prophet. Elisha asks Elijah “will you allow me to go to my father’s house first?” Sometimes a family devotion comes before our love for God. “Peter do you love me more than the boats and the fishing?” This was Peter’s livelihood. Do our jobs come before the Lord? Do our families come before the Lord? Do our homes come before the Lord? Remember what was said of Demas “he hath forsaken me because he loved this present world.” What about you and I? If this question was to really come to us, if Jesus was to stand before us right now what would our answer be to that question “do you love me?”

It is a practical question. With the challenge comes the commission – “feed my sheep.” He was not asking Peter to love him but to be used as well. If we have a love in our hearts for the Lord we have to see the ministry in our lives. These sheep have to be fed, looked after, they are straying on all roads and directions, got to bring them back into the fold. It is going to take a love in your heart to do that. There will be many a disappointment, a set back but if you love me you will be able to do it. Remember Mary and Martha. Martha was busy in the kitchen preparing a meal but where was Mary? She was sitting at the master’s feet. She loved his presence and his word. She would not miss the opportunity. What a love she had. 1 John 3 verse 17 “But whoso hath this world’s good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from I, how dwelleth the love of God in him?” 1 John 4 verse 20 “If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar,for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen how can he love God whom he hath not seen?” If you love God it manifests itself, shows itself, reveals itself in our feeding of God.

The message of the angels to the shepherds

Notes from a sermon on Sunday 18 December 2011

Luke 2 verse 8 – 20

Oblivious to all that is going on in Bethlehem, on the mountain side the shepherds were going about their normal business minding the sheep. It is possible to be in this world, in this town, in this meeting and yet oblivious to all that happened not only at Bethlehem but also to what happened outside Jerusalem on a hill where the Lord died on Calvary’s hill.

The angels made a great proclamation. The shepherds were oblivious to what did happen. The God of heaven sends the angels to the very hill where the shepherds were guarding their sheep. God sends his Holy Spirit to convince men and women of their sin. God comes to where we are at. If he was to wait until we came to him we would never come. “There is none righteous no not one; there is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.” (Romans 3 verses 10 and 11) God has to come to awaken our hearts. God came to a woman in Philippi by the riverside as she sat listening to the apostle Paul. Paul began to preach and proclaim the unsearchable riches of Christ. There was one woman, Lydia, as she listened to the message preached on that particular day for whom God opened her heart. God sent his angels to where these men were. None of us would be capable to reach God in our own right. When God sent his angels to the shepherds he was sending them to the least of all. They were considered outcasts. The religious leaders wouldn’t give them a second thought. They were immediately unfit, unclean to enter into God’s house at any time. Yet God chose them to tell them of the baby born to be Saviour of the world. God sent them to where they were at exactly. On one occasion when Jesus took up the offer to sit with publicans and sinners his disciples were set upon by the religious leaders. They didn’t think much of him because he sat with publicans and sinners. Jesus answered them by saying “they that be whole need not a physician but they that are sick …. For I am not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance” (Matthew 9 verses 12 and 13) Saul of Tarsus was an enemy of the church of Jesus Christ yet thought he was doing God a favour locking people up and putting them to death, signing their death warrant. As he set out on the road to Damascus on that particular day the light of the glorious gospel shone on his heart and God met him where he was. God stopped him in his tracks that day.

The peace that is offered. The angels came and the shepherds were afraid. They were used out under the canopy of the night sky, used to warring off beasts and animals yet something made them afraid. The angels told them “fear not”. A message of peace coming to their troubled souls. Sometimes God troubles us. We can have a sort of false peace about us but then God comes and reveals out great need. The shepherds were told by the angels “fear not”. We live in a world where there is little peace. We read of trouble and strife on our television screens and in our newspapers. The message of Christmas is this – it can afford a peace to our hearts. A peace that we can never understand. Jesus said one day “come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest.” The disciples were concerned about tomorrow, whenever the Lord spoke to them he told them to look at the lilies in the field “for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.” (Matthew 6 verse 32) We can cast our burden aside when we trust God – why – because he cares for us and supplies our every need. A young man came to Jesus one day and said “what must I do to inherit eternal life?” He was concerned about eternity. What is the next step? When the Lord was about to leave this scene of time he knew his disciples would be worried and concerned but he told them “let not your heart be troubled ye believe in God believe also in me.” You can put your full weight on him. “In my Father’s house are many mansions if it were not so I would have told you.”

The priority that is spoken of here – “this day”. The shepherds were unaware of what had already taken place but they have to act and act urgently. Paul said “now is the accepted time behold now is the day of salvation.” Jesus talked of a man who prepared a great supper and told his servants to go out with invitations “come for all things are now ready and they all began to make excuses.” Noah was given the order to build the ark. Throughout the time he built it he told the people to be ready. People were going on about their own business. The ark was placed to one side. No priority was given to it until the rain came. In the city of Sodom Lot would not leave until God reigned in judgment. There is a priory in your salvation.

There was a promise to be claimed. “For unto you is born this day a Saviour which is Christ the Lord.” Have you heard that Jesus loves you and gave his life for you on the cross of Calvary? Will you trust him as Saviour and Lord?

The wise men

Notes from a sermon on Sunday 18 December 2011

Matthew 2 verses 1 – 12

I want us to think about these men who came to seek after the Lord Jesus, the wise men as make way to Jerusalem then to Bethlehem then into the little home were Mary was. Many things we do not know about these men – only that they were coming from the east. There is a great debate who they were. Some say they were eastern astrologers who made their livelihood from the stars. Others say they were Jewish descendants – they had been carried away to Babylon and many did not return under Cyrus’ reign. We don’t know exactly who they were. We don’t know how many there were in number. There is much said about them here that we need to look at the reason they have come to Bethlehem.

They came with heartfelt conviction for truth. That is why they were there. That is why we read about them in the word of God. They came in search of Jesus Christ. They came to the counsellors of Herod and asked “where is he that is born king of the Jews.” What a conviction they had in their hearts. It was only stirred by God himself. God had placed the star in the sky and that star told these men that a king was born and they must go in search of him. The moment they set off to find this king went with one errand – to search for Jesus Christ. God had given them a glimpse better than anything else in their lives. Only thing in their minds was that they might find Christ the king, the Messiah. Isn’t that a wonderful way to come into God’s house? That the only thing in our hearts and minds is Christ - that we might find him. Have you come with that great conviction today? To set our hearts on fire for Christ? In Acts 17 Paul made his way into the city of Athens. It was a city of learning and culture, a deeply religious city. The people had a tremendous faith. Everyone had their own faith. Paul noticed as he travelled around the city it was given over to idolatry. As Paul searched through that city he found many altars there. It was a sign of their religion. The gods they were sacrificing to were ones made up in their own minds. Paul says it was a religious city but the people still had a conviction there was something more. They had a hunger, a void, emptiness. Paul found an altar with the inscription “to the unknown god.” Paul says I found these people are so superstitious, they are so religious, worshipped every deity but just in case there was one they had never heard of they raised an altar to this one they had never heard of. Paul says let me tell you about this God, the God of heaven who created the heaven and the earth, put the fishes in the sea, the birds in the sky, took an handful of clay and out of it made man, then breathed into him to make him a living soul. He loves us with an everlasting love. This is the God of heaven who gave his son on the cross of Calvary that he might reconcile a lost mankind. That every person would be reconciled back to God and might have a home in heaven. This is the God I want to tell you about. This is the God you worship ignorantly. There are many today for whom the God of heaven is still an unknown God, an unknown Saviour. The wise men came with conviction to find Christ. Let’s not be content with outward religion, intent until we find him the author and finisher of our faith. When Paul had pointed out this altar to the unknown god he said forget about them. Acts 17 verse 27 “seek the Lord if haply they might feel after him and find him, though he be not far from every one of us.” Jesus is only a prayer away, he waits for you to invite him into your heart and take away your sins.

They came convinced of his presence. They left their homes and families keen to know the truth, hungry to know the truth, convicted they would find the one they were searching for. That is still true today. If these men were Jews coming down from Babylon they would no doubt have had access to all the ancient transcripts of the word of God. Watching and waiting then one day saw the star. Maybe as they looked up at the star something stirred in their minds. That is what God sometimes does – stirs us through incidents, brings us back to the truth of his word. As these men discussed this star with each other found in their records nothing of this star. Maybe they talked about it to each other then someone came up with the idea “lets get back to the word of God.” When they went back to the book of Numbers and the prophet Balaam they read “I shall see him but not now I shall behold him but now nigh that shall come a Star out of Jacob and a Sceptre shall rise out of Israel and shall smite the corners of Moab, and destroy all the children of Sheth.”(Numbers 24 verse 17) Balaam was looking for the Messiah to come, a king, the prince of glory. As men looked at these stars found the truth though God’s word. God sets the example about what we need to do more – study the truth for ourselves. Convicted of the presence of God. Nothing would hold them back. Now going in search of the Lord. Not content until they found and worshipped him. When the angels came down to the hillside and the shepherds they told them about what was happening in Bethlehem. The shepherds thought of what they had heard. Then it says “they came with haste.” (Luke 2 verse 16) They wanted to find him, to rejoice in his presence. That is what you need today. A desire to come into God’s house – “where two or three are gathered together in my name there am I in the midst of them.” (Matthew 18 verse 20) Let’s not be content with outward appearance. Convinced they would find the Messiah, realised in their heart that God was born, wanted to find it for real. We do become familiar with hymns, prayers, outward appearance but to get through to God is a different matter. We need to start to get through to God. Jeremiah 29 verse 13 “ye shall seek me and find me when ye search for me with all your heart.” The wise men left everything to go in search of the Lord. We have to do the same. Think of Jacob when he deceived his father and brother. After that he had to leave his home and go to his uncles house. When on the move to that home he stopped one night for a rest. He made up his bed then he lay down and fell fast asleep. He had a dream in which he could see a ladder going all the way from heaven to earth then God spoke to him in the stillness of the night. Next morning he was getting ready to move and he realised that something had happened to him. “Surely the Lord is in this place and I knew it not.” (Genesis 28 verse 16) He missed out on the presence of God. Wouldn’t that be awful – to come into God’s house and miss his presence? Maybe begin to think of all he had done to his father and brother, blocked out the presence of God. Maybe began to think of tomorrow. So many things going through his mind. God was in this place and I knew it not. God is in many a situation that we fail to realise. He is in the disappointments. God was in it and I didn’t know it. Wouldn’t it be awful to come into the house of God and go away never knowing his presence in our lives? Paul said to Corinthian church they were to meet together, to come around the Lord’s table, in breaking the bread it reminded them of the body broken for them, the cup reminded them of the blood shed for their sins. Paul says it is possible to live for the present rather than for the God of heaven as a result of partaking in these emblems. As the disciples battled on the sea of Galilee with all the waves battering the boat they felt on their own but the Lord saw them. We maybe are rowing against the tide at this very time. Maybe feel no-one else knows or cares. There is one today who does care and does understand. The wise men were determined to find his presence. Why did they come? Came soul desiring – “we are come to worship him” (verse 2). They never knew their visit would be recorded for generations to come. Didn’t realise that we might be sitting reading about them, thinking about them now so many years later. They came to worship the Lord. Just because you have come into his house to worship him, to feel his presence, maybe countless others will be blessed as a result of what you have done in coming to God’s house. They came to worship not to impress others. Verse 11 “and worshipped him”. Notice what they did. Mary didn’t have a wonderful role in bringing the Lord into the world. They worshipped the baby not her. They opened their treasures. Today are we giving him what is rightfully his? They didn’t come to get but to give to the Lord. Can we say to the Lord “take what I give this morning and use it for the blessing of others?” Will we give our time, tithes, finances, so much to the Lord? Will we ask him to take them and use them for his glory?

Their coming brought a great controversy. Herod was disturbed, his religious order was disturbed as a result. If we come through with God there will be many who will be disturbed as a result. One person - that is all it takes. God asks us to open our treasures to him today. The example they left – how they went away was totally different. Are we living convicted that Christ is here? Is the cause of our coming to worship the Lord?

Nevertheless

Notes from a sermon on Sunday 11 December 2011

Isaiah 9 verses 1 – 9

Chapter 9 of the book of Isaiah opens up with one of the most loveliest words you could find in the word of God – “nevertheless”. Every child of God needs that word. In Psalm 46 the Psalmist spoke of “the mountains being carried into the midst of the sea” yet if that did happen he didn’t have to fear. Why? Because my God is the God of heaven and He is my refuge and strength. The word needed in Isaiah’s day brought cheer and contentment to the peoples heart. The situation had been brought about by their own neglect and stubbornness. They had disobeyed God. God sees all of this and says “nevertheless”. Maybe you need that word today. Maybe there has been a faltering, a growing cold. God comes and looks at it all and says “nevertheless”. The God of heaven loves you. That is why the word is so important. God is still in control. Chapter 8’s final verses are marked by practice and personality but as you go into chapter 9 they are changed to privilege and promise. It is to that word promise I want to think of today. There is a picture of God’s determination. That is what that word means to me today. God looks back on time of rebellion and says “nevertheless”. He has determined from a time of this darkness now they have seen a great light – verse 2. God has determined a great light to come. The people were sitting in darkness and then seen a great light. As the Lord walked through the streets of Jerusalem and preached the word of God the people saw that great light. He told them I am the light of the world. “The god of this world hath blinded the eyes of them which believe not less the light of the glorious gospel of Christ should shine unto them” (2 Corinthians 4 verse 4). He keeps the gospel so that no matter how hard we witness or try to preach the god of this world has blinded their eyes. He covers their minds less the glorious light of the gospel shall shine in. Thank God today that light is available. In Matthew 4 verse 14 we see the very fulfilment of this prophecy of Isaiah. 500 years before the birth of Jesus Christ Isaiah was specifying Jesus coming into the world. God’s promise teaches us he sees everything that is happening. God would determine that time when Christ would come into the world. Maybe there is something in our lives in this present time, a determined time, a dark time, we cannot see the light at the end of the tunnel. God has the time determined. God knows all about it. He determines how long it will be. He is controlling the situation as you go through it. In this passage we see a darkness brought on by the people by their own unbelief and disobedience. Chapter 8 verse 19 the people turned away from God, they wanted to know the future. They were going to familiar spirits who could speak to the dead. It is a knowledge only God has - our future, our plans, the way we should take. The people were not content to wait for God. Remember King Saul who went to the witch of Endor. The same thing is very popular today – horoscopes in the newspapers and on television but they are from the very pit of hell. They bring a darkness to our minds. The knowledge people are seeking after only God can give that. This verse is saying there is a time determined by God. Maybe you are going through a difficult time – remember God is in control and you can leave it with him. He knows all about it. He has it determined. 2 Kings 19 show something of the determination of God. The King of Assyria came up against the nation of Israel. Hezekiah goes into the room and spreads a letter he has received before God. In verses 32 and 33 of this chapter we see God sets the limits for the King of Assyria. Look at Job chapter 1 verse 12. God gave to Satan the power on his family and house but not on Job himself. The bounds were set for Satan. In chapter 2 Satan wanted God to touch this man’s body with disease. In verses 5 and 6 the God of heaven said to the devil my child is in your hand but save his life. You can take his body but you cannot take his life – why – because God is in control. God determines the time. In Acts 18 Paul is preaching at Corinth but people were opposing him. God came to him that night and told him “no man shall set on thee to hurt thee for I have much people in this city.” God had put a determination on him. That is his promise. God said to the nation of Israel “you have rebelled and as a result you are experiencing a time of darkness but there is a great light coming on this situation.

God delivers – verse 4 of chapter 9 “for thou hast broken the yoke of his burden and the staff of his shoulder, the rod of his oppressor, as in the day of Midian”. God is now stepping in. Now it is a day of trouble. One of these days God will step in. Job went through all that suffering. Some expositors would say it lasted for 2 years then finally in chapter 38 God steps in. It took 500 years before God stepped in to the nation of Israel. Maybe tomorrow or the next day or next week but God will step in. There is only so much suffering and temptation we will go through. When in the midst of it God will make a way of escape from it Paul said. God has promised this people a time of delivery. The yoke was something put on 2 heifers to keep them together. God says I will step in and break that yoke for Israel. It was a yoke of darkness and unbelief. There are many yokes that burden us and rob us of our freedom. Paul preaching to the city of Galatia saw many people saved, they were full of rejoicing and the joy of the Lord but then something happened. Unbelievers came in, taught the wrong way so that the people lost their freedom and brought them into bondage. The moment you take the Lord as Saviour, openly confess your sin, ask the Lord to take away your sins, forgive you, make you his child of God you feel wonderful. In those tender years immediately after this happens you need to be careful and watch the path we take. People give you so many rules and regulations about how you should live as a Christian. Following these will bring you so much bondage. For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba Father.” (Romans 8 verse 15) The reference to Midian in this verse goes back to Gideon in Judges. An angel came and told him he would deliver this nation. Gideon knew there was an army of 32,000 men and thought this would be sufficient to defeat the enemy but God had other plans. He cut the number right down to 300. God went into the camp of Midian before Gideon and the people fled. God will deliver you in a way that you will look back and say to yourself “how did I ever get through that? Daniel in the lions den was delivered by God. Maybe you are in the lions den at the moment – God will go through it with you. There is a great light that has been shone into this world.

God delights. God delighted in Job and gave him something far better than ever he had. God will bring you through whatever trouble you are going through and he will delight us with all he has for us.

Jesus is the light of the world

Sermon notes from Sunday 4 December 2011

John 8 verses 11 – 20

In John’s gospel chapter 8 verse 12 we have one of the greatest statements of Christ. Throughout the gospel there are stepping stones – I am the bread of life, I am the door and I am the Good Shepherd. The great I am statements of Christ. When we think of the light we think of the light we know so well. Light divides in the darkness. Light makes its presence felt. If you go outside at night it is very dark, hit the light and all of a sudden the darkness is divided. Genesis 1 whenever God was creating this world it is recorded for us “the earth was without form and darkness covered the earth.” God said “let there be light and the light divided the world.” Jesus said “I am the light of the world.” After Zacchaeus climbed down from the tree Jesus told him “I am come into this world to seek and to save that which was lost.” He was coming into the world to make division. Light divides. In John 7 verse 43 we read “there was a division among the people.” Jesus was going up to the feast of tabernacles when he found a great crowd in Jerusalem. On the final day there was a celebration of water ceremony when the high priest would carry water through the town. Jesus said “If any man thirst let him come unto me and drink.”(verse 37) Jesus was making a division because of that. There is always a division amongst men when Christ is mentioned. Jesus asked “whom do people say I am?” The disciples replied who people thought he was. Jesus then said “but whom do you say that I am?” They replied “you are the Christ.” Division of his testimony. In John 9 we see a division in his teaching. Jesus comes to the city and saw a man that had been blind. The disciples asked “master who did sin this man or his parents that he was born blind?” A misconception of sin that is what disciples had. We were born in sin shapen in iniquity. Does not matter how good a person we are, we are sinners by nature and practice. This is why He had to send his son into the world, to take our place on the middle cross of Calvary. That was his purpose in coming into this world. Caused a division as a result. Verse 3 “neither hath this man sinned nor his parents.” Jesus was explaining that it was not because of who the person was or who his family were. Jesus took and spat on the ground, then he made it into clay and he anointed the eyes of the blind man. He told him to go and wash in the pool and he came back seeing. The Lord restored unto him his sight that day. There is one thing we do not have as we are born into this world – eternal life. Not born with it but have to come to the foot of the rugged cross. That is the only place we can receive eternal life.

There was a division about his teaching. Verse 19 – speaking to those who would know about shepherding sheep. They knew the shepherd would take them into good pasture and bring them in to clear waters. The shepherd would risk his life for the sheep. You and I can come to a dividing point as sit under the Lord’s word. At this place outside Jerusalem on the hill called Calvary look on the middle cross see the one who shed his blood that we might be saved. There have been multitudes who have looked on the Saviour and have turned away. They have finished hundreds of miles away from Christ. A lost eternity. For others they have been saved by God’s grace.

Not only does light divide but light draws. Jesus Christ divides and Jesus Christ draws. When you go back to warm evening, leave the light on you will see the flies gathering around it. The light has drawn them to itself. When Jesus went out into the wilderness people came from everywhere to hear him preach. “It was noised abroad that he was there and people came to hear him.” The illustration to Nicodemus took him back to the Old Testament scriptures – children coming out of Egypt disobeyed God. God sent serpents into their midst and people died as a result. God told Moses to make a brazen serpent on a pole and place it right in the middle of the camp. If any man looked to that serpent they would be healed. Those who were bitten were drawn to the pole for there they could be healed. Jesus uses the same illustration to Nicodemus and said “if I be lifted up I will draw all men to myself.” The Lord Jesus was lifted up between heaven and earth, spat on, brutally treated but he was doing it so that he might draw you and I to himself. Which part of the dividing line do you come down into tonight? When Jesus came into the world he made that division. There are those going out into a Christless eternity. The Lord wants to draw you to himself.

The light divides, draws but it also delivers. Red lamps spell danger to road users using any particular road. They are there for a reason – that you be warned of them. Take another road. The lighthouse sends its beams across the waves and the captain knows to steer away from the rocks. The Lord can save to the uttermost all them that come unto him. No man cometh to the father but by me. Read in the scriptures of the farmer who had sown his seed and it grew well. He thought of the harvest, he hadn’t one other thought in his mind but to pull down his barns and build greater “then I will take my ease for I have much left in store for years to come.” God said “thou fool this night thy soul shall be required of thee.” Whose will everything be then? Missed all the warning signs through life. What has Christ done in your life? Have you allowed him to do anything to make that division? No longer on way to Christ and eternity. Have you allowed him to draw you to the foot of the cross?