All messages since March 2020 have been videoed and can v]be seen on youtube under Idle salvation army or Billy Cowgill
MM 19 January 2020
Last week we read how Jesus - just 30 years old - was acclaimed by John as the long awaited Messiah as John was baptising people in the river Jordan. ’Look’ cried John ’ the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. This is the one I told you about - then John testified to seeing the Holy Spirit come down from Heaven and remain on the one who will baptise you with the Holy Spirit - then declaring to the whole crowds - I testify that He is the chosen one.
I find it incredible that in Matthews gospel chapter 11 - way on in the ministry of Jesus -we find John in prison and on hearing that Jesus is preaching and teaching in the towns of Galilee - John sends his own disciples to ask Jesus if in fact He was the One who was to come or should we expect someone else? -
Matthew tells us that Jesus told Johns disciples to go back and tell him that He is healing the blind, the lame, the lepers, the deaf even raising the dead and preaching the good news. He is the One.
I find it strange also that whilst the other 3 gospels tell us that following His baptism that Jesus is led into the wilderness to be tempted by satan yet Johns gospel says that following the baptism of Jesus the very next day Jesus starts to gather His disciples and on the third day we find Jesus at the wedding in Cana turning water into wine.
As I said, the each of the other three gospel writers tell us that the following His baptism Jesus is led into the wilderness in preparation for His forthcoming ministry and tempted by the devil. Lets look at that ;
Luke 4; 1-13 Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, left the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, where for forty days he was tempted by the devil. He ate nothing during those days, and at the end of them he was hungry. The devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God, tell this stone to become bread.” Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone.’ Deuteronomy 8;3”
The devil led him up to a high place and showed Him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world. And he said to Him, “ I will give You all their authority and splendour, for it has been given to me, and I can give it to anyone I want to - so if you worship me, It will all be yours‘”
Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God and serve Him only.’ Deuteronomy 6;13”
The devil led Him to Jerusalem and had Him stand on the highest point of the temple. “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down from here. For it is written:“ ‘He will command his angels concerning you to guard you carefully; they will lift You up in their hands, so that You will not strike Your foot against a stone.”
Jesus answered, “It is said: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’ Psalm 91; 11,12” When the devil had finished all this tempting, he left Him until an opportune time
In the first temptation we find that Jesus is hungry having not eaten for 40 days not surprisingly then the devil tempts Him at that point - That’s what the devil does - he sees what people need and uses that to lead people away from trusting in God and provides all kinds of temptation to feed the longings of mankind.
Jesus puts the devil straight when - quoting from scripture - says ‘man cannot live on bread alone - that’s why God fed the Israelites in the desert with Manna from Heaven
The second temptation shows how mankind seeks power and dominance in life to bring success at any cost and the devil uses that to try to tempt Jesus away from the life He was called to lead- Worship me says the devil and I I will give you authority and splendour; it has been given to me, and I can give it to anyone I want to. If you worship me, it will all be yours. Jesus puts him straight again by quoting Scripture and tells him It is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God and serve Him only.
By this time for the third temptation, satan responds to the way Jesus had answered the first two temptation by telling him what the scriptures say - and changes tactics. Leading Jesus to Jerusalem, satan has Jesus stand on a high point in the Temple and changing his tactics, does it the Lords way by starting his third temptation quoting from the scriptures himself - “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down from here. For it is written: “He will command his angels concerning you to guard you carefully; they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.”
To which Jesus - again quoting from scripture reminds the devil by telling him that Gods word also says ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’ Psalm 91; 11,12” Only then does the devil leave Jesus alone - for a while - until a future opportune time
We talked last week about the way in which Jesus came with the express purpose of making mankind aware of how far man has moved from the intentions of God and by living a life of obedience to the word of God shows mankind how it should be living.
Jesus came to show mankind a better way and was even prepared to give His life on the cross to pay for mans sins and set mankind free from the lure and temptations of the devil.
Before He even started His earthly mission He showed us what power there is available to overcome satans temptations and even when we succumb to them - He is ready to forgive us when we repent.
Thankfully when we repent our wrong ways and accept Jesus as our Lord and Saviour the promises of God from His word become our strength to stand against the evils of this world. We read a couple a weeks ago how God tells us that whenever we find the going tough to hang on in there because He has promised to never leave us of forsake us so that when we go through lifes troubled times - He will be with us -
.
When we become Christians - we are still living in an evil world where temptations are strong and the devil will use every means possible to lead us off the straight path and seek some other way to find relief from our burdens.
The devil has even got into the leadership of Christian churches and got them to pander to the selfish needs of the flock by teaching a false prosperity gospel that is the exact opposite of what scripture says. That’s why it’s important that we know what scripture actually says to take the correct stance against the evil one.
It’s obvious that in the thirty years leading to His time in the wilderness that Jesus knew the word of God - don’t forget that when He was just 12 years old his parents found Him in the temple speaking to the priests there and amazing them with His knowledge and understanding of Gods word.
We tend to forget that Jesus was the earthly son of man as well as being the Spiritual Son of God. Jesus grew up to know and experience what you and I go through in our lives and that would give him a great understanding of - and affinity - to the people around - ordinary people like you and I.
It was when He was baptised in the river Jordan and filled with the Spirit that He was now ready to stand against the evil one - equipped and filled with the Spirit of God. Jesus became man like us to enable us and show that we in turn could be born again and be filled with the Spirit. He came down to where we are so He could lift us up to be where He is.
Jesus went through the temptations to show us that we can too, empowered by the Spirit will be enabled to overcome the temptations of this evil world. The truth is that when we give our lives to God and desire to live in obedience to Him we become targets for the evil on.
We live in a world that is domineered by people who seek power and authority.
A world where prosperity is measured in terms of wealth.
We live in a world where money counts and many will do anything they can to accumulate it for themselves. Led by power seeking leaders - mankind will fight for dominance, where success is measured in the accumulation of wealth and power.
All this in stark contrast to the ways of God where loving one another and sharing, with others are seen as the right way to live. A world where love and compassion - understanding and tolerance are seen as goals to be aimed at. A world where our loving God is to be obeyed and worshipped.
Sadly - when man finds himself in difficult situations that’s the time the tempter steps in and tries to take man off course and into selfish un-Christian ways.
That’s why, when difficult times come we have to stand firm by Gods word and send the tempter packing like Jesus did. The last verse we read says that the devil left Jesus until an opportunity arrived where he could start again.
The devil is very cunning and can work his way into anyone - even people we respect as being Christians like ourselves - but who, when letting down their guard become the ones he is able to influence to bring their Christian brother or sisters down.
We can see this in the life of Peter - In the eighth chapter of Mark v27 Jesus asked Peter who people thought He- Jesus- was to which Peter replied ‘some say John the Baptist and other Elijah’ ‘But who do you say that I am’ asked Jesus ‘ Peter replied ‘You are the Christ. Jesus then tells His disciples that the son of man would be rejected by the elders, Chief Priests and teachers of the law and be killed’ to which Peter rebuked Jesus.
Look at the response of Jesus to Peter ‘ v 33 Jesus rebuked Peter and said ‘Get thee behind me satan you do not have in mind the thing of God but of man;. Wow - Peter -the one on whom Jesus said ‘I will build my Church’ . It just shows you how important it is that we are very careful that we stay strong in the ways and teachings of Gods word and not become a stumbling block for others.
That’s why Horatio Richmond Palmer (1834-1907) wrote a very wise Hymn that while acknowledging the temptations set by the evil one gives wise advice ;
Yield not to temptation, for yielding is sin;
Each victory will help you some other to win.
Fight manfully onward, dark passions subdue;
Look ever to Jesus, he will carry you through.
Ask the Saviour to help you, Comfort, strengthen and keep you;
He is willing to aid you, He will carry you through.
The second verse gives more good advice
Shun evil companions, bad language disdain,
God's name hold in reverence, nor take it in vain.
Be thoughtful and earnest, kind-hearted and true;
Look ever to Jesus, He will carry you through.
To him that o'ercometh God giveth a crown;
Through faith we shall conquer though often cast down.
He who is our Saviour our strength will renew;
Look ever to Jesus, He will carry you through.
We need to make sure that we stay true what we believe, true to Gods word. The fact that the devil even used Gods word to tempt Jesus with shows us how important it is that we really know and understand what Gods word says.
I love the way that Jesus retaliates and answered the temptations of the evil one by using Gods word. He not only knew the Word but He ‘ was the Word made flesh’
It’s amazing how if we take the time to read the word of God - how it comes into our minds when faced with different situations in our lives.
The first promise we make in the SA when we get saved is that we promise to read Gods Word and pray. Sadly even thought they are the most important promises to hold dear to, many people who would see themselves as Christians only read the Bible when they are at church.
The Bible is our handbook for life - our highway code - our instruction book - our map for life - without it we would be helpless and by neglecting it will go off course on the journey to eternal life. How important is it to you.
When we discipline ourselves to take time to read Gods word = the Holy Spirit reveals the deeper truth and the word become flesh in us - we don’t just learn about Jesus we come to know Him as a living reality in our lives.
I love the way that in which Paul when writing to his friend Timothy encourages him to be faithful to the faith that was handed down to him through his grandmother and his mother. This is what Paul writes 2 Timothy 1; 6-12
I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands. For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline. So do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord or of me his prisoner. Rather, join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God.
He has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done but because of His own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time, but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Saviour, Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. And of this gospel I was appointed a herald and an apostle and a teacher. That is why I am suffering as I am. Yet this is no cause for shame
And here he states the awesome truth , because I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him until that day.
Paul didn’t say I know what I believe but I know who I believe.
When we hunger after and read Gods word we might start by getting to know about Jesus but gradually as the Holy Spirit takes over we come to not just know about Him but get to really - actually know Him - the word Jesus becomes flesh in us - WOW!
By knowing Him He protects us from the wiles of the evil one and helps us to stay away from the evils ones temptations and more than that - if we do somehow fall by the wayside - we have that assurance that Jesus is willing to forgive us.
There is a great big difference between knowing about Jesus and really knowing Him.
That’s what we sang earlier - there are a lot of things I don’t know or understand but one thing is for sure - I know whom I have believed
Closing song Graham Kendrick Knowing You Jesus
MM 15 December Third Sunday in Advent Joy
Two weeks ago we started to celebrate Advent the beginning of adventure - we read the great prophesies that filled everyone with the spirit of expectation that brought hope
1st Candle Hope
The prophesies that stirred hope in peoples hearts - Hope that made way for our second candle -
2nd Candle Peace
The truth is that where there is No Jesus - there is No Peace on the other hand, the truth is that if you Know Jesus - you’ll Know Peace
This week Joy
As Gabriel visits Zechariah and Elizabeth and also Mary bringing Joy to their hearts that would soon bring Joy to the world that the fulfilment of the promises of the OT are in sight
Last week we looked at the time when Zechariah and Elizabeth were approached by the angel Luke 1; 5:In the time of Herod king of Judea there was a priest named Zechariah, who belonged to the priestly division of Abijah; his wife Elizabeth was also a descendant of Aaron. Both of them were upright in the sight of God, observing all the Lord's commandments and regulations blamelessly.
Notice how we are told that in Gods eyes they had all the qualities of people that He could use in unfolding awesomness of what He was about to unleash on the suffering world. They were both upright, of good standing - straight up - we would say today. They were obedient to Gods ways. Just the kind of people God looks for to BE His people.
7: But they had no children, because Elizabeth was barren; and they were both well on in years. And so we are told that; when Zechariah's division was on duty and he was serving as priest before God, he was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to go into the temple of the Lord and burn incense. And when the time for the burning of incense came, all the assembled worshippers were praying outside. Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right side of the altar of incense.
When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and was gripped with fear. But the angel said to him: "Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to give him the name John. He will be a JOY and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth, for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He is never to take wine or other fermented drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from birth. Many of the people of Israel will he bring back to the Lord their God. That means that the wayward people who hear him preach will turn back in obedience to God and be filled with expectation of the imminent coming of the Messiah
And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous - to make ready a people prepared for the Lord."
Zechariah - although he was a priest - found this astonishing news hard to believe and asked ‘How can I be sure of this?’ the reply was ‘I’m Gabriel and I have been sent to tell you this good news’ Because of his unbelief the angel struck him dumb until the baby was born and the day of the dedication came.
We then read how six months later God sent Gabriel to Nazareth, to a young girl called Mary who was betrothed to a man called Joseph. "Greetings, you who are highly favoured! The Lord is with you." . You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob for ever; his kingdom will never end."
"How will this be," Mary asked the angel, "since I am a virgin?" The angel answered, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be barren is in her sixth month. For nothing is impossible with God."
In contrast to Zechariah, this young girl accepted and replied "I am the Lord's servant," "May it be to me as you have said." Then the angel left her. Unlike Zechariah Mary accepted the honour and obeyed God
What a contrast between Zechariah the Priest and Mary a simple commoner. One who should have believed without question - doubts - the other who is young and innocent in such matters, believes unconditionally. Obedience plays a great part in the Christmas Story - without the obedience of those called by God to play these most important parts in the first Nativity, Mary, the humble shepherds, the wise men, - one of the greatest events in the history of the world - would not have been able to happen. Even today, God uses those who are obedient to His will to fulfil His glorious work of redemption.
Lets continue to read what followed; Luke 1;39 At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea, where she entered Zechariah's home and greeted Elizabeth.
When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. In a loud voice she exclaimed: "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! But why am I so favoured, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. Blessed is she who has believed that what the Lord has said to her will be accomplished!"
And Mary said: "My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour, for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed, for the Mighty One has done great things for me -
Holy is his name.
His mercy extends to those who fear Him, from generation to generation.
He has performed mighty deeds with His arm
He has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts.
He has brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble.
He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty.
He has helped his servant Israel, remembering to be merciful to Abraham
and his descendants for ever, even as he said to our fathers."
Mary stayed with Elizabeth for about three months and then returned home.
WOW! The meeting of the two mothers to be. Two mothers each bearing a baby who would change the course of history. John the herald of the Messiah and Jesus the Saviour of the world. Mary and Elizabeth would be full of Joy at the privilage that God had bestowed on them to be the mothers of John the Baptist and Jesus the saviour of the world.
Just think - if Elizabeth was 6 months into her pregnancy and Mary stayed another 3 months - they were probably together when John was born - What a joyful time this was for them both. Joy - one of the recurring emotions of the Christmas story.
Joyful obedience we see it in Mary and Joseph and eventually Zechariah and Elizabeth
Joy in the miraculous when the barren elderly Elizabeth was blessed with the birth of the baby that she and Zechariah had been praying for.
A joy that was mind blowing I love the way in which Luke tells us that it’s not just the two mothers that are filled with Joy - it’s also the unborn baby John who, when he realises he’s in the presence of the unborn Jesus - leaped for Joy in Elizabeths womb. The coming together, the meeting of John with Jesus resulted in JOY.
Let’s be clear about what we mean by Joy - especially when some of us are finding life difficult having experienced severe sadness and grief over the Christmas period -
It's seven years to today that my son Kevin went to live with the Lord -Saturday 15 December 2012 - the following day was our carol Service - I then had to arrange the funeral that was held the day after Boxing day Thursday 27 December - that was the worst Christmas of my life and yet I had to remain strong and not let my sadness spoil the rest of the churches Christmas. On the 14 December eighteen years ago Kevins daughter Victoria also went to live with the Lord. Thankfully it was my faith that kept me going and the inner presence of Jesus that gave me Peace and Gods special Joy in my heart
The Joy that Jesus came to give us is deeper than the worlds understanding of Joy - this is a JOY that is deeper than mere happiness a Joy that is the result of an inner feeling of exhultation that is felt deep within when we experience the awesomness of aGods presence in our lives..
That Joy was evidenced when the one who had been called to be the proclaimer of the Messiah - John - actually met with the one who was the Coming Messiah - Jesus. The same joyful feeling expressed by the angels in Heaven when someone accepts Jesus as their Saviour.
Luke 15:10 Jesus said I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents."
Psalm 68; 3 Let the righteous be joyful, let them exult before God, let them be jubilant before God.
Joy that comes through Obedience to Gods way
Joy is at the heart of Gods plan for human beings. Joy is at the very heart of God Himself. We will never understand the significance of Joy in human life until we understand its importance to God, I think that many of us underestimate Gods capacity for Joy. Joy, the inexpressible knowing that whatever we go through ‘Immanuel’ God is with us.
Martin Luther wrote Jesus came as a Joy Bringer. The joy we see in the happiest child is but a fraction of the joy that resides in the heart of God. The gospel is a joyful message about Christ our Saviour.
Whoever preaches correctly preaches the gospel of Joy. How can our hearts have a greater Joy than knowing the living Christ within us = God incarnate - given by God to be our own? The angel doesn’t merely say ‘Christ was born’ but also indicates that His birth is for you and me to be ‘your Saviour’ So the nature of the gospel isn’t just about teaching the story and life of Christ, but revealing how Jesus can become alive in and through us - that we - His church are intended to be the living body of Christ on earth. An obedient body that continues to tell the wondrous story that Christ came to set the whole world free from sin and self. When we realise that mankinds heart wil be filled with Joy.
When teaching the need for obedience, Jesus said; As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in his love. These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.
The world needs to see a joyful church in a joyful people
This is the day that the Lord has made let us be glad and rejoice in it Psalm 118; 2,4
The author G K Chesterton wrote; ‘ Joy is the gigantic secret of the Christian ’
When we Joy in the Lord - the world will see the Joy of the Lord in us
Christmas is a time for Joy. The joy in a child’s face on Christmas morning.
The joy in our hearts as we celebrate the birth of Christ together with our family and friends. It’s a time of goodwill, of meeting up with old friends of renewing of old aqaintances by the sending of a Christmas card.
It’s a time to share with those who don’t have the same privilages as we do. A time to open up our families to welcome those who would otherwise be alone. It’s a time to put past failing behind us, to rebuild broken bridges to herald a new dawn in our lives and get ready for a coming New Year filled with Hope, Peace, Joy and Love.
Christmas is a time for JOY when we decide to put Jesus first in our lives Others next and Yourself last. Christmas is a time for Joyful giving. God gave us the Joy of Jesus - Lets decide this Christmas to give God the Joy of obedient hearts that have decided to live the way He wants us to - bring Joy to His heart
I pray that your hearts will be flooded with Joy as you celebrate Christmas. For some of us it is a difficult time - a deeply sad time - but thankfully JOY is not exclusive to happiness - JOY is knowing Christ ‘Immanuel’ God is with us to help us cope with our present sadness and bring a future hope of eternal bliss with those we miss.
Our last song says all that - melt the sadness and drive the clouds away -
Closing Song Joyful, Joyful, we adore Thee Henry Van Dyke 1907
Two weeks ago we started to celebrate Advent the beginning of adventure - we read the great prophesies that filled everyone with the spirit of expectation that brought hope
1st Candle Hope
The prophesies that stirred hope in peoples hearts - Hope that made way for our second candle -
2nd Candle Peace
The truth is that where there is No Jesus - there is No Peace on the other hand, the truth is that if you Know Jesus - you’ll Know Peace
This week Joy
As Gabriel visits Zechariah and Elizabeth and also Mary bringing Joy to their hearts that would soon bring Joy to the world that the fulfilment of the promises of the OT are in sight
Last week we looked at the time when Zechariah and Elizabeth were approached by the angel Luke 1; 5:In the time of Herod king of Judea there was a priest named Zechariah, who belonged to the priestly division of Abijah; his wife Elizabeth was also a descendant of Aaron. Both of them were upright in the sight of God, observing all the Lord's commandments and regulations blamelessly.
Notice how we are told that in Gods eyes they had all the qualities of people that He could use in unfolding awesomness of what He was about to unleash on the suffering world. They were both upright, of good standing - straight up - we would say today. They were obedient to Gods ways. Just the kind of people God looks for to BE His people.
7: But they had no children, because Elizabeth was barren; and they were both well on in years. And so we are told that; when Zechariah's division was on duty and he was serving as priest before God, he was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to go into the temple of the Lord and burn incense. And when the time for the burning of incense came, all the assembled worshippers were praying outside. Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right side of the altar of incense.
When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and was gripped with fear. But the angel said to him: "Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to give him the name John. He will be a JOY and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth, for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He is never to take wine or other fermented drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from birth. Many of the people of Israel will he bring back to the Lord their God. That means that the wayward people who hear him preach will turn back in obedience to God and be filled with expectation of the imminent coming of the Messiah
And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous - to make ready a people prepared for the Lord."
Zechariah - although he was a priest - found this astonishing news hard to believe and asked ‘How can I be sure of this?’ the reply was ‘I’m Gabriel and I have been sent to tell you this good news’ Because of his unbelief the angel struck him dumb until the baby was born and the day of the dedication came.
We then read how six months later God sent Gabriel to Nazareth, to a young girl called Mary who was betrothed to a man called Joseph. "Greetings, you who are highly favoured! The Lord is with you." . You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob for ever; his kingdom will never end."
"How will this be," Mary asked the angel, "since I am a virgin?" The angel answered, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be barren is in her sixth month. For nothing is impossible with God."
In contrast to Zechariah, this young girl accepted and replied "I am the Lord's servant," "May it be to me as you have said." Then the angel left her. Unlike Zechariah Mary accepted the honour and obeyed God
What a contrast between Zechariah the Priest and Mary a simple commoner. One who should have believed without question - doubts - the other who is young and innocent in such matters, believes unconditionally. Obedience plays a great part in the Christmas Story - without the obedience of those called by God to play these most important parts in the first Nativity, Mary, the humble shepherds, the wise men, - one of the greatest events in the history of the world - would not have been able to happen. Even today, God uses those who are obedient to His will to fulfil His glorious work of redemption.
Lets continue to read what followed; Luke 1;39 At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea, where she entered Zechariah's home and greeted Elizabeth.
When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. In a loud voice she exclaimed: "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! But why am I so favoured, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. Blessed is she who has believed that what the Lord has said to her will be accomplished!"
And Mary said: "My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour, for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed, for the Mighty One has done great things for me -
Holy is his name.
His mercy extends to those who fear Him, from generation to generation.
He has performed mighty deeds with His arm
He has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts.
He has brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble.
He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty.
He has helped his servant Israel, remembering to be merciful to Abraham
and his descendants for ever, even as he said to our fathers."
Mary stayed with Elizabeth for about three months and then returned home.
WOW! The meeting of the two mothers to be. Two mothers each bearing a baby who would change the course of history. John the herald of the Messiah and Jesus the Saviour of the world. Mary and Elizabeth would be full of Joy at the privilage that God had bestowed on them to be the mothers of John the Baptist and Jesus the saviour of the world.
Just think - if Elizabeth was 6 months into her pregnancy and Mary stayed another 3 months - they were probably together when John was born - What a joyful time this was for them both. Joy - one of the recurring emotions of the Christmas story.
Joyful obedience we see it in Mary and Joseph and eventually Zechariah and Elizabeth
Joy in the miraculous when the barren elderly Elizabeth was blessed with the birth of the baby that she and Zechariah had been praying for.
A joy that was mind blowing I love the way in which Luke tells us that it’s not just the two mothers that are filled with Joy - it’s also the unborn baby John who, when he realises he’s in the presence of the unborn Jesus - leaped for Joy in Elizabeths womb. The coming together, the meeting of John with Jesus resulted in JOY.
Let’s be clear about what we mean by Joy - especially when some of us are finding life difficult having experienced severe sadness and grief over the Christmas period -
It's seven years to today that my son Kevin went to live with the Lord -Saturday 15 December 2012 - the following day was our carol Service - I then had to arrange the funeral that was held the day after Boxing day Thursday 27 December - that was the worst Christmas of my life and yet I had to remain strong and not let my sadness spoil the rest of the churches Christmas. On the 14 December eighteen years ago Kevins daughter Victoria also went to live with the Lord. Thankfully it was my faith that kept me going and the inner presence of Jesus that gave me Peace and Gods special Joy in my heart
The Joy that Jesus came to give us is deeper than the worlds understanding of Joy - this is a JOY that is deeper than mere happiness a Joy that is the result of an inner feeling of exhultation that is felt deep within when we experience the awesomness of aGods presence in our lives..
That Joy was evidenced when the one who had been called to be the proclaimer of the Messiah - John - actually met with the one who was the Coming Messiah - Jesus. The same joyful feeling expressed by the angels in Heaven when someone accepts Jesus as their Saviour.
Luke 15:10 Jesus said I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents."
Psalm 68; 3 Let the righteous be joyful, let them exult before God, let them be jubilant before God.
Joy that comes through Obedience to Gods way
Joy is at the heart of Gods plan for human beings. Joy is at the very heart of God Himself. We will never understand the significance of Joy in human life until we understand its importance to God, I think that many of us underestimate Gods capacity for Joy. Joy, the inexpressible knowing that whatever we go through ‘Immanuel’ God is with us.
Martin Luther wrote Jesus came as a Joy Bringer. The joy we see in the happiest child is but a fraction of the joy that resides in the heart of God. The gospel is a joyful message about Christ our Saviour.
Whoever preaches correctly preaches the gospel of Joy. How can our hearts have a greater Joy than knowing the living Christ within us = God incarnate - given by God to be our own? The angel doesn’t merely say ‘Christ was born’ but also indicates that His birth is for you and me to be ‘your Saviour’ So the nature of the gospel isn’t just about teaching the story and life of Christ, but revealing how Jesus can become alive in and through us - that we - His church are intended to be the living body of Christ on earth. An obedient body that continues to tell the wondrous story that Christ came to set the whole world free from sin and self. When we realise that mankinds heart wil be filled with Joy.
When teaching the need for obedience, Jesus said; As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in his love. These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.
The world needs to see a joyful church in a joyful people
This is the day that the Lord has made let us be glad and rejoice in it Psalm 118; 2,4
The author G K Chesterton wrote; ‘ Joy is the gigantic secret of the Christian ’
When we Joy in the Lord - the world will see the Joy of the Lord in us
Christmas is a time for Joy. The joy in a child’s face on Christmas morning.
The joy in our hearts as we celebrate the birth of Christ together with our family and friends. It’s a time of goodwill, of meeting up with old friends of renewing of old aqaintances by the sending of a Christmas card.
It’s a time to share with those who don’t have the same privilages as we do. A time to open up our families to welcome those who would otherwise be alone. It’s a time to put past failing behind us, to rebuild broken bridges to herald a new dawn in our lives and get ready for a coming New Year filled with Hope, Peace, Joy and Love.
Christmas is a time for JOY when we decide to put Jesus first in our lives Others next and Yourself last. Christmas is a time for Joyful giving. God gave us the Joy of Jesus - Lets decide this Christmas to give God the Joy of obedient hearts that have decided to live the way He wants us to - bring Joy to His heart
I pray that your hearts will be flooded with Joy as you celebrate Christmas. For some of us it is a difficult time - a deeply sad time - but thankfully JOY is not exclusive to happiness - JOY is knowing Christ ‘Immanuel’ God is with us to help us cope with our present sadness and bring a future hope of eternal bliss with those we miss.
Our last song says all that - melt the sadness and drive the clouds away -
Closing Song Joyful, Joyful, we adore Thee Henry Van Dyke 1907
Second Sunday in Advent 8 December 2019 Peace
Last Sunday we lit our first Advent candle ‘Hope’ and said how the world in Isaiah’s day needed that hope - and God gave them hope when He declared to His people that He would send a Saviour to lead them out of darkness into the light of His salvation. Looking forward to a Saviour would put hope in their hearts and light into their darkness. They needed that hope for a better future just as we do today.
Even though as we know from our Bible that God planned ‘Christmas’ centuries before it actually happened - even then - it took everyone by surprise. Even though God had told the world through the voices of the prophets - still the world wasn’t ready for the greatest event since creation- the time when God incarnate in Christ came to live in our world - the world He created but that had drifted away from Him causing Him to invade our world and draw alongside ordinary folk like you and me.
And here we are - 2019 and still the world rejects the truth of Jesus. Still nations war against one another in their fight for power. Still there are folk who simply ‘Haven’t got it. As we know, its easy to be caught up in the festivities - and miss out on the real truth about Christmas. It’s so easy to fall into the trap of pushing Jesus further into the background of Christmas instead of placing Him centre stage in our celebrations.
At that first Nativity there was a ‘No vacancy’ sign on the inn - no room for Jesus. This Christmas, as always, there will be many people celebrating Christmas but who have ‘no room’ for Jesus. God wants people to take the ‘no vacancy’ sign down and make room for Jesus in their lives.
The best view of ‘No Vacancy’ is when we are saying to the devil that there is no room in my heart for you and your evil ways - WHY? Because I’m filled with the love of the Lord. The no vacancy sign is saying that all the room in my heart and life has been taken over by God. As Jesus promised to those who say they love Him - if you love Me and live in obedience to Me then I and the father will come and make our home with you - My heart is filled with love for God, my family and my friends.
Living in obedience to His word so that just like John tells us - the word becomes flesh in us - Jesus is alive in you and me and through us shows that His love is available for all mankind that will reject their foolish selfish past and accept and embrace Him as their Lord and saviour.
Jesus came into our world to give mankind purpose and meaning to their lives, both now and to come. That’s the real truth of Christmas, that God in Christ, entered our world and became like us with the hope that we, in rejecting the foolish selfish ways of the world, would accept Him and become like Him - and more than that - He came to share our world, to live with us so that one day we could go and share His world and live forever with Him. The Word, became flesh and dwelt among us full of Grace and Truth. How can man resist such great love.
Just as the Christmas presents are waiting to be unwrapped on Christmas day- so too we need to begin to unwrap the truth of the real Christmas Present - Jesus Immanuel - or should I say ’The real Christmas PRESENCE - Immanuel - God with us. Gods love? It’s all unwrapped for us to see in Jesus.
Just as the word became flesh in Jesus, so the word, Jesus, needs to become flesh in us - we need to show the Love of God to our friends, family and the world at large. The world needs to see Christ in the hearts and lives of people like you and I.
Here we are today looking forward to celebrating the fulfilment of the prophesies when Jesus was born in Bethlehem, just AS God said He would. The truth of Christmas is Awesome - here we are the second week in Advent - just two more weeks to go before we meet to celebrate the birth of Jesus. In Biblical times - Mary and Joseph are getting ready to go to Jerusalem for the census - just two weeks to go before the birth of their baby.
Just look at the preperations that went in to that first Christmas - the lives that were invaded and turned around causing them to get ready. The angel appearing to Zacharia and telling him that his prayers are about to be answered and that he and his wife Elizabeth were going to have a baby - they are to call him John and he will be the one appointed by God to prepare the way for the coming Messiah.
Six months later - the angel Gabriel appeared to Mary who was single, but pledged to be married to Joseph and gave her the news that she was to become the mother of Jesus - the son of God - imagine that - unmarried - going to be a mother - the life of her and her husband to be - Joseph - is really going to be brought into the spotlight.
Read Luke 1:8-38 New International Version (NIV) 8 Once when Zechariah’s division was on duty and he was serving as priest before God, he was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to go into the temple of the Lord and burn incense. And when the time for the burning of incense came, all the assembled worshipers were praying outside.
Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right side of the altar of incense. When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and was gripped with fear. But the angel said to him: “Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to call him John. He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth, for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He is never to take wine or other fermented drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even before he is born. He will bring back many of the people of Israel to the Lord their God. And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the parents to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous—to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”
Zechariah asked the angel, “How can I be sure of this? I am an old man and my wife is well along in years.” The angel said to him, “I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to tell you this good news. And now you will be silent and not able to speak until the day this happens, because you did not believe my words, which will come true at their appointed time.”
Meanwhile, the people were waiting for Zechariah and wondering why he stayed so long in the temple. When he came out, he could not speak to them. They realized he had seen a vision in the temple, for he kept making signs to them but remained unable to speak.
When his time of service was completed, he returned home. After this his wife Elizabeth became pregnant and for five months remained in seclusion. “The Lord has done this for me,” she said. “In these days he has shown his favor and taken away my disgrace among the people.”
The Birth of Jesus Foretold
26 In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.”
Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus.
He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.”
“How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?” The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be unable to conceive is in her sixth month. For no word from God will ever fail.”
“I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” Then the angel left her.
WOW! Each and every character involved in the Christmas story had to be completely obedient to God - Zecharia and Elizabeth, Mary and Joseph. Even down to the name of their babies. Zechariah was told to call his child John and Joseph to call his baby Jesus.
The name - always a problem. When I was born the first child was nearly always named after the father.
The second child - named after some other member of the family. Family names were handed down. Zechariah - Elizabeth and Mary and Joseph didn’t have that problem - they had been told that they would have boys and what they should call them.
The Angel told Zacharia straight away, 'Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son and you are to call him John', which means 'Gods gift' or 'God is gracious'.
Likewise the angel appeared to Mary, and told her 'You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus' which is a Greek form of the name 'Joshua', meaning 'Saviour' Just as Joshua led his people into the promised land, so too Jesus would lead His people into the promised 'Eternal life'.
The people of the Bible took names very seriously and saw them as a great source of strength and power. Last week we read in Isaiah 9 the various 'Royal' names by which Jesus would be called. 'For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace'
Wonderful Counsellor, meaning awesome, without comparison, excellent, miracle or wonder worker, and yet in all His greatness - someone you can talk to and you know will listen with understanding and concern and will always give the right advice. 'Come let us reason together ,said God, though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow' Isaiah 1; 18.
Mighty God, not just any god, but none other than God Himself
Everlasting Father, Not just father but everlasting Father timeless, father of all those who come to Him and are born again. This is a most powerful name that speaks of love, commitment, recognition that we are of the family of God.
Prince of Peace, He will govern with justice and peace. O How they needed Peace.
The people of Isaiah's day, were governed by the apostate King, Ahaz, who abandons his religion - Judah was in darkness. We shared last week how the people needed to hear the message of hope, that Mighty God still cared and loved His creation = that our Father wanted His children back - that’s why He decided that the Messiah would come to lead His people out of darkness into light. That sadly wasnt to be for another 700 years
During His earthly ministry, in different settings, Jesus gave Himself names that pointed to special roles that He would fulfil. Some of these names refer back to Old Testament prophesies regarding the Messiah. Others were to simply help people to understand Him. Jesus's emphasised His humanity with the name Son of Man, (John 6; 27). It can be found everywhere in the gospels, and only Jesus himself used it.
Jesus said to Zacchaeus ' the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost'. Almighty God came wrapped in our humanity, to share our world, and in order to do that. He was willing to feel our pain, to share our grief. He wept, He laughed, He grew tired, became angry at man's foolishness, He knew what it was to be hungry and thirsty, Jesus was truly God, and truly man and as such shared our emotions.
When confronted by His accusers at His trial, the High priest asked Jesus if He was the Messiah, 'I am, He replied, and you will all see the Son of Man seated on the right of The Almighty and coming with the clouds of heaven'. Mark 14; 62.
He was also known as 'the Bread of Life' (John 6;35), which referred to His life giving role. Bread, the staff of life, man's staple diet. After the miraculous feeding of the 5000, the crowds flocked to see Him demanding that He do more miracles if He expected them to believe that He was indeed the Messiah. 'Moses gave us bread from Heaven, how about giving us some of this bread? Jesus replied "I tell you the truth, it is not Moses who has given you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world." "Sir," they said, "from now on give us this bread." Then Jesus declared, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty.
'Light of the World' (John 8; 12), Jesus said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life." Light, the symbol of Spiritual truth. Jesus in the sermon on the mount said that 'we' are the light of the world, 'that' as Graham Kendrick puts it 'as we gaze on His Kingly brightness, so our faces display Your likeness, ever changing from Glory to Glory, mirrored here may our lives tell Your story, Shine on me. The first verse says 'Lord, the light of Your love is shining, in the midst of the darkness, shining., Jesus light of the World shine upon us!
Sometimes I feel that we are a poor reflection of what God wants to show to the World, that our little light burns dimly. One consolation is that scripture tells us that 'He will nor quench the dimly burning flame'. Our prayer should be, fan me into flame 'O Lord' that I might shine for You.
John 10;11 Jesus said 'I am the Good Shepherd' The promised Shepherd of Israel, who would not only tend and lead His sheep, but also seek the lost sheep, and because He is 'The Way, The Truth and the Life' He will bring them home safely into the fold and back into His Fathers arms.
One of the most important names Jesus called Himself, was 'The Vine' the source of all life, and that we are 'The branches'. We cannot hope to be a good Christian if we neglect to stay firmly rooted in Him. We are completely dependant on Him for Spiritual life and growth.
Jesus is also Lord which in the Greek translations of the Old Testament is the word used to translate the special name of God - Yahweh. By the time of Jesus, Lord was well used as the name for God Himself. The disciples called Him Lord and worshipped Him as God . 'Jesus is Lord' is probably the first Christian creed for it sums up the whole of a Christian's faith.
What's in a name? Everything if it happens to be Jesus, Jesus the Messiah, our Lord.
In His name, is power, Peter and John realised that when they met the lame man at the gate Beautiful, ‘In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth - rise up and walk’ and we are told never to take the name of the Lord in vain, but to honour Him in all that we do.
I pray that this Christmas He may be all these to us, and that we will honour the glorious name that we have embraced, that of Christian, a follower of Christ Jesus, realising that in embracing the faith, we have been adopted into His family, and as a glorious consequence be given the honour of being called by His name, Christian.
One of the most awesome names can be found in Isaiah 7;14 and Matthew 1; 23, where Jesus is called Immanuel, which means 'God with us'. All the way through His word, God reminds His people that if they are obedient to Him, then He will be with them.
Moses was told not to be afraid to face Pharaoh, because 'I Am' will be with you, God through Isaiah told His people to 'Fear not, for I am with you, When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned, when you walk through deep waters it will not consume you, for I will be with you'
Jesus told His disciples this 'if anyone loves Me and will obey My teaching, My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make our home with him', Wow! God himself the Everlasting Father will make His home in you and me.
Can we begin to understand what Jesus is saying here? God Himself wants to live in our lives, He wants to reign in and through His obedient people. He wants to be the Prince of Peace and bring His peace into our lives. Our second candle reminds us that Christmas is a time of Peace. Peace in our hearts our home, our fellowship. O how the world needs the gift of Peace.
While we celebrate Christmas - all over the world there are people on their guard People in fear for their lives, homes where fear reigns, children living in abusive homes. Christians in Muslim countries fearing for their lives. The only thing that will give them strength to keep going is the knowledge that God lives within then and He will see them through their difficulties and problems and give them the Peace that passeth all understanding
Read Song 615,
1 'Mid all the traffic of the ways, turmoils without, within, make in my heart a quiet place, and come and dwell therein:
2. A little shrine of quietness, all sacred to thyself, where thou shalt all my soul possess, and I may find myself:
3. A little place of mystic grace, of self and sin swept bare, where I may look into thy face, and talk with thee in prayer.
4. Come, occupy my silent place, and make thy dwelling there! more grace is wrought in quietness than any is aware.
John Oxenham (1852-1941)
That first verse says it all; 'Mid all the traffic of the ways, Turmoils without, within, Make in my heart a quiet place and come and dwell therein
To know the indwelling presence of Almighty God within our hearts brings the peace that we need to se us through whatever life throws at us. His presence brings Hope and Peace -our first two candles of Advent.
In the closing moments of this service I want us to look at these first two candles - see them as that first glimmer of hope that will bring Peace to our hearts and lives.
Jesus the bringer of Hope - we all need positive hope in our hearts
Jesus the giver of Peace - in our troubled world, we crave Peace
Let the light penetrate the dark corners of your mind. Illuminate your thinking
Ask God to let that light, the light of Jesus penetrate into your soul.
Ask Jesus to impart His light into your heart to set your heart on fire with expectation that something good is about to happen and you don’t want to be left out.
When that happens we too can be channels of Hope to others and as our last song says - channels of His peace
Closing song Make me a channel of Your Peace
Last Sunday we lit our first Advent candle ‘Hope’ and said how the world in Isaiah’s day needed that hope - and God gave them hope when He declared to His people that He would send a Saviour to lead them out of darkness into the light of His salvation. Looking forward to a Saviour would put hope in their hearts and light into their darkness. They needed that hope for a better future just as we do today.
Even though as we know from our Bible that God planned ‘Christmas’ centuries before it actually happened - even then - it took everyone by surprise. Even though God had told the world through the voices of the prophets - still the world wasn’t ready for the greatest event since creation- the time when God incarnate in Christ came to live in our world - the world He created but that had drifted away from Him causing Him to invade our world and draw alongside ordinary folk like you and me.
And here we are - 2019 and still the world rejects the truth of Jesus. Still nations war against one another in their fight for power. Still there are folk who simply ‘Haven’t got it. As we know, its easy to be caught up in the festivities - and miss out on the real truth about Christmas. It’s so easy to fall into the trap of pushing Jesus further into the background of Christmas instead of placing Him centre stage in our celebrations.
At that first Nativity there was a ‘No vacancy’ sign on the inn - no room for Jesus. This Christmas, as always, there will be many people celebrating Christmas but who have ‘no room’ for Jesus. God wants people to take the ‘no vacancy’ sign down and make room for Jesus in their lives.
The best view of ‘No Vacancy’ is when we are saying to the devil that there is no room in my heart for you and your evil ways - WHY? Because I’m filled with the love of the Lord. The no vacancy sign is saying that all the room in my heart and life has been taken over by God. As Jesus promised to those who say they love Him - if you love Me and live in obedience to Me then I and the father will come and make our home with you - My heart is filled with love for God, my family and my friends.
Living in obedience to His word so that just like John tells us - the word becomes flesh in us - Jesus is alive in you and me and through us shows that His love is available for all mankind that will reject their foolish selfish past and accept and embrace Him as their Lord and saviour.
Jesus came into our world to give mankind purpose and meaning to their lives, both now and to come. That’s the real truth of Christmas, that God in Christ, entered our world and became like us with the hope that we, in rejecting the foolish selfish ways of the world, would accept Him and become like Him - and more than that - He came to share our world, to live with us so that one day we could go and share His world and live forever with Him. The Word, became flesh and dwelt among us full of Grace and Truth. How can man resist such great love.
Just as the Christmas presents are waiting to be unwrapped on Christmas day- so too we need to begin to unwrap the truth of the real Christmas Present - Jesus Immanuel - or should I say ’The real Christmas PRESENCE - Immanuel - God with us. Gods love? It’s all unwrapped for us to see in Jesus.
Just as the word became flesh in Jesus, so the word, Jesus, needs to become flesh in us - we need to show the Love of God to our friends, family and the world at large. The world needs to see Christ in the hearts and lives of people like you and I.
Here we are today looking forward to celebrating the fulfilment of the prophesies when Jesus was born in Bethlehem, just AS God said He would. The truth of Christmas is Awesome - here we are the second week in Advent - just two more weeks to go before we meet to celebrate the birth of Jesus. In Biblical times - Mary and Joseph are getting ready to go to Jerusalem for the census - just two weeks to go before the birth of their baby.
Just look at the preperations that went in to that first Christmas - the lives that were invaded and turned around causing them to get ready. The angel appearing to Zacharia and telling him that his prayers are about to be answered and that he and his wife Elizabeth were going to have a baby - they are to call him John and he will be the one appointed by God to prepare the way for the coming Messiah.
Six months later - the angel Gabriel appeared to Mary who was single, but pledged to be married to Joseph and gave her the news that she was to become the mother of Jesus - the son of God - imagine that - unmarried - going to be a mother - the life of her and her husband to be - Joseph - is really going to be brought into the spotlight.
Read Luke 1:8-38 New International Version (NIV) 8 Once when Zechariah’s division was on duty and he was serving as priest before God, he was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to go into the temple of the Lord and burn incense. And when the time for the burning of incense came, all the assembled worshipers were praying outside.
Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right side of the altar of incense. When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and was gripped with fear. But the angel said to him: “Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to call him John. He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth, for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He is never to take wine or other fermented drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even before he is born. He will bring back many of the people of Israel to the Lord their God. And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the parents to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous—to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”
Zechariah asked the angel, “How can I be sure of this? I am an old man and my wife is well along in years.” The angel said to him, “I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to tell you this good news. And now you will be silent and not able to speak until the day this happens, because you did not believe my words, which will come true at their appointed time.”
Meanwhile, the people were waiting for Zechariah and wondering why he stayed so long in the temple. When he came out, he could not speak to them. They realized he had seen a vision in the temple, for he kept making signs to them but remained unable to speak.
When his time of service was completed, he returned home. After this his wife Elizabeth became pregnant and for five months remained in seclusion. “The Lord has done this for me,” she said. “In these days he has shown his favor and taken away my disgrace among the people.”
The Birth of Jesus Foretold
26 In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.”
Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus.
He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.”
“How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?” The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be unable to conceive is in her sixth month. For no word from God will ever fail.”
“I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” Then the angel left her.
WOW! Each and every character involved in the Christmas story had to be completely obedient to God - Zecharia and Elizabeth, Mary and Joseph. Even down to the name of their babies. Zechariah was told to call his child John and Joseph to call his baby Jesus.
The name - always a problem. When I was born the first child was nearly always named after the father.
The second child - named after some other member of the family. Family names were handed down. Zechariah - Elizabeth and Mary and Joseph didn’t have that problem - they had been told that they would have boys and what they should call them.
The Angel told Zacharia straight away, 'Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son and you are to call him John', which means 'Gods gift' or 'God is gracious'.
Likewise the angel appeared to Mary, and told her 'You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus' which is a Greek form of the name 'Joshua', meaning 'Saviour' Just as Joshua led his people into the promised land, so too Jesus would lead His people into the promised 'Eternal life'.
The people of the Bible took names very seriously and saw them as a great source of strength and power. Last week we read in Isaiah 9 the various 'Royal' names by which Jesus would be called. 'For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace'
Wonderful Counsellor, meaning awesome, without comparison, excellent, miracle or wonder worker, and yet in all His greatness - someone you can talk to and you know will listen with understanding and concern and will always give the right advice. 'Come let us reason together ,said God, though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow' Isaiah 1; 18.
Mighty God, not just any god, but none other than God Himself
Everlasting Father, Not just father but everlasting Father timeless, father of all those who come to Him and are born again. This is a most powerful name that speaks of love, commitment, recognition that we are of the family of God.
Prince of Peace, He will govern with justice and peace. O How they needed Peace.
The people of Isaiah's day, were governed by the apostate King, Ahaz, who abandons his religion - Judah was in darkness. We shared last week how the people needed to hear the message of hope, that Mighty God still cared and loved His creation = that our Father wanted His children back - that’s why He decided that the Messiah would come to lead His people out of darkness into light. That sadly wasnt to be for another 700 years
During His earthly ministry, in different settings, Jesus gave Himself names that pointed to special roles that He would fulfil. Some of these names refer back to Old Testament prophesies regarding the Messiah. Others were to simply help people to understand Him. Jesus's emphasised His humanity with the name Son of Man, (John 6; 27). It can be found everywhere in the gospels, and only Jesus himself used it.
Jesus said to Zacchaeus ' the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost'. Almighty God came wrapped in our humanity, to share our world, and in order to do that. He was willing to feel our pain, to share our grief. He wept, He laughed, He grew tired, became angry at man's foolishness, He knew what it was to be hungry and thirsty, Jesus was truly God, and truly man and as such shared our emotions.
When confronted by His accusers at His trial, the High priest asked Jesus if He was the Messiah, 'I am, He replied, and you will all see the Son of Man seated on the right of The Almighty and coming with the clouds of heaven'. Mark 14; 62.
He was also known as 'the Bread of Life' (John 6;35), which referred to His life giving role. Bread, the staff of life, man's staple diet. After the miraculous feeding of the 5000, the crowds flocked to see Him demanding that He do more miracles if He expected them to believe that He was indeed the Messiah. 'Moses gave us bread from Heaven, how about giving us some of this bread? Jesus replied "I tell you the truth, it is not Moses who has given you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world." "Sir," they said, "from now on give us this bread." Then Jesus declared, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty.
'Light of the World' (John 8; 12), Jesus said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life." Light, the symbol of Spiritual truth. Jesus in the sermon on the mount said that 'we' are the light of the world, 'that' as Graham Kendrick puts it 'as we gaze on His Kingly brightness, so our faces display Your likeness, ever changing from Glory to Glory, mirrored here may our lives tell Your story, Shine on me. The first verse says 'Lord, the light of Your love is shining, in the midst of the darkness, shining., Jesus light of the World shine upon us!
Sometimes I feel that we are a poor reflection of what God wants to show to the World, that our little light burns dimly. One consolation is that scripture tells us that 'He will nor quench the dimly burning flame'. Our prayer should be, fan me into flame 'O Lord' that I might shine for You.
John 10;11 Jesus said 'I am the Good Shepherd' The promised Shepherd of Israel, who would not only tend and lead His sheep, but also seek the lost sheep, and because He is 'The Way, The Truth and the Life' He will bring them home safely into the fold and back into His Fathers arms.
One of the most important names Jesus called Himself, was 'The Vine' the source of all life, and that we are 'The branches'. We cannot hope to be a good Christian if we neglect to stay firmly rooted in Him. We are completely dependant on Him for Spiritual life and growth.
Jesus is also Lord which in the Greek translations of the Old Testament is the word used to translate the special name of God - Yahweh. By the time of Jesus, Lord was well used as the name for God Himself. The disciples called Him Lord and worshipped Him as God . 'Jesus is Lord' is probably the first Christian creed for it sums up the whole of a Christian's faith.
What's in a name? Everything if it happens to be Jesus, Jesus the Messiah, our Lord.
In His name, is power, Peter and John realised that when they met the lame man at the gate Beautiful, ‘In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth - rise up and walk’ and we are told never to take the name of the Lord in vain, but to honour Him in all that we do.
I pray that this Christmas He may be all these to us, and that we will honour the glorious name that we have embraced, that of Christian, a follower of Christ Jesus, realising that in embracing the faith, we have been adopted into His family, and as a glorious consequence be given the honour of being called by His name, Christian.
One of the most awesome names can be found in Isaiah 7;14 and Matthew 1; 23, where Jesus is called Immanuel, which means 'God with us'. All the way through His word, God reminds His people that if they are obedient to Him, then He will be with them.
Moses was told not to be afraid to face Pharaoh, because 'I Am' will be with you, God through Isaiah told His people to 'Fear not, for I am with you, When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned, when you walk through deep waters it will not consume you, for I will be with you'
Jesus told His disciples this 'if anyone loves Me and will obey My teaching, My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make our home with him', Wow! God himself the Everlasting Father will make His home in you and me.
Can we begin to understand what Jesus is saying here? God Himself wants to live in our lives, He wants to reign in and through His obedient people. He wants to be the Prince of Peace and bring His peace into our lives. Our second candle reminds us that Christmas is a time of Peace. Peace in our hearts our home, our fellowship. O how the world needs the gift of Peace.
While we celebrate Christmas - all over the world there are people on their guard People in fear for their lives, homes where fear reigns, children living in abusive homes. Christians in Muslim countries fearing for their lives. The only thing that will give them strength to keep going is the knowledge that God lives within then and He will see them through their difficulties and problems and give them the Peace that passeth all understanding
Read Song 615,
1 'Mid all the traffic of the ways, turmoils without, within, make in my heart a quiet place, and come and dwell therein:
2. A little shrine of quietness, all sacred to thyself, where thou shalt all my soul possess, and I may find myself:
3. A little place of mystic grace, of self and sin swept bare, where I may look into thy face, and talk with thee in prayer.
4. Come, occupy my silent place, and make thy dwelling there! more grace is wrought in quietness than any is aware.
John Oxenham (1852-1941)
That first verse says it all; 'Mid all the traffic of the ways, Turmoils without, within, Make in my heart a quiet place and come and dwell therein
To know the indwelling presence of Almighty God within our hearts brings the peace that we need to se us through whatever life throws at us. His presence brings Hope and Peace -our first two candles of Advent.
In the closing moments of this service I want us to look at these first two candles - see them as that first glimmer of hope that will bring Peace to our hearts and lives.
Jesus the bringer of Hope - we all need positive hope in our hearts
Jesus the giver of Peace - in our troubled world, we crave Peace
Let the light penetrate the dark corners of your mind. Illuminate your thinking
Ask God to let that light, the light of Jesus penetrate into your soul.
Ask Jesus to impart His light into your heart to set your heart on fire with expectation that something good is about to happen and you don’t want to be left out.
When that happens we too can be channels of Hope to others and as our last song says - channels of His peace
Closing song Make me a channel of Your Peace
First Sunday in Advent 1 December 2019 Hope
Isaiah 9:1 Nevertheless, there will be no more gloom for those who were in distress. In the past he humbled the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the future he will honour Galilee of the Gentiles, by the way of the sea, along the Jordan - The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned.
You have enlarged the nation and increased their joy; they rejoice before you as people rejoice at the harvest, as men rejoice when dividing the plunder. For as in the day of Midian's defeat, you have shattered the yoke that burdens them, the bar across their shoulders, the rod of their oppressor. Every warrior's boot used in battle and every garment rolled in blood will be destined for burning, will be fuel for the fire.
For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. ....on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned.
Isaiah 9 was and still a message of hope for a people who may be feeling desperate for good news. no more gloom for those who were in distress. Today Isaiah 9 will be read in churches up and down the country in preperation for the first coming of our Saviour Jesus. On this first Sunday in Advent, churches will read this same promise of God in preperation for Christmas - the first coming of Jesus and I believe, in preperation for His return - the second coming..
Just as the people in Isaiah’s day lived in battle torn lands so too today, our world today is torn with conflict and oppression - a time ripe for Jesus to come again. Isaiah talks about the yoke that burdens them, the bar across their shoulders, the rod of their oppressor, Many today, especially in the Christian world are suffering persecution and death as they hold on to their faith in Jesus. Today we live in a world that has many parralels - today is not unlike the world of Isaiah’s day. A time of unrest, uncertainty, many who lived in fear for the day and saw little or no hope for tomorrow.
We live in a world where frightened persecuted people have to leave their homes and seek refuge in foreign lands. People today, like in Isaiah’s day, need that glimmer of hope, that shred of light that promises a different future. They needed a Saviour to lead them out of despair into hope. Isaiah’s hope was in a promised Saviour. The same hope as today. People need hope - direction - a way out - you and I know that they need Jesus.
On Thursday I went to celebrate the life of a good soldier of Jesus - Errol. The church was full of people who had shared most of their lives with Errol and knew the man he was - there was a great feeling of hope and indeed joy in the Lord as the precious memories of Errol came flooding back.
The vicar shared how Errol loved life - he loved his church, his family, his lovely wife and most of all loved Jesus. I went to talk to his wife after the service and we together shared how our hearts are filled with the sure and certain hope that the Errol she loved isn’t dead - he’s simply moved on to live with the Lord He loved and served and that one day we shall be reunited - Mavis with Errol and me with Beryl and Kevin.
I know wouldn’t have been able to cope, over the events of the last few years, loosing Kevin and Beryl - I would be lost without my faith - without Jesus and Mavis feels the same. I know that’s the same for many of you here this morning whatever you’re going through, you wouldn‘t be able to cope- without Jesus. Thank be to God that we have that blessed hope in our hearts that this life is not the end but the overture to what will be Gods greatest revelation of a future life of love and Peace in Heaven. The Christians sure and certain hope. The Caterpillar to the butterfly
That was what was needed in Isaiah’s day - and so Isaiah speaks of victorious times to come. They wanted Peace - stability - they wanted a champion to come and lead them to victory - they needed a Messiah. This would not be the champion warrior they had expected- Isaiah tells them of a man, a Saviour, who is coming to ' tend His flock like a shepherd: to gather His lambs in His arms and carry them close to His heart; gently leading those that have young.
Whats is so awesome is that Isaiah is able to tell them where the ministry of the Messiah will take place, in Galilee of the Gentiles, by the way of the sea, along the Jordan - and in Micah chapter 5, God even tells His people where the Messiah would be born "But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times." Born in Bethlehem
Incredible isn't it and yet even though God prepared His people with the news of the coming of Jesus, they were still taken by surprise! One can hardly blame them. How can Ordinary man begin to understand the unbelievable, the extraordinary, unless he has been drawn in to share the 'secrets of the Almighty' ?
We read that last week how Jesus promised He would come and make His home in the heart and lives of those who love him and live in obedience to Him. That’s the only way to be filled with the blessed hope by repentance and being born again
Even though God went on to tell them where and how the Saviour would be born -when it did happen, the leaders and authorities refused to believe it even though He was there before their very eyes - there was no way of stopping God getting through to those who would be open to the truth , and when they saw Jesus and what He did and said they began to realise the truth. The glory of the LORD will be revealed, and all mankind together will see it. For the mouth of the LORD has spoken."
As I said last year - Imagine having to do a jigsaw without the picture on the box lid - we wouldn’t know where to start. That’s why God gave mankind the picture on the box, the prophesies of Isaiah and all the other prophets, and as man started to fit the framework pieces of the Jigsaw together - the mystery would begin to take shape.
Isaiah, heralded the start of the greatest adventure story of all time. An adventure that would captures the spirit if the people and draw them in to share the adventure.
This is the first Sunday in Advent - in preperation for the coming of Jesus into the world which is also the beginning of a most wonderful and exciting adventure. I like adventures. The word Advent comes from the Latin word Adventus which means "arrival." Its the overture to one of the greatest adventure of all time - the coming of Immanuel - God amongst us, to share our humanity and prepare us to share His divinity.
Everyone loves Christmas - the trimmings, the tree, the parties, the presents, the cards from family and friends you haven’t seen for a long time - The kids love sending letters to Santa, the excitement of Christmas Eve and Christmas Morning. That’s great - I love it all too. But many there are who shun what Christmas is really all about - the birth of Jesus the Saviour of the world. Thankfully when Gods people anticipate the coming of Jesus, the Light and Saviour of the world who liberate His people from the shackles of sin, bringing freedom and New Life to all who accept Him as their Saviour - it brings a real sense of Joy.
You - probably like me - love to go to the theatre to watch you favourite musical.
There you are, you’ve got there well on time, the cars parked, you’ve got your sweets and programme, you’ve found your seats you’ve tucked your coat under the seat and as you settle back in your seats , there’s a sense of expectancy as one by one, the instruments in the orchestra start to tune up and then they strike up with the Overture.
It’s then that we start to feel the excitement knowing that as the familiar tunes start to play - we are in for a good time. We hum along - some around us dare to sing as we all wait for that tell tale bob of the curtain that tells us that the show is about to start.
That’s what Advent is, the overture - to God’s greatest production that as each day comes our expectations are raised and we long for the curtain to rise on what promises to be a most spectacular occasion. Advent is designed to bring a sense of expectancy that ‘something goods about to happen’ as we prepare to celebrate His coming.
It’s also a reminder that just as He came over 2000 years ago, He is coming again and as well as celebrating that first coming - we anticipate His second coming- a stark reminder that just as the first participants of that First Christmas were encouraged to get ready for His coming - today, we need to spend our time not just getting ready to celebrate the birthday of our Saviour - but that we are ready for His return.
Just as Michael J Fox went ‘Back to the future’ three times, Advent takes us ‘back to anticipate the future’ as the Christmas Story reminds us not just of the past but an age to come. Lighting this first candle marks the beginning of another Christmas. The hectic preparations, the cards, the presents, the food, trimming up, the carol service - we get so caught up in the rush, even though we have known for a while that Christmas was round the corner - we still get caught out and if we are not careful, the reason for the season gets lost in all the frantic rush.
I hope it was more than that and that our hearts were stirred to look at the Awesomeness of what really happened when God decided that the only way that Mankind would listen and take notice of Him would be if He Himself came in flesh and became one of us.
Advent and Christmas, if we are not careful, could be just like a re-run of an old movie like the BBC tend to do every year - where having celebrated it many times, we just get caught up in the fast moving festivities - buying and sending cards, choosing presents, buying too much food.
As one of the carols I introduced a few years ago says; The streets are full of people hurrying along - Buying things and making plans. It’s such a crazy season - such a busy time it’s so easy to forget how it began. You’ve chosen all the presents written all the cards hung the lights around the Christmas tree. But with all the celebrating it’s easy to lose sight Of the star that’s shining down for you and me
One look at the way the world is treating Christmas in these days and one could be forgiven for thinking that the world is starting to cut Christmas out of the calendar in the same way it did Pentecost. Sadly we live in an age where the true meaning of the Christian festivals that we used to celebrate have been stolen from us and replaced with worldly and commercially profitable festivities.
The Easter egg has replaced Easter, Spring bank holiday has replaced Pentecost, Father Christmas has taken over Christmas - even All Saints Day has been captured by Halloween. I couldn’t believe how much evil looking merchandise was on sale in the supermarkets at Halloween.
The media not wanting to upset people of other faiths, ignore and plays down the true meaning of Christmas. There is a group who don’t want people to say Happy, or Merry Christmas. Nativity cards are even harder to find this year. There is even an attempt by Face book - that most people spend a lot of time on - are trying to ban a picture of the nativity as it might be offensive to some people. The media are trying to downplay the truth of Christmas.
Wouldn’t it be great if this year people decided to stop and think it through as to why and what we are celebrating. It doesn’t have to mean that we don’t do all the usual things like we have always done - it mean that we will give the Holy Spirit time to help us appreciate what GOD did in sending Jesus and the reason why Jesus is coming again.
I believe that it’s up to us - His church, the living body of Christ in the world today to stand up and profess our faith to our friends, neighbours and colleagues.
When Paul wrote his letter to the church at Philippi from the confines of his prison cell, he said this;. Chapter 3; 18 For, as I have often told you before and now tell you again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is set on earthly things. But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Saviour from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.
Paul then goes on to say in Chapter 4; Therefore my brothers, you whom I love and long for, my joy and my crown, that is how you should Stand firm in the Lord dear friends As the last verse of the carol I mentioned earlier says;
So keep your heart in heaven though your feet are on the earth
And hear the greatest story ever told
It’s all about a baby from a cradle to a cross
It’s the story of the Saviour of the World
To give love is the greatest gift of all
To bring hope is the reason and the rhyme
To find Joy and Peace is the wonder of it all
To give Love is the Christ in Christmas time
I pray that we will all see it in a new light, that the age old truth will dawn afresh and vibrantly new as we ask God to let the light of the truth dawn in our hearts.
The candle we lit this morning is the candle of Hope. What are your hopes and dreams - better health, more togetherness - that these seats get filled? What’s your hopes and dreams as we near the end of another years. What is it that will make those hopes for the coming month and New year a reality - it’s faith - faith is the main ingredient of hope - faith makes things happen - faith brings hopes into focus and turns them into realities.
I said earlier that Advent reminds us also that Jesus is coming back again. When He came the first time - many were just not ready - Jesus is coming again - are we ready? Think about your friends and family - are they ready for His return - is that something that we should be making them aware of?
The long awaited Messiah that Isaiah heralded would come to bring hope to an oppressed people. To show mankind a better way - the way of holiness. Forgiveness for the past and a bright hope for the future. Over the next few weeks we will remind ourselves how that was accomplished in Jesus, how the word made flesh, showed by example how God intended His creation to live in harmony with God and one another.
Pauls letter to Timothy sets the scene of the last days when Christ returns. A world not unlike today; Mark this, there will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God - having a form of godliness but denying the power- have nothing to do with them.
That’s a picture of the world we live in today and sadly in many cases a picture of the church - wealth and prosperity etc. Where do we stand? Do our lives speak volumes for God. Do we show God that we love Him and serve Him in the way in which we live our lives
We sang ’Come Thou long expected Jesus’ It’s not just a song about the coming babe at Christmas, I believe that it speaks of His coming again - this time to take His ransomed, saved, redeemed and obedient Church to live with Him in Glory forever. Are we that people - are we ready - are we the people He wants us to be - a people who live for God and one-another. Not a people who seek after wealth at any cost. A people who put pleasure before commitment to God.
I find it sad that we live in what is supposed to be a Christian country but very few have a real experience of Christ. When I think of the wisdom and scope of Gods plan in coming to live in our world in an effort to call the world back to the Fathers heart - I
feel sad that the very people He commissioned to help Him in this have failed Him so much that the light of this world shines brighter than the true light of the World.
In the closing moments of this service close your eyes and ask yourself how you would feel if Jesus were to come back right now. Ask Jesus to impart His light into your heart to set your heart on fire with expectation that when He comes again - you don’t want to be left out. Think about all these empty seats and the people out there who live empty lives - the light of Christ could fill both. The light of the truth of Jesus could fill those empty lives with hope and these empty seats with people. We live in a dark world and it is our responsibility to bring the light back.People out there - need to know that the is hope and that the answer to their problems won’t be found in anything or anyone else but Jesus. We need to put Christ back into Christmas.
The greatest witness to the truth of Jesus is the way that we live our lives.You and I - His church should be a beacon light that lives the full gospel message. That people can see something of the beauty of Jesus in our lives. The way in which we cope with life, even through times of adversity - because Jesus is real to us. It’s up to us to us who have received the light to take that light into the world we live. To live without Christ is to live without Hope. The world needs a sure and certain hope
As I said earlier, I wouldn’t be able to cope with what I have to do without the knowledge that Jesus is with me and will never leave me and that in Him I have the victory over what, to those without Christ, would be an impossible life. People need the Lord this Christmas - the good news is that He is available - and the Lord needs you and I to share that good news with them.
The hymn we are going to sing in closing moments is the Graham Kendrick classic ‘the Message of Love’ which encourages us to take Hope and Peace out into the streets. To invade the rush in people lives with the Peace that only Christ can bring.
Lets pray that the light of Hope and Peace flow from us out into the darkness of this world to put Christ back into Christmas.
Isaiah 9:1 Nevertheless, there will be no more gloom for those who were in distress. In the past he humbled the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the future he will honour Galilee of the Gentiles, by the way of the sea, along the Jordan - The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned.
You have enlarged the nation and increased their joy; they rejoice before you as people rejoice at the harvest, as men rejoice when dividing the plunder. For as in the day of Midian's defeat, you have shattered the yoke that burdens them, the bar across their shoulders, the rod of their oppressor. Every warrior's boot used in battle and every garment rolled in blood will be destined for burning, will be fuel for the fire.
For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. ....on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned.
Isaiah 9 was and still a message of hope for a people who may be feeling desperate for good news. no more gloom for those who were in distress. Today Isaiah 9 will be read in churches up and down the country in preperation for the first coming of our Saviour Jesus. On this first Sunday in Advent, churches will read this same promise of God in preperation for Christmas - the first coming of Jesus and I believe, in preperation for His return - the second coming..
Just as the people in Isaiah’s day lived in battle torn lands so too today, our world today is torn with conflict and oppression - a time ripe for Jesus to come again. Isaiah talks about the yoke that burdens them, the bar across their shoulders, the rod of their oppressor, Many today, especially in the Christian world are suffering persecution and death as they hold on to their faith in Jesus. Today we live in a world that has many parralels - today is not unlike the world of Isaiah’s day. A time of unrest, uncertainty, many who lived in fear for the day and saw little or no hope for tomorrow.
We live in a world where frightened persecuted people have to leave their homes and seek refuge in foreign lands. People today, like in Isaiah’s day, need that glimmer of hope, that shred of light that promises a different future. They needed a Saviour to lead them out of despair into hope. Isaiah’s hope was in a promised Saviour. The same hope as today. People need hope - direction - a way out - you and I know that they need Jesus.
On Thursday I went to celebrate the life of a good soldier of Jesus - Errol. The church was full of people who had shared most of their lives with Errol and knew the man he was - there was a great feeling of hope and indeed joy in the Lord as the precious memories of Errol came flooding back.
The vicar shared how Errol loved life - he loved his church, his family, his lovely wife and most of all loved Jesus. I went to talk to his wife after the service and we together shared how our hearts are filled with the sure and certain hope that the Errol she loved isn’t dead - he’s simply moved on to live with the Lord He loved and served and that one day we shall be reunited - Mavis with Errol and me with Beryl and Kevin.
I know wouldn’t have been able to cope, over the events of the last few years, loosing Kevin and Beryl - I would be lost without my faith - without Jesus and Mavis feels the same. I know that’s the same for many of you here this morning whatever you’re going through, you wouldn‘t be able to cope- without Jesus. Thank be to God that we have that blessed hope in our hearts that this life is not the end but the overture to what will be Gods greatest revelation of a future life of love and Peace in Heaven. The Christians sure and certain hope. The Caterpillar to the butterfly
That was what was needed in Isaiah’s day - and so Isaiah speaks of victorious times to come. They wanted Peace - stability - they wanted a champion to come and lead them to victory - they needed a Messiah. This would not be the champion warrior they had expected- Isaiah tells them of a man, a Saviour, who is coming to ' tend His flock like a shepherd: to gather His lambs in His arms and carry them close to His heart; gently leading those that have young.
Whats is so awesome is that Isaiah is able to tell them where the ministry of the Messiah will take place, in Galilee of the Gentiles, by the way of the sea, along the Jordan - and in Micah chapter 5, God even tells His people where the Messiah would be born "But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times." Born in Bethlehem
Incredible isn't it and yet even though God prepared His people with the news of the coming of Jesus, they were still taken by surprise! One can hardly blame them. How can Ordinary man begin to understand the unbelievable, the extraordinary, unless he has been drawn in to share the 'secrets of the Almighty' ?
We read that last week how Jesus promised He would come and make His home in the heart and lives of those who love him and live in obedience to Him. That’s the only way to be filled with the blessed hope by repentance and being born again
Even though God went on to tell them where and how the Saviour would be born -when it did happen, the leaders and authorities refused to believe it even though He was there before their very eyes - there was no way of stopping God getting through to those who would be open to the truth , and when they saw Jesus and what He did and said they began to realise the truth. The glory of the LORD will be revealed, and all mankind together will see it. For the mouth of the LORD has spoken."
As I said last year - Imagine having to do a jigsaw without the picture on the box lid - we wouldn’t know where to start. That’s why God gave mankind the picture on the box, the prophesies of Isaiah and all the other prophets, and as man started to fit the framework pieces of the Jigsaw together - the mystery would begin to take shape.
Isaiah, heralded the start of the greatest adventure story of all time. An adventure that would captures the spirit if the people and draw them in to share the adventure.
This is the first Sunday in Advent - in preperation for the coming of Jesus into the world which is also the beginning of a most wonderful and exciting adventure. I like adventures. The word Advent comes from the Latin word Adventus which means "arrival." Its the overture to one of the greatest adventure of all time - the coming of Immanuel - God amongst us, to share our humanity and prepare us to share His divinity.
Everyone loves Christmas - the trimmings, the tree, the parties, the presents, the cards from family and friends you haven’t seen for a long time - The kids love sending letters to Santa, the excitement of Christmas Eve and Christmas Morning. That’s great - I love it all too. But many there are who shun what Christmas is really all about - the birth of Jesus the Saviour of the world. Thankfully when Gods people anticipate the coming of Jesus, the Light and Saviour of the world who liberate His people from the shackles of sin, bringing freedom and New Life to all who accept Him as their Saviour - it brings a real sense of Joy.
You - probably like me - love to go to the theatre to watch you favourite musical.
There you are, you’ve got there well on time, the cars parked, you’ve got your sweets and programme, you’ve found your seats you’ve tucked your coat under the seat and as you settle back in your seats , there’s a sense of expectancy as one by one, the instruments in the orchestra start to tune up and then they strike up with the Overture.
It’s then that we start to feel the excitement knowing that as the familiar tunes start to play - we are in for a good time. We hum along - some around us dare to sing as we all wait for that tell tale bob of the curtain that tells us that the show is about to start.
That’s what Advent is, the overture - to God’s greatest production that as each day comes our expectations are raised and we long for the curtain to rise on what promises to be a most spectacular occasion. Advent is designed to bring a sense of expectancy that ‘something goods about to happen’ as we prepare to celebrate His coming.
It’s also a reminder that just as He came over 2000 years ago, He is coming again and as well as celebrating that first coming - we anticipate His second coming- a stark reminder that just as the first participants of that First Christmas were encouraged to get ready for His coming - today, we need to spend our time not just getting ready to celebrate the birthday of our Saviour - but that we are ready for His return.
Just as Michael J Fox went ‘Back to the future’ three times, Advent takes us ‘back to anticipate the future’ as the Christmas Story reminds us not just of the past but an age to come. Lighting this first candle marks the beginning of another Christmas. The hectic preparations, the cards, the presents, the food, trimming up, the carol service - we get so caught up in the rush, even though we have known for a while that Christmas was round the corner - we still get caught out and if we are not careful, the reason for the season gets lost in all the frantic rush.
I hope it was more than that and that our hearts were stirred to look at the Awesomeness of what really happened when God decided that the only way that Mankind would listen and take notice of Him would be if He Himself came in flesh and became one of us.
Advent and Christmas, if we are not careful, could be just like a re-run of an old movie like the BBC tend to do every year - where having celebrated it many times, we just get caught up in the fast moving festivities - buying and sending cards, choosing presents, buying too much food.
As one of the carols I introduced a few years ago says; The streets are full of people hurrying along - Buying things and making plans. It’s such a crazy season - such a busy time it’s so easy to forget how it began. You’ve chosen all the presents written all the cards hung the lights around the Christmas tree. But with all the celebrating it’s easy to lose sight Of the star that’s shining down for you and me
One look at the way the world is treating Christmas in these days and one could be forgiven for thinking that the world is starting to cut Christmas out of the calendar in the same way it did Pentecost. Sadly we live in an age where the true meaning of the Christian festivals that we used to celebrate have been stolen from us and replaced with worldly and commercially profitable festivities.
The Easter egg has replaced Easter, Spring bank holiday has replaced Pentecost, Father Christmas has taken over Christmas - even All Saints Day has been captured by Halloween. I couldn’t believe how much evil looking merchandise was on sale in the supermarkets at Halloween.
The media not wanting to upset people of other faiths, ignore and plays down the true meaning of Christmas. There is a group who don’t want people to say Happy, or Merry Christmas. Nativity cards are even harder to find this year. There is even an attempt by Face book - that most people spend a lot of time on - are trying to ban a picture of the nativity as it might be offensive to some people. The media are trying to downplay the truth of Christmas.
Wouldn’t it be great if this year people decided to stop and think it through as to why and what we are celebrating. It doesn’t have to mean that we don’t do all the usual things like we have always done - it mean that we will give the Holy Spirit time to help us appreciate what GOD did in sending Jesus and the reason why Jesus is coming again.
I believe that it’s up to us - His church, the living body of Christ in the world today to stand up and profess our faith to our friends, neighbours and colleagues.
When Paul wrote his letter to the church at Philippi from the confines of his prison cell, he said this;. Chapter 3; 18 For, as I have often told you before and now tell you again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is set on earthly things. But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Saviour from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.
Paul then goes on to say in Chapter 4; Therefore my brothers, you whom I love and long for, my joy and my crown, that is how you should Stand firm in the Lord dear friends As the last verse of the carol I mentioned earlier says;
So keep your heart in heaven though your feet are on the earth
And hear the greatest story ever told
It’s all about a baby from a cradle to a cross
It’s the story of the Saviour of the World
To give love is the greatest gift of all
To bring hope is the reason and the rhyme
To find Joy and Peace is the wonder of it all
To give Love is the Christ in Christmas time
I pray that we will all see it in a new light, that the age old truth will dawn afresh and vibrantly new as we ask God to let the light of the truth dawn in our hearts.
The candle we lit this morning is the candle of Hope. What are your hopes and dreams - better health, more togetherness - that these seats get filled? What’s your hopes and dreams as we near the end of another years. What is it that will make those hopes for the coming month and New year a reality - it’s faith - faith is the main ingredient of hope - faith makes things happen - faith brings hopes into focus and turns them into realities.
I said earlier that Advent reminds us also that Jesus is coming back again. When He came the first time - many were just not ready - Jesus is coming again - are we ready? Think about your friends and family - are they ready for His return - is that something that we should be making them aware of?
The long awaited Messiah that Isaiah heralded would come to bring hope to an oppressed people. To show mankind a better way - the way of holiness. Forgiveness for the past and a bright hope for the future. Over the next few weeks we will remind ourselves how that was accomplished in Jesus, how the word made flesh, showed by example how God intended His creation to live in harmony with God and one another.
Pauls letter to Timothy sets the scene of the last days when Christ returns. A world not unlike today; Mark this, there will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God - having a form of godliness but denying the power- have nothing to do with them.
That’s a picture of the world we live in today and sadly in many cases a picture of the church - wealth and prosperity etc. Where do we stand? Do our lives speak volumes for God. Do we show God that we love Him and serve Him in the way in which we live our lives
We sang ’Come Thou long expected Jesus’ It’s not just a song about the coming babe at Christmas, I believe that it speaks of His coming again - this time to take His ransomed, saved, redeemed and obedient Church to live with Him in Glory forever. Are we that people - are we ready - are we the people He wants us to be - a people who live for God and one-another. Not a people who seek after wealth at any cost. A people who put pleasure before commitment to God.
I find it sad that we live in what is supposed to be a Christian country but very few have a real experience of Christ. When I think of the wisdom and scope of Gods plan in coming to live in our world in an effort to call the world back to the Fathers heart - I
feel sad that the very people He commissioned to help Him in this have failed Him so much that the light of this world shines brighter than the true light of the World.
In the closing moments of this service close your eyes and ask yourself how you would feel if Jesus were to come back right now. Ask Jesus to impart His light into your heart to set your heart on fire with expectation that when He comes again - you don’t want to be left out. Think about all these empty seats and the people out there who live empty lives - the light of Christ could fill both. The light of the truth of Jesus could fill those empty lives with hope and these empty seats with people. We live in a dark world and it is our responsibility to bring the light back.People out there - need to know that the is hope and that the answer to their problems won’t be found in anything or anyone else but Jesus. We need to put Christ back into Christmas.
The greatest witness to the truth of Jesus is the way that we live our lives.You and I - His church should be a beacon light that lives the full gospel message. That people can see something of the beauty of Jesus in our lives. The way in which we cope with life, even through times of adversity - because Jesus is real to us. It’s up to us to us who have received the light to take that light into the world we live. To live without Christ is to live without Hope. The world needs a sure and certain hope
As I said earlier, I wouldn’t be able to cope with what I have to do without the knowledge that Jesus is with me and will never leave me and that in Him I have the victory over what, to those without Christ, would be an impossible life. People need the Lord this Christmas - the good news is that He is available - and the Lord needs you and I to share that good news with them.
The hymn we are going to sing in closing moments is the Graham Kendrick classic ‘the Message of Love’ which encourages us to take Hope and Peace out into the streets. To invade the rush in people lives with the Peace that only Christ can bring.
Lets pray that the light of Hope and Peace flow from us out into the darkness of this world to put Christ back into Christmas.
MM Sunday 24 November 2019
Last week we looked at the prayer that Jesus made before He had to leave His disciples and go to the cross. It was for those who would come to Him following the testimonies and lives of His faithful disciples -that’s people who in the last 2000 years have responded to the lives and letters of People like Peter, John and Paul - the testimonies of those we read about in the New testament. Our forefathers - our relations - you and me today.
We are privileged in that we have the Bible - Gods inspired word to read and take to heart that tell us of the life of Jesus, the exploits of His followers - the growth of the Christian church and the letters to the young churches.
One of the most awe -inspiring episodes following the death and ressurection of our Lord is recorded in the book of Acts - the Acts of the Apostles where we can read how the disciples took to the streets and spoke boldly for the Lord and how on one occasion - Pentecost - Jesus inspired Peter to share testimony with thousands and God fulfilled His promise that He had given through Jesus at His last meeting with the disciples about the promise of the Holy Spirit who would inspire and energies the young churches to feel the power of God that they had seen inn the life and ministry of Jesus. The Power of the Holy Spirit.
Last week at the close of the meeting we read the promise given by Jesus to His followers in His Last supper with them.
John 14; 15 "If you love Me, keep My commands and I will ask the Father, and He will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— the Spirit of truth. 23 "Anyone who loves Me will obey My teaching. My Father will love them, and We will come to them and make Our home with them.
Wow! Not just to be content in sending Jesus to show us what He was like, God was going to send the Holy Spirit to empower His followers to become like Jesus and show the power of God in their ministry.
God - seeing how mankind was going away from the kind of life He wanted them to live - How mankind was falling away from Gods plan by adding it’s own misguided rues and regulations to the Scriptures - a lot like many so called Christian Churches today - God seeing all this came to earth embodied in Christ and began to show by the way He lived His life - that Love for God and one another was the first steps to being reconciled to God. The WORD became Flesh in Jesus - He lived the Word and showed by His life, both in His obedience to the laws of God and His reactions to others - how God wanted mankind to live - in obedience to Him.
God would accomplish this through the promise He gave through Jesus who said- "If you love Me, ( Jesus) keep My commands and I will ask the Father, and He will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— the Spirit of truth. "Anyone who loves Me will obey My teaching. My Father will love them, and We will come to them and make Our home with them.
Following last weeks message - what has been your response to it - did it made any difference to the way you have acted this week?
We read what Jesus said to His disciples at that last meeting He had with them when He said "As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father's commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no-one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. John 15; 9: and John 16:33 "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."
A few chapters earlier Jesus had told them “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” John 13;34,35
What difference did that make in your life and actions this week? These are the commands of Jesus to you and me - to His church today and the only way that the world today will find peace.
Back to our reading for today; "If you love Me, ( Jesus) keep My commands’ put this together with what Jesus said earlier If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father's commands and remain in His love.
Jesus isn’t telling us to do something He wasn't prepared to do, on the contrary, He is instructing us to do what He Himself did and that was be obedient to the commands of God to love God and one another. Do that and I will ask the Father, and He will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— the Spirit of truth. And here we have it again "Anyone who loves Me will obey My teaching. My Father will love them, and We will come to them and make Our home with them.
Obey His teachings - The New Testament starts in Matthew by recording the beginnings of Christ’s ministry and in ch5 we have the teachings of Jesus that start with the attitudes He wants His people to adopt - Be - Attitudes - the possitive attitudes.
Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.
Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Wow - certainly not the way of the world is it?
The meek will inherit the earth, the Pure in heart will see God, the peacemakers will be called the children of God, those who are persecuted for following the ways of God will be rewarded in the Kingdom of Heaven - as Jesus says “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
The way the world lives today reveals an opposite response to the Word of God. Yet these are the foundation of the teachings of Jesus who in the next few chapters goes on to goes on to teach His hearers about how they should be living their lives
In Mark 12 we read how Jesus responded to a teacher of the Law by saying that the two greatest commandments are to Love the Lord our God and love one another.
In Luke 11 we see Jesus teaching His disciples how to pray.
The Apostle John starts with the awesome truth that Jesus was the Word made flesh. The Law may have come through Moses but Grace and truth came through Jesus.
John then goes on to show how John The Baptist presented Jesus as the Lamb of God and pre-empts the promise of Jesus that one day He would baptise His followers with the Holy Spirit. WOW! We are so blessed in that we have the teachings of Jesus here in His Word - The awesome truth is that Jesus not only taught but He lived what by what He taught.
So back to our Bible reading where Jesus said "If you love Me, keep My commands
Keep My commands - which starts with a desire to seek to know and put in to action the commands of Jesus - the only way to do this is to seek to know His commands through reading His word.
That’s why the first doctrine of the Salvation Army says; We believe that the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments were given by inspiration of God; and that they only - constitute the Divine rule of Christian Faith and practice
The promise we make to become soldiers in the Salvation Army say that ‘I promise to pray and to read my bible = that’s not just on Sunday when we meet with one another - but at home - in private and with the family - I hope that’s a promise that we all keep or how else can we be obedient to a word we are not familiar with. There’s more!
"If you love Me, keep My commands and I will ask the Father, and He will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— the Spirit of truth.
The second blessing of Sanctification WOW! And what a difference that can make to our Christian lives. The Holy Spirit who leads us into all truth and transforms us to become more and more Christlike in our daily living.
SA Doctrine no 7 We believe that repentance toward God, faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, and regeneration by the Holy Spirit are necessary to salvation.
Earlier this year we looked at the time God took Ezekiel and set him in the middle of a valley of Dry bones and asked him - ‘son of man can these bones live?’. The dry bones represented the sad state of Israel at that time. We said then how the dry bones could represent the sad state of the Church today .
The reply Ezekiel gave was so honest and from the heart - today the reply would be the same as Ezekiels‘ God only knows. God instructed Ezekiel to speak to the dry bones and give them the awesome news that God would breath new life into them and they will come to life and in so doing know without a doubt that God is who He says He is - Almighty and worthy of our obedience and love.
The promise of God was that He would put His spirit within them and they would live. - New birth - new life. That’s Regeneration - being re-born - born again by the Spirit - all there in the promise of Jesus to you and me today.
That is what Jesus is saying to His disciples that if His people love Him with their whole heart and Obey His teachings then the Godhead - The Father Son and Spirit will come and make their home within them . WOW! that’s you - that’s me. "Anyone who loves Me will obey My teaching. My Father will love them, and We will come to them and make Our home with them.
SA Doctrine 10 We believe that it is the privilage of all believers to be ‘Wholly sanctified’ and their whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do it.
1 Thessalonians 5;23
Filled with the Spirit that will enable us not only to live according to His word but empower and equip us to share the truth with others. That should be the desire of all who want to grow spiritually and share the truth with others.
The offer is still there today - if we love Him and one another and live in obedience to His word then the fulness of Almighty God will come and abide in and with us all.
The Spirit that filled Jesus when He was baptised, the Spirit filled the disciples when they saw the risen Lord, the same spirit that came upon the hearers at Pentecost, the Spirit that Entered Paul after his encounter with Jesus on the road to Damascus, the same spirit that filled the new converts at Ephesus when Paul prayed with them.
The Spirit of God that empowers and equips ordinary men and women like you and me to be vehicles through whom God can reveal His power - The Holy Spirit promised by Jesus is available today - here as we sing our final song.
All we need to do to receive the Spirit is to repent the past if we havn’t already done so - declare our love for God and our desire to live a life of obedience to His word and WOW! The spirit of God is available today.
Our final song reminds us of that ; It’s time to stop paddling in the past and to let the wind of the spirit lift us up enable us to fly like the birds. ( the song was ‘It’s time to fly - to catch the wind of the Spirit’ ) The same mighty wind that filled those dry bones with new life. The same Spirit that opened the heart and mind of Samuel Logan Brengle to reach out to God and empowered by the Spirit become Gods instrument to teach Holiness in the Salvation Army.
Last week we looked at the prayer that Jesus made before He had to leave His disciples and go to the cross. It was for those who would come to Him following the testimonies and lives of His faithful disciples -that’s people who in the last 2000 years have responded to the lives and letters of People like Peter, John and Paul - the testimonies of those we read about in the New testament. Our forefathers - our relations - you and me today.
We are privileged in that we have the Bible - Gods inspired word to read and take to heart that tell us of the life of Jesus, the exploits of His followers - the growth of the Christian church and the letters to the young churches.
One of the most awe -inspiring episodes following the death and ressurection of our Lord is recorded in the book of Acts - the Acts of the Apostles where we can read how the disciples took to the streets and spoke boldly for the Lord and how on one occasion - Pentecost - Jesus inspired Peter to share testimony with thousands and God fulfilled His promise that He had given through Jesus at His last meeting with the disciples about the promise of the Holy Spirit who would inspire and energies the young churches to feel the power of God that they had seen inn the life and ministry of Jesus. The Power of the Holy Spirit.
Last week at the close of the meeting we read the promise given by Jesus to His followers in His Last supper with them.
John 14; 15 "If you love Me, keep My commands and I will ask the Father, and He will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— the Spirit of truth. 23 "Anyone who loves Me will obey My teaching. My Father will love them, and We will come to them and make Our home with them.
Wow! Not just to be content in sending Jesus to show us what He was like, God was going to send the Holy Spirit to empower His followers to become like Jesus and show the power of God in their ministry.
God - seeing how mankind was going away from the kind of life He wanted them to live - How mankind was falling away from Gods plan by adding it’s own misguided rues and regulations to the Scriptures - a lot like many so called Christian Churches today - God seeing all this came to earth embodied in Christ and began to show by the way He lived His life - that Love for God and one another was the first steps to being reconciled to God. The WORD became Flesh in Jesus - He lived the Word and showed by His life, both in His obedience to the laws of God and His reactions to others - how God wanted mankind to live - in obedience to Him.
God would accomplish this through the promise He gave through Jesus who said- "If you love Me, ( Jesus) keep My commands and I will ask the Father, and He will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— the Spirit of truth. "Anyone who loves Me will obey My teaching. My Father will love them, and We will come to them and make Our home with them.
Following last weeks message - what has been your response to it - did it made any difference to the way you have acted this week?
We read what Jesus said to His disciples at that last meeting He had with them when He said "As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father's commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no-one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. John 15; 9: and John 16:33 "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."
A few chapters earlier Jesus had told them “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” John 13;34,35
What difference did that make in your life and actions this week? These are the commands of Jesus to you and me - to His church today and the only way that the world today will find peace.
Back to our reading for today; "If you love Me, ( Jesus) keep My commands’ put this together with what Jesus said earlier If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father's commands and remain in His love.
Jesus isn’t telling us to do something He wasn't prepared to do, on the contrary, He is instructing us to do what He Himself did and that was be obedient to the commands of God to love God and one another. Do that and I will ask the Father, and He will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— the Spirit of truth. And here we have it again "Anyone who loves Me will obey My teaching. My Father will love them, and We will come to them and make Our home with them.
Obey His teachings - The New Testament starts in Matthew by recording the beginnings of Christ’s ministry and in ch5 we have the teachings of Jesus that start with the attitudes He wants His people to adopt - Be - Attitudes - the possitive attitudes.
Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.
Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Wow - certainly not the way of the world is it?
The meek will inherit the earth, the Pure in heart will see God, the peacemakers will be called the children of God, those who are persecuted for following the ways of God will be rewarded in the Kingdom of Heaven - as Jesus says “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
The way the world lives today reveals an opposite response to the Word of God. Yet these are the foundation of the teachings of Jesus who in the next few chapters goes on to goes on to teach His hearers about how they should be living their lives
In Mark 12 we read how Jesus responded to a teacher of the Law by saying that the two greatest commandments are to Love the Lord our God and love one another.
In Luke 11 we see Jesus teaching His disciples how to pray.
The Apostle John starts with the awesome truth that Jesus was the Word made flesh. The Law may have come through Moses but Grace and truth came through Jesus.
John then goes on to show how John The Baptist presented Jesus as the Lamb of God and pre-empts the promise of Jesus that one day He would baptise His followers with the Holy Spirit. WOW! We are so blessed in that we have the teachings of Jesus here in His Word - The awesome truth is that Jesus not only taught but He lived what by what He taught.
So back to our Bible reading where Jesus said "If you love Me, keep My commands
Keep My commands - which starts with a desire to seek to know and put in to action the commands of Jesus - the only way to do this is to seek to know His commands through reading His word.
That’s why the first doctrine of the Salvation Army says; We believe that the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments were given by inspiration of God; and that they only - constitute the Divine rule of Christian Faith and practice
The promise we make to become soldiers in the Salvation Army say that ‘I promise to pray and to read my bible = that’s not just on Sunday when we meet with one another - but at home - in private and with the family - I hope that’s a promise that we all keep or how else can we be obedient to a word we are not familiar with. There’s more!
"If you love Me, keep My commands and I will ask the Father, and He will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— the Spirit of truth.
The second blessing of Sanctification WOW! And what a difference that can make to our Christian lives. The Holy Spirit who leads us into all truth and transforms us to become more and more Christlike in our daily living.
SA Doctrine no 7 We believe that repentance toward God, faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, and regeneration by the Holy Spirit are necessary to salvation.
Earlier this year we looked at the time God took Ezekiel and set him in the middle of a valley of Dry bones and asked him - ‘son of man can these bones live?’. The dry bones represented the sad state of Israel at that time. We said then how the dry bones could represent the sad state of the Church today .
The reply Ezekiel gave was so honest and from the heart - today the reply would be the same as Ezekiels‘ God only knows. God instructed Ezekiel to speak to the dry bones and give them the awesome news that God would breath new life into them and they will come to life and in so doing know without a doubt that God is who He says He is - Almighty and worthy of our obedience and love.
The promise of God was that He would put His spirit within them and they would live. - New birth - new life. That’s Regeneration - being re-born - born again by the Spirit - all there in the promise of Jesus to you and me today.
That is what Jesus is saying to His disciples that if His people love Him with their whole heart and Obey His teachings then the Godhead - The Father Son and Spirit will come and make their home within them . WOW! that’s you - that’s me. "Anyone who loves Me will obey My teaching. My Father will love them, and We will come to them and make Our home with them.
SA Doctrine 10 We believe that it is the privilage of all believers to be ‘Wholly sanctified’ and their whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do it.
1 Thessalonians 5;23
Filled with the Spirit that will enable us not only to live according to His word but empower and equip us to share the truth with others. That should be the desire of all who want to grow spiritually and share the truth with others.
The offer is still there today - if we love Him and one another and live in obedience to His word then the fulness of Almighty God will come and abide in and with us all.
The Spirit that filled Jesus when He was baptised, the Spirit filled the disciples when they saw the risen Lord, the same spirit that came upon the hearers at Pentecost, the Spirit that Entered Paul after his encounter with Jesus on the road to Damascus, the same spirit that filled the new converts at Ephesus when Paul prayed with them.
The Spirit of God that empowers and equips ordinary men and women like you and me to be vehicles through whom God can reveal His power - The Holy Spirit promised by Jesus is available today - here as we sing our final song.
All we need to do to receive the Spirit is to repent the past if we havn’t already done so - declare our love for God and our desire to live a life of obedience to His word and WOW! The spirit of God is available today.
Our final song reminds us of that ; It’s time to stop paddling in the past and to let the wind of the spirit lift us up enable us to fly like the birds. ( the song was ‘It’s time to fly - to catch the wind of the Spirit’ ) The same mighty wind that filled those dry bones with new life. The same Spirit that opened the heart and mind of Samuel Logan Brengle to reach out to God and empowered by the Spirit become Gods instrument to teach Holiness in the Salvation Army.
Sunday 17 November 2019 United with Christ and one another
Last week was remembrance day when we looked at the words that Jesus shared with His disciples before He had to leave them to go to the cross. We looked at what should be the true qualities of a Christian who being deeply rooted in the love of Christ will bear good fruit
John 15; 9: "As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father's commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no-one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command.
John 16:33 "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."
One of my favourite Bible portions that I made such an impression on my life when I first came to really know Christ and started reading the Living Bible are the words of Paul to the church at Ephesus;
Ephesians 3:17-19 Living Bible I pray that Christ will be more and more at home in your hearts, living within you as you trust in him. May your roots go down deep into the soil of God’s marvelous love; and may you be able to feel and understand, as all God’s children should, how long, how wide, how deep, and how high his love really is; and to experience this love for yourselves, though it is so great that you will never see the end of it or fully know or understand it. And so at last you will be filled up with God himself.
I love that; May your roots go down deep into the soil of Gods marvellous love. WOW! Paul emphasising the words of Jesus Now remain in my love. How? Jesus tells us; If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father's commands and remain in his love. My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.
Jesus was emphasising what He had already shared with his disciples earlier in their final meeting together when He told them; “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” John 13;34,35
This was the passionate desire of Jesus for His disciples that they love one another with the deep love that is Christ centred and strongly felt in their hearts. Jesus was stressing the need for them to show love towards one-another in order that the on looking world would see that Love and know they were Christians.
Jesus explained why He was telling them this -I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. The Peace that comes from exercising Gods love by sharing it with one another - Jesus had already shared this with his disciples earlier in their final meeting together ; John 13;34 “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
The exercising of that Love will bring Peace to their hearts and together, that Love and Peace will bring great Joy to their hearts and the fellowship.
Just knew that after He had gone, His disciples would not have an easy time and would need to be strong - a together people - bonded in the love that He shared with His Father and to this end after sharing the secret of His strength in adversity - strength even when facing death of a cruel Cross.
With all that in mind, Jesus then went on to spend some time praying for them - and not only them, His disciples, but - those who would come to know Him through the testimonies of His disciples. That’s you and me - as we read the word - the word that became flesh in Christ as He lived in obedience to it, as we read the word - the word will become flesh in us.
Lets read what Jesus prayed for - John 17; 20-26 “My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in Me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as You are in Me and I am in You. May they also be in Us so that the world may believe that You have sent Me. I have given them the glory that You gave Me, that they may be one as We are one— I in them and You in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that You sent me and have loved them even as You have loved Me.
“Father, I want those you have given Me to be with Me where I am, and to see My glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world. “Righteous Father, though the world does not know you, I know you, and they know that you have sent me. I have made You known to them, and will continue to make You known in order that the love You have for Me may be in them and that I Myself may be in them.”
The prayer of Jesus was that all of those who accept Him through the testimonies of His disciples - that’s you and me - may be one, - a together people, both in what we believe, and in how we live our lives as a fellowship of Christian - how we function as a church - the living body of Christ in the world today
Wow! just look at what Jesus is saying here; that all of them may be one, Father, just as You are in Me and I am in You. May they also be in Us United with Christ - joined as one to the living vine - One together just as Jesus and God are one - Wow! that’s awesome! One with the Father so that the world may believe that God sent Jesus.
Jesus goes on to explain how this is all made possible when He says to His Father; 'I have given them the glory that You gave Me, that they may be one as We are one— I in them and You in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. At one with the Father and the Son - at one with God - United
I would think that it was these words of Jesus that inspired Hugh Bourne the principal founder of the Primitive Methodists, and the editor of their first hymn-books, to write the hymn;
My soul is now united to Christ, the living vine;
His grace I long have slighted, but now I feel him mine;
I was to God a stranger till Jesus took me in,
He freed my soul from danger and pardoned all my sin.
The last verse of that hymn echoes the prayer of Jesus when He said “Father, I want those you have given Me to be with Me where I am, and to see My glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world.
Soon as my all I ventured on the atoning blood,
The Holy Spirit entered, and I was born of God;
My sins are all forgiven, I feel his blood applied,
And I shall go to Heaven if I in Christ abide.
The Holy Spirit enters and we are born again and one day will move on to live with Jesus in Glory.
The awesome prayer of Jesus for His disciples and those who respond to their message - that’s you and me today. Jesus said “Righteous Father, though the world does not know You, I know You, and they know that You have sent Me. I have made You known to them, and will continue to make You known - and listen to this in order that the love You have for Me may be in them and that I Myself may be in them.”
'My soul is now united to Christ, the living vine'; How? By the fact that just as Jesus promised to those who live in obedience to His Word - that 'The Holy Spirit entered, and I was born of God';
That was the promise of Jesus to His disciples that if they loved Him and lived in obedience to Him that they would recieve the Holy Spirit - the Spirit of truth and that together with Jesus and the Father - they would come and live within them
John 14; 15 “If you love me, keep my commands and I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— the Spirit of truth. 23 “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them
The basis of our faith is Obedience to the word - Jesus - that will bring unity with Christ the living vine through whom we are also United with God our Heavenly Father - and united with one another in thought and action. At one with each other and one with God
It’s so easy to sing Christian songs but not as easy to live up to what we sing
We are one in the Spirit, we are one in the Lord
We are one in the Spirit, we are one in the Lord
And we pray that our unity will one day be restored
And they'll know we are Christians by our love, by our love
We will work with each other, we will work side by side
And we'll guard each man's dignity and save each man's pride
And they'll know we are Christians by our love, by our love
Yes, they'll know we are Christians by our love.
Sadly the lack of unity within many churches in these days is one of the reasons why churches are emptying and not growing. It’s so important that Christian fellowships today realise the value and importance of being a together people as the early church was - as seen in the book of Acts.
As we have seen in the run up to the elections in this country - people are loosing faith with the different parties as they see dis-unity within those parties - the disagreements and fall outs of members of the same parties. The leader being heckled by those who claim to be his own followers - so much confusion that the public are finding it difficult to know who to vote for and many are changing parties.
To be united in what we believe and stand for is so vitally important in these days, especially in our Churches - that’s why I believe that the final prayer of Jesus is so vitally important today. that all of them may be one, Father, just as You are in Me and I am in You. At one with the Lord - one in the spirit
As Gods Church - the living body of Christ in the world today - it is vitally important that we are together in what we believe and do. We are after all a privileged people having been chosen and called by God to follow Him and make Him known to others become His witnesses and be indwelt by the Godhead. Jesus choosing to live within us - and through us spread His love to others.
I love the words of Peter in 1 Peter 2;9 that says; You are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His wonderful light.
Chosen by God and in belonging to Him are empowered and equiped to share His love with others as true disciples of the Living Christ.
The very word disciples implies that we are under His discipline by living in obedience to Jesus - the living Word
Lets close then by reminding ourselves of the prayer of Jesus that we read earlier.
John 17; 20-26 “My prayer is not for them alone. ( the Disciples) I pray also for those who will believe in Me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as You are in Me and I am in You. May they also be in Us so that the world may believe that You have sent Me. I have given them the glory that You gave Me, that they may be one as We are one— I in them and You in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that You sent me and have loved them even as You have loved Me.
“Father, I want those you have given Me to be with Me where I am, and to see My glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world. “Righteous Father, though the world does not know you, I know you, and they know that you have sent me. I have made You known to them, and will continue to make You known in order that the love You have for Me may be in them and that I Myself may be in them.”
Closing Hymn We are one in the Spirit
2019 Remembrance Sunday?
Today is Remembrance Day - a day that we remember all those brave men and women who died in the two world wars fighting to bring freedom from tyrants. The brave men and women who have given their lives hoping to make this world a better place for you and me. 101 years since the Armistis was signed in 1918 hoping to bring peace to our world - sadly only 20 years later we went to war a second time.
Remembrance Day was inaugurated by King George V in 1919 and is observed on 11 November in most countries to recall the end of the First World War in 1918. The war formally ended "at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month", in accordance with the armistice signed by representatives of Germany and the Entente between 5:12 and 5:20 that morning. ("At the 11th hour" refers to the passing of the 11th hour, or 11:00 am.) The First World War officially ended with the signing of the Treaty of Versailles on 28 June 1919.
The first two-minute silence held in London 11 November 1919 was reported in the Manchester Guardian on 12 November 1919: as follows; The first stroke of eleven produced a magical effect. The tram cars glided into stillness, motors ceased to cough and fume, and stopped dead, and the mighty-limbed dray horses hunched back upon their loads and stopped also, seeming to do it of their own volition.
Someone took off his hat, and with a nervous hesitancy the rest of the men bowed their heads also. Here and there an old soldier could be detected slipping unconsciously into the posture of 'attention'. An elderly woman, not far away, wiped her eyes, and the man beside her looked white and stern. Everyone stood very still ... The hush deepened. It had spread over the whole city, a silence which was almost pain ... And the spirit of memory brooded over it all
As the poppies fell in the remembrance service at the Royal Albert Hall last night - each one represented the life of thousands of soldiers who were killed fighting in those wars - and in the wars that followed and are still going on around the world.
I shared last year how one of those men was my uncle Sam Conroy who went to war as a young lad and never came home. Not killed as a direct result of the war but as one of his colleagues was testing two bren guns - pulled the trigger thinking it wasn‘t loaded and shot Sam twice in the stomach - he died shortly after. After the war, in 1947, the War Office sent my grandma a medal saying that is was sad that he himself was not there to receive it.. Sam was a brave lad - who cared about others and their lives. When he was 15 he’d saved a young girl from drowning in the canal at Apperley Bridge - sad that after all that he was killed by gun fire by one of his own soldiers..
Many people today will be sad when they think of the price their loved ones and themselves had to pay in the hopes of gaining peace. There is nothing glamorous about war - sadly it’s because of the inability of man to live with one another. It’s so often the result of mans greed for power and dominion - which by rights belong to God.
God's ultimate response to the world, when He saw man making a mess of it, when He saw man ignoring Him and going his own sweet way, was not to send calamity and destroy it, that might be mans way - not God, He chose to come and live here, to share our humanity in the form of Jesus. The word became flesh - He chose to share our world.
That's how much God loves you and me. Gods response to rejection is the opposite to mans. God came in love, and even though the world hung Him on a cruel cross, they could not destroy that love, His love lived on in His disciples, those who accepted His way of life and were obedient to Him.
Two Minutes Silence at 11
John 15; 9: "As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father's commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no-one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. John 16:33 "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."
If ever there was a three point sermon, it's here in the final words that Jesus shared with His friends. The verses we shared at the close of last weeks meeting that speak of Love, Joy and Peace If ever there were three words that should be preached in churches throughout the world today - Remembrance day - it should be these three words - Love - Joy - Peace
Love is a very powerful emotion, expressed in unselfish giving. Jesus reminds us that the greatest expression of love is when a man is prepared to give his life, for the sake of another. ‘Greater love hath no man than this, that a men lay down his life for his friends. Jesus said ' you are my friends if you obey my commands, and the greatest command is that 'you love one another, as I have loved you'- thats love - real love. The greatest love is seen when a man is ready to sacrifice his own life for the sake of others. That’s what the men in the wars did for our country - that’s what our Saviour Jesus did for the sake of the whole world.
Jesus loves you Jesus knew that His time had come. The culmination of His lifetimes work was about to unfold. The world was to learn it's greatest lesson, that 'God is love', and that only 'love will triumph in the end. He was to show us that the only way to combat evil in this world is with love. By giving His life, freely on the cross Jesus fought the greatest battle against the evil forces of this world. This was 'spiritual warfare' against which there are no ‘man made modern weapons’ other than the exact opposite of that which you are opposing, which is hate and evil. The only antidote, the only weapon is the 'Love of God'. Love, real love, is prepared to sacrifice self, for the sake of those that they love.
Today, Remembrance day, in churches all over the country, people gather to remember the sacrifice of those millions of men and women who gave their lives in the hopes that one day we could all live in peace. Today as on every Sunday, we meet to thank God for sending Jesus who gave His life to save the whole world -- you and me
Many of the soldiers were there not by choice, but because they were compelled to go. Young men, old men, sons and fathers from both countries who paid with their lives, for the folly of one mans lust for power. To say that many of them freely gave their lives would be wrong, many were forced into the situation. God In Christ chose to give His life Freely
That’s not to say that what the soldiers did wasn't a sacrifice, of course it was. They died for their country, and their sacrifice resulted in the defeat of the enemy. Jesus on the other hand knew that He was going to die. That was why He came. He knew that He would have to pay the ultimate price for the sinfulness of all mankind.
In the two world wars that we remember this morning, millions died on the worlds battlefields because of the sinful and evil ways of just one dictator, Hitler. Since then Satan has inspired other Hitlers to relight the torch of evil that fuels wars with mans greed, selfishness and lust for power and dominion. Today , sadly we don’t just think of those men who gave their lives all those years ago but those who have been killed in wars since - Korea, Afghanistan and Iran. Today their are families who are suffering through the loss of sons, husbands, fathers who have given their lives to gain the freedom for people they have never met or knew existed until they were sent to these far off lands.
As we all know, lasting peace will never be achieved through war - God’s word tells us that, The only way to lasting Peace is by encouraging people to learn to love God and their neighbour. Gods ultimate weapon against sin is Love. Gods word tells us that God so loved the world that He gave His only Son Jesus that whosever believed in Him might be saved. - He came and gave His life on the cross to pay sins price and set us free form the consequence of our own actions - sin. There was no other - good enough to pay the price of sin - He only! This was one man against the forces of evil - just one man filled with love for His fellowmen. Gods Love.
In the story of David and Goliath - we are told of the challenge thrown by the Philistines - that if one man could defeat Goliath, then the vanquished would become slaves of the victor. This would also prevent thousands of lives being sacrificed on the battlefields. One young man - David took up the challenge and facing death = took on the whole evil army for the sake of the nation.This parralels the sacrificial love of Jesus who - even though afraid - even asked His Father if there was any other way - still He was willing to give His life on the spiritual battlefield because of the sins of the whole world - to fight a lone battle against sin and evil and make it possible for the world to live the life of the redeemed.
One man , Jesus, took on the whole army of evil to claim victory over sin for the sake of the whole world. Jesus didn't want to die, but He freely gave His life for our sakes. Jesus said,' The greatest love is seen when a man is prepared to lay down his life for his friends. 'You are My friends, if you do whatsoever I command you'. Jesus fought the powers of evil armed only with the love of God.
Love - last week we celebrated the Harvest - we had a table spread with the fruits of the harvest - apples, pears, oranges, bananas etc the fruits that shows the different trees and bushes they came from. We read how God wants us to bear fruit - the fruit that reveals to others where our lives are rooted - Jesus Christ. That fruit is LOVE. We read how Jesus told His disciples “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.
My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. Jesus told them before They will know you are Christians by your love
Galatians 5;22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.
John 15;5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.
It goes without saying that as we begin to take God at His word and are joined to the living vine that a lot of pruning, tending, feeding and nourishing will need to take place in our lives - thankfully God has made allowances for that and in effect says ‘ Remain in Me, be rooted in Me and you will grow
Obedience to God is the natural outworking of our love for Him and thats the way it should be - at any cost. Jesus said 'If anyone loves Me, he will obey My teachings' that’s the natural response of true love. If you really love someone then you will do anything for them. Jesus is really saying ‘If you love Me, if you make Me the centre of your thoughts, then you can’t help but obey Me for it will be your hearts desire’.
So often as Christians and Salvationists we promise not to do this or that, and place a lot of stress on sticking to those regulations when really what we should be doing is concentrate on the things that Gods word says that we should do. His commands were that we should love God and one another - it’s as simple as that!
Joy I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. O how we need more love in the world today - O how we need more Joy in our churches - its starts with me and you Joy is at the heart of Gods plan for human beings. Joy is at the very heart of God Himself. We will never understand the significance of Joy in human life until we understand its importance to God, I think that many of us underestimate Gods capacity for Joy.
Joy for God our Father is to see His children set free from the shackles of sin and back in the fathers arms.
Joy for Gods children is having that assurance that Jesus loves and cares about us.
Joy is more than happiness, it's that deep feeling of warm contentment, that lovely feeling of belonging, of living with the assurance that 'whatever happens, whatever valley or storms we go through in this life, that God loves us, and that Jesus cares and shares our deepest sorrows.
Joy is peaceful contentment, that can only be found in Jesus.
Joy is freedom in Christ And lastly Jesus said;
Peace John 14;27 Peace I leave with you; My peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. It seems ironic that the only way that man seems to aim for peace is to 'war' after it.
Jesus died to make it possible for those who live opposed to each other, can be reconciled. The Jew and the Gentile, as referred to in Paul's letter to the Ephesians 'you who once were far away, have been brought near through the blood of Christ. For he himself is our peace, who has made the two one'. His purpose was to create in himself one new man out of the two, thus making peace, and reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility.
He came and preached Peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. Those who were around Him then and those who in future days would come to love Him. - that's you and me. For through Him both groupings have access to the Father by one Spirit. Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow-citizens with God's people and members of God's household.'
Christ, by His sacrifice on the cross made it possible for all men to live in peace, without having to fight for it. Freedom in Christ brings lasting peace. We thank God for love, and the Joy that real love brings. And we thank God for the peace that knowing Him brings to each one of us. Love, Joy and peace are freely available to each one of us, and all we have to do is live a life of obedience to God.
Imagine how Mary felt as she saw her Son nailed to that cross. Imagine how God feels, when He sees the way that man today, rejects the fact that His Son died for them. I believe that nothing grieves the heart of the Father more than the rejection of His Son by those for whom His Son died. 'God so loved the World that He gave His only Son Jesus that whosoever believeth on Him should not perish, but have everlasting life'.
Imagine what the loved ones of those who gave their lives in the war feel like when they look at the way in which people live their lives in these days. Imagine what they feel like knowing that their loved ones, sons, husbands, fathers gave their lives so that we could live in peace and yet the world is constantly threatening or even waging war and fall out at the slightest things - I guess they too would think - was it worth it? If those who gave their lives could come back and see the way in which mankind lives today - it would grieve them terrible. To think that they gave up their lives with their families, their wives and children for the world of today. Imagine how God feels when He sees the apathy of the world and the way in which they live their lives as if there were no tomorrow. Was it all worth it? In the light of the way in which the world lives, we could ask ourselves was the sacrifice of the innocent Jesus worth it?
The answer is Yes! it was if we make it so As far as God is concerned, He even thinks it is worth it for the sake of those who as yet don’t know Him and live ungrateful lives. Christ died to bring us back into the family of God to live in Love - Joy - and Peace.
Romans 5; 6-8 You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
Jesus gave His life on the cross to save the world. The soldiers of the wars died to bring peace to our world.
Don’t forget, we are in an Army, the Salvation Army and as such called to fight against sin and injustice to bring God’s peace and love to the world. William Booth had the vision to enlist men and women, boys and girls to become soldiers in God’s Army to fight against, sin, greed, selfishness, injustice and intolerance with the weapon of Love.
In remembering those who bravely fought in the world wars we pay tribute to all the faithful soldiers of this Corps, down through the ages who have fought and given their lives serving Him and have gone onto receive their reward in Heaven. Soldiers who were prepared to put their own lives, dreams and ambitions aside to love others into the Kingdom. People we thank God for and people who’s lives have impacted ours. Soldiers who have gone on to their eternal reward but who faithfulness still influences us today. Gods Soldiers who have been promoted to Glory - My Mum, Mrs Walton, My wife Beryl, my son Kevin, Bertha, David Barratt, Mrs Metcalfe, Nellie Oates, Julia Barrans and others who whilst not being soldiers still played their part like Eva Walker, Ken Levitte, Nancy, Doreen Black
They are now with the Lord they loved and served and Just like we owe it those brave soldiers who fought to gain our peace in the world wars - so too we owe it to these brave soldiers of Christ who have fought the spiritual fight against evil to herald a Kingdom of peace and harmony, God’s Kingdom into our world.
Every year they lay wreaths at the tomb of the unknown soldiers - thank God that in God’s Army there are no unknown soldiers - He knows them all. https://youtu.be/YTqfDCPvp_Q
https://youtu.be/YTqfDCPvp_Q Ernie Haase and Signature Sound singing ‘There are no unknown soldiers’
Today is Remembrance Day - a day that we remember all those brave men and women who died in the two world wars fighting to bring freedom from tyrants. The brave men and women who have given their lives hoping to make this world a better place for you and me. 101 years since the Armistis was signed in 1918 hoping to bring peace to our world - sadly only 20 years later we went to war a second time.
Remembrance Day was inaugurated by King George V in 1919 and is observed on 11 November in most countries to recall the end of the First World War in 1918. The war formally ended "at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month", in accordance with the armistice signed by representatives of Germany and the Entente between 5:12 and 5:20 that morning. ("At the 11th hour" refers to the passing of the 11th hour, or 11:00 am.) The First World War officially ended with the signing of the Treaty of Versailles on 28 June 1919.
The first two-minute silence held in London 11 November 1919 was reported in the Manchester Guardian on 12 November 1919: as follows; The first stroke of eleven produced a magical effect. The tram cars glided into stillness, motors ceased to cough and fume, and stopped dead, and the mighty-limbed dray horses hunched back upon their loads and stopped also, seeming to do it of their own volition.
Someone took off his hat, and with a nervous hesitancy the rest of the men bowed their heads also. Here and there an old soldier could be detected slipping unconsciously into the posture of 'attention'. An elderly woman, not far away, wiped her eyes, and the man beside her looked white and stern. Everyone stood very still ... The hush deepened. It had spread over the whole city, a silence which was almost pain ... And the spirit of memory brooded over it all
As the poppies fell in the remembrance service at the Royal Albert Hall last night - each one represented the life of thousands of soldiers who were killed fighting in those wars - and in the wars that followed and are still going on around the world.
I shared last year how one of those men was my uncle Sam Conroy who went to war as a young lad and never came home. Not killed as a direct result of the war but as one of his colleagues was testing two bren guns - pulled the trigger thinking it wasn‘t loaded and shot Sam twice in the stomach - he died shortly after. After the war, in 1947, the War Office sent my grandma a medal saying that is was sad that he himself was not there to receive it.. Sam was a brave lad - who cared about others and their lives. When he was 15 he’d saved a young girl from drowning in the canal at Apperley Bridge - sad that after all that he was killed by gun fire by one of his own soldiers..
Many people today will be sad when they think of the price their loved ones and themselves had to pay in the hopes of gaining peace. There is nothing glamorous about war - sadly it’s because of the inability of man to live with one another. It’s so often the result of mans greed for power and dominion - which by rights belong to God.
God's ultimate response to the world, when He saw man making a mess of it, when He saw man ignoring Him and going his own sweet way, was not to send calamity and destroy it, that might be mans way - not God, He chose to come and live here, to share our humanity in the form of Jesus. The word became flesh - He chose to share our world.
That's how much God loves you and me. Gods response to rejection is the opposite to mans. God came in love, and even though the world hung Him on a cruel cross, they could not destroy that love, His love lived on in His disciples, those who accepted His way of life and were obedient to Him.
Two Minutes Silence at 11
John 15; 9: "As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father's commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no-one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. John 16:33 "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."
If ever there was a three point sermon, it's here in the final words that Jesus shared with His friends. The verses we shared at the close of last weeks meeting that speak of Love, Joy and Peace If ever there were three words that should be preached in churches throughout the world today - Remembrance day - it should be these three words - Love - Joy - Peace
Love is a very powerful emotion, expressed in unselfish giving. Jesus reminds us that the greatest expression of love is when a man is prepared to give his life, for the sake of another. ‘Greater love hath no man than this, that a men lay down his life for his friends. Jesus said ' you are my friends if you obey my commands, and the greatest command is that 'you love one another, as I have loved you'- thats love - real love. The greatest love is seen when a man is ready to sacrifice his own life for the sake of others. That’s what the men in the wars did for our country - that’s what our Saviour Jesus did for the sake of the whole world.
Jesus loves you Jesus knew that His time had come. The culmination of His lifetimes work was about to unfold. The world was to learn it's greatest lesson, that 'God is love', and that only 'love will triumph in the end. He was to show us that the only way to combat evil in this world is with love. By giving His life, freely on the cross Jesus fought the greatest battle against the evil forces of this world. This was 'spiritual warfare' against which there are no ‘man made modern weapons’ other than the exact opposite of that which you are opposing, which is hate and evil. The only antidote, the only weapon is the 'Love of God'. Love, real love, is prepared to sacrifice self, for the sake of those that they love.
Today, Remembrance day, in churches all over the country, people gather to remember the sacrifice of those millions of men and women who gave their lives in the hopes that one day we could all live in peace. Today as on every Sunday, we meet to thank God for sending Jesus who gave His life to save the whole world -- you and me
Many of the soldiers were there not by choice, but because they were compelled to go. Young men, old men, sons and fathers from both countries who paid with their lives, for the folly of one mans lust for power. To say that many of them freely gave their lives would be wrong, many were forced into the situation. God In Christ chose to give His life Freely
That’s not to say that what the soldiers did wasn't a sacrifice, of course it was. They died for their country, and their sacrifice resulted in the defeat of the enemy. Jesus on the other hand knew that He was going to die. That was why He came. He knew that He would have to pay the ultimate price for the sinfulness of all mankind.
In the two world wars that we remember this morning, millions died on the worlds battlefields because of the sinful and evil ways of just one dictator, Hitler. Since then Satan has inspired other Hitlers to relight the torch of evil that fuels wars with mans greed, selfishness and lust for power and dominion. Today , sadly we don’t just think of those men who gave their lives all those years ago but those who have been killed in wars since - Korea, Afghanistan and Iran. Today their are families who are suffering through the loss of sons, husbands, fathers who have given their lives to gain the freedom for people they have never met or knew existed until they were sent to these far off lands.
As we all know, lasting peace will never be achieved through war - God’s word tells us that, The only way to lasting Peace is by encouraging people to learn to love God and their neighbour. Gods ultimate weapon against sin is Love. Gods word tells us that God so loved the world that He gave His only Son Jesus that whosever believed in Him might be saved. - He came and gave His life on the cross to pay sins price and set us free form the consequence of our own actions - sin. There was no other - good enough to pay the price of sin - He only! This was one man against the forces of evil - just one man filled with love for His fellowmen. Gods Love.
In the story of David and Goliath - we are told of the challenge thrown by the Philistines - that if one man could defeat Goliath, then the vanquished would become slaves of the victor. This would also prevent thousands of lives being sacrificed on the battlefields. One young man - David took up the challenge and facing death = took on the whole evil army for the sake of the nation.This parralels the sacrificial love of Jesus who - even though afraid - even asked His Father if there was any other way - still He was willing to give His life on the spiritual battlefield because of the sins of the whole world - to fight a lone battle against sin and evil and make it possible for the world to live the life of the redeemed.
One man , Jesus, took on the whole army of evil to claim victory over sin for the sake of the whole world. Jesus didn't want to die, but He freely gave His life for our sakes. Jesus said,' The greatest love is seen when a man is prepared to lay down his life for his friends. 'You are My friends, if you do whatsoever I command you'. Jesus fought the powers of evil armed only with the love of God.
Love - last week we celebrated the Harvest - we had a table spread with the fruits of the harvest - apples, pears, oranges, bananas etc the fruits that shows the different trees and bushes they came from. We read how God wants us to bear fruit - the fruit that reveals to others where our lives are rooted - Jesus Christ. That fruit is LOVE. We read how Jesus told His disciples “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.
My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. Jesus told them before They will know you are Christians by your love
Galatians 5;22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.
John 15;5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.
It goes without saying that as we begin to take God at His word and are joined to the living vine that a lot of pruning, tending, feeding and nourishing will need to take place in our lives - thankfully God has made allowances for that and in effect says ‘ Remain in Me, be rooted in Me and you will grow
Obedience to God is the natural outworking of our love for Him and thats the way it should be - at any cost. Jesus said 'If anyone loves Me, he will obey My teachings' that’s the natural response of true love. If you really love someone then you will do anything for them. Jesus is really saying ‘If you love Me, if you make Me the centre of your thoughts, then you can’t help but obey Me for it will be your hearts desire’.
So often as Christians and Salvationists we promise not to do this or that, and place a lot of stress on sticking to those regulations when really what we should be doing is concentrate on the things that Gods word says that we should do. His commands were that we should love God and one another - it’s as simple as that!
Joy I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. O how we need more love in the world today - O how we need more Joy in our churches - its starts with me and you Joy is at the heart of Gods plan for human beings. Joy is at the very heart of God Himself. We will never understand the significance of Joy in human life until we understand its importance to God, I think that many of us underestimate Gods capacity for Joy.
Joy for God our Father is to see His children set free from the shackles of sin and back in the fathers arms.
Joy for Gods children is having that assurance that Jesus loves and cares about us.
Joy is more than happiness, it's that deep feeling of warm contentment, that lovely feeling of belonging, of living with the assurance that 'whatever happens, whatever valley or storms we go through in this life, that God loves us, and that Jesus cares and shares our deepest sorrows.
Joy is peaceful contentment, that can only be found in Jesus.
Joy is freedom in Christ And lastly Jesus said;
Peace John 14;27 Peace I leave with you; My peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. It seems ironic that the only way that man seems to aim for peace is to 'war' after it.
Jesus died to make it possible for those who live opposed to each other, can be reconciled. The Jew and the Gentile, as referred to in Paul's letter to the Ephesians 'you who once were far away, have been brought near through the blood of Christ. For he himself is our peace, who has made the two one'. His purpose was to create in himself one new man out of the two, thus making peace, and reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility.
He came and preached Peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. Those who were around Him then and those who in future days would come to love Him. - that's you and me. For through Him both groupings have access to the Father by one Spirit. Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow-citizens with God's people and members of God's household.'
Christ, by His sacrifice on the cross made it possible for all men to live in peace, without having to fight for it. Freedom in Christ brings lasting peace. We thank God for love, and the Joy that real love brings. And we thank God for the peace that knowing Him brings to each one of us. Love, Joy and peace are freely available to each one of us, and all we have to do is live a life of obedience to God.
Imagine how Mary felt as she saw her Son nailed to that cross. Imagine how God feels, when He sees the way that man today, rejects the fact that His Son died for them. I believe that nothing grieves the heart of the Father more than the rejection of His Son by those for whom His Son died. 'God so loved the World that He gave His only Son Jesus that whosoever believeth on Him should not perish, but have everlasting life'.
Imagine what the loved ones of those who gave their lives in the war feel like when they look at the way in which people live their lives in these days. Imagine what they feel like knowing that their loved ones, sons, husbands, fathers gave their lives so that we could live in peace and yet the world is constantly threatening or even waging war and fall out at the slightest things - I guess they too would think - was it worth it? If those who gave their lives could come back and see the way in which mankind lives today - it would grieve them terrible. To think that they gave up their lives with their families, their wives and children for the world of today. Imagine how God feels when He sees the apathy of the world and the way in which they live their lives as if there were no tomorrow. Was it all worth it? In the light of the way in which the world lives, we could ask ourselves was the sacrifice of the innocent Jesus worth it?
The answer is Yes! it was if we make it so As far as God is concerned, He even thinks it is worth it for the sake of those who as yet don’t know Him and live ungrateful lives. Christ died to bring us back into the family of God to live in Love - Joy - and Peace.
Romans 5; 6-8 You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
Jesus gave His life on the cross to save the world. The soldiers of the wars died to bring peace to our world.
Don’t forget, we are in an Army, the Salvation Army and as such called to fight against sin and injustice to bring God’s peace and love to the world. William Booth had the vision to enlist men and women, boys and girls to become soldiers in God’s Army to fight against, sin, greed, selfishness, injustice and intolerance with the weapon of Love.
In remembering those who bravely fought in the world wars we pay tribute to all the faithful soldiers of this Corps, down through the ages who have fought and given their lives serving Him and have gone onto receive their reward in Heaven. Soldiers who were prepared to put their own lives, dreams and ambitions aside to love others into the Kingdom. People we thank God for and people who’s lives have impacted ours. Soldiers who have gone on to their eternal reward but who faithfulness still influences us today. Gods Soldiers who have been promoted to Glory - My Mum, Mrs Walton, My wife Beryl, my son Kevin, Bertha, David Barratt, Mrs Metcalfe, Nellie Oates, Julia Barrans and others who whilst not being soldiers still played their part like Eva Walker, Ken Levitte, Nancy, Doreen Black
They are now with the Lord they loved and served and Just like we owe it those brave soldiers who fought to gain our peace in the world wars - so too we owe it to these brave soldiers of Christ who have fought the spiritual fight against evil to herald a Kingdom of peace and harmony, God’s Kingdom into our world.
Every year they lay wreaths at the tomb of the unknown soldiers - thank God that in God’s Army there are no unknown soldiers - He knows them all. https://youtu.be/YTqfDCPvp_Q
https://youtu.be/YTqfDCPvp_Q Ernie Haase and Signature Sound singing ‘There are no unknown soldiers’
Harvest Sunday 3 November 2019
Every year I say this that as we look at the harvest table we can see the splendour of Gods awesome innovative creativeness - each fruit is so different it is easy to name the vast array of luscious fruits - each one so different in appearance, in colour, in taste from the next one
I said last year that whilst we can tell the differences between each fruit by it’s colour, shape and size but we might be hard pushed to tell by looking at the tree what kind of tree it was. - it’s the fruit that gives it away.
That’s also how you can tell a genuine Christian. From leaders to followers, from Pastors to clergy - from you and me and those out there.
Matt 7;16 False Prophets known by the fruit they bear “Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.
This scripture applies even today as we have mentioned so many times we are surrounded today by false teachers, prophets who teach a false doctrine - a man pleasing gospel, that promises prosperity - they might look the part - in sheeps clothing that suggests follow the Good shepherd whilst inwardly they are ferocious wolves. There are so many of them in this day and age that the true gospel of Jesus Christ is being changed to pander to mans greed and selfishness. Today these false prophets own and travel around in expensive cars and even jet planes - live in big houses and have thousands in the banks - the fruit of their False lifestyles - Jesus rightly said By their fruit you will recognize them
Sadly the same goes when deciding if someone is simply Christian or not - it’s by their fruit - their actions, their responses, their love that you can tell - As the scripture says - it’s ‘by their fruit you will know them’. As I said last week, false leaders attract people with their promise of wealth. Jesus was born in a borrowed stable, borrowed a donkey to travel into Jerusalem and was even laid in a borrowed tomb
When the Christian pathway proves to be too costly, it’s so easy to live a life of pretence. To give the appearance from the outside that they are through and through all that they profess to be.. The world today is so used to ‘cover up jobs’ or veneers, that people accept them for what they are. Not so in the Kingdom of God, God gave His all to mankind and expects nothing less in return. It’s the Christians responsibility to show true, genuine Christianity to a veneer world.
In 2 Timothy 3 we read of one of the saddest indictments of many Christians in the latter days which would have ‘a form of godliness but denying the power - have nothing to do with them’. The Psalmist said ‘Search me O God ; know my heart, test me and know my anxious thoughts, see if there be any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting’ Psalm 139; 23
It’s so easy to fool the world and eventually we even fool ourselves into believing that we are what we profess to be - but we can’t fool God - He sees right through the veneer - He sees right to the heart of each one.
As Christians we have to be careful that what we portray - is what we really are, that ‘what you see is what you get’ There is no way a Christian can wriggle out of his or her responsibilities to God and our fellow men. We have chosen to declare to the World that we love and serve God.
I remember watching the comedy classic ‘Keeping up appearances’ with a character called Mrs Bucket - being a posh lady who liked top live above her station she pronounced it Mrs ( Boo - kay) Unlike her sister and brother-in-law who slobbed around in his string vest - no pretence - Hyacinth Bucket, tried to keep up appearances - but unfortunately her true colours often came through.
It’s important that as Gods people - His church - the living body of Christ in the world today that what others see in us is a true reflection of the love of God - that the fruit they see is the result of being rooted firmly in God - That Christ lives in us.
Remember how when Jesus was hungry, He saw in the distance what appeared to be a fig tree - a source of food. As He got closer to the tree He realised that the fig tree was barren and there was no fruit on it - Jesus was disappointed as the tree, at a distance, had given all the right signals but as He got closer it was exposed as a fraud. Probably the roots were dead, the tree had been starved of water or had be shielded from the sun - we don’t know but the truth was that it was barren.
Keeping up appearance for a Christian should not be difficult after all Jesus shared how this was possible when He explained to them - I am the vine - you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing
On the other hand - He continued, - If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.
Jesus then goes on to reassure them 9 “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.
My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command.
As He told them before They will know you are Christians by your love
God gave us His word - the seed, and as we read it we see the power of that word bearing fruit in the lives of ordinary people like you and me. We see that in order for His word to spread throughout the world, God gave the Holy Spirit who lives within us to enable Gods word to bear fruit.
On Tuesday night we looked at what the bible says about ’talents’ the things that God gives and entrusts us with and what we should be doing with them - not hiding them under a bushel but using them to let others see the difference that Jesus makes in our lives. How when we go through problems in our lives - how we respond to those difficulties will speak volumes to those around us.
This morning we look at what Gods word says about the blessings, the gifts that God has made available for us all to share and how by using those gifts we become fruitful.
The greatest gift God gave to His people to enable them to live in the way He wanted them to is the gift of the Holy Spirit and the presence of our Saviour Jesus in our hearts. As we experience these awesome realities - the Lord within us by the power of His Spirit - purpose is that we will begin to bear the fruits of the indwelling Christ and the outworking of the Holy Spirit.
The awesome reality of the inner presence of Jesus and the power that we can experience and show as the Holy Spirit enables us are seen as being strengthening additives to our faith.
In his letter to the church at Galatia Paul stresses the importance of faith over works. The Jews that had converted to Christianity still clung to the old traditional ceremonies that they did before they were shown a new and living way. The new Jewish converts probably still held the traditional ceremonies so as not to be ostracised by their Jewish friends. In fact this was one of the reasons Paul opposed the way Peter dealt with this. Paul strongly advised them to think again and stressed the importance of faith over the observance of the old Jewish laws;
Lets read Galatians 5; 1-7 and 16-26
5 It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery. Mark my words! I, Paul, tell you that if you let yourselves be circumcised, Christ will be of no value to you at all. Again I declare to every man who lets himself be circumcised that he is obligated to obey the whole law. You who are trying to be justified by the law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace. For through the Spirit we eagerly await by faith the righteousness for which we hope. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love. You were running a good race. Who cut in on you to keep you from obeying the truth?
Galatians 5; 16-26 So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.
The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.
It’s not by works but by the Grace of God that we have been saved - therefore Faith is the key. The faith that enables us to trust in God - realise the awesomness of the indwelling Christ within and learn to walk empowered and enabled by the Spirit.
I love the way emphasises the truth that Christ lives within all who have asked Him into their lives and that as they are filled with the Spirit it will begin to show in their lives - they will begin to bear fruit - and by those fruits you will know them.
Just as a tree is easily identified by its fruit so too they will know we are Christians by the fruit we bear. That’s why his advice to them is to live by the Spirit and by so doing you will not seek the desires of your previous sinful nature. You are a new creation.
Galatians 5;22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.
Notice what he says ‘ The fruit, not fruits - there is no pick and choose If the Spirit of God lives within you then you grow and people will be able to see the Love, of God, in you - by the way you respond to them, the love that brings Joy into your life and actions, the Peace that is seen in your life even when the going is tough, the qualities of His love that are seen when you display the necessary actions of that love - the ‘nesses’ Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness and the necessary Self-Control needed to display all these ‘nesses’
God has given us His word - the seed, and as we read it we see the power of that word bearing fruit in the lives of ordinary people like you and me. We see that in order for His word to spread throughout the world, God gave the Holy Spirit who lives within us to enable Gods word to bear fruit in and through us. As the word of God takes root in our hearts then LOVE becomes our greatest aim.
Some of the final words Jesus shared with His disciples before His death on the cross were these;
John 15;5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.
It goes without saying that as we begin to take God at His word and are joined to the living vine that a lot of pruning, tending, feeding and nourishing will need to take place in our lives - thankfully God has made allowances for that and in effect says ‘ Remain in Me, be rooted in Me and you will grow
As a young born again Christian I gained such a lot from reading the Living Bible - which eventually attracted me to look at the AV bible and then the original Greek.
This is how the Living Bible expresses Paul’s words to the Church at Ephesus
Ephesians 3;14-19 14 When I think of the wisdom and scope of His plan, I fall down on my knees and pray to the Father of all the great family of God—some of them already in heaven and some down here on earth— that out of His glorious, unlimited resources He will give you the mighty inner strengthening of His Holy Spirit.
And I pray that Christ will be more and more at home in your hearts, living within you as you trust in Him. May your roots go down deep into the soil of God’s marvelous love; and may you be able to feel and understand, as all God’s children should, how long, how wide, how deep, and how high His love really is; and to experience this love for yourselves, though it is so great that you will never see the end of it or fully know or understand it. And so at last you will be filled up with God himself.
At harvest we are reminded of Gods faithfulness - to feed the world not only through the food that builds our bodies but also feeding on the food of His word so that we ourselves begin to bear fruit and be fruitful.
My prayer is that we us might bear fruit that sets mankind longing for the truth in us, the truth that is Christ Jesus our Saviour. That people will know that we are Christian by the fruit that they see in us - Genuine love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.
NIV Hebrews 13;15,16 Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise—the fruit of lips that openly profess his name. And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.
.
Our Father loves to receive the praises of His creation. We can’t Worship and Praise Him in any better way that by living lives that honour Him, lives that reflect the beauty of Jesus our Saviour. Holy lives.
Wholly devoted to Him - Worship the Lord in the beauty of Holiness. When we do we will begin to bear the fruit of those who are deeply rooted in Him - the fruit that comes when our roots go down deep into the soil of God’s marvellous love.
The praise that comes from a grateful loving heart is sweet and pleasing to Him
The quality of the fruit we bear depends entirely on the devotion of our heart.
And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased
Hymn Great is Thy faithfulness
Prayer
Every year I say this that as we look at the harvest table we can see the splendour of Gods awesome innovative creativeness - each fruit is so different it is easy to name the vast array of luscious fruits - each one so different in appearance, in colour, in taste from the next one
I said last year that whilst we can tell the differences between each fruit by it’s colour, shape and size but we might be hard pushed to tell by looking at the tree what kind of tree it was. - it’s the fruit that gives it away.
That’s also how you can tell a genuine Christian. From leaders to followers, from Pastors to clergy - from you and me and those out there.
Matt 7;16 False Prophets known by the fruit they bear “Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.
This scripture applies even today as we have mentioned so many times we are surrounded today by false teachers, prophets who teach a false doctrine - a man pleasing gospel, that promises prosperity - they might look the part - in sheeps clothing that suggests follow the Good shepherd whilst inwardly they are ferocious wolves. There are so many of them in this day and age that the true gospel of Jesus Christ is being changed to pander to mans greed and selfishness. Today these false prophets own and travel around in expensive cars and even jet planes - live in big houses and have thousands in the banks - the fruit of their False lifestyles - Jesus rightly said By their fruit you will recognize them
Sadly the same goes when deciding if someone is simply Christian or not - it’s by their fruit - their actions, their responses, their love that you can tell - As the scripture says - it’s ‘by their fruit you will know them’. As I said last week, false leaders attract people with their promise of wealth. Jesus was born in a borrowed stable, borrowed a donkey to travel into Jerusalem and was even laid in a borrowed tomb
When the Christian pathway proves to be too costly, it’s so easy to live a life of pretence. To give the appearance from the outside that they are through and through all that they profess to be.. The world today is so used to ‘cover up jobs’ or veneers, that people accept them for what they are. Not so in the Kingdom of God, God gave His all to mankind and expects nothing less in return. It’s the Christians responsibility to show true, genuine Christianity to a veneer world.
In 2 Timothy 3 we read of one of the saddest indictments of many Christians in the latter days which would have ‘a form of godliness but denying the power - have nothing to do with them’. The Psalmist said ‘Search me O God ; know my heart, test me and know my anxious thoughts, see if there be any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting’ Psalm 139; 23
It’s so easy to fool the world and eventually we even fool ourselves into believing that we are what we profess to be - but we can’t fool God - He sees right through the veneer - He sees right to the heart of each one.
As Christians we have to be careful that what we portray - is what we really are, that ‘what you see is what you get’ There is no way a Christian can wriggle out of his or her responsibilities to God and our fellow men. We have chosen to declare to the World that we love and serve God.
I remember watching the comedy classic ‘Keeping up appearances’ with a character called Mrs Bucket - being a posh lady who liked top live above her station she pronounced it Mrs ( Boo - kay) Unlike her sister and brother-in-law who slobbed around in his string vest - no pretence - Hyacinth Bucket, tried to keep up appearances - but unfortunately her true colours often came through.
It’s important that as Gods people - His church - the living body of Christ in the world today that what others see in us is a true reflection of the love of God - that the fruit they see is the result of being rooted firmly in God - That Christ lives in us.
Remember how when Jesus was hungry, He saw in the distance what appeared to be a fig tree - a source of food. As He got closer to the tree He realised that the fig tree was barren and there was no fruit on it - Jesus was disappointed as the tree, at a distance, had given all the right signals but as He got closer it was exposed as a fraud. Probably the roots were dead, the tree had been starved of water or had be shielded from the sun - we don’t know but the truth was that it was barren.
Keeping up appearance for a Christian should not be difficult after all Jesus shared how this was possible when He explained to them - I am the vine - you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing
On the other hand - He continued, - If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.
Jesus then goes on to reassure them 9 “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.
My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command.
As He told them before They will know you are Christians by your love
God gave us His word - the seed, and as we read it we see the power of that word bearing fruit in the lives of ordinary people like you and me. We see that in order for His word to spread throughout the world, God gave the Holy Spirit who lives within us to enable Gods word to bear fruit.
On Tuesday night we looked at what the bible says about ’talents’ the things that God gives and entrusts us with and what we should be doing with them - not hiding them under a bushel but using them to let others see the difference that Jesus makes in our lives. How when we go through problems in our lives - how we respond to those difficulties will speak volumes to those around us.
This morning we look at what Gods word says about the blessings, the gifts that God has made available for us all to share and how by using those gifts we become fruitful.
The greatest gift God gave to His people to enable them to live in the way He wanted them to is the gift of the Holy Spirit and the presence of our Saviour Jesus in our hearts. As we experience these awesome realities - the Lord within us by the power of His Spirit - purpose is that we will begin to bear the fruits of the indwelling Christ and the outworking of the Holy Spirit.
The awesome reality of the inner presence of Jesus and the power that we can experience and show as the Holy Spirit enables us are seen as being strengthening additives to our faith.
In his letter to the church at Galatia Paul stresses the importance of faith over works. The Jews that had converted to Christianity still clung to the old traditional ceremonies that they did before they were shown a new and living way. The new Jewish converts probably still held the traditional ceremonies so as not to be ostracised by their Jewish friends. In fact this was one of the reasons Paul opposed the way Peter dealt with this. Paul strongly advised them to think again and stressed the importance of faith over the observance of the old Jewish laws;
Lets read Galatians 5; 1-7 and 16-26
5 It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery. Mark my words! I, Paul, tell you that if you let yourselves be circumcised, Christ will be of no value to you at all. Again I declare to every man who lets himself be circumcised that he is obligated to obey the whole law. You who are trying to be justified by the law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace. For through the Spirit we eagerly await by faith the righteousness for which we hope. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love. You were running a good race. Who cut in on you to keep you from obeying the truth?
Galatians 5; 16-26 So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.
The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.
It’s not by works but by the Grace of God that we have been saved - therefore Faith is the key. The faith that enables us to trust in God - realise the awesomness of the indwelling Christ within and learn to walk empowered and enabled by the Spirit.
I love the way emphasises the truth that Christ lives within all who have asked Him into their lives and that as they are filled with the Spirit it will begin to show in their lives - they will begin to bear fruit - and by those fruits you will know them.
Just as a tree is easily identified by its fruit so too they will know we are Christians by the fruit we bear. That’s why his advice to them is to live by the Spirit and by so doing you will not seek the desires of your previous sinful nature. You are a new creation.
Galatians 5;22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.
Notice what he says ‘ The fruit, not fruits - there is no pick and choose If the Spirit of God lives within you then you grow and people will be able to see the Love, of God, in you - by the way you respond to them, the love that brings Joy into your life and actions, the Peace that is seen in your life even when the going is tough, the qualities of His love that are seen when you display the necessary actions of that love - the ‘nesses’ Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness and the necessary Self-Control needed to display all these ‘nesses’
God has given us His word - the seed, and as we read it we see the power of that word bearing fruit in the lives of ordinary people like you and me. We see that in order for His word to spread throughout the world, God gave the Holy Spirit who lives within us to enable Gods word to bear fruit in and through us. As the word of God takes root in our hearts then LOVE becomes our greatest aim.
Some of the final words Jesus shared with His disciples before His death on the cross were these;
John 15;5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.
It goes without saying that as we begin to take God at His word and are joined to the living vine that a lot of pruning, tending, feeding and nourishing will need to take place in our lives - thankfully God has made allowances for that and in effect says ‘ Remain in Me, be rooted in Me and you will grow
As a young born again Christian I gained such a lot from reading the Living Bible - which eventually attracted me to look at the AV bible and then the original Greek.
This is how the Living Bible expresses Paul’s words to the Church at Ephesus
Ephesians 3;14-19 14 When I think of the wisdom and scope of His plan, I fall down on my knees and pray to the Father of all the great family of God—some of them already in heaven and some down here on earth— that out of His glorious, unlimited resources He will give you the mighty inner strengthening of His Holy Spirit.
And I pray that Christ will be more and more at home in your hearts, living within you as you trust in Him. May your roots go down deep into the soil of God’s marvelous love; and may you be able to feel and understand, as all God’s children should, how long, how wide, how deep, and how high His love really is; and to experience this love for yourselves, though it is so great that you will never see the end of it or fully know or understand it. And so at last you will be filled up with God himself.
At harvest we are reminded of Gods faithfulness - to feed the world not only through the food that builds our bodies but also feeding on the food of His word so that we ourselves begin to bear fruit and be fruitful.
My prayer is that we us might bear fruit that sets mankind longing for the truth in us, the truth that is Christ Jesus our Saviour. That people will know that we are Christian by the fruit that they see in us - Genuine love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.
NIV Hebrews 13;15,16 Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise—the fruit of lips that openly profess his name. And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.
.
Our Father loves to receive the praises of His creation. We can’t Worship and Praise Him in any better way that by living lives that honour Him, lives that reflect the beauty of Jesus our Saviour. Holy lives.
Wholly devoted to Him - Worship the Lord in the beauty of Holiness. When we do we will begin to bear the fruit of those who are deeply rooted in Him - the fruit that comes when our roots go down deep into the soil of God’s marvellous love.
The praise that comes from a grateful loving heart is sweet and pleasing to Him
The quality of the fruit we bear depends entirely on the devotion of our heart.
And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased
Hymn Great is Thy faithfulness
Prayer
MM 27 October 2019
Last week we read Ephesians 1;15-23 How Paul wrote that because he had heard about their faith in Jesus and their love for all God’s people, he continually gave thanks for them, in his prayers. This is what he said I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. Which is the same as the mighty strength God exerted when He raised Christ from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way
Paul had heard nothing but good reports about the Newly formed Christian church there and it was this that encouraged him to pray in the way he did for them a prayer he probably made every day leading up to his visit to see them. The prayer was that Almighty God would give them the Spirit of Wisdom and revelation so that they could know Him better than they had ever done before
The Wisdom of God and not the foolish often misguided wisdom of the world.
I said then that today there are so many false teachers in the Christian churches that are teaching man made concepts of how they believe God would like His church to grow. Teachers who pander more to worldy attractions as a way of bringing people in to their churches. Of teaching them misconceived ideas about how God wants to prosper His people in financial ways. Using the attraction of money, wealth and prosperity as a way to get the worlds interest - of course the world is going to be attracted in this way as rulers and leaders of the world are themselves power seeking people. The exact opposite of who Jesus was and what He taught.
Paul’s prayer was that they would guided by the Spirit of wisdom and revelation - the two basics that can only be gained when we seek to know the indwelling Spirit of God and have a hunger for His word The wisdom of God and the revelation that comes through reading and knowing His word. - coupled with prayer, that is the only way man can hope to get to know God - really know God better than he does.
If we seek the Holy Spirits presence in our lives, I know, that as we read the word of God it will become alive and relevant to our lives and in a wonderful way, by the Holy Spirits leading, we are introduced to the awesome ways in which Jesus Christ lived His life - the sacrificial way He thought of others more than Himself.
We looked at the way God calls people from all walks of life to come to know Him and after filling them with Hs Spirit uses them to bring others int fellowship with them and Him. God uses ordinary men and women like you and me to build His Kingdom.
We looked at How the Shepherd boy David was called and used by God even though he had lived a disobedient and sinful life. David brought the Psalms to us.
We looked at the way Jesus called ordinary men like the fishermen, how God called Saul and showed him a new and living way from the strictures of Judaism to the freedom that Christianity brought. With his new name Paul he not only encouraged the new Christian Fellowships but he continues to encourage us today as it was he who wrote over two-thirds of the New testament.
We looked at the men who brought new life to the church in the 1800’s like Billy Bray the Cornish tin miner who was brought out of a life of drunken selfishness to be a spirit filled preacher re-named the Glory Man - who made the scriptures live and was so enthusiastic in his ministry that he couldn’t stop dancing
We looked at the men who had made a great influence on the church in our day like Smith Wigglesworth who went from uneducated plumber who could neither read nor write to become a world evangelist
We looked at Rodney Gypsy Smith a young lad who at an early age taught himself to read and write and began to practice preaching to the birds in the fields. God led William Booth to see the potential in Gypsy Smith and he became an Officer in the Salvation Army and for six years (1877–1882) he preached all over the world and even spoke in the Eastbrook Hall at Bradford when Paul Hockneys grandfather got saved
We then looked at Samuel Logan Brengle the American who came to England and joined the Salvation Army. eventually becoming a Commissioner. Brengle had been filled with the Holy Spirit as he walked over Boston Common and was so impacted by the experience that he became the Salvation Army’s teacher of Holiness.
Great ‘Ordinary men whos lives were dramatically changed by the impact that God made on their lives. All of them ordinary folk who became powerhouses for God. The disciples of Jesus were ordinary folk, fishermen, tax collector.
Paul prayed that the Ephesian Church would really get to know the Lord better.
I closed last week by saying that the prayer of Paul for the Church then is I believe an important prayer for the church today - you and me - that we as Gods people begin to really know Him so that we can make Him known to others.
What a great privilage it is to know that God loves us and desires us to love Him and really know Him and His presence in our lives. He wants to transform our lives - He wants us to be ‘born again’ have a fresh start
Can you remember what it was like when you first became a Christian and in putting the physical clock back - were ‘born again’. New birth - a fresh start - a new perspective on life - the time when you , like a new born baby learns to recognise his earthly fathers voice, you began to really recognise your Heavenly Fathers voice and learn to be obedient to Him. Life took on a new meaning
This morning we put our clocks back - some gained another hour of rest, and an extra hour of light tonight - putting the clock back to when you were born again spiritually brought you away from the often selfish foolish ways of life you led and brought you into the Fathers rest and brought that extra glorious light of His salvation into your life
We may have put the clock back this morning - but what we can’t do is put the clock back in our earthy lives- sometimes wish we could. Whilst it isn’t always a bad thing to look back and be reminded of what life was like before we knew the Lord we are encouraged by the Lord to look forward to what He has in store for us.
That’s why Jesus told His hearers “No one who puts a hand to the plough and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of . Luke 9;62
With that in mind lets look at Paul’s letter to the church at Philippi - He has just told them that what he had experienced before, under the guidance of his Jewish background, is so vastly different to the ways of God as revealed through Jesus Christ following his encounter on the Damascus road. ‘What he had before, the rituals demanded by the Jewish teachers, was nothing compared to what he had now having had his eyes opened to the truth in Christ.
Philippians 3:7-20 But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith. I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in His death, and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead.
Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.
All of us, then, who are mature should take such a view of things. And if on some point you think differently, that too God will make clear to you. Only let us live up to what we have already attained.
Join together in following my example, brothers and sisters, and just as you have us as a model, keep your eyes on those who live as we do. For, as I have often told you before and now tell you again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is set on earthly things. But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Saviour from there, the Lord Jesus Christ who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.
Wow! The new Paul now regards what he thought were the benefits and gains of his former life to be a loss What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ and be found in Him,
His, previous standing with the Lord - his righteousness then - came from obedience to the law of the Jews of which their were hundreds - now after meeting with Jesus he had a whole new concept of what his righteousness was attributed to which was faith in Jesus Christ —the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith.
And so his prayer was - as we said last week - to get to really know Christ - and the power that raised Jesus from the dead - with that in mind he was prepared to go face whatever was needed to achieve this. I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of His resurrection and participation in His sufferings, becoming like Him in His death, and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead.
That was Paul prayer as a new convert - that was also my prayer years ago when at the age of 34 - following a life of what I thought was obedience to God - God told me that I didn’t really know Him as He wanted me to and as I knelt here and cried out to God ‘I want to know You Father - really know You - My life began the transformation that was needed to really know Him.
That new life in Christ began then - and like Paul - I know that every new day takes me nearer to that goal - I have a long way to go - and I pray every day that God will help me to keep on the right path that will bring me closer to Him and to enable Him to make me more Christ like in my everyday life.
As Paul said - Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.
Its a forward journey for us all and we need to make sure that we are following the leadership of God.
We can’t put the clock back but we can but we can learn from the past and putting it behind us move forward as Paul says But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.
We need to really look at our lives - in the same way I believe God does - He knows the real me and you that no one else knows. He knows what we think, what our desires are, He knows our fears and doubts - He sees the real you and me that no one else can - yet He still loves us and wants us to become more Christlike in our attitudes, our responses and our daily lives.
We need to put the past behind us and move forward to what God wants for us which is to be more like Christ in our attitudes to life, to one another, to the unsaved and be prepared to do whatever God wants us to do to impact others and share the good news that we have with them- whatever that costs - just like Jesus did.
All of us, then, who are mature should take such a view of things. And if on some point you think differently, that too God will make clear to you. As we said last week - God has a purpose and a plan for each one of those who choose to follow Him and live in obedience to His word We all have plans for our lives - our families - our future - we reach for the best, whatever it takes to achieve this.
On Tuesday night at our Bible Fellowship we shared scriptures that had made an impression on our lives and impacted the way we live today. I shared how God had led me to look at the verses from Jeremiah 29 and apply them to my own life which said ‘ I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you
God certainly brought that to my attention and has been faithful to that.
We all have our own plans - but as the Hymn says - I’m in His hands the days I cannot see, have all been planned for me - His way is best you’ll see - I’m in His hands.
On Wednesday afternoon I shared with the Friendship Club what I had found out about a young man who was paralized from the neck down following an accident on the football pitch when he collided with another player. His ambition - his plans for his life - which was to become a proffessional footballer and make lots of money - all went haywire when his plans went wrong.
What he didn’t know then was that God had greater plans for his life and that today he is a motivational speaker who tells everyone that the ways of God are better than the plans of man. That man is Chris Norton who was brought to my attention by an article in last weeks War Cry
In an interview about his life he was asked if he would change anything that had happened and he said ‘no’ his own plan went wrong but God took hold of His life and gave him a new plan for his life. As Chris Says ‘ God has a better plan for your life than the plans you have for yourself’. Today he feels fulfilled in his life. He has a lovely wife and fosters 13 children whom he loves with all his heart and his mission in life is to help others in similar situations. He founded a mission to help people in similar situations to his and so far has raised over $1 million
As the hymn says ‘Gods way is best you’ll see - I’m in His hands
Pauls final words in chapter 3 are these ; Join together in following my example, brothers and sisters, and just as you have us as a model, keep your eyes on those who live as we do. For, as I have often told you before and now tell you again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is set on earthly things. But our citizenship is in heaven.
We can’t put the clock back and change our past but in looking to Jesus Christ He can direct our lives and change the future by redirecting our lives to follow the plan He has in store for us. And we eagerly await a Saviour from Heaven, the Lord Jesus Christ who, by the power that enables Him to bring everything under His control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body. WOW!
To be like Jesus - WOW!
That’s Gods plan for our lives - it’s up to us to leave the past behind and ask God to take hold of our lives to enable us to become the people He designed us to be - obedient to His word, and be able to experience His presence within until that glorious day when we shall share eternity with Him.
We can’t put the clock back and change the past but we can look forward and allow Christ to dictate our future both here on earth and one day live in Heaven with Him
Song I'm in His hands
Last week we read Ephesians 1;15-23 How Paul wrote that because he had heard about their faith in Jesus and their love for all God’s people, he continually gave thanks for them, in his prayers. This is what he said I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. Which is the same as the mighty strength God exerted when He raised Christ from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way
Paul had heard nothing but good reports about the Newly formed Christian church there and it was this that encouraged him to pray in the way he did for them a prayer he probably made every day leading up to his visit to see them. The prayer was that Almighty God would give them the Spirit of Wisdom and revelation so that they could know Him better than they had ever done before
The Wisdom of God and not the foolish often misguided wisdom of the world.
I said then that today there are so many false teachers in the Christian churches that are teaching man made concepts of how they believe God would like His church to grow. Teachers who pander more to worldy attractions as a way of bringing people in to their churches. Of teaching them misconceived ideas about how God wants to prosper His people in financial ways. Using the attraction of money, wealth and prosperity as a way to get the worlds interest - of course the world is going to be attracted in this way as rulers and leaders of the world are themselves power seeking people. The exact opposite of who Jesus was and what He taught.
Paul’s prayer was that they would guided by the Spirit of wisdom and revelation - the two basics that can only be gained when we seek to know the indwelling Spirit of God and have a hunger for His word The wisdom of God and the revelation that comes through reading and knowing His word. - coupled with prayer, that is the only way man can hope to get to know God - really know God better than he does.
If we seek the Holy Spirits presence in our lives, I know, that as we read the word of God it will become alive and relevant to our lives and in a wonderful way, by the Holy Spirits leading, we are introduced to the awesome ways in which Jesus Christ lived His life - the sacrificial way He thought of others more than Himself.
We looked at the way God calls people from all walks of life to come to know Him and after filling them with Hs Spirit uses them to bring others int fellowship with them and Him. God uses ordinary men and women like you and me to build His Kingdom.
We looked at How the Shepherd boy David was called and used by God even though he had lived a disobedient and sinful life. David brought the Psalms to us.
We looked at the way Jesus called ordinary men like the fishermen, how God called Saul and showed him a new and living way from the strictures of Judaism to the freedom that Christianity brought. With his new name Paul he not only encouraged the new Christian Fellowships but he continues to encourage us today as it was he who wrote over two-thirds of the New testament.
We looked at the men who brought new life to the church in the 1800’s like Billy Bray the Cornish tin miner who was brought out of a life of drunken selfishness to be a spirit filled preacher re-named the Glory Man - who made the scriptures live and was so enthusiastic in his ministry that he couldn’t stop dancing
We looked at the men who had made a great influence on the church in our day like Smith Wigglesworth who went from uneducated plumber who could neither read nor write to become a world evangelist
We looked at Rodney Gypsy Smith a young lad who at an early age taught himself to read and write and began to practice preaching to the birds in the fields. God led William Booth to see the potential in Gypsy Smith and he became an Officer in the Salvation Army and for six years (1877–1882) he preached all over the world and even spoke in the Eastbrook Hall at Bradford when Paul Hockneys grandfather got saved
We then looked at Samuel Logan Brengle the American who came to England and joined the Salvation Army. eventually becoming a Commissioner. Brengle had been filled with the Holy Spirit as he walked over Boston Common and was so impacted by the experience that he became the Salvation Army’s teacher of Holiness.
Great ‘Ordinary men whos lives were dramatically changed by the impact that God made on their lives. All of them ordinary folk who became powerhouses for God. The disciples of Jesus were ordinary folk, fishermen, tax collector.
Paul prayed that the Ephesian Church would really get to know the Lord better.
I closed last week by saying that the prayer of Paul for the Church then is I believe an important prayer for the church today - you and me - that we as Gods people begin to really know Him so that we can make Him known to others.
What a great privilage it is to know that God loves us and desires us to love Him and really know Him and His presence in our lives. He wants to transform our lives - He wants us to be ‘born again’ have a fresh start
Can you remember what it was like when you first became a Christian and in putting the physical clock back - were ‘born again’. New birth - a fresh start - a new perspective on life - the time when you , like a new born baby learns to recognise his earthly fathers voice, you began to really recognise your Heavenly Fathers voice and learn to be obedient to Him. Life took on a new meaning
This morning we put our clocks back - some gained another hour of rest, and an extra hour of light tonight - putting the clock back to when you were born again spiritually brought you away from the often selfish foolish ways of life you led and brought you into the Fathers rest and brought that extra glorious light of His salvation into your life
We may have put the clock back this morning - but what we can’t do is put the clock back in our earthy lives- sometimes wish we could. Whilst it isn’t always a bad thing to look back and be reminded of what life was like before we knew the Lord we are encouraged by the Lord to look forward to what He has in store for us.
That’s why Jesus told His hearers “No one who puts a hand to the plough and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of . Luke 9;62
With that in mind lets look at Paul’s letter to the church at Philippi - He has just told them that what he had experienced before, under the guidance of his Jewish background, is so vastly different to the ways of God as revealed through Jesus Christ following his encounter on the Damascus road. ‘What he had before, the rituals demanded by the Jewish teachers, was nothing compared to what he had now having had his eyes opened to the truth in Christ.
Philippians 3:7-20 But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith. I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in His death, and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead.
Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.
All of us, then, who are mature should take such a view of things. And if on some point you think differently, that too God will make clear to you. Only let us live up to what we have already attained.
Join together in following my example, brothers and sisters, and just as you have us as a model, keep your eyes on those who live as we do. For, as I have often told you before and now tell you again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is set on earthly things. But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Saviour from there, the Lord Jesus Christ who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.
Wow! The new Paul now regards what he thought were the benefits and gains of his former life to be a loss What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ and be found in Him,
His, previous standing with the Lord - his righteousness then - came from obedience to the law of the Jews of which their were hundreds - now after meeting with Jesus he had a whole new concept of what his righteousness was attributed to which was faith in Jesus Christ —the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith.
And so his prayer was - as we said last week - to get to really know Christ - and the power that raised Jesus from the dead - with that in mind he was prepared to go face whatever was needed to achieve this. I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of His resurrection and participation in His sufferings, becoming like Him in His death, and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead.
That was Paul prayer as a new convert - that was also my prayer years ago when at the age of 34 - following a life of what I thought was obedience to God - God told me that I didn’t really know Him as He wanted me to and as I knelt here and cried out to God ‘I want to know You Father - really know You - My life began the transformation that was needed to really know Him.
That new life in Christ began then - and like Paul - I know that every new day takes me nearer to that goal - I have a long way to go - and I pray every day that God will help me to keep on the right path that will bring me closer to Him and to enable Him to make me more Christ like in my everyday life.
As Paul said - Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.
Its a forward journey for us all and we need to make sure that we are following the leadership of God.
We can’t put the clock back but we can but we can learn from the past and putting it behind us move forward as Paul says But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.
We need to really look at our lives - in the same way I believe God does - He knows the real me and you that no one else knows. He knows what we think, what our desires are, He knows our fears and doubts - He sees the real you and me that no one else can - yet He still loves us and wants us to become more Christlike in our attitudes, our responses and our daily lives.
We need to put the past behind us and move forward to what God wants for us which is to be more like Christ in our attitudes to life, to one another, to the unsaved and be prepared to do whatever God wants us to do to impact others and share the good news that we have with them- whatever that costs - just like Jesus did.
All of us, then, who are mature should take such a view of things. And if on some point you think differently, that too God will make clear to you. As we said last week - God has a purpose and a plan for each one of those who choose to follow Him and live in obedience to His word We all have plans for our lives - our families - our future - we reach for the best, whatever it takes to achieve this.
On Tuesday night at our Bible Fellowship we shared scriptures that had made an impression on our lives and impacted the way we live today. I shared how God had led me to look at the verses from Jeremiah 29 and apply them to my own life which said ‘ I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you
God certainly brought that to my attention and has been faithful to that.
We all have our own plans - but as the Hymn says - I’m in His hands the days I cannot see, have all been planned for me - His way is best you’ll see - I’m in His hands.
On Wednesday afternoon I shared with the Friendship Club what I had found out about a young man who was paralized from the neck down following an accident on the football pitch when he collided with another player. His ambition - his plans for his life - which was to become a proffessional footballer and make lots of money - all went haywire when his plans went wrong.
What he didn’t know then was that God had greater plans for his life and that today he is a motivational speaker who tells everyone that the ways of God are better than the plans of man. That man is Chris Norton who was brought to my attention by an article in last weeks War Cry
In an interview about his life he was asked if he would change anything that had happened and he said ‘no’ his own plan went wrong but God took hold of His life and gave him a new plan for his life. As Chris Says ‘ God has a better plan for your life than the plans you have for yourself’. Today he feels fulfilled in his life. He has a lovely wife and fosters 13 children whom he loves with all his heart and his mission in life is to help others in similar situations. He founded a mission to help people in similar situations to his and so far has raised over $1 million
As the hymn says ‘Gods way is best you’ll see - I’m in His hands
Pauls final words in chapter 3 are these ; Join together in following my example, brothers and sisters, and just as you have us as a model, keep your eyes on those who live as we do. For, as I have often told you before and now tell you again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is set on earthly things. But our citizenship is in heaven.
We can’t put the clock back and change our past but in looking to Jesus Christ He can direct our lives and change the future by redirecting our lives to follow the plan He has in store for us. And we eagerly await a Saviour from Heaven, the Lord Jesus Christ who, by the power that enables Him to bring everything under His control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body. WOW!
To be like Jesus - WOW!
That’s Gods plan for our lives - it’s up to us to leave the past behind and ask God to take hold of our lives to enable us to become the people He designed us to be - obedient to His word, and be able to experience His presence within until that glorious day when we shall share eternity with Him.
We can’t put the clock back and change the past but we can look forward and allow Christ to dictate our future both here on earth and one day live in Heaven with Him
Song I'm in His hands
MM 20 October 2019
We have shared over the last few weeks how Jesus came to show mankind that whatever they thought and did- God cared for and loved His creation and wanted them to live in obedience to Him. The most awesome demonstration of Gods love was when Jesus took on human form and went to the cross to make forgiveness possible.
We looked at how Jesus instructed his followers the disciples back to the basic requirements of what it means to be a follower and lover of God and mankind by reading the first 16 verses of Matthew ch5. The Be - attitudes and how Jesus I believe looked straight into the eyes of His followers and told them You are the salt of the earth. As we know, salt opens up the receptive taste buds and helps to brings out the best - also“You are the light of the world so let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.
That’s what Jesus did - He lived the Word - He was the living Word to let the world see the value in living according to Gods design for our lives. To love God and love one another.
Jesus was and still is to this day, so concerned about people like you and me that He took the sins of mankind both then and forever upon Himself, and paid the ultimate price on the cross. Jesus cared - and still does.
I said then that the only crowd puller that Jesus needed was to let the people see ‘God in action’ in the way He lived His life and interacted with the people. They needed to see the power of the good news that Jesus shared - to let them see that God is real and cares about His creation.
We - the Church -should be the living body of Christ in the world today, To show mankind that Gods way is the best. What the world has to offer is transient and short lived, What we have, and should be attracting the world with - is a new and everlasting life. We need to mirror His Glory.
Last week we looked at what the Apostle Peter wrote to the early church - Peter the one on whom Jesus had appointed to build His church - Peter the one who even after spending three years with Jesus - failed Him when the testing time came by denying even knowing Jesus - not just once but three times yet Jesus forgave Him - WOW!
Peter in the second chapter of his gospel told his hearers the extent of Gods awesome love in that they are a chosen people to declare the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His wonderful light. His advice to them was to abstain from sinful desires, and live such good lives that, even though people might accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.
Just as Jesus was precious to His Heavenly Father God, so too we are precious to our Heavenly Father - who sees us as His sons and daughters - children of Almighty God. Jesus is Gods son and so am I and so are you - God is our Heavenly Father.
The theme of our meeting last week was to praise God that He has chosen people like you and me to come to really know Him so that we can make Him truly known to others. We looked at what the Apostle Paul said when he wrote to the young church at Ephesus - Paul the one time Saul of Tarsus a devout Jew who in his dedication to God thought he was doing Gods will by destroying the new Christian Churches that were springing up across the land. That was until he encountered Jesus on the Damascus Road and Jesus called him to become a Christian himself and be Gods light to the Jews and Gentiles. Which is what he became.
We read the first chapter of Pauls letter to the church at Ephesus where he said; Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ - for He chose us in Him before the creation of the world to be Holy and blameless in His sight.
This privilage of New Life in Christ is available for all. All mankind has to do is acknowledge his sinfulness - say sorry to God and have the desire to change and become the person that God intended him to be in the first place. For all mankind - forgiveness is made available if only man would repent and turn to God who forgives and gives us new birth =- a second chance at life - born again under the fathership of our heavenly Father God. and to as we are born again He begins to transform us into the person He intended us to be from the beginning.
This morning we are going to move on further and read Ephesians 1;15-23 Ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all God’s people, I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better.
I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way
Before Paul even arrived in Ephesus he had heard nothing but good reports about the Newly formed Christian church there and it was this that encouraged Paul to pray in the way he did for them. I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better.
His was a prayer he probably made every day leading up to his visit to see them. The prayer was that Almighty God would give them the Spirit of Wisdom and revelation so that they could know Him better than they had ever done before. The Wisdom of God and not the foolish often misguided wisdom of the world.
Today there are so many false teachers in the Christian churches that are teaching man made concepts of how they believe God would like His church to grow. Teachers who pander more to worldly attractions as a way of bringing people in to their churches. Of teaching them misconceived ideas about how God wants to prosper His people in financial ways. Using the attraction of money, wealth and prosperity as a way to get the worlds interest - of course the world is going to be attracted in this way as rulers and leaders of the world are themselves power seeking people. The exact opposite of who Jesus was and what He taught.
Paul’s prayer was that they would guided by the Spirit of wisdom and revelation - the two basics that can only be gained when we seek to know the indwelling Spirit of God and have a hunger for His word The wisdom of God and the revelation that comes through reading and knowing His word. - that is the only way man can hope to get to know God - really know God better than he does.
I thank God I was brought up in a Christian home where we read the bible and even said grace before every meal. When I was about ten years old and both me and my younger brother had gone to bed around 7.30pm, I remember that my mother held bible classes in our home for the teenagers at the Corps and how I occasionly used to sit on the steps, unknown to mum and nosey in on what they were doing.
On Wednesday when we gathered for the celebration of the life of my Sister-in-law Christine, I shared how she too had been brought up in a Christian home and how she gave her heart to the Lord here at the Salvation Army. We looked at how after being a teacher for a few years, she felt the call of God to enter the ministry and go to the SA Training College in London. God then led her to use her teaching experience to look after the many Children's homes that the Army ran. She had come to Know God through His word and wanted to help others get to know God by sharing His love with them. Christine gave her life sacrificially to the Lord and came to really know His presence in her life.
If we seek the Holy Spirits presence in our lives, I know, that as we read the word of God it will become alive and relevant to our lives and in a wonderful way, by the Holy Spirits leading, we are introduced to the awesome ways in which Jesus Christ lived His life - the sacrificial way He thought of others more than Himself.
I know that in my life it wasn’t until I had sought the presence of the Holy Spirit that the Bible began to make sense. Before that I had grown up in the Army - was an active member of all the different facets of Army Life - the singing Company, the band, the songsters, and attended all the meetings and open- air s - I thought I was OK until God showed me that I didn’t know Him as He really wanted to be known - I only knew about Him - and He wanted me to really Know Him in my life.
It was when God led me to kneel here at the mercy seat aged about 33 that I was filled with the Holy Spirit and a hunger began in my heart to want to get to really know Christ - the living Christ - more. He then gave me a hunger for His word and amazingly as I read it - the reality of what I was reading began to sink in and I began to see Jesus in a new light - a living everyday light.
That was the prayer of Paul for the Ephesians - that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give them the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that they may know him better.
I started reading the lives of other men who had come to know Christ in an awesome way - the Cornish tin miner Billy Bray, Joshua Logan Brengle, Smith Wigglesworth, Gypsy Smith and many more whose lives had been dramatically change when the got to know Jesus in a wonderful life changing way.
I began to see how many of the ones God chose to be His representatives and become powerful Spirit filled leaders in the Church were just ordinary men. Many of them were living sinful and selfish lives and not in any way the kind of people that you and I would have chosen - but God saw the potential in them. He knew that when He called them and empowered them to be His disciples that they would not just preach against sin but would really know what they were talking about - because they too had been living the life of a sinner..
Billy Bray was a tin miner in the 1820;s who after a days work went to the pubs and spent all his hard earned cash earnings on booze before going home to his wife and seven children.
One day there was a terrible accident at the tin mine where Billy Bray worked. The roof of the mine ruptured, barely missing him. This incident shook Billy Bray deeply; he knew that he would have gone straight to hell if he had been killed.
Soon after, in November of 1823, a friend gave Billy Bray a book to read. Billy Bray, not really wanting to read it, found himself drawn to its pages anyway. It was after reading this book that Billy Bray began to seriously consider his lost spiritual condition. The book was "Visions of Heaven and Hell" by John Bunyan.That night he didn’t sleep very well as he couldn’t stop thinking about what would happen if he died and fearing he might go straight to hell. He didn't want to die without his salvation so about three in the morning he go out of bed and got down on his knees and cried out to God.
No one had to wait long to see the fruit of change in Billy Bray's life. The next day was payday at the tin mine. That night the pubs would be full with lively music and drunken miners, yet Billy Bray would not be one of the patrons. For the first time in years, Billy came home sober to his wife. After seeing a significant change in Billy Bray, within a week of his salvation, his wife Johanna who used to be a Christian recommitted herself to the Lordship of Christ.
From that day on Billy Bray became a great evangelist in Cornwall and England and was known as the Glory man because he couldn’t keep still when testifying about the Lord - he used to dance and break into song. During his life he and his son built several churches From spirit induced drunkard to Spirit filled evangelist
Smith Wigglesworth, well here we have a local lad who ‘s life still impacts others today. On the back cover of a book about him the author has written; Few individuals have made such an impact on the world for the gospel as the Yorkshire-born plumber turned evangelist Smith Wigglesworth. Although he died in 1947, he is arguably more well known today than when he was alive.
He founded no movement, authored no books, no theological college bears his name but through his audacious faith and spectacular healing ministry, Wigglesworth fanned the flames of revival in many countries throughout the world. Thousands came to know Jesus Christ as their Saviour, received divine healing and were delivered form demonic oppression as a result of his ministry. Smith who could neither read nor write due to the fact he had been forced to work from six in a morning until six in the evening from the age of 12 - the family moved to Bradford and Smith came a plumber. It was about this time that the Salvation Army opened fire in Bradford and Smith found that he liked the enthusiasm and the Spirit of the Army and joined . It was there that he met and married Polly Featherstone.
Smith went on to become a great Pentecostal preacher through whom God showed His mighty power to heal and cast our demonic forces. Smith started a church in Manningham which became a power house for God. His commitment to God took him all over the world. From uneducated plumber to world evangelist
Rodney Gypsy Smith a young lad who came to know Jesus when his father Cornelious got saved. His father was in and out of jail for various offences and it was whilst he was there, he heard the gospel from a prison chaplain; later, he and his brothers were converted at a mission meeting. From 1873 on, "The Converted Gypsies" were involved in numerous evangelistic efforts . When 16, Rodney’s conversion came through the witness of his father. He taught himself to read and write and began to practice preaching. He would sing hymns to the people he met and was known as "the singing gypsy boy."
At a convention at the Christian Mission (later to become The Salvation Army) headquarters in London, William Booth noticed the Gypsies and realized the potential in young Rodney. On 25 June 1877 Rodney became an evangelist with the Mission. For six years (1877–1882) he served on street corners and mission halls eventually preached all over the world and even spoke in the Eastbrook Hall at Bradford when Paul Hockneys grandfather got saved
Samuel Logan Brengle born in America got saved as a young lad and trained to become an evangelist. It was whilst he was at college that one day walking across the Boston Common that his life took a dramatic new direction.
He described his experience as being a full immersion in the love of God. He would later write of the experience: I walked out over Boston Common before breakfast, weeping for joy and praising God. Oh, how I loved! In that hour I knew Jesus, and I loved Him till it seemed my heart would break with love. I was filled with love for all His creatures. I heard the little sparrows chattering; I loved them. I saw a little worm wriggling across my path; I stepped over it; I didn’t want to hurt any living thing. I loved the dogs, I loved the horses, I loved the little urchins on the street, I loved the strangers who hurried past me, I loved the heathen, I loved the whole world. This experience would become his life's focus as he taught and admonished believers to seek 'the blessing' on an international level.
He came to England and wanted to join the Salvation Army. William Booth didn’t gel to him at first thinking that as a new theological student he be a bit of a clever clogs, but eventually Booth accepted him - not without first placing him in the SA Training college where his daily job was to clean the boots of the rest of the students. Probably designed to humble him. Brengle became a Commissioner in the SA and used his Boston Common experience of being filled with the Holy Spirit to become the Salvation Army’s teacher of Holiness.
Great ‘Ordinary men whos lives were dramatically changed by the impact that God made on their lives. Ordinary men who over the years have made a great impression on my life and encouraged me to read Gods word and be filled with the Holy Spirit.
All of them ordinary folk who became powerhouses for God. The disciples of Jesus were ordinary folk, fishermen, tax collector. The writer of our bible reading this morning was a passionate follower of God who hated the Christians - but God wanted someone to bring both Jews and Gentiles to know the truth - what better man could He choose to bring the truth to the Jews but a Jew himself who experiencing an encounter with the risen Christ -God to transform - re-educate and become one of His greatest witnesses. Its to Paul that we thank for over two thirds of the New testament.
Paul prayed that the Ephesian Church would really get to know the Lord better. That’s why in his prayer for them he went on to say;
I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order;
1 that you may know the hope to which he has called you,
a new life in Christ today that will lead to life eternal with Christ
2 the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people,
Not earthly wealth, although I believe He takes care of our daily finances but rather the glorious inheritance of Jesus - new life in us
3 and his incomparably great power for us who believe. The power of the Holy Spirit who is ready to work in and through us
That great power is explained as being the same as the mighty strength he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead Wow! That same resurrection power that raised Jesus Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come.
Wow! that’s the prayer of Paul for the Church and I believe that that same prayer should be ours today so that we as Gods people begin to really know Him so that we can make Him known to others.That we will have that confidence within us that if we remain faithful to Him then we too will know His presence in our daily lives as He looks after our needs and one day have the joy of being with Him in Heaven.
What a great privilage it is to know that God is still the same today and that He loves us and desires us to love Him and really know Him and His presence in our lives. He wants to transform our lives - He wants us to be ‘born again’ have a fresh start
We need to really look at our lives - in the same way I believe God does - He knows the real me and you that no one else knows. He knows what we think, what our desires are, He knows our fears and doubts - He sees the real you and me that no one else can - yet He still loves us and wants us to become more Christlike in our attitudes, our responses and our daily lives.
Just as Jesus is God incarnate - the Word who became flesh - so too I believe that The church is designed to become the embodiment of Jesus Christ
And God placed all things under His feet Jesus and appointed Him Jesus to be head over everything for the church, which is His body the body of Christ Jesus, the fullness of Him who fills everything in every way. What a privilage and what a responsibility - are you up to it?
I close with the words I closed with last Sunday; People around us - our family, our friends and our neighbours need to see that Loving God and living a godly life works - that as they look at our lives - with all the difficulties and problems we face they will be able to see that we can cope and be able to share with them how it is we can do so - by knowing the presence of Almighty God in our lives.
I know that without Christ I would not have been able to cope with life after loosing mother with Alzheimers, my dad to cancer, my son to a simple operation that went wrong when they flooded his brain with blood, then my wife - but with the presence of Jesus and the power of the Holy Spirit in my life - I realise that He still gives me the hope and purpose to carry on
As Paul prayed - I too pray that God in His love and mercy may give us all the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that we may know him better. That we may know the hope to which he has called us, which is a new life in Christ today that will lead to life eternal with Christ
That we may gain the riches of His glorious inheritance in his holy people, Not earthly wealth but the glorious inheritance of knowing Jesus lives within us giving us new life. That we might know His incomparably great power for us who believe. The power of the Holy Spirit who is ready to work in and through us
We are called to become the living stones with which God will build His living Church - the Living body of Christ in the world today.
As members of the Church - the living body of Christ in the world today - this is the only way whereby we can get our ACTS2 gether and become bearers and witnesses to the all saving power of the Lord whom we need to really know and love.
Song How can I better serve Thee Lord?
We have shared over the last few weeks how Jesus came to show mankind that whatever they thought and did- God cared for and loved His creation and wanted them to live in obedience to Him. The most awesome demonstration of Gods love was when Jesus took on human form and went to the cross to make forgiveness possible.
We looked at how Jesus instructed his followers the disciples back to the basic requirements of what it means to be a follower and lover of God and mankind by reading the first 16 verses of Matthew ch5. The Be - attitudes and how Jesus I believe looked straight into the eyes of His followers and told them You are the salt of the earth. As we know, salt opens up the receptive taste buds and helps to brings out the best - also“You are the light of the world so let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.
That’s what Jesus did - He lived the Word - He was the living Word to let the world see the value in living according to Gods design for our lives. To love God and love one another.
Jesus was and still is to this day, so concerned about people like you and me that He took the sins of mankind both then and forever upon Himself, and paid the ultimate price on the cross. Jesus cared - and still does.
I said then that the only crowd puller that Jesus needed was to let the people see ‘God in action’ in the way He lived His life and interacted with the people. They needed to see the power of the good news that Jesus shared - to let them see that God is real and cares about His creation.
We - the Church -should be the living body of Christ in the world today, To show mankind that Gods way is the best. What the world has to offer is transient and short lived, What we have, and should be attracting the world with - is a new and everlasting life. We need to mirror His Glory.
Last week we looked at what the Apostle Peter wrote to the early church - Peter the one on whom Jesus had appointed to build His church - Peter the one who even after spending three years with Jesus - failed Him when the testing time came by denying even knowing Jesus - not just once but three times yet Jesus forgave Him - WOW!
Peter in the second chapter of his gospel told his hearers the extent of Gods awesome love in that they are a chosen people to declare the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His wonderful light. His advice to them was to abstain from sinful desires, and live such good lives that, even though people might accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.
Just as Jesus was precious to His Heavenly Father God, so too we are precious to our Heavenly Father - who sees us as His sons and daughters - children of Almighty God. Jesus is Gods son and so am I and so are you - God is our Heavenly Father.
The theme of our meeting last week was to praise God that He has chosen people like you and me to come to really know Him so that we can make Him truly known to others. We looked at what the Apostle Paul said when he wrote to the young church at Ephesus - Paul the one time Saul of Tarsus a devout Jew who in his dedication to God thought he was doing Gods will by destroying the new Christian Churches that were springing up across the land. That was until he encountered Jesus on the Damascus Road and Jesus called him to become a Christian himself and be Gods light to the Jews and Gentiles. Which is what he became.
We read the first chapter of Pauls letter to the church at Ephesus where he said; Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ - for He chose us in Him before the creation of the world to be Holy and blameless in His sight.
This privilage of New Life in Christ is available for all. All mankind has to do is acknowledge his sinfulness - say sorry to God and have the desire to change and become the person that God intended him to be in the first place. For all mankind - forgiveness is made available if only man would repent and turn to God who forgives and gives us new birth =- a second chance at life - born again under the fathership of our heavenly Father God. and to as we are born again He begins to transform us into the person He intended us to be from the beginning.
This morning we are going to move on further and read Ephesians 1;15-23 Ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all God’s people, I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better.
I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way
Before Paul even arrived in Ephesus he had heard nothing but good reports about the Newly formed Christian church there and it was this that encouraged Paul to pray in the way he did for them. I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better.
His was a prayer he probably made every day leading up to his visit to see them. The prayer was that Almighty God would give them the Spirit of Wisdom and revelation so that they could know Him better than they had ever done before. The Wisdom of God and not the foolish often misguided wisdom of the world.
Today there are so many false teachers in the Christian churches that are teaching man made concepts of how they believe God would like His church to grow. Teachers who pander more to worldly attractions as a way of bringing people in to their churches. Of teaching them misconceived ideas about how God wants to prosper His people in financial ways. Using the attraction of money, wealth and prosperity as a way to get the worlds interest - of course the world is going to be attracted in this way as rulers and leaders of the world are themselves power seeking people. The exact opposite of who Jesus was and what He taught.
Paul’s prayer was that they would guided by the Spirit of wisdom and revelation - the two basics that can only be gained when we seek to know the indwelling Spirit of God and have a hunger for His word The wisdom of God and the revelation that comes through reading and knowing His word. - that is the only way man can hope to get to know God - really know God better than he does.
I thank God I was brought up in a Christian home where we read the bible and even said grace before every meal. When I was about ten years old and both me and my younger brother had gone to bed around 7.30pm, I remember that my mother held bible classes in our home for the teenagers at the Corps and how I occasionly used to sit on the steps, unknown to mum and nosey in on what they were doing.
On Wednesday when we gathered for the celebration of the life of my Sister-in-law Christine, I shared how she too had been brought up in a Christian home and how she gave her heart to the Lord here at the Salvation Army. We looked at how after being a teacher for a few years, she felt the call of God to enter the ministry and go to the SA Training College in London. God then led her to use her teaching experience to look after the many Children's homes that the Army ran. She had come to Know God through His word and wanted to help others get to know God by sharing His love with them. Christine gave her life sacrificially to the Lord and came to really know His presence in her life.
If we seek the Holy Spirits presence in our lives, I know, that as we read the word of God it will become alive and relevant to our lives and in a wonderful way, by the Holy Spirits leading, we are introduced to the awesome ways in which Jesus Christ lived His life - the sacrificial way He thought of others more than Himself.
I know that in my life it wasn’t until I had sought the presence of the Holy Spirit that the Bible began to make sense. Before that I had grown up in the Army - was an active member of all the different facets of Army Life - the singing Company, the band, the songsters, and attended all the meetings and open- air s - I thought I was OK until God showed me that I didn’t know Him as He really wanted to be known - I only knew about Him - and He wanted me to really Know Him in my life.
It was when God led me to kneel here at the mercy seat aged about 33 that I was filled with the Holy Spirit and a hunger began in my heart to want to get to really know Christ - the living Christ - more. He then gave me a hunger for His word and amazingly as I read it - the reality of what I was reading began to sink in and I began to see Jesus in a new light - a living everyday light.
That was the prayer of Paul for the Ephesians - that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give them the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that they may know him better.
I started reading the lives of other men who had come to know Christ in an awesome way - the Cornish tin miner Billy Bray, Joshua Logan Brengle, Smith Wigglesworth, Gypsy Smith and many more whose lives had been dramatically change when the got to know Jesus in a wonderful life changing way.
I began to see how many of the ones God chose to be His representatives and become powerful Spirit filled leaders in the Church were just ordinary men. Many of them were living sinful and selfish lives and not in any way the kind of people that you and I would have chosen - but God saw the potential in them. He knew that when He called them and empowered them to be His disciples that they would not just preach against sin but would really know what they were talking about - because they too had been living the life of a sinner..
Billy Bray was a tin miner in the 1820;s who after a days work went to the pubs and spent all his hard earned cash earnings on booze before going home to his wife and seven children.
One day there was a terrible accident at the tin mine where Billy Bray worked. The roof of the mine ruptured, barely missing him. This incident shook Billy Bray deeply; he knew that he would have gone straight to hell if he had been killed.
Soon after, in November of 1823, a friend gave Billy Bray a book to read. Billy Bray, not really wanting to read it, found himself drawn to its pages anyway. It was after reading this book that Billy Bray began to seriously consider his lost spiritual condition. The book was "Visions of Heaven and Hell" by John Bunyan.That night he didn’t sleep very well as he couldn’t stop thinking about what would happen if he died and fearing he might go straight to hell. He didn't want to die without his salvation so about three in the morning he go out of bed and got down on his knees and cried out to God.
No one had to wait long to see the fruit of change in Billy Bray's life. The next day was payday at the tin mine. That night the pubs would be full with lively music and drunken miners, yet Billy Bray would not be one of the patrons. For the first time in years, Billy came home sober to his wife. After seeing a significant change in Billy Bray, within a week of his salvation, his wife Johanna who used to be a Christian recommitted herself to the Lordship of Christ.
From that day on Billy Bray became a great evangelist in Cornwall and England and was known as the Glory man because he couldn’t keep still when testifying about the Lord - he used to dance and break into song. During his life he and his son built several churches From spirit induced drunkard to Spirit filled evangelist
Smith Wigglesworth, well here we have a local lad who ‘s life still impacts others today. On the back cover of a book about him the author has written; Few individuals have made such an impact on the world for the gospel as the Yorkshire-born plumber turned evangelist Smith Wigglesworth. Although he died in 1947, he is arguably more well known today than when he was alive.
He founded no movement, authored no books, no theological college bears his name but through his audacious faith and spectacular healing ministry, Wigglesworth fanned the flames of revival in many countries throughout the world. Thousands came to know Jesus Christ as their Saviour, received divine healing and were delivered form demonic oppression as a result of his ministry. Smith who could neither read nor write due to the fact he had been forced to work from six in a morning until six in the evening from the age of 12 - the family moved to Bradford and Smith came a plumber. It was about this time that the Salvation Army opened fire in Bradford and Smith found that he liked the enthusiasm and the Spirit of the Army and joined . It was there that he met and married Polly Featherstone.
Smith went on to become a great Pentecostal preacher through whom God showed His mighty power to heal and cast our demonic forces. Smith started a church in Manningham which became a power house for God. His commitment to God took him all over the world. From uneducated plumber to world evangelist
Rodney Gypsy Smith a young lad who came to know Jesus when his father Cornelious got saved. His father was in and out of jail for various offences and it was whilst he was there, he heard the gospel from a prison chaplain; later, he and his brothers were converted at a mission meeting. From 1873 on, "The Converted Gypsies" were involved in numerous evangelistic efforts . When 16, Rodney’s conversion came through the witness of his father. He taught himself to read and write and began to practice preaching. He would sing hymns to the people he met and was known as "the singing gypsy boy."
At a convention at the Christian Mission (later to become The Salvation Army) headquarters in London, William Booth noticed the Gypsies and realized the potential in young Rodney. On 25 June 1877 Rodney became an evangelist with the Mission. For six years (1877–1882) he served on street corners and mission halls eventually preached all over the world and even spoke in the Eastbrook Hall at Bradford when Paul Hockneys grandfather got saved
Samuel Logan Brengle born in America got saved as a young lad and trained to become an evangelist. It was whilst he was at college that one day walking across the Boston Common that his life took a dramatic new direction.
He described his experience as being a full immersion in the love of God. He would later write of the experience: I walked out over Boston Common before breakfast, weeping for joy and praising God. Oh, how I loved! In that hour I knew Jesus, and I loved Him till it seemed my heart would break with love. I was filled with love for all His creatures. I heard the little sparrows chattering; I loved them. I saw a little worm wriggling across my path; I stepped over it; I didn’t want to hurt any living thing. I loved the dogs, I loved the horses, I loved the little urchins on the street, I loved the strangers who hurried past me, I loved the heathen, I loved the whole world. This experience would become his life's focus as he taught and admonished believers to seek 'the blessing' on an international level.
He came to England and wanted to join the Salvation Army. William Booth didn’t gel to him at first thinking that as a new theological student he be a bit of a clever clogs, but eventually Booth accepted him - not without first placing him in the SA Training college where his daily job was to clean the boots of the rest of the students. Probably designed to humble him. Brengle became a Commissioner in the SA and used his Boston Common experience of being filled with the Holy Spirit to become the Salvation Army’s teacher of Holiness.
Great ‘Ordinary men whos lives were dramatically changed by the impact that God made on their lives. Ordinary men who over the years have made a great impression on my life and encouraged me to read Gods word and be filled with the Holy Spirit.
All of them ordinary folk who became powerhouses for God. The disciples of Jesus were ordinary folk, fishermen, tax collector. The writer of our bible reading this morning was a passionate follower of God who hated the Christians - but God wanted someone to bring both Jews and Gentiles to know the truth - what better man could He choose to bring the truth to the Jews but a Jew himself who experiencing an encounter with the risen Christ -God to transform - re-educate and become one of His greatest witnesses. Its to Paul that we thank for over two thirds of the New testament.
Paul prayed that the Ephesian Church would really get to know the Lord better. That’s why in his prayer for them he went on to say;
I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order;
1 that you may know the hope to which he has called you,
a new life in Christ today that will lead to life eternal with Christ
2 the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people,
Not earthly wealth, although I believe He takes care of our daily finances but rather the glorious inheritance of Jesus - new life in us
3 and his incomparably great power for us who believe. The power of the Holy Spirit who is ready to work in and through us
That great power is explained as being the same as the mighty strength he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead Wow! That same resurrection power that raised Jesus Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come.
Wow! that’s the prayer of Paul for the Church and I believe that that same prayer should be ours today so that we as Gods people begin to really know Him so that we can make Him known to others.That we will have that confidence within us that if we remain faithful to Him then we too will know His presence in our daily lives as He looks after our needs and one day have the joy of being with Him in Heaven.
What a great privilage it is to know that God is still the same today and that He loves us and desires us to love Him and really know Him and His presence in our lives. He wants to transform our lives - He wants us to be ‘born again’ have a fresh start
We need to really look at our lives - in the same way I believe God does - He knows the real me and you that no one else knows. He knows what we think, what our desires are, He knows our fears and doubts - He sees the real you and me that no one else can - yet He still loves us and wants us to become more Christlike in our attitudes, our responses and our daily lives.
Just as Jesus is God incarnate - the Word who became flesh - so too I believe that The church is designed to become the embodiment of Jesus Christ
And God placed all things under His feet Jesus and appointed Him Jesus to be head over everything for the church, which is His body the body of Christ Jesus, the fullness of Him who fills everything in every way. What a privilage and what a responsibility - are you up to it?
I close with the words I closed with last Sunday; People around us - our family, our friends and our neighbours need to see that Loving God and living a godly life works - that as they look at our lives - with all the difficulties and problems we face they will be able to see that we can cope and be able to share with them how it is we can do so - by knowing the presence of Almighty God in our lives.
I know that without Christ I would not have been able to cope with life after loosing mother with Alzheimers, my dad to cancer, my son to a simple operation that went wrong when they flooded his brain with blood, then my wife - but with the presence of Jesus and the power of the Holy Spirit in my life - I realise that He still gives me the hope and purpose to carry on
As Paul prayed - I too pray that God in His love and mercy may give us all the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that we may know him better. That we may know the hope to which he has called us, which is a new life in Christ today that will lead to life eternal with Christ
That we may gain the riches of His glorious inheritance in his holy people, Not earthly wealth but the glorious inheritance of knowing Jesus lives within us giving us new life. That we might know His incomparably great power for us who believe. The power of the Holy Spirit who is ready to work in and through us
We are called to become the living stones with which God will build His living Church - the Living body of Christ in the world today.
As members of the Church - the living body of Christ in the world today - this is the only way whereby we can get our ACTS2 gether and become bearers and witnesses to the all saving power of the Lord whom we need to really know and love.
Song How can I better serve Thee Lord?
MM 13 October 2019 Jesus cares
Lat week we looked the early ministry of Jesus and how He showed the concern that God has for His creation. One of the headings in the Bible in before v12 of Ch4 of Matthew says Jesus begins to preach. I believe Jesus did more than just preach He lived the Word - just as John says in his gospel The Word became flesh
Wow! I love that - if a preacher doesn’t put into action and live what he preaches then you have every right not to listen to him. Jesus didn’t just talk about healing - He demonstrated the mighty healing power of God to his hearers - and as we say in Yorkshire - that picture speaks more than a thousand words.
As I said last week - Over the years Gods creation had drifted away from the commandments of God and instead were paying allegiance to man made laws. As if the 12 commandments weren’t enough, they amassed over 700 of their own commandments.
That’s one of the reasons when Jesus was approached by one of the learned Pharisees - a teacher of the law - (Matthew 22) and was asked which He thought was the most important one Jesus simply pointed him to two - the first two commandments set by God which are to Love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind and soul and secondly to love one another.
Jesus came to show mankind that whatever they thought and did- God cared for and loved His creation and wanted them to live in obedience to Him. The most awesome demonstration of Gods love was when Jesus went to the cross to make forgiveness possible and acceptable.
We looked at how Jesus instructed his followers the disciples back to the basic requirements of what it means to be a follower and lover of God and mankind by reading the first 16 verses of Matthew ch5.
Now when Jesus saw the crowds, He went up on a mountainside and sat down.
His disciples came to Him, and he began to teach them.
He said:
“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.
Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of
evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.
“You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.
Jesus was and still is to this day, so concerned about people like you and me that He wearied Himself, took their pain upon Himself - and ultimately at the end of His life took their sins upon Himself, gave His life for them. Jesus cared - and still does.
As word about Him spread, they came from far and wide, from Galilee, Jerusalem, Judea and around the Jordan area. It would seem that the only crowd puller that Jesus needed was to let the people see ‘God in action’ in the way He lived His life and interacted with the people. They needed to see the power of the good news that Jesus shared - to let them see that God is real and cares about His creation.
Jesus ‘the Word made flesh’ wanted His followers, the disciples, to take on board His words and example and live the word themselves and let people see that loving God and being obedient to Him works.
I said last week that we - the Church -the living body of Christ in the world today, could do nothing better that realise and exercise this truth for ourselves. To make sure that we don’t substitute our own programme to attract others to come and know Him whilst neglecting to let them see the power of God in action in our own lives. To make sure that we don’t let the attractions of the world, TV etc stop us from meeting together to share His word, Pray. To take time to share His love and make Him known to others
What the world has to offer is transient and short lived, What we have, and should be attracting the world with is a new and everlasting life. We need to mirror His Glory.
We are a privileged people and need to remember that - for God to care so much about us is staggering - Just think - almighty God cares for little me - WOW!
You and I are called to be the light of the world - to shine for Jesus and direct people to the light bringer - Jesus who will take mankind out of darkness into the light.
This morning I want us to look at what Peter - the disciple who even though after sharing the three years of Christ’s ministry showed his true light when the testing time came in his own life and denied even knowing Jesus
Thankfully the disciple Jesus loved - John - shares the joyous occasion when following the resurrection Jesus and His appearances to His beloved disciples when He took them right back to the beginning of their calling when they were fishing in lake Galilee and in so doing reminded them of their calling and what would be required of them as His disciples. Jesus forgave Peter for denying Him three times and reinstated Peter by commissioning him to feed His lambs - the young ones, Take care of the sheep - the older comrades and feed them also
No wonder then when we look at the first gospel of Peter ch 2v 4-13 that we are reminded of our calling and the responsibility we have to God to fulfil that calling in this day and age.
The Living Stone and a Chosen People As you come to Him, the living Stone—rejected by humans but chosen by God and precious to Him—you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. For in Scripture it says:
“See, I lay a stone in Zion, a chosen and precious cornerstone, and the one who trusts in Him will never be put to shame.”
Now to you who believe, this stone is precious. But to those who do not believe, “The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone,” and, “A stone that causes people to stumble and a rock that makes them fall.” They stumble because they disobey the message—which is also what they were destined for.
But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.
Dear friends, I urge you, as foreigners and exiles, to abstain from sinful desires, which wage war against your soul. Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.
As you know - this is one of my favourite Bible readings - Captain John Matear used this letter when he officiated at the opening of the former Panache Night Club in Mirfield as the Salvation Army’s new place of worship. This was the very place that they had rented when they first moved in to Mirfield in 1923 - in those days it was the Town Hall but then became cinema, and then a dance hall. God brought them back to their first home. And it was here that John reminded them of their calling.
I hope that you, like me as we read it - are filled with gratitude to God who because He loves and cares about us so much bleses us with privilages that we just don’t deserve.
The first verse - as you come to Him - the Living Stone - the one rejected by men but chosen by God and precious to Him - Jesus - you and I are also like Jesus the living stone are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood.
As we’ve said many times - we might worship in a church built out of stone - like this hall - but this is not the church - the church is you and me - thwe are to be the living body of Christ in the world today - I wonder if you feel like that. Man builds Churches out of stone but God builds His church using living stones - you and me.
God chose you and me as living stones with which to build His spiritual house. Just as Jesus the son of God, was precious to His Father God , so too we are precious to our Father - God and are seen as His sons and daughters - children of Almighty God.
Just as God appointed Jesus to be the Hight Priest so too , we are privileged to become members of that Royal Priesthood - acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
Jesus the Rock that forms the cornerstone of the building Jesus also said that Peter would be a rock upon whom He would build His Church.
To the obedient child of God - Jesus is the Rock of our Salvation on which we can boldly stand - outo the disobedient the Rock becomes stumbling block over which men fall.
Thankfully as we read in verse 9, and I believe that this applies to those who love and the Lord and accept Him as their Lord and Saviour You are a chosen people’
Just as a good builder will take great care when choosing the right stones with which to build with - so too I am in awe of the fact that God chose you and me to become part of His Kingdom.
What a privilage it is to realise that we are a chosen people
Paul writing to the church at Ephesus said this 1 Ephesians 1;3-9 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ - for He chose us in Him before the creation of the world to be Holy and blameless in His sight. Of course the last statement refers to the fact that Gods intention right from creation was that His desire was that His people would live holy and blameless lives - but as we know - the devil spoiled that and turned man against God.
Also in Isaiah 43 ‘Fear not for I have redeemed you I have called you by name - you are mine.
The real truth is that it is the privilage of us all to be Gods people but sadly man doesn’t acknowledge that and chooses to go his own way and neglect the privilage that God has made available for all who chose to live in obedience to His word - Jesus.
For all mankind - forgiveness is made available if only man would repent and turn to God. He forgives and forgets and to as we are born again He begins to transform us into the person He intended us to be from the beginning.
The upside of all this is that if we Live in obedience to the Word - Jesus then we will one day reap the rerward of going to live with Him in the home He has prepared for those who love Him. The downside of all this is that if man rejects the offer of God to seek forgiveness and live in the selfish ways of mankind then he is heading for hell.
Hell isn’t something we tend to hear so much from the pulpit these days is it - but the reality is that for many in the world and sadly in many churches those who live lives that put themselves first and neglect to observe the disciplines of true discipleship will find that their lives will be recorded in the Lambs book and when they stand before God at the end of their lives their sins will be read out for all to hear and they will be condemned to the fires of hell - a frightening thought.
As Peter says - God has called His chosen out of the darkness of this world to share His love and forgiveness with others. To be the Light.
His last statement is this ‘ Dear friends, I urge you, as foreigners and exiles, to abstain from sinful desires, which wage war against your soul. Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.
As I said earlier Jesus the Word become flesh - lived the word and people saw the beauty of that in the way He lived His life.
People around us - our family, our friends and our neighbours need to see that Loving God and living a godly life works - that as they look at our lives - with all the difficulties and problems we face they will be able to see that we can cope and be able to share with them how it is we can do so - by knowing the presence of Almighty God in our lives.
Ours is the privilage - we are called to become the living stones with which God will build His living Church - the Living body of Christ in the world today.
Lat week we looked the early ministry of Jesus and how He showed the concern that God has for His creation. One of the headings in the Bible in before v12 of Ch4 of Matthew says Jesus begins to preach. I believe Jesus did more than just preach He lived the Word - just as John says in his gospel The Word became flesh
Wow! I love that - if a preacher doesn’t put into action and live what he preaches then you have every right not to listen to him. Jesus didn’t just talk about healing - He demonstrated the mighty healing power of God to his hearers - and as we say in Yorkshire - that picture speaks more than a thousand words.
As I said last week - Over the years Gods creation had drifted away from the commandments of God and instead were paying allegiance to man made laws. As if the 12 commandments weren’t enough, they amassed over 700 of their own commandments.
That’s one of the reasons when Jesus was approached by one of the learned Pharisees - a teacher of the law - (Matthew 22) and was asked which He thought was the most important one Jesus simply pointed him to two - the first two commandments set by God which are to Love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind and soul and secondly to love one another.
Jesus came to show mankind that whatever they thought and did- God cared for and loved His creation and wanted them to live in obedience to Him. The most awesome demonstration of Gods love was when Jesus went to the cross to make forgiveness possible and acceptable.
We looked at how Jesus instructed his followers the disciples back to the basic requirements of what it means to be a follower and lover of God and mankind by reading the first 16 verses of Matthew ch5.
Now when Jesus saw the crowds, He went up on a mountainside and sat down.
His disciples came to Him, and he began to teach them.
He said:
“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.
Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of
evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.
“You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.
Jesus was and still is to this day, so concerned about people like you and me that He wearied Himself, took their pain upon Himself - and ultimately at the end of His life took their sins upon Himself, gave His life for them. Jesus cared - and still does.
As word about Him spread, they came from far and wide, from Galilee, Jerusalem, Judea and around the Jordan area. It would seem that the only crowd puller that Jesus needed was to let the people see ‘God in action’ in the way He lived His life and interacted with the people. They needed to see the power of the good news that Jesus shared - to let them see that God is real and cares about His creation.
Jesus ‘the Word made flesh’ wanted His followers, the disciples, to take on board His words and example and live the word themselves and let people see that loving God and being obedient to Him works.
I said last week that we - the Church -the living body of Christ in the world today, could do nothing better that realise and exercise this truth for ourselves. To make sure that we don’t substitute our own programme to attract others to come and know Him whilst neglecting to let them see the power of God in action in our own lives. To make sure that we don’t let the attractions of the world, TV etc stop us from meeting together to share His word, Pray. To take time to share His love and make Him known to others
What the world has to offer is transient and short lived, What we have, and should be attracting the world with is a new and everlasting life. We need to mirror His Glory.
We are a privileged people and need to remember that - for God to care so much about us is staggering - Just think - almighty God cares for little me - WOW!
You and I are called to be the light of the world - to shine for Jesus and direct people to the light bringer - Jesus who will take mankind out of darkness into the light.
This morning I want us to look at what Peter - the disciple who even though after sharing the three years of Christ’s ministry showed his true light when the testing time came in his own life and denied even knowing Jesus
Thankfully the disciple Jesus loved - John - shares the joyous occasion when following the resurrection Jesus and His appearances to His beloved disciples when He took them right back to the beginning of their calling when they were fishing in lake Galilee and in so doing reminded them of their calling and what would be required of them as His disciples. Jesus forgave Peter for denying Him three times and reinstated Peter by commissioning him to feed His lambs - the young ones, Take care of the sheep - the older comrades and feed them also
No wonder then when we look at the first gospel of Peter ch 2v 4-13 that we are reminded of our calling and the responsibility we have to God to fulfil that calling in this day and age.
The Living Stone and a Chosen People As you come to Him, the living Stone—rejected by humans but chosen by God and precious to Him—you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. For in Scripture it says:
“See, I lay a stone in Zion, a chosen and precious cornerstone, and the one who trusts in Him will never be put to shame.”
Now to you who believe, this stone is precious. But to those who do not believe, “The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone,” and, “A stone that causes people to stumble and a rock that makes them fall.” They stumble because they disobey the message—which is also what they were destined for.
But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.
Dear friends, I urge you, as foreigners and exiles, to abstain from sinful desires, which wage war against your soul. Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.
As you know - this is one of my favourite Bible readings - Captain John Matear used this letter when he officiated at the opening of the former Panache Night Club in Mirfield as the Salvation Army’s new place of worship. This was the very place that they had rented when they first moved in to Mirfield in 1923 - in those days it was the Town Hall but then became cinema, and then a dance hall. God brought them back to their first home. And it was here that John reminded them of their calling.
I hope that you, like me as we read it - are filled with gratitude to God who because He loves and cares about us so much bleses us with privilages that we just don’t deserve.
The first verse - as you come to Him - the Living Stone - the one rejected by men but chosen by God and precious to Him - Jesus - you and I are also like Jesus the living stone are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood.
As we’ve said many times - we might worship in a church built out of stone - like this hall - but this is not the church - the church is you and me - thwe are to be the living body of Christ in the world today - I wonder if you feel like that. Man builds Churches out of stone but God builds His church using living stones - you and me.
God chose you and me as living stones with which to build His spiritual house. Just as Jesus the son of God, was precious to His Father God , so too we are precious to our Father - God and are seen as His sons and daughters - children of Almighty God.
Just as God appointed Jesus to be the Hight Priest so too , we are privileged to become members of that Royal Priesthood - acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
Jesus the Rock that forms the cornerstone of the building Jesus also said that Peter would be a rock upon whom He would build His Church.
To the obedient child of God - Jesus is the Rock of our Salvation on which we can boldly stand - outo the disobedient the Rock becomes stumbling block over which men fall.
Thankfully as we read in verse 9, and I believe that this applies to those who love and the Lord and accept Him as their Lord and Saviour You are a chosen people’
Just as a good builder will take great care when choosing the right stones with which to build with - so too I am in awe of the fact that God chose you and me to become part of His Kingdom.
What a privilage it is to realise that we are a chosen people
Paul writing to the church at Ephesus said this 1 Ephesians 1;3-9 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ - for He chose us in Him before the creation of the world to be Holy and blameless in His sight. Of course the last statement refers to the fact that Gods intention right from creation was that His desire was that His people would live holy and blameless lives - but as we know - the devil spoiled that and turned man against God.
Also in Isaiah 43 ‘Fear not for I have redeemed you I have called you by name - you are mine.
The real truth is that it is the privilage of us all to be Gods people but sadly man doesn’t acknowledge that and chooses to go his own way and neglect the privilage that God has made available for all who chose to live in obedience to His word - Jesus.
For all mankind - forgiveness is made available if only man would repent and turn to God. He forgives and forgets and to as we are born again He begins to transform us into the person He intended us to be from the beginning.
The upside of all this is that if we Live in obedience to the Word - Jesus then we will one day reap the rerward of going to live with Him in the home He has prepared for those who love Him. The downside of all this is that if man rejects the offer of God to seek forgiveness and live in the selfish ways of mankind then he is heading for hell.
Hell isn’t something we tend to hear so much from the pulpit these days is it - but the reality is that for many in the world and sadly in many churches those who live lives that put themselves first and neglect to observe the disciplines of true discipleship will find that their lives will be recorded in the Lambs book and when they stand before God at the end of their lives their sins will be read out for all to hear and they will be condemned to the fires of hell - a frightening thought.
As Peter says - God has called His chosen out of the darkness of this world to share His love and forgiveness with others. To be the Light.
His last statement is this ‘ Dear friends, I urge you, as foreigners and exiles, to abstain from sinful desires, which wage war against your soul. Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.
As I said earlier Jesus the Word become flesh - lived the word and people saw the beauty of that in the way He lived His life.
People around us - our family, our friends and our neighbours need to see that Loving God and living a godly life works - that as they look at our lives - with all the difficulties and problems we face they will be able to see that we can cope and be able to share with them how it is we can do so - by knowing the presence of Almighty God in our lives.
Ours is the privilage - we are called to become the living stones with which God will build His living Church - the Living body of Christ in the world today.
MM 6 October 2019 Jesus cares
This morning we are going to look at the way Jesus, at the beginning of His earthly ministry began to teach and challenge the people to look at their lives repent their sins and live their lives in obedience to God. Jesus came to show mankind that God loved them and was concerned about the way in which mankind was drifting away from God and needed to repent and seek to know the true and only way.
Over the years Gods creation had drifted away from the commandments of God and instead were paying allegiance to man made laws. The first command of God was to love Him with all their hearts and love one another. This was pointed out by Jesus when he addressed the questions of the Pharisees in Matthew 22. God even sent Jesus to pay the price for mans sins .
Jesus came to show mankind that whatever - God cared for and loved His creation and wanted them to live in obedience to Him. Jesus went so far as to show how much God loved hem by showing the power of God to heal those afflicted with the most terrible diseases and afflictions.
Matthew 4; 23-25 and Ch 5; 1-16
Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people. News about him spread all over Syria, and people brought to him all who were ill with various diseases, those suffering severe pain, the demon-possessed, those having seizures, and the paralyzed; and he healed them.
Large crowds from Galilee, the Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea and the region across the Jordan followed him. Now when Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, and he began to teach them.
He said:
“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.
Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of
evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.
“You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.
Jesus was a busy man - He spent His life caring for peple like you and me, continually giving out, ministering to the needs of others. He not only taught in the synagogues, sat with the learned scribes and arhued in favour of the truth, but He also preached the Word with a prophetic utterance that must have astounded His congregation as He unfolded to them the good news of the Kingdom, that God is with us - for us - and cared about each one of us.
If a town had more than ten Jewish families, then it had to have a synagogue which served as a school during the week an a place of worship on the Sabbath. The leader of the Synagogue was an administrator who appointed visiting preachers, Rabbis as they wer called, to preach. Jesus became a popular preacher and teacher.
When He wasn’t doing that, He was out on the streets lending a listening ear to people, befriending the outcast. He was also a friend to the friendless bringing hope to the hopeless, strength for the weary and healing the brokenhearted. He not only taught the Word, or preached the Word - He lived the Word and was the Word become flesh.
They tried to get close to Him, they pressed Him in on every side and if they couldn’t get close enough they would reach through the crowds to just touch the hem of His garments. He was so concerned about them and they knew it - Jesus wearied Himself, took their pain upon Himself - and ultimately at the end of His life even took their sins upon Himself and gave His life for them. Jesus cared - and still does.
They saw Jesus as a great healer which He was. Jesus knew that in order to get their attention and accept what He was saying - they would need to see the power of God at work within Him. Even the demon possessed found healing and deliverence in Jesus.
So successful was He in His ministry that large crowds clamoured to see and meet Him face to face - hopefully to be ministered to by Him.
As word about Him spread, they came from far and wide, from Galilee, Jerusalem, Judea and around the Jordan area. They even came from the ten cities that formed the ’Decapolis’ a league of Gentile nations that traded together - a kind of forerunner to the common market -. I guess that when Jesus saw the crowds His heart was heavy for them and being hard pressed on all sides, to escape for a short while, He went up the mountainside and sat down. His disciples went up with Him and sat down with Him as they listened to His teaching - His advice to them of what their ministry as followers of Him should be like.
It would seem that the only crowd puller that Jesus needed was to let the people see ‘God inaction’ in the way He lived His life and interacted with the people. They needed to see the power of the good news that Jesus shared - to let them see that God is real and cares about His creation.
Jesus ‘the Word made flesh’ wanted His followers, the disciples, to take on board His words and example and live the word themselves and let people see that loving God and being obedient to Him works.
The Church today, and that includes us, could do nothing better that realise and exercise this truth for themselves. To make sure that we don’t substitute our own programme to attract others to come and know Him whilst neglecting to let them see the power of God in action in our own lives.
It would seem that many churches today fail to show the power of God at work in their own lives which eventually results in smaller fellowships as membership diminishes through deaths and to try attract others to join them look to wordly pleasures to bring folk in. In other words failing to follow the example of Jesus and seeking worldly attractions.
Sadly to attract the world to come to church many churches have nothing better to offer than keep fit and slimming clubs, wordly attractions etc projecting a social club programme that seeks to pacify mans need to be entertained rather than challenged by the word. Instead of showing mankind a new lifestyle, the church is mirroring the world when it should be reflecting a better way - Gods way.
The kind of Church that God wants to build is a fellowship of Godly people who enjoy being together and are eager to reflect the values of the Kingdom rather than being a poor copy of all that the world has to offer. What the world has to offer is transient and short lived, What we have, and should be attracting the world with is a new and everlasting life. We need to mirror His Glory.
What we need to do is live the word not just preach it. To let the man in the street see the power of God and not just talk about it. Jesus knew the way to a mans heart which was to lend a listening sympathetic and caring ear to be understanding and tolerant.
Jesus cares about each one of us. I genuinely believe He hurts when we hurt and as we give out to others, He is there filling us with His love, He will give the strength needed to carry on when we feel like giving in.
Here in this bible reading we can see how, after a busy day ministering to the needs of the crowds, Jesus is spending time teaching His disciples in order that they would themselves be equipped and ready to encourage others. Jesus knew that as His helpers they themselves would begin to feel the pressure that ‘giving out’ all the time brings and so prepare them with the comforting truths that we find in the first twelve verses of Chapter 5.
Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Jesus assures them that Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. He certainly does that - On Friday as we gathered around Christines ( my sister-in-law) bed as she lay motionless I prayed that God in His mercy would take her in His loving arms and take her to be with Him in Glory - that’s just what He did Whilst we mourn her departure from us, we are comforted knowing that she is now at peace with Him.
Many of us here this morning know that without Him we would have not got through the last few years having lost our loved ones. The reality of that is that others outside should be able see the way we are after loosing the loves of our lives and we can tell them that we would not have been able to cope without the help and love of our Lord.
Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. By meek I don’t believe Jesus meant the weak but those who can humbly accept that it is by faith in God that they have the victory over lives problems. Meek is not weak - but humble
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
When we try our best to do what is right before God and out fellow men by hungering after the ways of the Lord then we are assured we will be filled to overflowing with His love
Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy When we react in a loving forgiving way to others then God will do the same for us. Notice when we say the Lords prayer we say Father forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us - do that and we will feel the peace of the Lord in our own lives.
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. What a blessing that is - so often our hearts desire is not always seen in our actions - only this week I watched a programme about a mother who had had to give up her baby daughter when she was born and later her son.
She loved them but because of her situation was forced to let them go - she punished herself all through her life wishing she could see them and be reunited so that she could tell them how sorry she had been and how she had cried for them daily all her life. In her heart she longed to see them again and thankfully after over 50 years that was made possible - Whilst her actions were not what her heart had wanted - the truth and purity of her heart resulted in her seeing her children .
We all make mistakes but if our hearts desire is to see God then one day we will.
The last two speak for themselves
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. O how we need to aim to live in Peace with one another and with God - do that and we have the right to be called Christian - named after Jesus - God incarnate.
Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Life isn’t always easy and so often people are suffer because they are Christian - this has happened all down through history as people have died for their faith. And even today there are those who have accepted Him as their Saviour from other faiths and either been imprisoned. Tortured, killed or rejected by their friends and families. Today more than ever before I believe it is getting to be more difficult to be a Christian as the world turns against God.
Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
Lastly we have the two positive attitudes that Jesus uses to show the privilage and responsibility that is ours as His followers
You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot. Salt has many uses. It not only brings out the flavour in foods it also is used to preserve things - and even if it then looses it’s saltiness and is no good in that way. It is used to brings stability by making an icy pathway safe to trample on underfoot by melting the ice.
Then finally the most attractive and useful part of our discipleship is that if we are faithful to God and live according to His Word we are as Jesus promises here; “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.
These then are the Beattitudes - the positive attitudes to our Christian lives that are so important and form the basis of our discipleship - our lives for God. The BE attitudes
This sermon from Jesus contrasts the worlds values with the Kingdom values - the superficial faith of the religious with the practical love and compassion of Jesus. The beatitudes are not a list of alternatives to be picked and chosen at random but rather a whole set of standards for the Christian to take to heart and live.Blessed of God’ full of ‘Kingdom life’ that’s not a future reward for those who live by these principles, but a present reality. Jesus lived the world and that’s all He wants us, His followers to do. To reflect the Holiness of God, and in order that we can do that, we have to reach out to Him and allow Him to fill us with Himself. To have the love and compassion that Jesus had takes it out of us, but as we minister to others, He ministers to us.
Come unto me all you who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest. Take My yolk upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart and you will find rest for your souls. For My yolk is easy and my burden is light
Hymn Lord the light of Your love Shine Jesus shine
This morning we are going to look at the way Jesus, at the beginning of His earthly ministry began to teach and challenge the people to look at their lives repent their sins and live their lives in obedience to God. Jesus came to show mankind that God loved them and was concerned about the way in which mankind was drifting away from God and needed to repent and seek to know the true and only way.
Over the years Gods creation had drifted away from the commandments of God and instead were paying allegiance to man made laws. The first command of God was to love Him with all their hearts and love one another. This was pointed out by Jesus when he addressed the questions of the Pharisees in Matthew 22. God even sent Jesus to pay the price for mans sins .
Jesus came to show mankind that whatever - God cared for and loved His creation and wanted them to live in obedience to Him. Jesus went so far as to show how much God loved hem by showing the power of God to heal those afflicted with the most terrible diseases and afflictions.
Matthew 4; 23-25 and Ch 5; 1-16
Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people. News about him spread all over Syria, and people brought to him all who were ill with various diseases, those suffering severe pain, the demon-possessed, those having seizures, and the paralyzed; and he healed them.
Large crowds from Galilee, the Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea and the region across the Jordan followed him. Now when Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, and he began to teach them.
He said:
“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.
Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of
evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.
“You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.
Jesus was a busy man - He spent His life caring for peple like you and me, continually giving out, ministering to the needs of others. He not only taught in the synagogues, sat with the learned scribes and arhued in favour of the truth, but He also preached the Word with a prophetic utterance that must have astounded His congregation as He unfolded to them the good news of the Kingdom, that God is with us - for us - and cared about each one of us.
If a town had more than ten Jewish families, then it had to have a synagogue which served as a school during the week an a place of worship on the Sabbath. The leader of the Synagogue was an administrator who appointed visiting preachers, Rabbis as they wer called, to preach. Jesus became a popular preacher and teacher.
When He wasn’t doing that, He was out on the streets lending a listening ear to people, befriending the outcast. He was also a friend to the friendless bringing hope to the hopeless, strength for the weary and healing the brokenhearted. He not only taught the Word, or preached the Word - He lived the Word and was the Word become flesh.
They tried to get close to Him, they pressed Him in on every side and if they couldn’t get close enough they would reach through the crowds to just touch the hem of His garments. He was so concerned about them and they knew it - Jesus wearied Himself, took their pain upon Himself - and ultimately at the end of His life even took their sins upon Himself and gave His life for them. Jesus cared - and still does.
They saw Jesus as a great healer which He was. Jesus knew that in order to get their attention and accept what He was saying - they would need to see the power of God at work within Him. Even the demon possessed found healing and deliverence in Jesus.
So successful was He in His ministry that large crowds clamoured to see and meet Him face to face - hopefully to be ministered to by Him.
As word about Him spread, they came from far and wide, from Galilee, Jerusalem, Judea and around the Jordan area. They even came from the ten cities that formed the ’Decapolis’ a league of Gentile nations that traded together - a kind of forerunner to the common market -. I guess that when Jesus saw the crowds His heart was heavy for them and being hard pressed on all sides, to escape for a short while, He went up the mountainside and sat down. His disciples went up with Him and sat down with Him as they listened to His teaching - His advice to them of what their ministry as followers of Him should be like.
It would seem that the only crowd puller that Jesus needed was to let the people see ‘God inaction’ in the way He lived His life and interacted with the people. They needed to see the power of the good news that Jesus shared - to let them see that God is real and cares about His creation.
Jesus ‘the Word made flesh’ wanted His followers, the disciples, to take on board His words and example and live the word themselves and let people see that loving God and being obedient to Him works.
The Church today, and that includes us, could do nothing better that realise and exercise this truth for themselves. To make sure that we don’t substitute our own programme to attract others to come and know Him whilst neglecting to let them see the power of God in action in our own lives.
It would seem that many churches today fail to show the power of God at work in their own lives which eventually results in smaller fellowships as membership diminishes through deaths and to try attract others to join them look to wordly pleasures to bring folk in. In other words failing to follow the example of Jesus and seeking worldly attractions.
Sadly to attract the world to come to church many churches have nothing better to offer than keep fit and slimming clubs, wordly attractions etc projecting a social club programme that seeks to pacify mans need to be entertained rather than challenged by the word. Instead of showing mankind a new lifestyle, the church is mirroring the world when it should be reflecting a better way - Gods way.
The kind of Church that God wants to build is a fellowship of Godly people who enjoy being together and are eager to reflect the values of the Kingdom rather than being a poor copy of all that the world has to offer. What the world has to offer is transient and short lived, What we have, and should be attracting the world with is a new and everlasting life. We need to mirror His Glory.
What we need to do is live the word not just preach it. To let the man in the street see the power of God and not just talk about it. Jesus knew the way to a mans heart which was to lend a listening sympathetic and caring ear to be understanding and tolerant.
Jesus cares about each one of us. I genuinely believe He hurts when we hurt and as we give out to others, He is there filling us with His love, He will give the strength needed to carry on when we feel like giving in.
Here in this bible reading we can see how, after a busy day ministering to the needs of the crowds, Jesus is spending time teaching His disciples in order that they would themselves be equipped and ready to encourage others. Jesus knew that as His helpers they themselves would begin to feel the pressure that ‘giving out’ all the time brings and so prepare them with the comforting truths that we find in the first twelve verses of Chapter 5.
Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Jesus assures them that Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. He certainly does that - On Friday as we gathered around Christines ( my sister-in-law) bed as she lay motionless I prayed that God in His mercy would take her in His loving arms and take her to be with Him in Glory - that’s just what He did Whilst we mourn her departure from us, we are comforted knowing that she is now at peace with Him.
Many of us here this morning know that without Him we would have not got through the last few years having lost our loved ones. The reality of that is that others outside should be able see the way we are after loosing the loves of our lives and we can tell them that we would not have been able to cope without the help and love of our Lord.
Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. By meek I don’t believe Jesus meant the weak but those who can humbly accept that it is by faith in God that they have the victory over lives problems. Meek is not weak - but humble
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
When we try our best to do what is right before God and out fellow men by hungering after the ways of the Lord then we are assured we will be filled to overflowing with His love
Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy When we react in a loving forgiving way to others then God will do the same for us. Notice when we say the Lords prayer we say Father forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us - do that and we will feel the peace of the Lord in our own lives.
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. What a blessing that is - so often our hearts desire is not always seen in our actions - only this week I watched a programme about a mother who had had to give up her baby daughter when she was born and later her son.
She loved them but because of her situation was forced to let them go - she punished herself all through her life wishing she could see them and be reunited so that she could tell them how sorry she had been and how she had cried for them daily all her life. In her heart she longed to see them again and thankfully after over 50 years that was made possible - Whilst her actions were not what her heart had wanted - the truth and purity of her heart resulted in her seeing her children .
We all make mistakes but if our hearts desire is to see God then one day we will.
The last two speak for themselves
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. O how we need to aim to live in Peace with one another and with God - do that and we have the right to be called Christian - named after Jesus - God incarnate.
Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Life isn’t always easy and so often people are suffer because they are Christian - this has happened all down through history as people have died for their faith. And even today there are those who have accepted Him as their Saviour from other faiths and either been imprisoned. Tortured, killed or rejected by their friends and families. Today more than ever before I believe it is getting to be more difficult to be a Christian as the world turns against God.
Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
Lastly we have the two positive attitudes that Jesus uses to show the privilage and responsibility that is ours as His followers
You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot. Salt has many uses. It not only brings out the flavour in foods it also is used to preserve things - and even if it then looses it’s saltiness and is no good in that way. It is used to brings stability by making an icy pathway safe to trample on underfoot by melting the ice.
Then finally the most attractive and useful part of our discipleship is that if we are faithful to God and live according to His Word we are as Jesus promises here; “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.
These then are the Beattitudes - the positive attitudes to our Christian lives that are so important and form the basis of our discipleship - our lives for God. The BE attitudes
This sermon from Jesus contrasts the worlds values with the Kingdom values - the superficial faith of the religious with the practical love and compassion of Jesus. The beatitudes are not a list of alternatives to be picked and chosen at random but rather a whole set of standards for the Christian to take to heart and live.Blessed of God’ full of ‘Kingdom life’ that’s not a future reward for those who live by these principles, but a present reality. Jesus lived the world and that’s all He wants us, His followers to do. To reflect the Holiness of God, and in order that we can do that, we have to reach out to Him and allow Him to fill us with Himself. To have the love and compassion that Jesus had takes it out of us, but as we minister to others, He ministers to us.
Come unto me all you who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest. Take My yolk upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart and you will find rest for your souls. For My yolk is easy and my burden is light
Hymn Lord the light of Your love Shine Jesus shine
Sunday 29 September 2019 Ezekiel 37; 1- 11
A couple of weeks ago we looked at this vision God gave Ezekiel of the valley of dead dry lifeless bones. We looked at how God showed Ezekiel that although they appeared at the moment to be lifeless - like many churches in the world today - if they would respond to the prophesy that God was going to give Ezekiel - that God would rebuild the broken body - bring them together and by the power of His Holy Spirit breath new life in to them and restore them to be a fully empowered and embodied fellowship of Gods people.
As we read the story - we saw how God did exactly that and brought the dead fellowship to life. Of course that was a vision for the Jewish nation at that time who had been banished from Jerusalem that showed them that God would restore His chosen people and return them in great power to Jerusalem.
I believe that the vision was for then and for today and that the story of Ezekiel brings hope to the dying Christian church today that if they return to Him and live in obedience to His word then God would restore His people and His church back to full strength.
We looked at the promise that God made through Isaiah the prophet Isaiah 43; 18.19 ‘Forget the former things, don’t dwell on the past, see I am doing a new thing, can’t you see it, I’m making a way through the desert’
We looked at the testimony of the life of the Jewish Paul who was a passionate man of God but who needed to hear from God that the Jewish nation at the time were too set in their ways and and replaced a passionate heart for God with ritual and man made laws - they needed to get back to God - we saw how God in Christ stopped Paul on his mission to persecute the Christian Church and began converting him to see the truth of how in His concern for His people, God had sent Christ to die on the cross to pay for mans sin and bring him to repentance and receive Salvation.
The change was so dramatic as Paul's life was turned around as we can see by the letter he wrote to the church at Phillipi But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith. Philippians ch3; 7
WOW! The vision of Ezekiel was not just for then, but also for the time when Jesus the Messiah would comes to bring man back to the Father by giving His life on the cross. It also speaks to me of the he future when the Jew return to Jerusalem and further on to the end of time as we know it when Jesus comes back to claim the true followers for the Kingdom .
A few week ago we read how Paul wrote letters of encouragement to the new Christian Churches like the Ephesians and loved the way they were growing. We also read how the church at Ephesus had in just a few years started to lose sight of their calling and began to back track and lose their way so that Paul had to write to tell them that they had lost sight of their first love. We read how this was also the message of the Angel in the book of Revelation who said they stated out well but over the years had lost their way and were headed for destruction. We saw how this is happenning all around the world today how the Christian Church is loosing sight of Gods will and changing the bible to fit the foolishly corrupt and false ways of man today.
We said then how we need God to restore His dying church all around the world and breath new life into it - by the power of the Holy Spirit.
As I was showed people round this hall last Friday at our open day, a couple said how sad it was that many churches they knew were loosing their way. They were encouraged when I shared the many stories of how God has moved in miraculous ways to show His power here at Idle. I told them how the crippled Christopher had been miraculously healed by God and didn’t have to have a steel rod down his spine. I talked about baby Adam who’s lungs wouldn’t work when he was born which meant he had to rely on an iron lung at the side of his cot in hospital and how we prayed that God the Holy Spirit would breath new life into the lungs of baby Adam and restore him to full strength - the people I shared this with were amazed when I told them how a week later his grandmother came to this hall and shared how he was back home - his lungs fully working - so pleased were they that the whole family came to our fellowship and asked me to baptise both their children including Adam.
At special times like we celebrate today - our 135th Anniversary of the Salvation Army coming to Idle. We look at the past and see the way that God has brought us and this church but we are encouraged not to dwell on it for too long but to let the lessons of the past - the good times that we have shared and the way in which God has brought us = let the past serve as an encouragement, a base for all that I believe that God is going to do in the future - both in our lives and in the life of the church.
When we look at the past we can see the way in which God brought the Corps into being and how quickly the Corps grew in those early days.
In 1884 Cpt Annie Fleet and Lieut Jenny Street, opened fire in Idle using the Old Green Mill as their platform. They reported in the War Cry at that time what great response they were getting in Idle when vast crowds came to see them. They left Idle the following year to move to York but within a few years, the work they had started had grown so that new premises had to be found. Building work was commenced in Walter Street where we are today and was completed in 1893 - just nine years after opening in the Old Green Mill. Hundreds had come to accept the Lord as Saviour.
In the years that followed we’ve had over 90 Officers take charge, many for just a few months, some for a full year and just a handful for more than a year. The Corps grew and everything was going well until our first catastrophic event.
That was in 1978 when the local newspaper showed a picture of Cpt David Alliston surveying the burnt ruins of our Corps caused by a fire in the cellar. Fortunately all the work was confined to the inner of the hall, mainly the platform - building work started and it took a long time before we could move back into the hall in 1981. Until that time, we were privileged to use the Idle Baptist Church Sunday School.
Don’t dwell on the past, God says, see I am doing a new thing - don’t you see it - I see this as a word from God trying to encourage us to move forward. Just like the Israelites, Gods chosen people, God hadn’t brought us this far for nothing.
That new thing for me started seven years earlier in 1971 when the David and Dorothy Murden became our Officers. When I look back at the way in which God has led me I am amazed. A successful young 31 year old Salvationist - so I thought - who had come through the ranks, S/Coy Ldr, Bandmaster - then the Murdens came and through them, God opened my eyes to see that I didn’t really know Him, that I was busy’ doing’ and needed to stop and ‘catch the vision of what God wanted me to do’. I sought the Lord and He filled me with His Spirit and started a new life. I worshipped for the next 13 years with a passion to do Gods will, not realising what God had in store for me - and this Corps. During which time we had the fire in the hall 1978.
Then one afternoon in 1984, God gave me a word from Jeremiah 29;11 which I interpreted as saying ‘I am going to take you out of the familiar and open up your mind and show you how I can change your life and the life of this fellowship’ - then I will bring you back - the plans I have for you are good’
He did exactly that, he took me out, I started the New Life Fellowship on the edge of the estate along with others whom He had taken out of their fellowships, Two Salvation Army Officers from Holmewood, Ian and Mary Sinclair, Ray and Pamela Powell from Leeds Road Baptist. Julie Barrans, George and Jean from Holy Trinity, Margaret and Colin Deakin from West Bowling SA and many others.
For a couple of years we sought the Lord and grew in Him. Never in my wildest dreams did I know that God was going to bring me back to Idle Corps. But when the time was right, 1986 just like He said, God brought me back here. Idle Corps was by this time a very small Corps officered by Cpt Stephen Jocelyn. Not many came to the morning meetings, I remember, when some of the New Life fellowship came to the first Sunday morning we more than doubled the congregation. Then in 1990 we had to close the hall for three months due to dry rot,
From then on, God opened a new way for me and Beryl when in 1994 God sent Betty Matear to be our Officers for a short time until DHQ decided what to do about Idle Corps. Betty asked Beryl and I to become the Officers of our own Corps - we prayed about it and accepted and in October 1995 along with Ray and Pamela Powell, we were commissioned as Salvation Army Officers in a service at Brighouse.
The Corps started to grow - still we had more problems to face structurally - but looking back I see this as Gods way of building our halls to become the place within which He will move by His Spirit and builds His church - the people.
Shortly after becoming officers the balcony started parting company with the walls requiring major structural work as they tied the wall in to the balcony which took all our available funds. We were back in the hall in 1997 and at the re-opening I launched an appeal to raise money for a new hall - the Community Hall next door. The new hall was completed in 1999 at a cost of over £160 000 and after many prayer times, all the money came in. Once again - God provided all the finance to make available the building required for all I believe He has in mind for His Corps here at Idle.
God proved that again when fourteen years later in 2011 we found water coming through the ceiling in the main Worship Hall and needed about £190 000 to put that right. We prayed about that too and were amazed to receive a telephone call from a solicitor of a man who’s funeral I had done 3 years earlier in 2008 to find out that he had left all his money to us - £200 000 that paid for the new roof.
WOW! Our God is awesome - even supplied the money to bring us to where we are today. We never know what God has in store for us, but if we are obedient to Him - He will achieve great things through us as partners in building Gods Kingdom.
On Friday last week as I searched for a missing DVD I had prepared for the Open Day I came across three letters that Beryl and I had been given by a lovely man who had started to come to our fellowship along with his wife - Ken and Pearl Levitte.
As I read them my heart swelled with love as I remember the encoring ways that Ken had in urging us on in the early days of our ministry.
Easter 1996 he sent a poem’ that read - To Beryl and Billy from all the congregation at Idle Easter 1966
You are our story tellers of the greatest stories ever told
That have passed down through the ages, to the young ones from the old
And yet we have some doubters who ask for miracles or signs
But if they believed, then they would see, they are happening all the time
So keep on telling the stories that add fuel to the flame
Then Jesus will know that on that day on the cross, He did not suffer in vain.
Ken was a lovely man who had found his faith strengthened when he joined the Corps. His eyesight wasn’t good and he had to write is letters in big print on heavily lined paper. But that didn’t stop him sharing his thoughts and encouraging both Beryl and myself in the early days of our ministry here at Idle.
He even sent one of his letters when he and Pearl were on holiday in the Isle of White
Dear friends
Pearl and I are sorry we cannot be with you todat as we are sunning ourselves on the Isle of White. We only wish we had enough money so that we could have brought you all with us. We miss the Sunday service very much when we are away
Once in my prayer I said to the Lord ‘Lord sometimes it seems as if you are not working in my life’ and the Lord said to me ‘Are you a Christian every day of the week and every minute of every day’ so I answered Him in truth and said ‘ ‘No Lord, although I try very hard there are times when I forget and I let myself down.
Then the Lord said to me ‘So if your’e only a part-time Christian, and yet you expect Me to be a full time God’ then He went on to say ‘If you were an employer, would you pay your’e workers a full weeks pay for only one days work’ It was then that I understood what the Lord was trying to tell me.
From that day on I have found the more Christian I become, the more the Lord is working in my life WOW! I hope this share may help some of you
We send our love to each and everyone of you. May the Lord Bless and Keep you Form Pearl and Ken. He the followed it with 28 kisses and wrote I think that’s enough. Love Ken and Pearl
When I read Kens letters t reminded me of those early days and the lovely people we had worshipping here with us. As I read Kens honest - open hearted letter, it reminded me of how sincere he was in what he wrote and how he lived.
His letter was meant as a challenge to everyone at the Corps to be genuine in their commitment to God and one another. We were a church who was getting it’s Act2gether and people like Ken were beginning to see the value of full commitment to the will of God.
The Church moves forward when men and women are open to the voice and will of God. I love how Ken could share his conversations with God. As he did in the letter we just read. The church triumphs when men and women not only listen to the words of God but are bold enough to embrace it and put flesh on the vision and live the dream. Ezekiel was a real man of vision.
God , through the prophet Joel said this ‘I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions. Joel 2:28,29 Whilst we can’t live on past glories - we can learn from our past and commit ourselves to a future with God. God has done some great things here at Idle over the past 135 years and I believe wants to do even greater things in the coming years - it’ sup to us to capture the vision.
I don’t think that Joel is saying that if your old all your capable of is dreaming of former glories - living in the past all the time - I believe what he is saying is an encouragement to keep youthful in your attitudes and your actions - always open to the supernatural, the unexplained, the unexpected. In that way we will be receptive to the visions God sends.
I remember the birth of TV. In 1952 we bought our first TV a receiver a large wooden box with a tiny 9" screen that was capable of receiving visions sent from London. It wasn't long before almost every house in Idle had a 'H' aerial on the chimney. Then ITV came on the scene and everyone had to get a second ariel, this time it was in the shape of a 'X'. We were all keen on 'catching the vision'. These miraculous pictures that came from out of the sky into everyone's homes. Pictures that were capable of shrinking the world, and taking people to far off lands, places they might never visit in their lifetime.
The trouble today is, that we spend more time indoors catching those visions on much larger colourful screens and are less eager to get out of our homes and mix with other people to find out what God wants us to do. We are good at capturing visions on the TV but not so good at capture life changing visions from on High.
Long before the electronic age, way back in Bible days, ordinary men and women were capturing visions from God. Not on television sets this time, but in their dreams, or when they were praying to God.
These were not only visions of a future world, that they would never see themselves, but visions that captured their imaginations, fired them up filling them with great enthusiasm, spurring them on to make those visions a reality in their own time.
God sent pictures from on high that could only be received by people who’s ariel were tuned in to the 'heavenly channel' not to be confused with the God Channel
People like Jacob who saw a ladder leading to Heaven,
Ezekiel who taken into the potters shed, or the valley of dry bones.
Isaiah, who prophesied the coming Messiah and even lamented the death
of Jesus.
Micah and Joel who spoke of times afar off, that they would never see, the birth of Jesus, the outpouring of the Holy Spirit
Peter and his vision of the tablecloth spread all kinds of variety of foods, that foretold the inclusion of the Gentiles in Gods master plan of salvation.
The revelation, given to John on the Isle of Patmos about the end times and the return of Jesus.
In times when all seemed bleak and hopeless, God brought wisdom and hope to the world through the mouthpiece of man. I believe that today - we are living in such times when we need to hear the voice of God. God needs 'visionaries' today! God also needs people, who even though they themselves may not have been given a 'Vision', they have somehow captured the vision of what God wants to accomplish in His church and are willing to take risks to live it out.
People who are seeing their own lives changing, receiving and enjoying the New life that God is blessing them with. Just Look around you. This Church has never looked better, or been better equipped to fulfil Gods mission of bringing hope, Forgiveness, New Life to the people out there who as yet don’t know there is more to life than this.
We celebrate 135 years - we remember great days when this church was full - today, like many other churches we are few in number - but I believe over the last few months that God has been busy preparing us for greater things. Don’t be misled into thinking that you are here this morning by chance - God wants you to be a part of all that He is going to accomplish here at Idle in the next few years that will bring new life, purpose and direction to this Corps. God planned for you to be here - He wants you to be prepared to capture the vision of all that He wants to do here in Idle to bring others into the Kingdom.
See I am doing a new thing - don’t you see it? I’m making a way through the desert I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland. We left Ezekiel listening to God tell him to speak to the dry bones - lets close this morning by reading his response.
Imagine being told to address a valley of dry bones, So I prophesied as I was commanded. And as I was prophesying, there was a noise, a rattling sound, and the bones came together, bone to bone. I looked, and tendons and flesh appeared on them and skin covered them, but there was no breath in them.
Then he said to me, "Prophesy to the breath; prophesy, son of man, and say to it, `This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe into these slain, that they may live.' "So I prophesied as he commanded me, and breath entered them; they came to life and stood up on their feet - a vast army.
Then he said to me: "Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. They say, `Our bones are dried up and our hope is gone; we are cut off.' Therefore prophesy and say to them: `This is what the Sovereign LORD says: O my people, I am going to open your graves and bring you up from them; I will bring you back to the land of Israel. Then you, my people, will know that I am the LORD when I open your graves and bring you up from them. I will put my Spirit in you and you will live, and I will settle you in your own land. Then you will know that I the LORD have spoken, and I have done it, declares the LORD.' "
Make no mistake - God has plans for us all if only we will seek to capture the vision.
I was amazed when I saw the theme for this years Salvation Army almanac which was Jeremiah 29 - Gods declaring it again - this time for the whole of the SA in 2019.
All God asks of you and I is that is that we capture the vision again and go with it and be amazed as God builds His church.
We sang earlier ‘I have caught the vision - have you? Well lets confirm that as we close with the prayer ‘Revive Thy work O Lord’
A couple of weeks ago we looked at this vision God gave Ezekiel of the valley of dead dry lifeless bones. We looked at how God showed Ezekiel that although they appeared at the moment to be lifeless - like many churches in the world today - if they would respond to the prophesy that God was going to give Ezekiel - that God would rebuild the broken body - bring them together and by the power of His Holy Spirit breath new life in to them and restore them to be a fully empowered and embodied fellowship of Gods people.
As we read the story - we saw how God did exactly that and brought the dead fellowship to life. Of course that was a vision for the Jewish nation at that time who had been banished from Jerusalem that showed them that God would restore His chosen people and return them in great power to Jerusalem.
I believe that the vision was for then and for today and that the story of Ezekiel brings hope to the dying Christian church today that if they return to Him and live in obedience to His word then God would restore His people and His church back to full strength.
We looked at the promise that God made through Isaiah the prophet Isaiah 43; 18.19 ‘Forget the former things, don’t dwell on the past, see I am doing a new thing, can’t you see it, I’m making a way through the desert’
We looked at the testimony of the life of the Jewish Paul who was a passionate man of God but who needed to hear from God that the Jewish nation at the time were too set in their ways and and replaced a passionate heart for God with ritual and man made laws - they needed to get back to God - we saw how God in Christ stopped Paul on his mission to persecute the Christian Church and began converting him to see the truth of how in His concern for His people, God had sent Christ to die on the cross to pay for mans sin and bring him to repentance and receive Salvation.
The change was so dramatic as Paul's life was turned around as we can see by the letter he wrote to the church at Phillipi But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith. Philippians ch3; 7
WOW! The vision of Ezekiel was not just for then, but also for the time when Jesus the Messiah would comes to bring man back to the Father by giving His life on the cross. It also speaks to me of the he future when the Jew return to Jerusalem and further on to the end of time as we know it when Jesus comes back to claim the true followers for the Kingdom .
A few week ago we read how Paul wrote letters of encouragement to the new Christian Churches like the Ephesians and loved the way they were growing. We also read how the church at Ephesus had in just a few years started to lose sight of their calling and began to back track and lose their way so that Paul had to write to tell them that they had lost sight of their first love. We read how this was also the message of the Angel in the book of Revelation who said they stated out well but over the years had lost their way and were headed for destruction. We saw how this is happenning all around the world today how the Christian Church is loosing sight of Gods will and changing the bible to fit the foolishly corrupt and false ways of man today.
We said then how we need God to restore His dying church all around the world and breath new life into it - by the power of the Holy Spirit.
As I was showed people round this hall last Friday at our open day, a couple said how sad it was that many churches they knew were loosing their way. They were encouraged when I shared the many stories of how God has moved in miraculous ways to show His power here at Idle. I told them how the crippled Christopher had been miraculously healed by God and didn’t have to have a steel rod down his spine. I talked about baby Adam who’s lungs wouldn’t work when he was born which meant he had to rely on an iron lung at the side of his cot in hospital and how we prayed that God the Holy Spirit would breath new life into the lungs of baby Adam and restore him to full strength - the people I shared this with were amazed when I told them how a week later his grandmother came to this hall and shared how he was back home - his lungs fully working - so pleased were they that the whole family came to our fellowship and asked me to baptise both their children including Adam.
At special times like we celebrate today - our 135th Anniversary of the Salvation Army coming to Idle. We look at the past and see the way that God has brought us and this church but we are encouraged not to dwell on it for too long but to let the lessons of the past - the good times that we have shared and the way in which God has brought us = let the past serve as an encouragement, a base for all that I believe that God is going to do in the future - both in our lives and in the life of the church.
When we look at the past we can see the way in which God brought the Corps into being and how quickly the Corps grew in those early days.
In 1884 Cpt Annie Fleet and Lieut Jenny Street, opened fire in Idle using the Old Green Mill as their platform. They reported in the War Cry at that time what great response they were getting in Idle when vast crowds came to see them. They left Idle the following year to move to York but within a few years, the work they had started had grown so that new premises had to be found. Building work was commenced in Walter Street where we are today and was completed in 1893 - just nine years after opening in the Old Green Mill. Hundreds had come to accept the Lord as Saviour.
In the years that followed we’ve had over 90 Officers take charge, many for just a few months, some for a full year and just a handful for more than a year. The Corps grew and everything was going well until our first catastrophic event.
That was in 1978 when the local newspaper showed a picture of Cpt David Alliston surveying the burnt ruins of our Corps caused by a fire in the cellar. Fortunately all the work was confined to the inner of the hall, mainly the platform - building work started and it took a long time before we could move back into the hall in 1981. Until that time, we were privileged to use the Idle Baptist Church Sunday School.
Don’t dwell on the past, God says, see I am doing a new thing - don’t you see it - I see this as a word from God trying to encourage us to move forward. Just like the Israelites, Gods chosen people, God hadn’t brought us this far for nothing.
That new thing for me started seven years earlier in 1971 when the David and Dorothy Murden became our Officers. When I look back at the way in which God has led me I am amazed. A successful young 31 year old Salvationist - so I thought - who had come through the ranks, S/Coy Ldr, Bandmaster - then the Murdens came and through them, God opened my eyes to see that I didn’t really know Him, that I was busy’ doing’ and needed to stop and ‘catch the vision of what God wanted me to do’. I sought the Lord and He filled me with His Spirit and started a new life. I worshipped for the next 13 years with a passion to do Gods will, not realising what God had in store for me - and this Corps. During which time we had the fire in the hall 1978.
Then one afternoon in 1984, God gave me a word from Jeremiah 29;11 which I interpreted as saying ‘I am going to take you out of the familiar and open up your mind and show you how I can change your life and the life of this fellowship’ - then I will bring you back - the plans I have for you are good’
He did exactly that, he took me out, I started the New Life Fellowship on the edge of the estate along with others whom He had taken out of their fellowships, Two Salvation Army Officers from Holmewood, Ian and Mary Sinclair, Ray and Pamela Powell from Leeds Road Baptist. Julie Barrans, George and Jean from Holy Trinity, Margaret and Colin Deakin from West Bowling SA and many others.
For a couple of years we sought the Lord and grew in Him. Never in my wildest dreams did I know that God was going to bring me back to Idle Corps. But when the time was right, 1986 just like He said, God brought me back here. Idle Corps was by this time a very small Corps officered by Cpt Stephen Jocelyn. Not many came to the morning meetings, I remember, when some of the New Life fellowship came to the first Sunday morning we more than doubled the congregation. Then in 1990 we had to close the hall for three months due to dry rot,
From then on, God opened a new way for me and Beryl when in 1994 God sent Betty Matear to be our Officers for a short time until DHQ decided what to do about Idle Corps. Betty asked Beryl and I to become the Officers of our own Corps - we prayed about it and accepted and in October 1995 along with Ray and Pamela Powell, we were commissioned as Salvation Army Officers in a service at Brighouse.
The Corps started to grow - still we had more problems to face structurally - but looking back I see this as Gods way of building our halls to become the place within which He will move by His Spirit and builds His church - the people.
Shortly after becoming officers the balcony started parting company with the walls requiring major structural work as they tied the wall in to the balcony which took all our available funds. We were back in the hall in 1997 and at the re-opening I launched an appeal to raise money for a new hall - the Community Hall next door. The new hall was completed in 1999 at a cost of over £160 000 and after many prayer times, all the money came in. Once again - God provided all the finance to make available the building required for all I believe He has in mind for His Corps here at Idle.
God proved that again when fourteen years later in 2011 we found water coming through the ceiling in the main Worship Hall and needed about £190 000 to put that right. We prayed about that too and were amazed to receive a telephone call from a solicitor of a man who’s funeral I had done 3 years earlier in 2008 to find out that he had left all his money to us - £200 000 that paid for the new roof.
WOW! Our God is awesome - even supplied the money to bring us to where we are today. We never know what God has in store for us, but if we are obedient to Him - He will achieve great things through us as partners in building Gods Kingdom.
On Friday last week as I searched for a missing DVD I had prepared for the Open Day I came across three letters that Beryl and I had been given by a lovely man who had started to come to our fellowship along with his wife - Ken and Pearl Levitte.
As I read them my heart swelled with love as I remember the encoring ways that Ken had in urging us on in the early days of our ministry.
Easter 1996 he sent a poem’ that read - To Beryl and Billy from all the congregation at Idle Easter 1966
You are our story tellers of the greatest stories ever told
That have passed down through the ages, to the young ones from the old
And yet we have some doubters who ask for miracles or signs
But if they believed, then they would see, they are happening all the time
So keep on telling the stories that add fuel to the flame
Then Jesus will know that on that day on the cross, He did not suffer in vain.
Ken was a lovely man who had found his faith strengthened when he joined the Corps. His eyesight wasn’t good and he had to write is letters in big print on heavily lined paper. But that didn’t stop him sharing his thoughts and encouraging both Beryl and myself in the early days of our ministry here at Idle.
He even sent one of his letters when he and Pearl were on holiday in the Isle of White
Dear friends
Pearl and I are sorry we cannot be with you todat as we are sunning ourselves on the Isle of White. We only wish we had enough money so that we could have brought you all with us. We miss the Sunday service very much when we are away
Once in my prayer I said to the Lord ‘Lord sometimes it seems as if you are not working in my life’ and the Lord said to me ‘Are you a Christian every day of the week and every minute of every day’ so I answered Him in truth and said ‘ ‘No Lord, although I try very hard there are times when I forget and I let myself down.
Then the Lord said to me ‘So if your’e only a part-time Christian, and yet you expect Me to be a full time God’ then He went on to say ‘If you were an employer, would you pay your’e workers a full weeks pay for only one days work’ It was then that I understood what the Lord was trying to tell me.
From that day on I have found the more Christian I become, the more the Lord is working in my life WOW! I hope this share may help some of you
We send our love to each and everyone of you. May the Lord Bless and Keep you Form Pearl and Ken. He the followed it with 28 kisses and wrote I think that’s enough. Love Ken and Pearl
When I read Kens letters t reminded me of those early days and the lovely people we had worshipping here with us. As I read Kens honest - open hearted letter, it reminded me of how sincere he was in what he wrote and how he lived.
His letter was meant as a challenge to everyone at the Corps to be genuine in their commitment to God and one another. We were a church who was getting it’s Act2gether and people like Ken were beginning to see the value of full commitment to the will of God.
The Church moves forward when men and women are open to the voice and will of God. I love how Ken could share his conversations with God. As he did in the letter we just read. The church triumphs when men and women not only listen to the words of God but are bold enough to embrace it and put flesh on the vision and live the dream. Ezekiel was a real man of vision.
God , through the prophet Joel said this ‘I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions. Joel 2:28,29 Whilst we can’t live on past glories - we can learn from our past and commit ourselves to a future with God. God has done some great things here at Idle over the past 135 years and I believe wants to do even greater things in the coming years - it’ sup to us to capture the vision.
I don’t think that Joel is saying that if your old all your capable of is dreaming of former glories - living in the past all the time - I believe what he is saying is an encouragement to keep youthful in your attitudes and your actions - always open to the supernatural, the unexplained, the unexpected. In that way we will be receptive to the visions God sends.
I remember the birth of TV. In 1952 we bought our first TV a receiver a large wooden box with a tiny 9" screen that was capable of receiving visions sent from London. It wasn't long before almost every house in Idle had a 'H' aerial on the chimney. Then ITV came on the scene and everyone had to get a second ariel, this time it was in the shape of a 'X'. We were all keen on 'catching the vision'. These miraculous pictures that came from out of the sky into everyone's homes. Pictures that were capable of shrinking the world, and taking people to far off lands, places they might never visit in their lifetime.
The trouble today is, that we spend more time indoors catching those visions on much larger colourful screens and are less eager to get out of our homes and mix with other people to find out what God wants us to do. We are good at capturing visions on the TV but not so good at capture life changing visions from on High.
Long before the electronic age, way back in Bible days, ordinary men and women were capturing visions from God. Not on television sets this time, but in their dreams, or when they were praying to God.
These were not only visions of a future world, that they would never see themselves, but visions that captured their imaginations, fired them up filling them with great enthusiasm, spurring them on to make those visions a reality in their own time.
God sent pictures from on high that could only be received by people who’s ariel were tuned in to the 'heavenly channel' not to be confused with the God Channel
People like Jacob who saw a ladder leading to Heaven,
Ezekiel who taken into the potters shed, or the valley of dry bones.
Isaiah, who prophesied the coming Messiah and even lamented the death
of Jesus.
Micah and Joel who spoke of times afar off, that they would never see, the birth of Jesus, the outpouring of the Holy Spirit
Peter and his vision of the tablecloth spread all kinds of variety of foods, that foretold the inclusion of the Gentiles in Gods master plan of salvation.
The revelation, given to John on the Isle of Patmos about the end times and the return of Jesus.
In times when all seemed bleak and hopeless, God brought wisdom and hope to the world through the mouthpiece of man. I believe that today - we are living in such times when we need to hear the voice of God. God needs 'visionaries' today! God also needs people, who even though they themselves may not have been given a 'Vision', they have somehow captured the vision of what God wants to accomplish in His church and are willing to take risks to live it out.
People who are seeing their own lives changing, receiving and enjoying the New life that God is blessing them with. Just Look around you. This Church has never looked better, or been better equipped to fulfil Gods mission of bringing hope, Forgiveness, New Life to the people out there who as yet don’t know there is more to life than this.
We celebrate 135 years - we remember great days when this church was full - today, like many other churches we are few in number - but I believe over the last few months that God has been busy preparing us for greater things. Don’t be misled into thinking that you are here this morning by chance - God wants you to be a part of all that He is going to accomplish here at Idle in the next few years that will bring new life, purpose and direction to this Corps. God planned for you to be here - He wants you to be prepared to capture the vision of all that He wants to do here in Idle to bring others into the Kingdom.
See I am doing a new thing - don’t you see it? I’m making a way through the desert I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland. We left Ezekiel listening to God tell him to speak to the dry bones - lets close this morning by reading his response.
Imagine being told to address a valley of dry bones, So I prophesied as I was commanded. And as I was prophesying, there was a noise, a rattling sound, and the bones came together, bone to bone. I looked, and tendons and flesh appeared on them and skin covered them, but there was no breath in them.
Then he said to me, "Prophesy to the breath; prophesy, son of man, and say to it, `This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe into these slain, that they may live.' "So I prophesied as he commanded me, and breath entered them; they came to life and stood up on their feet - a vast army.
Then he said to me: "Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. They say, `Our bones are dried up and our hope is gone; we are cut off.' Therefore prophesy and say to them: `This is what the Sovereign LORD says: O my people, I am going to open your graves and bring you up from them; I will bring you back to the land of Israel. Then you, my people, will know that I am the LORD when I open your graves and bring you up from them. I will put my Spirit in you and you will live, and I will settle you in your own land. Then you will know that I the LORD have spoken, and I have done it, declares the LORD.' "
Make no mistake - God has plans for us all if only we will seek to capture the vision.
I was amazed when I saw the theme for this years Salvation Army almanac which was Jeremiah 29 - Gods declaring it again - this time for the whole of the SA in 2019.
All God asks of you and I is that is that we capture the vision again and go with it and be amazed as God builds His church.
We sang earlier ‘I have caught the vision - have you? Well lets confirm that as we close with the prayer ‘Revive Thy work O Lord’
MM 22 September 2019 Ezekiel 37
The hand of the Lord was on me, and he brought me out by the Spirit of the Lord and set me in the middle of a valley; it was full of bones. He led me back and forth among them, and I saw a great many bones on the floor of the valley, bones that were very dry. He asked me, “Son of man, can these bones live?”
I said, “Sovereign Lord, you alone know.”
Then he said to me, “Prophesy to these bones and say to them, ‘Dry bones, hear the word of the Lord! This is what the Sovereign Lord says to these bones: I will make breath enter you, and you will come to life. I will attach tendons to you and make flesh come upon you and cover you with skin; I will put breath in you, and you will come to life. Then you will know that I am the Lord.’”
So I prophesied as I was commanded. And as I was prophesying, there was a noise, a rattling sound, and the bones came together, bone to bone. I looked, and tendons and flesh appeared on them and skin covered them, but there was no breath in them.
Then he said to me, “Prophesy to the breath; prophesy, son of man, and say to it, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Come, breath, from the four winds and breathe into these slain, that they may live.’” So I prophesied as he commanded me, and breath entered them; they came to life and stood up on their feet—a vast army.
Then he said to me: “Son of man, these bones are the people of Israel. They say, ‘Our bones are dried up and our hope is gone; we are cut off.’ Therefore prophesy and say to them: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: My people, I am going to open your graves and bring you up from them; I will bring you back to the land of Israel. Then you, my people, will know that I am the Lord, when I open your graves and bring you up from them. I will put my Spirit in you and you will live, and I will settle you in your own land. Then you will know that I the Lord have spoken, and I have done it, declares the Lord.’”
When I asked the Lords to show me what He wanted us to share this morning Immediately the words came to me Ezekiel 37v 10. I picked up my bible and was amazed to read the words - ‘so I prophesied as the Lord commanded me and breath entered them - the dry bones - they came to life and stood up on their feet - a vast army’ WOW!
It so spoke to me that God was confirming to me that the prayer we prayed last week will become a reality if we take an honest look at our lives and turn from our own ways and seek the Lords way - do that I believe great things are in store for this Corps.
I was also amazed that when I checked the last time we looked at this vision of Ezekiel was exactly a year ago today at our 134th Corps Anniversary. It also confirmed to me the prayers for healing that we prayed last week for Barbara and Yvonne - one having a to cope with the pain from a new hip, the other a new knee cap.
I couldn’t help but also remember the old song that we used to sing called ‘dem n bones, dem bones, dem dry bones’ - now hear the world of the Lord - a spiritual song written by two brothers, James and John Weldon Johnson in 1928 . The lyrics were inspired by Ezekiel 37:1-14, where visits the "Valley of Dry Bones" and prophesies that they will one day be resurrected at God's command, picturing the realization of the New Jerusalem. James Weldon was an activist in the battle for racial equality.
Dem bones dem bones dem, dry bones,
Dem bones dem bones dem, dry bones
Ezekiel he connected dem dry bones,
Now hear the word of the Lord
I love the vision of Ezekiel - It speaks to me on several counts - the restoration of the people of Israel, the salvation that comes through the sacrifice of Jesus and the infilling and empowering of the Holy Spirit.
Remember the words of God through Isaiah the prophet Isaiah 43; 18.19 ‘Forget the former things, don’t dwell on the past, see I am doing a new thing, can’t you see it, I’m making a way through the desert’
A few weeks ago we read the words of Paul the converted zealous Jew who experienced new life - re-birth when he met Jesus on the Damascus Road and his life was turned around. He was called to forget the former things and captured the vision of what God would do with his life and bring encouragement to the new churches that he had formerly been trying to get rid of.
Listen to what he writes to the church at Phillipi ch3; 7 But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ--the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith.
WOW! Forget the former things v10 I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like Him in His death, and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead.
Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: and here we have the statement that reiterates what God said to Ezekiel Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.
WOW! The vision of Ezekiel was not just for his day, but also for the time when Jesus the Messiah will come to bring man back to the Father by giving His life on the cross. It also speaks to me of the he future when the Jew return to Jerusalem and further on to the end of time as we know it when Jesus comes back to claim the true followers for the Kingdom.
All through the history of mankind, God has been calling us to capture the vision of what He wants to do to bring His people back into right relationship with Him, our Father.
Isaiah 43; 18 Forget the former things, don’t dwell on the past, see I am doing a new thing, can’t you see it, I’m making a way through the desert’ I believe that this year - God has been gearing us up to the challenge to put the past behind us and capture the vision of what He wil do in our lives and the life of our Corps - His church. Hense the emphasis on getting our ACT 2 gether.
Way back in the book of Proverbs 29:18 King James Version (KJV) we are told that; 'Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he.’
Yesterday I was in the garden - busy trying to get it back in shape when a car pulled up - it was Ruth's daughter and grandchildren. We had a little chat and then I noticed that had his phone on his lap and he was watching a film - his mum said they’re on them all the time - and it’s so true. In these days people old as well as young spend a lot of time capturing visions from all kind of sources, some good and some bad - I sometimes think that when they young ones grow up they will have lost the art of conversation and communicating with one another. Sad.
What we learn from God is that if we are tuned into God by the power of the Spirit we are capable of capturing a spiritual vision from God that will transform our lives for the better.
When you look at the state of the world today it would seem that man’s vision and Gods intentions are miles apart. God wants us to capture the vision of a Kingdom where all things thought impossible, by faith are made possible. Paul told the Christians at Corinth that God is building a Kingdom of power not of words.
Sadly Christians today treat the bible as just a book of words when in fact what we are called to do is live the words - capture the vision of what God wants us to accomplish in our lives and Church
We who follow Jesus are called to be his witnesses, telling others what he has done for us. Yet this message will not be persuasive unless it is backed up by evidence of God’s power. If people see God at work in and through us, if they sense his presence in our compassion, our prayers, and our communities of faith, then they will be open and more eager to hear what we have to say about Jesus
As Eliza Doolittle cried to Proffessor Higgins when he was trying to teach her things - in despair she cried out ‘ Words. Words, I’m sick of blooming words - show me!’ Amazingly that’s exactly what God did to Ezekiel and in fact to many of the prophets of old. God gave visions of the future of what He would do if man toed the line and was true to his promise to love the Lord
That’s what this vision of Ezekiel is - and I believe that God is reminding us of this today for a reason - that He wants to build our spiritual lives and the life of His fellowship and breath New Life into us. So many churches today are like the valley of dry bones - lifeless - ineffectual - dead
Ezekiel saw a great many bones on the floor that were very dry and God asked him - son of man, can these bones live? To which he replied, almost in modern day talk - ‘God only knows’
So God told Ezekiel to prophesy to the bones and say ‘Dry bones - hear the word of the Lord - I will make breath enter you and you will come to life - I will make you a new body and breathe new life into you - then you will know that I am the Lord’.
That’s a New Body - New Church - the Living Body of Christ in the world today.
I guess that as Ezekiel looked at the dry bones that once was Gods chosen people he probably thought - this is impossible - they are too far gone - just a heap of dry and lifeless bones. What did Ezekiel do - thankfully he caught the vison himself and did as God said. He stood there and talked to the dry dead bones and as he spoke there was a noise - a rattling sound as the bones came together. Then he saw tendons and flesh come on them but they were still lifeless.
Then God instructed Ezekiel to prophesy again to the bones and tell them that this is what the Sovereign Lord says ‘ Come from the four winds O breath and breath into these slain that they might live - and breath entered them, they came to life and stood on their feet a vast army.
Wow If only man today would capture this vision and make it a reality today what a powerful Army we would be.A spiritual vision from the Lord that fills our heart. I love the testimony of a young lad called Christopher Duffey ( check him out on Youtube) who at ten years old gives his testimony, Even though he was born blind and Autistic, Christopher loves the Lord and tells everyone that even though he is physically blind and cannot see as we see - God has openned the eyes of his heart to see spiritually. He stands and sings 'open the eyes of my heart Lord'. Today he is a 14 year old worship music leader at his church. O how the church today needs to capture the visionof what God wants to do in and through them in the world today.
I believe that God has prompted us to look at these verses and capture the truth of what we are seeing here. I believe that God wants this church - this body to rise up and be filled with the Spirit of God to become a vast Army that will move with great power in todays world.
I believe that the vision is not just for the Jews who God has promised will return to Israel - and that will happen - but I believe that it is for you and me today v 15 says I will put My Spirit in you and you will live - you will know that I the Lord have spoken and done it - in other words He is a God of Power and not just of words.
Lets take up the challenge and as, in our closing prayer, I read the prophesy again - take it to be a promise from God for you and me today and respond to the words of the Lord.
Before we pray we are going to sing a song written by Brindley Boon
1 Spirit divine, come as of old with healing in thy train
Come, as thou did'st, to sanctify , let naught of sin remain.
Come, great Spirit, come, make each heart thy home
Enter every longing soul -come, great Spirit, come.
2 Spirit divine, purge thou our hearts make us to understand
Thy blessed will concerning us, and teach us love's command.
3 Spirit divine, cleanse thou our souls with pentecostal flood
Breathe into us the life that shows the Father-love of God.
As we bow in prayer, I’m going to repeat the words that God told Ezekiel to say to the dry bones - and I pray we will let them speak to us - me and you - as Gods people and as we respond to the words of God, feel and receive the inner presence of the Holy Spirit - the Rauch - the breath of Almighty God. When that happens we will become people of power - empowered by God to not only share the truth with others but also let them see by works of power that God is who He says He is - Lord of all.
Prayer This is what the sovereign Lord says to us ‘I will make breath enter you and you will come to life
So I pray come Holy Spirit ‘Rauch’ the breath of life and breath new life into your people that we may live for you and become the mighty Army that you want us to be.
Come Holy Spirit empower and equip Your people to be your powerful witnesses so that when we leave this place today we will know with real certainty that we have been given new life that will help us to grow to become more Christlike.
Fill us with Your Holy Spirit and I pray that each one here will feel your awesome presence -
in the name of the Father and of the Son and the Holy Spirit - Amen
The hand of the Lord was on me, and he brought me out by the Spirit of the Lord and set me in the middle of a valley; it was full of bones. He led me back and forth among them, and I saw a great many bones on the floor of the valley, bones that were very dry. He asked me, “Son of man, can these bones live?”
I said, “Sovereign Lord, you alone know.”
Then he said to me, “Prophesy to these bones and say to them, ‘Dry bones, hear the word of the Lord! This is what the Sovereign Lord says to these bones: I will make breath enter you, and you will come to life. I will attach tendons to you and make flesh come upon you and cover you with skin; I will put breath in you, and you will come to life. Then you will know that I am the Lord.’”
So I prophesied as I was commanded. And as I was prophesying, there was a noise, a rattling sound, and the bones came together, bone to bone. I looked, and tendons and flesh appeared on them and skin covered them, but there was no breath in them.
Then he said to me, “Prophesy to the breath; prophesy, son of man, and say to it, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Come, breath, from the four winds and breathe into these slain, that they may live.’” So I prophesied as he commanded me, and breath entered them; they came to life and stood up on their feet—a vast army.
Then he said to me: “Son of man, these bones are the people of Israel. They say, ‘Our bones are dried up and our hope is gone; we are cut off.’ Therefore prophesy and say to them: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: My people, I am going to open your graves and bring you up from them; I will bring you back to the land of Israel. Then you, my people, will know that I am the Lord, when I open your graves and bring you up from them. I will put my Spirit in you and you will live, and I will settle you in your own land. Then you will know that I the Lord have spoken, and I have done it, declares the Lord.’”
When I asked the Lords to show me what He wanted us to share this morning Immediately the words came to me Ezekiel 37v 10. I picked up my bible and was amazed to read the words - ‘so I prophesied as the Lord commanded me and breath entered them - the dry bones - they came to life and stood up on their feet - a vast army’ WOW!
It so spoke to me that God was confirming to me that the prayer we prayed last week will become a reality if we take an honest look at our lives and turn from our own ways and seek the Lords way - do that I believe great things are in store for this Corps.
I was also amazed that when I checked the last time we looked at this vision of Ezekiel was exactly a year ago today at our 134th Corps Anniversary. It also confirmed to me the prayers for healing that we prayed last week for Barbara and Yvonne - one having a to cope with the pain from a new hip, the other a new knee cap.
I couldn’t help but also remember the old song that we used to sing called ‘dem n bones, dem bones, dem dry bones’ - now hear the world of the Lord - a spiritual song written by two brothers, James and John Weldon Johnson in 1928 . The lyrics were inspired by Ezekiel 37:1-14, where visits the "Valley of Dry Bones" and prophesies that they will one day be resurrected at God's command, picturing the realization of the New Jerusalem. James Weldon was an activist in the battle for racial equality.
Dem bones dem bones dem, dry bones,
Dem bones dem bones dem, dry bones
Ezekiel he connected dem dry bones,
Now hear the word of the Lord
I love the vision of Ezekiel - It speaks to me on several counts - the restoration of the people of Israel, the salvation that comes through the sacrifice of Jesus and the infilling and empowering of the Holy Spirit.
Remember the words of God through Isaiah the prophet Isaiah 43; 18.19 ‘Forget the former things, don’t dwell on the past, see I am doing a new thing, can’t you see it, I’m making a way through the desert’
A few weeks ago we read the words of Paul the converted zealous Jew who experienced new life - re-birth when he met Jesus on the Damascus Road and his life was turned around. He was called to forget the former things and captured the vision of what God would do with his life and bring encouragement to the new churches that he had formerly been trying to get rid of.
Listen to what he writes to the church at Phillipi ch3; 7 But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ--the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith.
WOW! Forget the former things v10 I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like Him in His death, and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead.
Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: and here we have the statement that reiterates what God said to Ezekiel Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.
WOW! The vision of Ezekiel was not just for his day, but also for the time when Jesus the Messiah will come to bring man back to the Father by giving His life on the cross. It also speaks to me of the he future when the Jew return to Jerusalem and further on to the end of time as we know it when Jesus comes back to claim the true followers for the Kingdom.
All through the history of mankind, God has been calling us to capture the vision of what He wants to do to bring His people back into right relationship with Him, our Father.
Isaiah 43; 18 Forget the former things, don’t dwell on the past, see I am doing a new thing, can’t you see it, I’m making a way through the desert’ I believe that this year - God has been gearing us up to the challenge to put the past behind us and capture the vision of what He wil do in our lives and the life of our Corps - His church. Hense the emphasis on getting our ACT 2 gether.
Way back in the book of Proverbs 29:18 King James Version (KJV) we are told that; 'Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he.’
Yesterday I was in the garden - busy trying to get it back in shape when a car pulled up - it was Ruth's daughter and grandchildren. We had a little chat and then I noticed that had his phone on his lap and he was watching a film - his mum said they’re on them all the time - and it’s so true. In these days people old as well as young spend a lot of time capturing visions from all kind of sources, some good and some bad - I sometimes think that when they young ones grow up they will have lost the art of conversation and communicating with one another. Sad.
What we learn from God is that if we are tuned into God by the power of the Spirit we are capable of capturing a spiritual vision from God that will transform our lives for the better.
When you look at the state of the world today it would seem that man’s vision and Gods intentions are miles apart. God wants us to capture the vision of a Kingdom where all things thought impossible, by faith are made possible. Paul told the Christians at Corinth that God is building a Kingdom of power not of words.
Sadly Christians today treat the bible as just a book of words when in fact what we are called to do is live the words - capture the vision of what God wants us to accomplish in our lives and Church
We who follow Jesus are called to be his witnesses, telling others what he has done for us. Yet this message will not be persuasive unless it is backed up by evidence of God’s power. If people see God at work in and through us, if they sense his presence in our compassion, our prayers, and our communities of faith, then they will be open and more eager to hear what we have to say about Jesus
As Eliza Doolittle cried to Proffessor Higgins when he was trying to teach her things - in despair she cried out ‘ Words. Words, I’m sick of blooming words - show me!’ Amazingly that’s exactly what God did to Ezekiel and in fact to many of the prophets of old. God gave visions of the future of what He would do if man toed the line and was true to his promise to love the Lord
That’s what this vision of Ezekiel is - and I believe that God is reminding us of this today for a reason - that He wants to build our spiritual lives and the life of His fellowship and breath New Life into us. So many churches today are like the valley of dry bones - lifeless - ineffectual - dead
Ezekiel saw a great many bones on the floor that were very dry and God asked him - son of man, can these bones live? To which he replied, almost in modern day talk - ‘God only knows’
So God told Ezekiel to prophesy to the bones and say ‘Dry bones - hear the word of the Lord - I will make breath enter you and you will come to life - I will make you a new body and breathe new life into you - then you will know that I am the Lord’.
That’s a New Body - New Church - the Living Body of Christ in the world today.
I guess that as Ezekiel looked at the dry bones that once was Gods chosen people he probably thought - this is impossible - they are too far gone - just a heap of dry and lifeless bones. What did Ezekiel do - thankfully he caught the vison himself and did as God said. He stood there and talked to the dry dead bones and as he spoke there was a noise - a rattling sound as the bones came together. Then he saw tendons and flesh come on them but they were still lifeless.
Then God instructed Ezekiel to prophesy again to the bones and tell them that this is what the Sovereign Lord says ‘ Come from the four winds O breath and breath into these slain that they might live - and breath entered them, they came to life and stood on their feet a vast army.
Wow If only man today would capture this vision and make it a reality today what a powerful Army we would be.A spiritual vision from the Lord that fills our heart. I love the testimony of a young lad called Christopher Duffey ( check him out on Youtube) who at ten years old gives his testimony, Even though he was born blind and Autistic, Christopher loves the Lord and tells everyone that even though he is physically blind and cannot see as we see - God has openned the eyes of his heart to see spiritually. He stands and sings 'open the eyes of my heart Lord'. Today he is a 14 year old worship music leader at his church. O how the church today needs to capture the visionof what God wants to do in and through them in the world today.
I believe that God has prompted us to look at these verses and capture the truth of what we are seeing here. I believe that God wants this church - this body to rise up and be filled with the Spirit of God to become a vast Army that will move with great power in todays world.
I believe that the vision is not just for the Jews who God has promised will return to Israel - and that will happen - but I believe that it is for you and me today v 15 says I will put My Spirit in you and you will live - you will know that I the Lord have spoken and done it - in other words He is a God of Power and not just of words.
Lets take up the challenge and as, in our closing prayer, I read the prophesy again - take it to be a promise from God for you and me today and respond to the words of the Lord.
Before we pray we are going to sing a song written by Brindley Boon
1 Spirit divine, come as of old with healing in thy train
Come, as thou did'st, to sanctify , let naught of sin remain.
Come, great Spirit, come, make each heart thy home
Enter every longing soul -come, great Spirit, come.
2 Spirit divine, purge thou our hearts make us to understand
Thy blessed will concerning us, and teach us love's command.
3 Spirit divine, cleanse thou our souls with pentecostal flood
Breathe into us the life that shows the Father-love of God.
As we bow in prayer, I’m going to repeat the words that God told Ezekiel to say to the dry bones - and I pray we will let them speak to us - me and you - as Gods people and as we respond to the words of God, feel and receive the inner presence of the Holy Spirit - the Rauch - the breath of Almighty God. When that happens we will become people of power - empowered by God to not only share the truth with others but also let them see by works of power that God is who He says He is - Lord of all.
Prayer This is what the sovereign Lord says to us ‘I will make breath enter you and you will come to life
So I pray come Holy Spirit ‘Rauch’ the breath of life and breath new life into your people that we may live for you and become the mighty Army that you want us to be.
Come Holy Spirit empower and equip Your people to be your powerful witnesses so that when we leave this place today we will know with real certainty that we have been given new life that will help us to grow to become more Christlike.
Fill us with Your Holy Spirit and I pray that each one here will feel your awesome presence -
in the name of the Father and of the Son and the Holy Spirit - Amen
MM 15 September Pray in the Spirit
Last week we closed with the words of Paul to the fellowship at Ephesus ; Ephesians 6; 10-20 where, as individuals and as a fellowship he encouraged them to 'Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power'. How? by
Putting on the full armour of God, and why? so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. I said then that today - like then, the evil one has crept into our society - its leaders - the authorities and those in power in this world in which we live -
Over the last few months we have been looking at the Revelation of John on the Isle of Patmos that predicts the anger of God at the way in which mankind has and will in the future - today - fall away from the truth of the gospel and preach the selfish ungodly gospel of greed, selfishnesss and power.
Over the last few years we have seen the development of the European parliament - housed as it is in a Satanic newly built replica of the Tower of Babylon complete with a statue of the whore of Babylon riding on the Beast. It’s all happening around us today. The news is all about the disagreement and the falling out of our own political parties that have taken the power from the people and made it their own.
No wonder Paul warns the church of his day and through his words to them - warns us today not to fall prey to the ways of the evil one.
Therefore - as Paul says - put on the full armour of God, so that when the day of evil comes, and I believe it’s already here, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then; with the belt of truth buckled around your waist,
I know only too well that when this body of mine ( taps tummy) goes arry and misshapen how much I need a strong firm belt to hold me in place . O how we as the church of God need to have a firm belt of truth to stop us growing the wrong way.
Paul then went on to stress the importance of the breastplate of righteousness. The breastplate that protects the heart - the root of all Love that through the sacrificial love of Jesus in dying for our sins has made us right with God - restored the loving relationship that God has for His creation.
And not to be content with knowing and growing in the truth ourselves, the truth that set us free from the guilt and anguish of living in sin = but to be so concerned about those who don’t share our joy because they don’t know the love of God - our families and neighbours - and to be filled with the desire to have share it with them also - we need to have our feet shod with the readiness - to share with others - that comes from our knowing and experiencing the gospel of peace ourselves.
The gospel of Peace that set us free from the guilt and anguish of sin
The belt of truth that holds everything firm.
The breastplate of righteousness that warms the heart
Feet ready to go anywhere the Lord wants to send you to share the gospel of Peace
In addition to all this, knowing that we live in a hostile world that will do anything it can to stop us - to seek the protection of Almighty God and take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. The shield of Faith - that lifts us way above own understanding that limit’s our thinking - and take the helmet of salvation that covers and protects our brains with the sure and certain knowledge of Gods power to save.
Then to top it all comes the comes the assurance of Gods power to protect and keep us safe from the evil ones onslought of lies and that is the sword of the Spirit, which is simply the word of God.
In other words, we have it all - We are Shielded by your sincere faith that can protect you from the fierce onslaught of the devil, Head protected with the helmet salvation that fills your brain with the knowledge that you have been saved through the Grace of Almighty God And the Sword of the Spirit which is the word of God
And finally the request to pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people. Pray for Gods people - you and me - pray for those God will send us to share the gospel with and pray for those of our brothers an sisters who are struggling in churches all around us to keep strong in the faith and not go the way of the world
Pray in the Spirit - wow! that’s awesome to know that we can pray for one another and through those prayers experience the mighty power of God.
We now move on to look at a letter that Paul wrote to the church in Rome
Romans ch1;1-17 Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God— the gospel He promised beforehand through His prophets in the Holy Scriptures regarding His Son, who as to His earthly life was a descendant of David, and who through the Spirit of holiness was appointed the Son of God in power by His resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord. Through Him we received grace and apostleship to call all the Gentiles to the obedience that comes from faith for His name’s sake. The Shield of sincere faith And you also are among those Gentiles who are called to belong to Jesus Christ.
7 To all in Rome who are loved by God and called to be His holy people: Grace and peace to you from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ. First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is being reported all over the world. God, whom I serve in my spirit in preaching the gospel of His Son, is my witness how constantly I remember you in my prayers at all times; and I pray that now at last by God’s will the way may be opened for me to come to you. Here again Paul stresses the importance of prayer for others.
11 I long to see you so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to make you strong—that is, that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith. I do not want you to be unaware, brothers and sisters, that I planned many times to come to you (but have been prevented from doing so until now) in order that I might have a harvest among you, just as I have had among the other Gentiles.
14 I am obligated both to Greeks and non-Greeks, both to the wise and the foolish. That is why I am so eager to preach the gospel also to you who are in Rome. For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile. For in the gospel - the righteousness of God is revealed—a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.” The shield of Faith
The first thing Paul does is accept and acknowledge that he was chosen and called by God through the encounter with Jesus Christ to be a servant of Christ - called to be an Apostle to proclaim of the truth of the gospel that the prophets of old had written about in the Jewish scriptures about a coming Messiah who would save His people - Paul knew that he had been called by God to reveal that the Messiah was indeed Jesus who they had crucified but whom God had raised from the dead.
Paul had been called to proclaim the truth about Jesus not just to the Jews but to the non Jews - the Gentiles of which Rome would be full.
God wanted to bring them to obedience to Himself through the sacrificial love of Jesus the promised Messiah for all mankind who would turn to Him and accept Him as their Lord and Saviour.
Just look at v 8 First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is being reported all over the world .
Rome was predominantly Gentile and many Romans were at Pentecost when the Spirit came and gave birth, life and power to what would become the new Church of Christ. Those Romans must have gone back to their homeland and shared what they had seen and heard with their fellow men and the Christian church began to grow and flourish there,. Here Paul excitingly proclaims that their faith is being reported all over the world.
As I read this I was reminded about a sermon I preached on this same verse - 21 years ago on August 30 1998. Let me share with you what I said then;
One of the lovely things about this Corps is the news of what is happenning here at Idle in the lives of each one of you is being reported all around and it’s exciting to hear the comments of other fellowships where I go to do meetings, lead Bible studies etc. Amazingly they know all about Idle before I even open my mouth. They’ve heard the good reports of the good things that God is doing in our Corps, how He is blesing us inso many different ways. Your faith - is being reported all aver the division.
Good news travels fast and becomes an encouragement tio those fellowships who are not having such good times. I believe that when I share with them that one of the main reasons for our progress is through the power of prayer - it kick starts them into getting back onto their knees. That’s what Paul is saying here as he assures them of his own constant prayers for their fellowship at Rome which will be a great contributing factor to the success of their fellowship.
There are people all over the world praying for this Corps - you and me. Norman and Christine Ord in Hastings, John and Betty Matear in London, Col and Mrs Laurie Jardine in Kent and Pastor Moon Byong Choi in Korea plus a host of others who hold us in their prayers.
It’s so good to know isn’t it, that we are a fellowship of believers belonging to a Great God and part of His world wide Church. What we are experiencing here at Idle is in part because of our own prayer life and the faithfulness of others who are praying for this Corps - for you and me. And just as what we are enjoying in these days is in art attributable to those prayers. I think it is brilliant that the work that we are doing today will serve to benefit the Kingdom of God in years to come.
It’s awesome to think that what we are doing today, in working towards building a new hall next door, enlarging our fellowship and equipping others for service through Bible Study and Prayer, will be remembered in a hundred years from now by people that we have never met and yet who will praise God for those, you and me, faithful people who have worked so hard to enable them to continue to spread the good news.
That was part of the sermon I preached those 21 years ago. Beryl and I had taken over the leadership of the Corps just three years earlier during which time we experienced phenominal growth through both sincere commitment to Bible Study and Prayer and as I read it to me is resembled the phenomenal growth of the early church in Rome and surrounding areas. In those three years since Beryl and I had been made Commanding Officers of this Corps we had come to experience and enjoy a phenomenal growth in spirituality and with a resulting increase in membership.
As the children were enjoying the Family Film night last Friday evening , I sat in this hall just about where Brian is sitting now at the computer and after reading this sermon of 21 years ago and the letter of Paul to the Romans I looked at the empty chairs in front of me - 44 seats an all that 21 years ago when I preached this sermon were fully occupied and it filled my heart with sadness to think that on Sundays today only about a quarter of them are filled.
As I looked at the empty chairs I cried out to God for revival - that we as a Corps would get our ACT2-gether and bring restoration and new life to our Corps.
Of course there have been many reasons for a decline in membership, deaths as well as the people the devil has sent to us to bring us down like those we mentioned last week - but I believe that that can all change if we take a good look at our own lives and the priorities we set regarding how we spend our time that make little allowance for the two main factors of our spiritual growth which is Bible study and Prayer
The very things Paul stressed to be a contributing factor to the growth and well being of the early church - Paul writing to the church at Ephesus stressed the importance of prayer whan he made a request for them to pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. And again in Romans 1-8 God, whom I serve in my spirit in preaching the gospel of His Son, is my witness how constantly I remember you in my prayers at all times; and I pray that now at last by God’s will the way may be opened for me to come to you.
As I said in my sermon of 21 years ago ‘here are still people all over the world praying for this Corps’ - there are over 150 followers of us on face book - many praying for us today including many past officers and past members of this Corps.
Prayer is so important and as Paul says it is in v 18 of Ephesians 6 Pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people. Pray for Gods people - you and me - pray for those God will send us to share the gospel with and pray for those of our brothers an sisters who are struggling in churches all around us to keep strong in the faith and not go the way of the world
As I said Prayer is the Key - The Christians vital breath is prayer
I believe that one of the main problems of this fellowship is that for whatever reason, so many are suffering the spirit of infirmity. There is a great need for healing in this Corps both physical and spiritual - thats why I continue to stress the importance of meeting together in prayer on Tuesday nights to bring our requests before God for physical and spiritual healing - I believe that both of these needs go hand in hand. The devil is bringing physical problems that are added to and worsened by a lack of faith in prayer. Illnesses that the devil uses to bring people down and reduce their faith so that the illness seems to be bigger than any answer from God. Don’t believe it - Believing prayer is so important - yes there are times when we have to accept what we are going through - but that should not stop us from asking God to intervene and touch us with His healing hand. So many times the seriousness of our illness bring confusion as to what and how to pray for. But look at what Paul says in Romans 8; 26-27 In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God
Paul says that whilst we maybe not know how or what to pray for when it comes to our physical problems - the Holy Spirit does, and when we believe, place our complete faith in God and pray in the spirit - the Spirit intercedes for us.
Praying in the Spirit is so important - He’s not talking about praying in tongues on this occasion - he is simply drawing our attention to the fact that ‘praying in the Spirit’ simply means to believe that the Holy Spirit draws along side us in our prayer
During the closing moments of this meeting we are going to pray - in the Spirit- for healing both spiritual and physical and place our complete faith in God.
I believe that if we are spiritually motivated to come to God in prayer for Spiritual growth and healing that God will also respond in a powerful way to bring healing to those infirmities that hinder full commitment that will lead to Growth birth Spiritual and numericaly in our Corps,
Song Be still for the presence of the Lord
Last week we closed with the words of Paul to the fellowship at Ephesus ; Ephesians 6; 10-20 where, as individuals and as a fellowship he encouraged them to 'Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power'. How? by
Putting on the full armour of God, and why? so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. I said then that today - like then, the evil one has crept into our society - its leaders - the authorities and those in power in this world in which we live -
Over the last few months we have been looking at the Revelation of John on the Isle of Patmos that predicts the anger of God at the way in which mankind has and will in the future - today - fall away from the truth of the gospel and preach the selfish ungodly gospel of greed, selfishnesss and power.
Over the last few years we have seen the development of the European parliament - housed as it is in a Satanic newly built replica of the Tower of Babylon complete with a statue of the whore of Babylon riding on the Beast. It’s all happening around us today. The news is all about the disagreement and the falling out of our own political parties that have taken the power from the people and made it their own.
No wonder Paul warns the church of his day and through his words to them - warns us today not to fall prey to the ways of the evil one.
Therefore - as Paul says - put on the full armour of God, so that when the day of evil comes, and I believe it’s already here, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then; with the belt of truth buckled around your waist,
I know only too well that when this body of mine ( taps tummy) goes arry and misshapen how much I need a strong firm belt to hold me in place . O how we as the church of God need to have a firm belt of truth to stop us growing the wrong way.
Paul then went on to stress the importance of the breastplate of righteousness. The breastplate that protects the heart - the root of all Love that through the sacrificial love of Jesus in dying for our sins has made us right with God - restored the loving relationship that God has for His creation.
And not to be content with knowing and growing in the truth ourselves, the truth that set us free from the guilt and anguish of living in sin = but to be so concerned about those who don’t share our joy because they don’t know the love of God - our families and neighbours - and to be filled with the desire to have share it with them also - we need to have our feet shod with the readiness - to share with others - that comes from our knowing and experiencing the gospel of peace ourselves.
The gospel of Peace that set us free from the guilt and anguish of sin
The belt of truth that holds everything firm.
The breastplate of righteousness that warms the heart
Feet ready to go anywhere the Lord wants to send you to share the gospel of Peace
In addition to all this, knowing that we live in a hostile world that will do anything it can to stop us - to seek the protection of Almighty God and take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. The shield of Faith - that lifts us way above own understanding that limit’s our thinking - and take the helmet of salvation that covers and protects our brains with the sure and certain knowledge of Gods power to save.
Then to top it all comes the comes the assurance of Gods power to protect and keep us safe from the evil ones onslought of lies and that is the sword of the Spirit, which is simply the word of God.
In other words, we have it all - We are Shielded by your sincere faith that can protect you from the fierce onslaught of the devil, Head protected with the helmet salvation that fills your brain with the knowledge that you have been saved through the Grace of Almighty God And the Sword of the Spirit which is the word of God
And finally the request to pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people. Pray for Gods people - you and me - pray for those God will send us to share the gospel with and pray for those of our brothers an sisters who are struggling in churches all around us to keep strong in the faith and not go the way of the world
Pray in the Spirit - wow! that’s awesome to know that we can pray for one another and through those prayers experience the mighty power of God.
We now move on to look at a letter that Paul wrote to the church in Rome
Romans ch1;1-17 Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God— the gospel He promised beforehand through His prophets in the Holy Scriptures regarding His Son, who as to His earthly life was a descendant of David, and who through the Spirit of holiness was appointed the Son of God in power by His resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord. Through Him we received grace and apostleship to call all the Gentiles to the obedience that comes from faith for His name’s sake. The Shield of sincere faith And you also are among those Gentiles who are called to belong to Jesus Christ.
7 To all in Rome who are loved by God and called to be His holy people: Grace and peace to you from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ. First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is being reported all over the world. God, whom I serve in my spirit in preaching the gospel of His Son, is my witness how constantly I remember you in my prayers at all times; and I pray that now at last by God’s will the way may be opened for me to come to you. Here again Paul stresses the importance of prayer for others.
11 I long to see you so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to make you strong—that is, that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith. I do not want you to be unaware, brothers and sisters, that I planned many times to come to you (but have been prevented from doing so until now) in order that I might have a harvest among you, just as I have had among the other Gentiles.
14 I am obligated both to Greeks and non-Greeks, both to the wise and the foolish. That is why I am so eager to preach the gospel also to you who are in Rome. For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile. For in the gospel - the righteousness of God is revealed—a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.” The shield of Faith
The first thing Paul does is accept and acknowledge that he was chosen and called by God through the encounter with Jesus Christ to be a servant of Christ - called to be an Apostle to proclaim of the truth of the gospel that the prophets of old had written about in the Jewish scriptures about a coming Messiah who would save His people - Paul knew that he had been called by God to reveal that the Messiah was indeed Jesus who they had crucified but whom God had raised from the dead.
Paul had been called to proclaim the truth about Jesus not just to the Jews but to the non Jews - the Gentiles of which Rome would be full.
God wanted to bring them to obedience to Himself through the sacrificial love of Jesus the promised Messiah for all mankind who would turn to Him and accept Him as their Lord and Saviour.
Just look at v 8 First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is being reported all over the world .
Rome was predominantly Gentile and many Romans were at Pentecost when the Spirit came and gave birth, life and power to what would become the new Church of Christ. Those Romans must have gone back to their homeland and shared what they had seen and heard with their fellow men and the Christian church began to grow and flourish there,. Here Paul excitingly proclaims that their faith is being reported all over the world.
As I read this I was reminded about a sermon I preached on this same verse - 21 years ago on August 30 1998. Let me share with you what I said then;
One of the lovely things about this Corps is the news of what is happenning here at Idle in the lives of each one of you is being reported all around and it’s exciting to hear the comments of other fellowships where I go to do meetings, lead Bible studies etc. Amazingly they know all about Idle before I even open my mouth. They’ve heard the good reports of the good things that God is doing in our Corps, how He is blesing us inso many different ways. Your faith - is being reported all aver the division.
Good news travels fast and becomes an encouragement tio those fellowships who are not having such good times. I believe that when I share with them that one of the main reasons for our progress is through the power of prayer - it kick starts them into getting back onto their knees. That’s what Paul is saying here as he assures them of his own constant prayers for their fellowship at Rome which will be a great contributing factor to the success of their fellowship.
There are people all over the world praying for this Corps - you and me. Norman and Christine Ord in Hastings, John and Betty Matear in London, Col and Mrs Laurie Jardine in Kent and Pastor Moon Byong Choi in Korea plus a host of others who hold us in their prayers.
It’s so good to know isn’t it, that we are a fellowship of believers belonging to a Great God and part of His world wide Church. What we are experiencing here at Idle is in part because of our own prayer life and the faithfulness of others who are praying for this Corps - for you and me. And just as what we are enjoying in these days is in art attributable to those prayers. I think it is brilliant that the work that we are doing today will serve to benefit the Kingdom of God in years to come.
It’s awesome to think that what we are doing today, in working towards building a new hall next door, enlarging our fellowship and equipping others for service through Bible Study and Prayer, will be remembered in a hundred years from now by people that we have never met and yet who will praise God for those, you and me, faithful people who have worked so hard to enable them to continue to spread the good news.
That was part of the sermon I preached those 21 years ago. Beryl and I had taken over the leadership of the Corps just three years earlier during which time we experienced phenominal growth through both sincere commitment to Bible Study and Prayer and as I read it to me is resembled the phenomenal growth of the early church in Rome and surrounding areas. In those three years since Beryl and I had been made Commanding Officers of this Corps we had come to experience and enjoy a phenomenal growth in spirituality and with a resulting increase in membership.
As the children were enjoying the Family Film night last Friday evening , I sat in this hall just about where Brian is sitting now at the computer and after reading this sermon of 21 years ago and the letter of Paul to the Romans I looked at the empty chairs in front of me - 44 seats an all that 21 years ago when I preached this sermon were fully occupied and it filled my heart with sadness to think that on Sundays today only about a quarter of them are filled.
As I looked at the empty chairs I cried out to God for revival - that we as a Corps would get our ACT2-gether and bring restoration and new life to our Corps.
Of course there have been many reasons for a decline in membership, deaths as well as the people the devil has sent to us to bring us down like those we mentioned last week - but I believe that that can all change if we take a good look at our own lives and the priorities we set regarding how we spend our time that make little allowance for the two main factors of our spiritual growth which is Bible study and Prayer
The very things Paul stressed to be a contributing factor to the growth and well being of the early church - Paul writing to the church at Ephesus stressed the importance of prayer whan he made a request for them to pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. And again in Romans 1-8 God, whom I serve in my spirit in preaching the gospel of His Son, is my witness how constantly I remember you in my prayers at all times; and I pray that now at last by God’s will the way may be opened for me to come to you.
As I said in my sermon of 21 years ago ‘here are still people all over the world praying for this Corps’ - there are over 150 followers of us on face book - many praying for us today including many past officers and past members of this Corps.
Prayer is so important and as Paul says it is in v 18 of Ephesians 6 Pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people. Pray for Gods people - you and me - pray for those God will send us to share the gospel with and pray for those of our brothers an sisters who are struggling in churches all around us to keep strong in the faith and not go the way of the world
As I said Prayer is the Key - The Christians vital breath is prayer
I believe that one of the main problems of this fellowship is that for whatever reason, so many are suffering the spirit of infirmity. There is a great need for healing in this Corps both physical and spiritual - thats why I continue to stress the importance of meeting together in prayer on Tuesday nights to bring our requests before God for physical and spiritual healing - I believe that both of these needs go hand in hand. The devil is bringing physical problems that are added to and worsened by a lack of faith in prayer. Illnesses that the devil uses to bring people down and reduce their faith so that the illness seems to be bigger than any answer from God. Don’t believe it - Believing prayer is so important - yes there are times when we have to accept what we are going through - but that should not stop us from asking God to intervene and touch us with His healing hand. So many times the seriousness of our illness bring confusion as to what and how to pray for. But look at what Paul says in Romans 8; 26-27 In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God
Paul says that whilst we maybe not know how or what to pray for when it comes to our physical problems - the Holy Spirit does, and when we believe, place our complete faith in God and pray in the spirit - the Spirit intercedes for us.
Praying in the Spirit is so important - He’s not talking about praying in tongues on this occasion - he is simply drawing our attention to the fact that ‘praying in the Spirit’ simply means to believe that the Holy Spirit draws along side us in our prayer
During the closing moments of this meeting we are going to pray - in the Spirit- for healing both spiritual and physical and place our complete faith in God.
I believe that if we are spiritually motivated to come to God in prayer for Spiritual growth and healing that God will also respond in a powerful way to bring healing to those infirmities that hinder full commitment that will lead to Growth birth Spiritual and numericaly in our Corps,
Song Be still for the presence of the Lord
MM 8 September 2019
Last week we continued to look at the life of Paul and the awesome way in which he turned from his old way of life as a Jew - a man passionate for God but who like his fellow men had failed to realise that the Messiah they had been waiting for had come - Jesus - and with an impassioned heart he had set on a quest to destroy the new Christian fellowship that had started to grow and spread through the whole area. His encounter with the risen Christ is an awesome example of how God can take someone out of the folly of their past and place them centre stage and equip them to take a passionate stand in His Kingdom building business.
We looked at how with a passion for Christ and the new church Paul travelled the whole region empowered to speak to both Jew and Gentile and encourage them to stop in their tracks and take a serious look at their beliefs and lifestyles. We read how he was transformed- and I’ll use his own words here - transformed by the renewing of his mind - to seek to know Christ as God wanted him to know Christ so that he could make Him better known to those he preached to.
From persecutor to persecuted, he changed his life from being dedicated to persecute and destroy the true church to being one of its most fervent evangelist. God chose to take Paul out of his old ways and allow him to redirect that same passion he had in trying to stop the growth of the Christian church to bring his people and people of others faiths to seek to know Gods way in Christ.
We looked at how on one of his journeys he entered Ephesus and challenged a group of new Christians there by asking them ’ had they received the Holy Spirit when they were converted’ They were taken off guard and replied ’ we’ve never even heard that there is a Holy Spirit’ - we were baptised by John for forgiveness of sins. It was then that Paul took them a step further, laid hands on them and they received the Holy Spirit - Christ on the inside.
I said that sadly today there are those who have taken the step to come to Christ for forgiveness but don’t move on any further to receive the second blesing - sanctification - the inner presence of the holy Spirit of God. That happened when Jesus began His ministry after being baptised in the water - the Spirit of God came in the form of a dove and empowered Him for ministry. That happened to Paul when after encountering Jesus on the Damascus Road - God sent Annanias to lay hands on him and he too received the Holy Spirit. That was the way in which at Pentecost, following the call to repent by Peter - those that came forward were baptised in the Holy Spirit - 3000 of them.
I believe that what we read in Acts and in the life and letters of Paul are a pattern for Gods people today you and me - to follow- to empower us to be faithful witnesses of what God in Christ can do in our lives to enable and equip us and the church to grow. As I say every week - the church today more than ever needs to get it’s ACT 2gether in order to grow and bring the Kingdom of God in.
Lets look at what happened following Pauls entry into Ephesus
Acts 19; 8-21 Paul entered the synagogue and spoke boldly there for three months, arguing persuasively about the kingdom of God. But some of them became obstinate; they refused to believe and publicly maligned the Way. So Paul left them. He took the disciples with him and had discussions daily in the lecture hall of Tyrannus.
This went on for two years, so that all the Jews and Greeks who lived in the province of Asia heard the word of the Lord. God did extraordinary miracles through Paul, so that even handkerchiefs and aprons that had touched him were taken to the sick, and their illnesses were cured and the evil spirits left them.
They not only heard but saw the power of God manifest in their midst. WOW! And I believe - so have we here at Idle - Miracles of healing, God providing the means to build the premises next door and make this Worship hall a beautiful place for us all to meet to feel His presence.
Lets read on; Some Jews who went around driving out evil spirits tried to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those who were demon-possessed. They would say, “In the name of the Jesus, whom Paul preaches, I command you to come out.”
Seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, were doing this. One day the evil spirit answered them, “Jesus I know, and Paul I know about, but who are you?” Then the man who had the evil spirit jumped on them and overpowered them all. He gave them such a beating that they ran out of the house naked and bleeding. When this became known to the Jews and Greeks living in Ephesus, they were all seized with fear, and the name of the Lord Jesus was held in high honour.
We’ve had people come and join our fellowship whom we thought were Christians but who when the testing time came proved otherwise and tried to break the fellowship up. Sadly they didn’t do what we read the imposters in the church at Ephesus did- Many of those who believed now came and openly confessed what they had done. A number who had practiced sorcery brought their scrolls together and burned them publicly. When they calculated the value of the scrolls, the total came to fifty thousand drachmas. In this way the word of the Lord spread widely and grew in power.
Wow the ministry of Paul is moving with great power - the jews try to copy it but because they have not turned to Jesus themselves, all they are doing is copying the actions of Paul and it backfired on them.
Thankfully when the Jews and Greeks in Ephesus heard about this - they realised that it is only in the name of Jesus who died for our sins, that anyone could be forgiven and know God - there is only one way, one truth and that is Jesus the life giver.. They turned to Jesus - publicly declared their faith in Jesus by burning their evil scrolls and as we read In this way the word of the Lord spread widely and grew in power. Sadly this wasn’t going to last
21 After all this had happened, Paul decided to go to Jerusalem, passing through Macedonia and Achaia. “After I have been there,” he said, “I must visit Rome also.” He sent two of his helpers, Timothy and Erastus, to Macedonia, while he stayed in the province of Asia a little longer.
We can then read in the last part of Acts 19 from v 22 onwards how a silver smith called Demetrius had built a business that was making a lot of money out of making images - ornaments of man made goods - but now with the conversions of people to Christ his business was falling into decline. It was big blow to their business and they were loosing a lot of custom and income.
It had been big business, as Ephesus was where the Temple of the goddess Artemis had been built and had become a central meeting place for her followers - They would come from all around and spend money on taking home these statues of their gods. Paul and the new church had become a threat to their money making business and so Demetrius and his colleagues seized Pauls fellow workers and took them to court but they had no case against them and had to let them go.
Today the temple of Artemis - albeit in ruins - is still there - it used to be one of th seven wonders of the ancient world - and there is still a stall that sells carved images of the gods.
We looked last week at how even though the church at Ephesus had begun to grow in their new found faith - Paul had warned them that if they didn’t stand firm - the evil one would worm his way into their churches with his false doctrines and would be their downfall. Paul warned them - but to no avail and as we read in the book of Revelation God warned the church at Ephesus if they didn’t get rid of the false prophets and return to their first love - Jesus - He would remove the lamp stand - that’s the church that is failing to spread the light of the gospel of Christ and turning to false teachings.
I shared how I had checked what was happenning in Ephesus today and found that the Christian Church was no longer the strong place it was when Paul first encountered it and today is 99% Muslim.
When you look at whats happenning in many of the churches today we see the false gods taking over and need to heed the warning of God to stand firm in what we know and believe and give our lives in full commitment to Him and His word.
Today the Christian world is in decline as the selfish and greedy attitudes of mankind are taking over - The devils having his last stand - Sunday is just another shopping day to so many - churches are emptying and the money making businesses are growing.
We looked last week at the sad demise of many churches in Idle and around where when we were young, churches were full not just on a Sunday but throughout the week. Today man made pleasures are taking over mans time. First it was Television, then videos and DVD’s. Today it’s computers and Phones.
On Thursday I took few of us to Brighouse to look at the Salvation Army there. Many years ago it was a small Corps in the high street that needed a much larger premises as it was growing. They had a band and songsters and a thriving Corps.The hall was now too small and so they took over a gigantic building that had been the Town Hall. It was here, in 1995 where Beryl and I, together with Ray and Pamela Powell were commissioned as ministers in the Salvation Army.
Yesterday we went in, the church was locked but there was a craft class in progress upstairs with just 4 people there. I saw the lady who led it who graciously said she would come down and let us into the Church. I couldn’t believe how small it was now. Just six rows of 5 chairs - I asked how many went on Sunday and she said 24 - I couldn’t believe it - a large City centre church that appeared to be in decline. She said they had just one child in the Sunday School and so they were looking at stopping it.
Today they have new officers, Envoys like myself - we need to pray for them that God will bless their ministry, strengthen the faithful and restore the Corps back to growth.
It’s happenning all over the Christian world. Sadly many of the few churches that give the appearance of growth are the ones who are allowing a false gospel that panders to the greed of man has crept in. The prosperity Churches they are called where the preachers tells everyone that God doesn’t want man to be poor and if they give money to the church - God will take care of them and will pay their mortgages etc. The leaders live in mansions, drive big flashy cars and even have there own Jets. So far removed from our Lord who was born in a borrowed stable, rode a donkey into Jerusalem and was buried in a borrowed grave.
As we have been discussing in our Tuesday Bible Fellowships, we are living in what the bible terms the last days when God is planning the return of Jesus to take the true and faithful believers home to spend eternity with Him and leave the others to the hands of the evil one.
We need to stand firm to what we believe and seek to grow in the truth that will set mankind free from the wrath of God. Yes - God is a God of love - that’s why He sent Jesus to pay for our sins and bring forgiveness and new life - but God hates sin and the evil ways of the tempter and will not tolerate mans foolishness in rejecting His offer of Forgiveness.
Gods offer which is for all mankind is free but man has the freedom to choose to either accept or reject it and if he chooses to reject God way then he only has himself to blame.
Pauls final words to the church at Ephesus says this; Ephesians 6; 10-20 10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armour of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armour of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.
Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
18 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people. Pray also for me, that whenever I speak, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.
Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. - how? By putting on the full armour of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.
The evil one has crept into our society - its leaders - the authorities and those inpower in this world in which we live - so that schools don’t teach Christianity but teach all faiths. Instead of standing up for the truth of the gospel they encourage children to question their sexuality - and this is supposed to be a Christian country
Therefore - as Paul says - put on the full armour of God, so that when the day of evil comes, and I believe it’s already here, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Many Parents and teachers are standing their ground against the foolish unbiblical things they are teaching their children regarding their sexuality- .and God bless them
Stand firm then; with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and
with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.
The Belt of Truth that holds everything firm.
The Breastplate of Righteousness that warms the heart
Feet ready to go anywhere the Lord wants to send you to spread the gospel of Peace In addition to all this, take up
The Shield of Faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one and take
Shielded by your sincere faith that can protect you from the fierce onslought of the devil,
The helmet of salvation .Head protected with the helmet salvation that fills your brain with the knowledge that you have been saved through the Grace of Almighty God and
The sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
And finally the request to Pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.
Pray for Gods people - you and me - pray for those God will send us to share the gospel with and pray for those of our brothers an sisters who are struggling in churches all around us to keep strong in the faith and not go the way of the world. - pray for the offiers and Corps folk at Brighouse and other Corps around us.
We closed with the Song ‘I then shall live’ and the prayer chorus ‘Spirit of the living God, fall afresh on me’
Last week we continued to look at the life of Paul and the awesome way in which he turned from his old way of life as a Jew - a man passionate for God but who like his fellow men had failed to realise that the Messiah they had been waiting for had come - Jesus - and with an impassioned heart he had set on a quest to destroy the new Christian fellowship that had started to grow and spread through the whole area. His encounter with the risen Christ is an awesome example of how God can take someone out of the folly of their past and place them centre stage and equip them to take a passionate stand in His Kingdom building business.
We looked at how with a passion for Christ and the new church Paul travelled the whole region empowered to speak to both Jew and Gentile and encourage them to stop in their tracks and take a serious look at their beliefs and lifestyles. We read how he was transformed- and I’ll use his own words here - transformed by the renewing of his mind - to seek to know Christ as God wanted him to know Christ so that he could make Him better known to those he preached to.
From persecutor to persecuted, he changed his life from being dedicated to persecute and destroy the true church to being one of its most fervent evangelist. God chose to take Paul out of his old ways and allow him to redirect that same passion he had in trying to stop the growth of the Christian church to bring his people and people of others faiths to seek to know Gods way in Christ.
We looked at how on one of his journeys he entered Ephesus and challenged a group of new Christians there by asking them ’ had they received the Holy Spirit when they were converted’ They were taken off guard and replied ’ we’ve never even heard that there is a Holy Spirit’ - we were baptised by John for forgiveness of sins. It was then that Paul took them a step further, laid hands on them and they received the Holy Spirit - Christ on the inside.
I said that sadly today there are those who have taken the step to come to Christ for forgiveness but don’t move on any further to receive the second blesing - sanctification - the inner presence of the holy Spirit of God. That happened when Jesus began His ministry after being baptised in the water - the Spirit of God came in the form of a dove and empowered Him for ministry. That happened to Paul when after encountering Jesus on the Damascus Road - God sent Annanias to lay hands on him and he too received the Holy Spirit. That was the way in which at Pentecost, following the call to repent by Peter - those that came forward were baptised in the Holy Spirit - 3000 of them.
I believe that what we read in Acts and in the life and letters of Paul are a pattern for Gods people today you and me - to follow- to empower us to be faithful witnesses of what God in Christ can do in our lives to enable and equip us and the church to grow. As I say every week - the church today more than ever needs to get it’s ACT 2gether in order to grow and bring the Kingdom of God in.
Lets look at what happened following Pauls entry into Ephesus
Acts 19; 8-21 Paul entered the synagogue and spoke boldly there for three months, arguing persuasively about the kingdom of God. But some of them became obstinate; they refused to believe and publicly maligned the Way. So Paul left them. He took the disciples with him and had discussions daily in the lecture hall of Tyrannus.
This went on for two years, so that all the Jews and Greeks who lived in the province of Asia heard the word of the Lord. God did extraordinary miracles through Paul, so that even handkerchiefs and aprons that had touched him were taken to the sick, and their illnesses were cured and the evil spirits left them.
They not only heard but saw the power of God manifest in their midst. WOW! And I believe - so have we here at Idle - Miracles of healing, God providing the means to build the premises next door and make this Worship hall a beautiful place for us all to meet to feel His presence.
Lets read on; Some Jews who went around driving out evil spirits tried to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those who were demon-possessed. They would say, “In the name of the Jesus, whom Paul preaches, I command you to come out.”
Seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, were doing this. One day the evil spirit answered them, “Jesus I know, and Paul I know about, but who are you?” Then the man who had the evil spirit jumped on them and overpowered them all. He gave them such a beating that they ran out of the house naked and bleeding. When this became known to the Jews and Greeks living in Ephesus, they were all seized with fear, and the name of the Lord Jesus was held in high honour.
We’ve had people come and join our fellowship whom we thought were Christians but who when the testing time came proved otherwise and tried to break the fellowship up. Sadly they didn’t do what we read the imposters in the church at Ephesus did- Many of those who believed now came and openly confessed what they had done. A number who had practiced sorcery brought their scrolls together and burned them publicly. When they calculated the value of the scrolls, the total came to fifty thousand drachmas. In this way the word of the Lord spread widely and grew in power.
Wow the ministry of Paul is moving with great power - the jews try to copy it but because they have not turned to Jesus themselves, all they are doing is copying the actions of Paul and it backfired on them.
Thankfully when the Jews and Greeks in Ephesus heard about this - they realised that it is only in the name of Jesus who died for our sins, that anyone could be forgiven and know God - there is only one way, one truth and that is Jesus the life giver.. They turned to Jesus - publicly declared their faith in Jesus by burning their evil scrolls and as we read In this way the word of the Lord spread widely and grew in power. Sadly this wasn’t going to last
21 After all this had happened, Paul decided to go to Jerusalem, passing through Macedonia and Achaia. “After I have been there,” he said, “I must visit Rome also.” He sent two of his helpers, Timothy and Erastus, to Macedonia, while he stayed in the province of Asia a little longer.
We can then read in the last part of Acts 19 from v 22 onwards how a silver smith called Demetrius had built a business that was making a lot of money out of making images - ornaments of man made goods - but now with the conversions of people to Christ his business was falling into decline. It was big blow to their business and they were loosing a lot of custom and income.
It had been big business, as Ephesus was where the Temple of the goddess Artemis had been built and had become a central meeting place for her followers - They would come from all around and spend money on taking home these statues of their gods. Paul and the new church had become a threat to their money making business and so Demetrius and his colleagues seized Pauls fellow workers and took them to court but they had no case against them and had to let them go.
Today the temple of Artemis - albeit in ruins - is still there - it used to be one of th seven wonders of the ancient world - and there is still a stall that sells carved images of the gods.
We looked last week at how even though the church at Ephesus had begun to grow in their new found faith - Paul had warned them that if they didn’t stand firm - the evil one would worm his way into their churches with his false doctrines and would be their downfall. Paul warned them - but to no avail and as we read in the book of Revelation God warned the church at Ephesus if they didn’t get rid of the false prophets and return to their first love - Jesus - He would remove the lamp stand - that’s the church that is failing to spread the light of the gospel of Christ and turning to false teachings.
I shared how I had checked what was happenning in Ephesus today and found that the Christian Church was no longer the strong place it was when Paul first encountered it and today is 99% Muslim.
When you look at whats happenning in many of the churches today we see the false gods taking over and need to heed the warning of God to stand firm in what we know and believe and give our lives in full commitment to Him and His word.
Today the Christian world is in decline as the selfish and greedy attitudes of mankind are taking over - The devils having his last stand - Sunday is just another shopping day to so many - churches are emptying and the money making businesses are growing.
We looked last week at the sad demise of many churches in Idle and around where when we were young, churches were full not just on a Sunday but throughout the week. Today man made pleasures are taking over mans time. First it was Television, then videos and DVD’s. Today it’s computers and Phones.
On Thursday I took few of us to Brighouse to look at the Salvation Army there. Many years ago it was a small Corps in the high street that needed a much larger premises as it was growing. They had a band and songsters and a thriving Corps.The hall was now too small and so they took over a gigantic building that had been the Town Hall. It was here, in 1995 where Beryl and I, together with Ray and Pamela Powell were commissioned as ministers in the Salvation Army.
Yesterday we went in, the church was locked but there was a craft class in progress upstairs with just 4 people there. I saw the lady who led it who graciously said she would come down and let us into the Church. I couldn’t believe how small it was now. Just six rows of 5 chairs - I asked how many went on Sunday and she said 24 - I couldn’t believe it - a large City centre church that appeared to be in decline. She said they had just one child in the Sunday School and so they were looking at stopping it.
Today they have new officers, Envoys like myself - we need to pray for them that God will bless their ministry, strengthen the faithful and restore the Corps back to growth.
It’s happenning all over the Christian world. Sadly many of the few churches that give the appearance of growth are the ones who are allowing a false gospel that panders to the greed of man has crept in. The prosperity Churches they are called where the preachers tells everyone that God doesn’t want man to be poor and if they give money to the church - God will take care of them and will pay their mortgages etc. The leaders live in mansions, drive big flashy cars and even have there own Jets. So far removed from our Lord who was born in a borrowed stable, rode a donkey into Jerusalem and was buried in a borrowed grave.
As we have been discussing in our Tuesday Bible Fellowships, we are living in what the bible terms the last days when God is planning the return of Jesus to take the true and faithful believers home to spend eternity with Him and leave the others to the hands of the evil one.
We need to stand firm to what we believe and seek to grow in the truth that will set mankind free from the wrath of God. Yes - God is a God of love - that’s why He sent Jesus to pay for our sins and bring forgiveness and new life - but God hates sin and the evil ways of the tempter and will not tolerate mans foolishness in rejecting His offer of Forgiveness.
Gods offer which is for all mankind is free but man has the freedom to choose to either accept or reject it and if he chooses to reject God way then he only has himself to blame.
Pauls final words to the church at Ephesus says this; Ephesians 6; 10-20 10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armour of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armour of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.
Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
18 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people. Pray also for me, that whenever I speak, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.
Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. - how? By putting on the full armour of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.
The evil one has crept into our society - its leaders - the authorities and those inpower in this world in which we live - so that schools don’t teach Christianity but teach all faiths. Instead of standing up for the truth of the gospel they encourage children to question their sexuality - and this is supposed to be a Christian country
Therefore - as Paul says - put on the full armour of God, so that when the day of evil comes, and I believe it’s already here, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Many Parents and teachers are standing their ground against the foolish unbiblical things they are teaching their children regarding their sexuality- .and God bless them
Stand firm then; with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and
with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.
The Belt of Truth that holds everything firm.
The Breastplate of Righteousness that warms the heart
Feet ready to go anywhere the Lord wants to send you to spread the gospel of Peace In addition to all this, take up
The Shield of Faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one and take
Shielded by your sincere faith that can protect you from the fierce onslought of the devil,
The helmet of salvation .Head protected with the helmet salvation that fills your brain with the knowledge that you have been saved through the Grace of Almighty God and
The sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
And finally the request to Pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.
Pray for Gods people - you and me - pray for those God will send us to share the gospel with and pray for those of our brothers an sisters who are struggling in churches all around us to keep strong in the faith and not go the way of the world. - pray for the offiers and Corps folk at Brighouse and other Corps around us.
We closed with the Song ‘I then shall live’ and the prayer chorus ‘Spirit of the living God, fall afresh on me’
Sunday 1 September 2019
Last week we continued to look at the way in which Paul set about doing his part in building the Christian Church following his miraculous conversion on the Damascus Road. When Jesus took the now named Saul - devout Jew and Christ hater to become a Christian himself. He changed from persecutor to persecuted.
We looked at his letter to the church at Ephesus where he wrote about the honour of being chosen by God to spread the good news that Jesus is the Christ the long awaited Messiah - Saviour of the World. To both his own people, the Jews and the Gentiles
Ephesians 1; 3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. For He chose us in Him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in His sight. WOW!
In love He predestined us to be adopted as His sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with His pleasure and will, to the praise of His glorious grace, which He has freely given us in the One He loves. He then goes on to reveal the awesome blessing that are those who respond to the message of Jesus Christ - the unrecognised Messiah
7 In Him (Jesus) we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace that He lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding. Forgiven our past - our sins - the richness of Gods Grace - which is Gods riches At Christs Expence - and there’s more:
9 And He made known to us the mystery of His will according to His good pleasure, which He purposed in Christ, to be put into effect when the times will have reached their fulfilment - to bring all things in heaven and on earth together under one head, even Christ. The blessing now and the blessing to eternity.
Paul explains why God chose him and the Apostles which was so that they could share their experiences with others and play their part in building the Christian Church by sharing their experience with others.
11 In Him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of Him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of His will, in order that we, who were the first to hope in Christ, might be for the praise of His glory.
But then he reveals the awesome truth that this is not just for a chosen few - like himself and the other Apostles but for all who respond to the call and live in obedience to the will of God. All are chosen by God to love Him, love one another and reach out with that love to bring others into faith.
13 And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in Him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession - to the praise of His glory.
Last week I compared this with my own testimony of how God spoke to me from the prophet Jeremiah 29 'The plans that I have for you, declares the Lord are plans for good, to give you a future and a hope'. - how God took me out of my past into His plans. I had been brought up to love the Lord and serve Him in the Salvation Army. I had given my life to Jesus as a young lad, wore the Uniform, became bandmaster, married my lovely wife, we were with three lovely children and I thought everything was going well. I hadn't realised that I was simply going along with the crowd - in church Yes with the right crowd but didn't realise that I didn't know God as deeply as He wanted me to.
Aged 30 I found myself in hospital with a serious Kidney disease - unsuccesfully operated on and due for another operation. That evening our new officer David Murden came and laid hands on me praying for healing. The next morning - the day of my second operation - the nurses came to tell me that I didn't need it as during the night my kidney had started to work. Ashamed, when I was well enough I came to the hall. knelt at the mercy seat and cried out to the Lord 'I want to know you David knows You' It was then that I felt the power of God the Holy Spirit fill me with His presence - my life changed - a few months later during one of the meetings at the SA God prompted me to read from Jeremiah 29 - from then on God changed my life - I started to get to know the reality of the risen Lord Jesus in my life. Like Paul - God intervened in my life and showed me the way he wanted me to go.
He took me out of the SA for a short time, and I rented a small hall on the outskirts of Thorpe Edge and started a New Life Fellowship that attracted many other dissilusioned local churchgoers. God had as I had read from Jeremiah 29, taken me out of the known and familier - showed me a new and exciting way and when the time was ripe brought me back to the SA - the rest is history. A year later my wife and I were led to become the ministers of The Idle SA. God also blessed and used others from the New Life Fellowship when Ray and Pamela Powell also became ministers in the SA and moved to take charge of another local SA.
I closed last week by saying that I believe that just as God revealed His plans for His church through Paul and the early church, those plans encompass His people today - those who know the indwelling Christ and seek to live in obedience to His word.
Paul wrote many similar encouraging letters to those new churches- Thessalonica AD 51, Galatia AD 54, Corinth which he wrote nearing the end of his three years in Ephesus in AD 55, Rome AD 57, Ephesus and Colossi AD 60, Philippi AD 61 and Timothy AD 62. He also wrote personally to Philemon AD 60, Timothy AD 62 and Titus AD 63.
What a great start to the early Christian Churches. I love what happened when Paul went to Ephesus - in Ch 19 of Acts we read;
While Apollos was at Corinth, Paul took the road through the interior and arrived at Ephesus. There he found some disciples and asked them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” They answered, “No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.” So Paul asked, “Then what baptism did you receive?”“John’s baptism,” they replied.
Paul said, “John’s baptism was a baptism of repentance. He told the people to believe in the one coming after him, that is, in Jesus.” On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. When Paul placed his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied. There were about twelve men in all. Wow! Repentance, Conversion, followed by Sanctification - being filled with the Spirit . This is the progression that we read the Disciples and 3000 others experienced at Pentecost and also what happened to Paul following His encounter with Jesus on his way to Damascus.
The church at Ephesus seem to have started out so well - but sadly it didn’t last - we then read in the very next chapter of Acts ( 20) During his final journey to Jerusalem, the Apostle Paul sought to meet in Miletus with the elders of the church in Ephesus. When they arrived in Miletus, Paul warned them: "For I know this, that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. Also from among yourselves men will rise up, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after themselves. Therefore watch..." (Acts 20:29-31)
A few decades after this warning to the elders of the church in Ephesus, Revelation talks about Jesus commending the Ephesians for having heeded the warning about false teachers but warning in turn that unless they repent and return to loving God as they first did, the lampstand - which represents the church - will be taken from them:
“To the angel of the church of Ephesus write, ‘These things says He who holds the seven stars in His right hand, who walks in the midst of the seven golden lampstands: “I know your works, your labour, your patience, and that you cannot bear those who are evil. And you have tested those who say they are apostles and are not, and have found them liars; and you have persevered and have patience, and have laboured for My name’s sake and have not become weary. Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love. Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place - unless you repent.’" (Revelation 2:1-5)
Sadly they failed to heed the warnings, Yesterday I looked on the internet to see what the Christian church in Ephesus is like today - Ephesus is in Turkey and was the heartland of Paul's ministry, I was shocked to read that tragically today Ephesus is 99% Muslim and devoid of Bible-based Christianity.
The writer questioned ‘could the same thing happen to Europe or North America?
He went on to say that Europe is already a spiritual wasteland where Bible- Christians are a miniscule percentage of the population. North America, has mixed materialism with worship of the self to concoct and export a false gospel that sees God not as the Lord to thank, worship and serve - but a magical false god who is supposed to produce earthly prosperity on demand. Savage wolves indeed have ransacked the flock and spoken "perverse things to draw away the disciples."
The lampstand already is being removed from North America, and unless we repent and return to our first love, Jesus - the Word of God - we will not be spared the weed-covered desolation either. That’s what the American writer sees is happenning today.
When I look back and think about the Christian churches around Idle and the way in which when I was a lad - the majority of Idle and Thackley seemed to be church goers. We went to church not just once on Sunday but many times throughout the week. We had four Methodist Churches, two in Thackley, Thorpe Methodist and one on Norman Lane. We had a Baptist, three Anglican churches, Idle, Cavendish Road, Greengates, the Congregational upper chapel, two Catholic churches, the Salvation Army - that was 12 churches .
Today we have one Methodist, three Anglican, a Baptist, Salvation Army and the upper chapel that until a much smaller church is built, meet in a house. Thorpe Methodists closed and joined with Thackley, St John’s Cavendish moved to Thorpe Edge, the Upper chapel became a dance studio with the few church members meeting in a house. That leaves just 4 churches.
Instead of growing like the early church did through the faithful witnesses of the new Converts - today, churches in town and country - in deed the whole world - is sinking into a pit of decline. Whats gone wrong? What can we do about it. We need to look at ourselves to make sure that have not fallen by the wayside and that our commitment is to God and His fellowship - one another.
Can you remember what you life was like when you first gave your heart to the Lord?
Have you changed, have you grown - is the hunger in your heart for God still there or have you satisfied that hunger with other things. What is your daily walk with the Lord like? Are you bearing fruit - remember what Jesus said?
Matthew 7:20-23 "Therefore, by their fruits you will know them. Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter into the Kingdom of Heaven; but he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will tell me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, didn't we prophesy in your name, in your name cast out demons, and in your name do many mighty works?' Then I will tell them, 'I never knew you. Depart from me, you who work iniquity.'"
It’s not about works - what we do - it’s about our inner spiritual selves -Have we grown - how real is our experience of the indwelling Christ. Whats your prayer life like? How important is it to us to read and know our bibles?
Every morning I pray for everyone of you individually by name - everyone. I pray for the individual needs I know you each have regarding your physical health as well as also praying that God will move within you by the power of His Holy Spirit and make you aware of His presence. I pray that God will bless our fellowship and help us to be hungry after His word and will for our lives and fellowship.
Paul writing to the church at Colossi says this ch1 v 3 We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, because we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love you have for all God’s people— the faith and love that spring from the hope stored up for you in heaven and about which you have already heard in the true message of the gospel that has come to you.
9 For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you. We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of His will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives, so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please Him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of His holy people in the kingdom of light. For He has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son He loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
The Things Paul prays for are the things that we all need to help us to grow spiritually and share our faith with each other and with others outside our fellowship
The main points are these;.
to be filled with the knowledge of His will so that you may live
a life worthy of the Lord and please Him in every way Is that your experience?
Please Him by bearing good fruit Do we?
Grow in the knowledge of God Are we growing to be more like Christ?
Be Strengthened with power so that you will be able to endure
the difficulties of this life and learn to be patient Do you know the inner presence of the Holy Spirit?
Giving Joyful thanks to God for the fact that you have been
brought out of darkness into the glorious light filled Kingdom
of Jesus - who has redeemed and forgiven us. Is your Joy in the Lord - or do other things take precidence
The devil is so clever in sidetracking Christians and deceiving them into thinking that once saved - always saved. That’s maybe what many in the early church believed - sadly today many still think that. If that were the case - the church would be growing - the churches that have closed in Idle would be filled and still active.
I believe that Gods word is very positive in telling us that we have to make sure we are right with God and seeking His ways, are growing in our faith and are being empowered and equipped to encourage others by letting them see the love of Jesus expressed in our lives.
I believe that in these last days, God is saying to the people who make up His churches I want you to get your ACT 2 gether to make sure that you are truly saved and have not grown cold to the truth of the gospel - not been deceived by the evil one.
I believe that God is seeking to get His people in churches today to look seriously at their lives and if needs be to say they are sorry for the way in which they have forgotten their first love - to repent, receive forgiveness and desire to be filled with the Spirit - born again - putting Him first in our lives and get back to loving and serving the Lord in the way He desires.
Finally lets return to the words of God as revealed to John in Revelation 2; 1-5 Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love. Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place - unless you repent.’"
I believe that just as Jesus points to the church at Ephesus when he says this - He is saying this to the churches today to bring them to recapture their first love - to remember the time when they first gave their lives to God and get back into line.
I also believe that it is a challenge today to those who have not yet responded to the call of God in their lives and is a clear warning to them that Heaven will be a closed door and that eternal damnation awaits them.
I know where God wants us to be - but He’s done His part in making the way possible it’s up to us -
If you feel that you need to re-commit your life to God or maybe seek to know Him for the first time - then I invite you to come and kneel at the Mercy seat and receive forgiveness, and the indwelling Spirit of God.
We closed with the songs Lord I come to You and the chorus Spirit of the Living God fall afresh on me
Last week we continued to look at the way in which Paul set about doing his part in building the Christian Church following his miraculous conversion on the Damascus Road. When Jesus took the now named Saul - devout Jew and Christ hater to become a Christian himself. He changed from persecutor to persecuted.
We looked at his letter to the church at Ephesus where he wrote about the honour of being chosen by God to spread the good news that Jesus is the Christ the long awaited Messiah - Saviour of the World. To both his own people, the Jews and the Gentiles
Ephesians 1; 3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. For He chose us in Him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in His sight. WOW!
In love He predestined us to be adopted as His sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with His pleasure and will, to the praise of His glorious grace, which He has freely given us in the One He loves. He then goes on to reveal the awesome blessing that are those who respond to the message of Jesus Christ - the unrecognised Messiah
7 In Him (Jesus) we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace that He lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding. Forgiven our past - our sins - the richness of Gods Grace - which is Gods riches At Christs Expence - and there’s more:
9 And He made known to us the mystery of His will according to His good pleasure, which He purposed in Christ, to be put into effect when the times will have reached their fulfilment - to bring all things in heaven and on earth together under one head, even Christ. The blessing now and the blessing to eternity.
Paul explains why God chose him and the Apostles which was so that they could share their experiences with others and play their part in building the Christian Church by sharing their experience with others.
11 In Him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of Him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of His will, in order that we, who were the first to hope in Christ, might be for the praise of His glory.
But then he reveals the awesome truth that this is not just for a chosen few - like himself and the other Apostles but for all who respond to the call and live in obedience to the will of God. All are chosen by God to love Him, love one another and reach out with that love to bring others into faith.
13 And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in Him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession - to the praise of His glory.
Last week I compared this with my own testimony of how God spoke to me from the prophet Jeremiah 29 'The plans that I have for you, declares the Lord are plans for good, to give you a future and a hope'. - how God took me out of my past into His plans. I had been brought up to love the Lord and serve Him in the Salvation Army. I had given my life to Jesus as a young lad, wore the Uniform, became bandmaster, married my lovely wife, we were with three lovely children and I thought everything was going well. I hadn't realised that I was simply going along with the crowd - in church Yes with the right crowd but didn't realise that I didn't know God as deeply as He wanted me to.
Aged 30 I found myself in hospital with a serious Kidney disease - unsuccesfully operated on and due for another operation. That evening our new officer David Murden came and laid hands on me praying for healing. The next morning - the day of my second operation - the nurses came to tell me that I didn't need it as during the night my kidney had started to work. Ashamed, when I was well enough I came to the hall. knelt at the mercy seat and cried out to the Lord 'I want to know you David knows You' It was then that I felt the power of God the Holy Spirit fill me with His presence - my life changed - a few months later during one of the meetings at the SA God prompted me to read from Jeremiah 29 - from then on God changed my life - I started to get to know the reality of the risen Lord Jesus in my life. Like Paul - God intervened in my life and showed me the way he wanted me to go.
He took me out of the SA for a short time, and I rented a small hall on the outskirts of Thorpe Edge and started a New Life Fellowship that attracted many other dissilusioned local churchgoers. God had as I had read from Jeremiah 29, taken me out of the known and familier - showed me a new and exciting way and when the time was ripe brought me back to the SA - the rest is history. A year later my wife and I were led to become the ministers of The Idle SA. God also blessed and used others from the New Life Fellowship when Ray and Pamela Powell also became ministers in the SA and moved to take charge of another local SA.
I closed last week by saying that I believe that just as God revealed His plans for His church through Paul and the early church, those plans encompass His people today - those who know the indwelling Christ and seek to live in obedience to His word.
Paul wrote many similar encouraging letters to those new churches- Thessalonica AD 51, Galatia AD 54, Corinth which he wrote nearing the end of his three years in Ephesus in AD 55, Rome AD 57, Ephesus and Colossi AD 60, Philippi AD 61 and Timothy AD 62. He also wrote personally to Philemon AD 60, Timothy AD 62 and Titus AD 63.
What a great start to the early Christian Churches. I love what happened when Paul went to Ephesus - in Ch 19 of Acts we read;
While Apollos was at Corinth, Paul took the road through the interior and arrived at Ephesus. There he found some disciples and asked them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” They answered, “No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.” So Paul asked, “Then what baptism did you receive?”“John’s baptism,” they replied.
Paul said, “John’s baptism was a baptism of repentance. He told the people to believe in the one coming after him, that is, in Jesus.” On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. When Paul placed his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied. There were about twelve men in all. Wow! Repentance, Conversion, followed by Sanctification - being filled with the Spirit . This is the progression that we read the Disciples and 3000 others experienced at Pentecost and also what happened to Paul following His encounter with Jesus on his way to Damascus.
The church at Ephesus seem to have started out so well - but sadly it didn’t last - we then read in the very next chapter of Acts ( 20) During his final journey to Jerusalem, the Apostle Paul sought to meet in Miletus with the elders of the church in Ephesus. When they arrived in Miletus, Paul warned them: "For I know this, that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. Also from among yourselves men will rise up, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after themselves. Therefore watch..." (Acts 20:29-31)
A few decades after this warning to the elders of the church in Ephesus, Revelation talks about Jesus commending the Ephesians for having heeded the warning about false teachers but warning in turn that unless they repent and return to loving God as they first did, the lampstand - which represents the church - will be taken from them:
“To the angel of the church of Ephesus write, ‘These things says He who holds the seven stars in His right hand, who walks in the midst of the seven golden lampstands: “I know your works, your labour, your patience, and that you cannot bear those who are evil. And you have tested those who say they are apostles and are not, and have found them liars; and you have persevered and have patience, and have laboured for My name’s sake and have not become weary. Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love. Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place - unless you repent.’" (Revelation 2:1-5)
Sadly they failed to heed the warnings, Yesterday I looked on the internet to see what the Christian church in Ephesus is like today - Ephesus is in Turkey and was the heartland of Paul's ministry, I was shocked to read that tragically today Ephesus is 99% Muslim and devoid of Bible-based Christianity.
The writer questioned ‘could the same thing happen to Europe or North America?
He went on to say that Europe is already a spiritual wasteland where Bible- Christians are a miniscule percentage of the population. North America, has mixed materialism with worship of the self to concoct and export a false gospel that sees God not as the Lord to thank, worship and serve - but a magical false god who is supposed to produce earthly prosperity on demand. Savage wolves indeed have ransacked the flock and spoken "perverse things to draw away the disciples."
The lampstand already is being removed from North America, and unless we repent and return to our first love, Jesus - the Word of God - we will not be spared the weed-covered desolation either. That’s what the American writer sees is happenning today.
When I look back and think about the Christian churches around Idle and the way in which when I was a lad - the majority of Idle and Thackley seemed to be church goers. We went to church not just once on Sunday but many times throughout the week. We had four Methodist Churches, two in Thackley, Thorpe Methodist and one on Norman Lane. We had a Baptist, three Anglican churches, Idle, Cavendish Road, Greengates, the Congregational upper chapel, two Catholic churches, the Salvation Army - that was 12 churches .
Today we have one Methodist, three Anglican, a Baptist, Salvation Army and the upper chapel that until a much smaller church is built, meet in a house. Thorpe Methodists closed and joined with Thackley, St John’s Cavendish moved to Thorpe Edge, the Upper chapel became a dance studio with the few church members meeting in a house. That leaves just 4 churches.
Instead of growing like the early church did through the faithful witnesses of the new Converts - today, churches in town and country - in deed the whole world - is sinking into a pit of decline. Whats gone wrong? What can we do about it. We need to look at ourselves to make sure that have not fallen by the wayside and that our commitment is to God and His fellowship - one another.
Can you remember what you life was like when you first gave your heart to the Lord?
Have you changed, have you grown - is the hunger in your heart for God still there or have you satisfied that hunger with other things. What is your daily walk with the Lord like? Are you bearing fruit - remember what Jesus said?
Matthew 7:20-23 "Therefore, by their fruits you will know them. Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter into the Kingdom of Heaven; but he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will tell me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, didn't we prophesy in your name, in your name cast out demons, and in your name do many mighty works?' Then I will tell them, 'I never knew you. Depart from me, you who work iniquity.'"
It’s not about works - what we do - it’s about our inner spiritual selves -Have we grown - how real is our experience of the indwelling Christ. Whats your prayer life like? How important is it to us to read and know our bibles?
Every morning I pray for everyone of you individually by name - everyone. I pray for the individual needs I know you each have regarding your physical health as well as also praying that God will move within you by the power of His Holy Spirit and make you aware of His presence. I pray that God will bless our fellowship and help us to be hungry after His word and will for our lives and fellowship.
Paul writing to the church at Colossi says this ch1 v 3 We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, because we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love you have for all God’s people— the faith and love that spring from the hope stored up for you in heaven and about which you have already heard in the true message of the gospel that has come to you.
9 For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you. We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of His will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives, so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please Him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of His holy people in the kingdom of light. For He has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son He loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
The Things Paul prays for are the things that we all need to help us to grow spiritually and share our faith with each other and with others outside our fellowship
The main points are these;.
to be filled with the knowledge of His will so that you may live
a life worthy of the Lord and please Him in every way Is that your experience?
Please Him by bearing good fruit Do we?
Grow in the knowledge of God Are we growing to be more like Christ?
Be Strengthened with power so that you will be able to endure
the difficulties of this life and learn to be patient Do you know the inner presence of the Holy Spirit?
Giving Joyful thanks to God for the fact that you have been
brought out of darkness into the glorious light filled Kingdom
of Jesus - who has redeemed and forgiven us. Is your Joy in the Lord - or do other things take precidence
The devil is so clever in sidetracking Christians and deceiving them into thinking that once saved - always saved. That’s maybe what many in the early church believed - sadly today many still think that. If that were the case - the church would be growing - the churches that have closed in Idle would be filled and still active.
I believe that Gods word is very positive in telling us that we have to make sure we are right with God and seeking His ways, are growing in our faith and are being empowered and equipped to encourage others by letting them see the love of Jesus expressed in our lives.
I believe that in these last days, God is saying to the people who make up His churches I want you to get your ACT 2 gether to make sure that you are truly saved and have not grown cold to the truth of the gospel - not been deceived by the evil one.
I believe that God is seeking to get His people in churches today to look seriously at their lives and if needs be to say they are sorry for the way in which they have forgotten their first love - to repent, receive forgiveness and desire to be filled with the Spirit - born again - putting Him first in our lives and get back to loving and serving the Lord in the way He desires.
Finally lets return to the words of God as revealed to John in Revelation 2; 1-5 Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love. Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place - unless you repent.’"
I believe that just as Jesus points to the church at Ephesus when he says this - He is saying this to the churches today to bring them to recapture their first love - to remember the time when they first gave their lives to God and get back into line.
I also believe that it is a challenge today to those who have not yet responded to the call of God in their lives and is a clear warning to them that Heaven will be a closed door and that eternal damnation awaits them.
I know where God wants us to be - but He’s done His part in making the way possible it’s up to us -
If you feel that you need to re-commit your life to God or maybe seek to know Him for the first time - then I invite you to come and kneel at the Mercy seat and receive forgiveness, and the indwelling Spirit of God.
We closed with the songs Lord I come to You and the chorus Spirit of the Living God fall afresh on me
Sunday 11 August 2019
For the last few months we have been looking at the way in which God began to build His church as seen in the New testament - The way in which He sent Jesus to bring the glorious truth to the mankind. He wanted to re-birth the world into a new creation that would start to live in the way He wanted mankind to live - living in obedience to Him - by loving Him and one another. God was in reality encouraging mankind to stop living for self and start thinking of others. To take the I (self) - out of living and replace it with an O - (others) to transform mere living for self to loving God and one another
God who is Love wanted to show mankind how to really Live in Love for Him and one another - to be together with Him and one another and build His Church firmly built on His Word.
Jesus showed us the extent of His love by giving His life on the cross to pay the ultimate price for our sins and reconcile us to God.
Over the weeks we have looked at how God did this through the faithful few He had called to spend three years living and working alongside Jesus - getting to know Him and the new way of life that God wanted His creation to adopt.
The disciples came to really know God in Jesus and even though they made many mistakes - learned from them that Gods way is the only way and following His death were the first to see the resurrected Jesus - the wonderful example of New Life that God wanted to give to mankind. Of course they made many mistakes - but I love the way in which we saw the forgiveness of Jesus as seen through the failures of Peter who when the testing time came denied He even knew Jesus - I love the way God in Christ showed us the extent of forgiveness that He can give to anyone.
I love the way in which God chose Peter to make way for the Holy Spirit who came at Pentecost following Peters lengthy sermon. 3000 were saved and returned to their homes to bring the truth to their families and others. I also love the way God started His new Church with people from all walks of life - Jews and non Jews and how they started to live day to day in harmony with God and their fellowmen.
We read how even the same mighty power that Jesus showed in the miraculous things He did was now seen in Peter and John - and the other disciples and followers of God -so much so that the new lifestyles of the new followers so impressed their neighbours that we are told God added to their fellowship those who were being saved.
We saw the pattern for the new church was growth through daily prayer and bible study - and even though the Jewish leaders saw this new Christian gospel as a threat to their long standing Jewish ways of life - we read how even with their threats - they could not stop Peter and John from proclaiming the truth they had found in Jesus.
Peter - the man who let Jesus down when the testing times came was now on fire for the Lord. The great thing is that even then, Jesus forgave him and commissioned him to build His church. Peter was just an ordinary guy - ok when the going was good but failed when the going got difficult.
What is so comforting for us to know today is that through it all Peter’s life was transformed by His relationship with Jesus to become the Spirit filled ambassador for God, Peter - Companion of Jesus, became an Evangelist, church planter and encourager and who still inspires and encourages us today through the letters he wrote. His life was transformed by His encounter with Jesus. That’s still true today
Life wasn’t going to be easy for anyone who accepted the new Christian faith - last week we read how Stephen - a man of faith - was arrested for preaching, teaching and performing miracles - he was condemned to death by stoning and as they stoned him to death we were introduced to one of the witnesses who fully agreed with the sentence - this man was a devout Jew who in his comitment to the Jewish faith would stop at nothing in his attempt to get rid of the new Christian movement that was springing up and converting many Jews and people of other faiths to come together under Jesus and proclaim what he saw as a false gospel.
Amazingly we will see how even though he didn’t experience the same privilage as Peter in actually living with Jesus, but nevertheless was awesomely transformed by his encounter with Jesus on the Damascus Road - That man was Saul who, on his way to get rid of the early Christians - was stopped in his tracks by Jesus. Saul who became known as Paul and whose life also was transformed by His encounter with Jesus and went on to encourage the early Christians to remain faithful to their new found faith in Jesus the Messiah.
Saul - became a changed man who went on to become the inspiration and companion of Luke and Mark who went on to write the two gospels named after them. Amazingly these two gospel writers had not been disciples of Jesus, only Matthew and John were. Yet Luke, and Mark wrote two of the most detailed accounts of the life and ministry of Jesus and as you read in the prologue of Luke‘s gospel written to his friend Theophilus he explains why;
’Many have undertaken to draw up an account of the things that have been fulfilled among us, just as they were handed down to us by those who from the first were eyewitnesses and servants of the Word. I have therefore carefully investigated everything from the beginning and write an orderly account for you so that you may know the certainty of the things that you have been taught. In other words, Luke has checked through with great detail the things they know about Jesus from those who had been with Him to confirm them to his friend.
He then goes further when he transcribes the events following the ministry of Jesus in the Acts of the Apostles sharing the spectacular birth and empowering of the church at Pentecost when God poured His Spirit into the believers. As I said, Luke was a companion of Paul the converted Saul and so he could write with authority about the conversion and ministry of Paul of which he was a part.
Lets read Lukes account. Acts 9; 1-22 . Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples. He went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any there who belonged to the Way, whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem. As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, "Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?"
"Who are you, Lord?" Saul asked. "I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting," he replied. "Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do."The men traveling with Saul stood there speechless; they heard the sound but did not see anyone. Saul got up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes he could see nothing. So they led him by the hand into Damascus. For three days he was blind, and did not eat or drink anything.
In Damascus there was a disciple named Ananias. The Lord called to him in a vision, "Ananias!" "Yes, Lord," he answered. The Lord told him, "Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying. In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come and place his hands on him to restore his sight." "Lord," Ananias answered, "I have heard many reports about this man and all the harm he has done to your holy people in Jerusalem. And he has come here with authority from the chief priests to arrest all who call on your name."But the Lord said to Ananias, "Go! This man is my chosen instrument to proclaim my name to the Gentiles and their kings and to the people of Israel. I will show him how much he must suffer for my name."
17 Then Ananias went to the house and entered it. Placing his hands on Saul, he said, "Brother Saul, the Lord—Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here—has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit." Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he could see again. He got up and was baptized, and after taking some food, he regained his strength.
Saul spent several days with the disciples in Damascus. At once he began to preach in the synagogues that Jesus is the Son of God. All those who heard him were astonished and asked, "Isn’t he the man who raised havoc in Jerusalem among those who call on this name? And hasn’t he come here to take them as prisoners to the chief priests?" Yet Saul grew more and more powerful and baffled the Jews living in Damascus by proving that Jesus is the Messiah.
That’s Lukes explanation of Sauls conversion - Now lets look at what Paul himself writes about his own conversion experience as told to the church in Galatia. (Luke starts to use Sauls other name - Paul - in Acts 13v9
Galatians 1; 11-24 I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that the gospel I preached is not of human origin. I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it; rather, I received it by revelation from Jesus Christ.
13 For you have heard of my previous way of life in Judaism, how intensely I persecuted the church of God and tried to destroy it. I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my own age among my people and was extremely zealous for the traditions of my fathers. But when God, who set me apart from my mother’s womb and called me by his grace, was pleased to reveal his Son in me so that I might preach him among the Gentiles, my immediate response was not to consult any human being. I did not go up to Jerusalem to see those who were apostles before I was, but I went into Arabia. Later I returned to Damascus.
18 Then after three years, I went up to Jerusalem to get acquainted with Peter and stayed with him fifteen days. I saw none of the other apostles—only James, the Lord’s brother. I assure you before God that what I am writing you is no lie. Then I went to Syria and Cilicia. I was personally unknown to the churches of Judea that are in Christ. They only heard the report: "The man who formerly persecuted us is now preaching the faith he once tried to destroy." And they praised God because of me.
In verse eleven, Paul expresses the uniqueness of the gospel he now preaches which is different from the doctrines of Judaism of which he was a strong advocate before his conversion. A gospel not made up or taught by man but a gospel received by revelation from Jesus Christ. He acknowledges that God called him apart from the traditions he had learned from birth and by His Grace ‘Gods Riches At Christ’s Expense‘. A Gospel that was birthed in him when he met Jesus. He wasn’t looking for Jesus - far from it - he was out to get rid of His Church and followers -
A few weeks ago at our Bible Fellowship we looked at the awesome way in which God intervened in the life of a modern day Paul,
Lee Strobel a one time journalist and athiest who, following the conversion of his wife, began investigating the Biblical claims about Christ in an attempt to prove to her that she was following a man made faith that was al lies. He set out to write a book that would expose what he saw as lies and untruths calling ‘The case against Christ’ but prompted by the results of his investigation, he himself became a Christian and renamed his book ‘The case FOR Christ‘..
He had set out and interviewed many theologians and well known Christian teachers and instead of proving that God didn’t exist, God revealed Himself to him through the testimonies of the people he spoke to. The result was a book that did the opposite to what he had set out to do and instead, proved the existence of God.
People lives change when they meet with others who are passionate about their Lord - like gang land leader Nicky Cruz who met David Wilkerson, Mormon Michael Wilder who in his attempt to convert a Christian Minister to accept the Mormon bible and way of life was converted by the one he was speaking to and so impacted by what he found out that he went on to share what he had learned with his parents who were elders in the Latter Day Saints university in Salt Lake City - the result - the whole family came to Christ and travel the world as His spokespeople. Awesome
Back to Saul, Unlike Lee Strobel, Saul thought he knew God and what God wanted from his life - but God intervened and revealed Himself to Saul in Christ. Set apart from birth by God and called by His grace - revealed His Son Jesus - and note this - IN ME so that I might preach Him among the Gentiles, the non-Jews.
The newly named Paul stresses that he had not been shown this by any mortal man but by God Himself in Christ Jesus. It was three years later that he went to Jerusalem to get together with Peter and stayed with him a couple of weeks. He also saw James the brother of Jesus who would confirm to Paul the things that they had learned from Jesus especially Peter who had been told by God that Jesus was indeed the son of the living God.
When you think of the impact that Peter who shared the physical ministry of Jesus and the impact that Paul, who shared the spiritual presence of Jesus had on the early church - it should encourage us all to realise that God is still calling people from all walks of life to become His followers and commit their lives to be His disciples.
The verse that stands out to me and I believe can impact our own lives and church is verse 15 God set me apart from birth and called me by His Grace and Revealed His Son Jesus so that I might preach Him among the Gentiles’
God is still in the business of calling people like you and me, setting us apart from our natural birth instincts and way of life which by nature is a selfish way of life - by offering us New Birth - Born again - a fresh start -
New birth with Spiritual not worldly aims - all through the precious sacrificial love of Jesus who has paid the price for our sins and opened the way for us to get to know Him personally so that we can then go on and make Him known to our friends, neighbours, work colleagues and family.
Peter put it so simply when he wrote in 1 Peter 2; 9 You are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, belonging to God that you may declare the praises of |Him who called you out of darkness into His wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God. Once you had not received mercy, but now you Have received mercy.
I believe that the life of Peter and the lives of the other disciples were impacted by the fact that they lived and shared the ministry of Jesus first hand and that the life and words of Peter still speak volumes to all of us today.
I also believe that the life of Paul - who hadn’t been with the disciples - was transformed by the fact that he encountered the living Christ on the Damascus Road and was impacted by the Spirit of Christ coming to live in Him enabling him to influence the lives of others like Luke and Mark who -together also speak into our lives today.
We sang the song at the beginning of our meeting - ‘I serve a Risen Saviour - He’s in the world today and I know that because He lives within my heart’. I hope you feel that, for I believe that God is still calling people today to accept the message of Jesus and accept Him as their personal Saviour - to live their lives in obedience to His word and love Him and one another and feel His presence so that they can, like Paul, Peter, Luke, John, Mark - influence others to want to know Him.
I believe that God wants us all to really know Him - like Paul, who had only seen Jesus that once - writes in his letter to the Philippians 3;10 I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead. Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.
We can find out about Jesus from taking time to read His word - Bible Fellowship is so important. We can also find out the real Christ by talking to other Christians and sharing our testimonies with them.
Bible Fellowship that’s a start - but what Paul craves here is not just to know about Him but to really know Him. That was my prayer when I saw something of the awesome truth of Jesus when David Murden laid hands on me, prayed for healing. and I was miraculously healed.
My prayer was 'Lord I want to know You like David does'. That prayer was answered and I really got to know Jesus when I took that first step of kneeling here at the penitent form when I was well enough to come to the hall.
I knelt here and I believe the power of the Holy Spirit came into me and over the years since then I have been privileged to see the power of God flow through me and know the presence of God with me when I have had to go through some very difficult times in my life. Don’t get me wrong - I’m not saying I’m perfect. Like Paul says, I’m in no way perfect - but I press on to hopefully take hold of that for which Jesus took a hold of me - eternity with Him.
This week has been very busy for me - I havn’t had a minute yet through it all God has been awesome in encouraging me to stick at it and stand firm in my endeavour to bring the church back to the truth.
On Tuesday I met a lady at lunch time who smiled at me and said how good it was to meet with me again - I must admit I didn’t know who she was - she went on to remind me that about twenty years ago, Beryl and I had been on a coach trip from her church ans that the coach was full so a few of us had to overflow intio a mini bus. She had shared with me that her daughter was very ill and had been diagnosed with breast cancer. To her surprise I offered to pray with her there and then for healing for her daughter. She looked at me over the dinner table and said I’ve been wanting to meet you again to thank you as my daughter had recovered and was still with her today.
On the afternoon of that same day I took helma and Yvonne for a ride and ended up at St Ives. After walking round the lake I bumped into a man and as we looked at one another I said ‘ I think I know you’ he smiled and grabbed me and said it’s Mr Cowgill - looked at him and said ‘wow it Mr Senior’ - David Senior. We hugged tightly and with tears in his eyes he shared how great it was to meet again after all these years. He shared how he was feeling very downcast that morning and decided to go for little walk - Wow he said = ‘God’s good - He brought us together - you’re just what I needed. Come on lets go and share a cuppa in the café‘. We did and had a great time.
God is awesome and when we try to live in obedience to Him He looks after us, guides us and encouraged us. WOW
What about you this morning - What is your relationship with Jesus like? Do you feel that you really know Him. Do you experience His presence in your daily life The awesome truth is that He wants you to really know Him and feel His presence in your life.
We are going to sing one of Graham Kendricks songs based around these words of Paul from Philippians 3; 10 Knowing You Jesus
All I once held dear built my life upon.
All this world reveres and wars to own
All I once thought gain I have counted loss -
Spent and worthless now compared to this
Knowing You, Jesus, Knowing You
There is no greater thing - You’re my all, You’re the best
You’re my Joy, my Righteousness
And I love You Lord
Now my hearts desire is to know You more
To be found in You and known as Your
To possess by faith what I could not earn
All surpassing gift of Righteousnes
For the last few months we have been looking at the way in which God began to build His church as seen in the New testament - The way in which He sent Jesus to bring the glorious truth to the mankind. He wanted to re-birth the world into a new creation that would start to live in the way He wanted mankind to live - living in obedience to Him - by loving Him and one another. God was in reality encouraging mankind to stop living for self and start thinking of others. To take the I (self) - out of living and replace it with an O - (others) to transform mere living for self to loving God and one another
God who is Love wanted to show mankind how to really Live in Love for Him and one another - to be together with Him and one another and build His Church firmly built on His Word.
Jesus showed us the extent of His love by giving His life on the cross to pay the ultimate price for our sins and reconcile us to God.
Over the weeks we have looked at how God did this through the faithful few He had called to spend three years living and working alongside Jesus - getting to know Him and the new way of life that God wanted His creation to adopt.
The disciples came to really know God in Jesus and even though they made many mistakes - learned from them that Gods way is the only way and following His death were the first to see the resurrected Jesus - the wonderful example of New Life that God wanted to give to mankind. Of course they made many mistakes - but I love the way in which we saw the forgiveness of Jesus as seen through the failures of Peter who when the testing time came denied He even knew Jesus - I love the way God in Christ showed us the extent of forgiveness that He can give to anyone.
I love the way in which God chose Peter to make way for the Holy Spirit who came at Pentecost following Peters lengthy sermon. 3000 were saved and returned to their homes to bring the truth to their families and others. I also love the way God started His new Church with people from all walks of life - Jews and non Jews and how they started to live day to day in harmony with God and their fellowmen.
We read how even the same mighty power that Jesus showed in the miraculous things He did was now seen in Peter and John - and the other disciples and followers of God -so much so that the new lifestyles of the new followers so impressed their neighbours that we are told God added to their fellowship those who were being saved.
We saw the pattern for the new church was growth through daily prayer and bible study - and even though the Jewish leaders saw this new Christian gospel as a threat to their long standing Jewish ways of life - we read how even with their threats - they could not stop Peter and John from proclaiming the truth they had found in Jesus.
Peter - the man who let Jesus down when the testing times came was now on fire for the Lord. The great thing is that even then, Jesus forgave him and commissioned him to build His church. Peter was just an ordinary guy - ok when the going was good but failed when the going got difficult.
What is so comforting for us to know today is that through it all Peter’s life was transformed by His relationship with Jesus to become the Spirit filled ambassador for God, Peter - Companion of Jesus, became an Evangelist, church planter and encourager and who still inspires and encourages us today through the letters he wrote. His life was transformed by His encounter with Jesus. That’s still true today
Life wasn’t going to be easy for anyone who accepted the new Christian faith - last week we read how Stephen - a man of faith - was arrested for preaching, teaching and performing miracles - he was condemned to death by stoning and as they stoned him to death we were introduced to one of the witnesses who fully agreed with the sentence - this man was a devout Jew who in his comitment to the Jewish faith would stop at nothing in his attempt to get rid of the new Christian movement that was springing up and converting many Jews and people of other faiths to come together under Jesus and proclaim what he saw as a false gospel.
Amazingly we will see how even though he didn’t experience the same privilage as Peter in actually living with Jesus, but nevertheless was awesomely transformed by his encounter with Jesus on the Damascus Road - That man was Saul who, on his way to get rid of the early Christians - was stopped in his tracks by Jesus. Saul who became known as Paul and whose life also was transformed by His encounter with Jesus and went on to encourage the early Christians to remain faithful to their new found faith in Jesus the Messiah.
Saul - became a changed man who went on to become the inspiration and companion of Luke and Mark who went on to write the two gospels named after them. Amazingly these two gospel writers had not been disciples of Jesus, only Matthew and John were. Yet Luke, and Mark wrote two of the most detailed accounts of the life and ministry of Jesus and as you read in the prologue of Luke‘s gospel written to his friend Theophilus he explains why;
’Many have undertaken to draw up an account of the things that have been fulfilled among us, just as they were handed down to us by those who from the first were eyewitnesses and servants of the Word. I have therefore carefully investigated everything from the beginning and write an orderly account for you so that you may know the certainty of the things that you have been taught. In other words, Luke has checked through with great detail the things they know about Jesus from those who had been with Him to confirm them to his friend.
He then goes further when he transcribes the events following the ministry of Jesus in the Acts of the Apostles sharing the spectacular birth and empowering of the church at Pentecost when God poured His Spirit into the believers. As I said, Luke was a companion of Paul the converted Saul and so he could write with authority about the conversion and ministry of Paul of which he was a part.
Lets read Lukes account. Acts 9; 1-22 . Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples. He went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any there who belonged to the Way, whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem. As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, "Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?"
"Who are you, Lord?" Saul asked. "I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting," he replied. "Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do."The men traveling with Saul stood there speechless; they heard the sound but did not see anyone. Saul got up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes he could see nothing. So they led him by the hand into Damascus. For three days he was blind, and did not eat or drink anything.
In Damascus there was a disciple named Ananias. The Lord called to him in a vision, "Ananias!" "Yes, Lord," he answered. The Lord told him, "Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying. In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come and place his hands on him to restore his sight." "Lord," Ananias answered, "I have heard many reports about this man and all the harm he has done to your holy people in Jerusalem. And he has come here with authority from the chief priests to arrest all who call on your name."But the Lord said to Ananias, "Go! This man is my chosen instrument to proclaim my name to the Gentiles and their kings and to the people of Israel. I will show him how much he must suffer for my name."
17 Then Ananias went to the house and entered it. Placing his hands on Saul, he said, "Brother Saul, the Lord—Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here—has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit." Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he could see again. He got up and was baptized, and after taking some food, he regained his strength.
Saul spent several days with the disciples in Damascus. At once he began to preach in the synagogues that Jesus is the Son of God. All those who heard him were astonished and asked, "Isn’t he the man who raised havoc in Jerusalem among those who call on this name? And hasn’t he come here to take them as prisoners to the chief priests?" Yet Saul grew more and more powerful and baffled the Jews living in Damascus by proving that Jesus is the Messiah.
That’s Lukes explanation of Sauls conversion - Now lets look at what Paul himself writes about his own conversion experience as told to the church in Galatia. (Luke starts to use Sauls other name - Paul - in Acts 13v9
Galatians 1; 11-24 I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that the gospel I preached is not of human origin. I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it; rather, I received it by revelation from Jesus Christ.
13 For you have heard of my previous way of life in Judaism, how intensely I persecuted the church of God and tried to destroy it. I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my own age among my people and was extremely zealous for the traditions of my fathers. But when God, who set me apart from my mother’s womb and called me by his grace, was pleased to reveal his Son in me so that I might preach him among the Gentiles, my immediate response was not to consult any human being. I did not go up to Jerusalem to see those who were apostles before I was, but I went into Arabia. Later I returned to Damascus.
18 Then after three years, I went up to Jerusalem to get acquainted with Peter and stayed with him fifteen days. I saw none of the other apostles—only James, the Lord’s brother. I assure you before God that what I am writing you is no lie. Then I went to Syria and Cilicia. I was personally unknown to the churches of Judea that are in Christ. They only heard the report: "The man who formerly persecuted us is now preaching the faith he once tried to destroy." And they praised God because of me.
In verse eleven, Paul expresses the uniqueness of the gospel he now preaches which is different from the doctrines of Judaism of which he was a strong advocate before his conversion. A gospel not made up or taught by man but a gospel received by revelation from Jesus Christ. He acknowledges that God called him apart from the traditions he had learned from birth and by His Grace ‘Gods Riches At Christ’s Expense‘. A Gospel that was birthed in him when he met Jesus. He wasn’t looking for Jesus - far from it - he was out to get rid of His Church and followers -
A few weeks ago at our Bible Fellowship we looked at the awesome way in which God intervened in the life of a modern day Paul,
Lee Strobel a one time journalist and athiest who, following the conversion of his wife, began investigating the Biblical claims about Christ in an attempt to prove to her that she was following a man made faith that was al lies. He set out to write a book that would expose what he saw as lies and untruths calling ‘The case against Christ’ but prompted by the results of his investigation, he himself became a Christian and renamed his book ‘The case FOR Christ‘..
He had set out and interviewed many theologians and well known Christian teachers and instead of proving that God didn’t exist, God revealed Himself to him through the testimonies of the people he spoke to. The result was a book that did the opposite to what he had set out to do and instead, proved the existence of God.
People lives change when they meet with others who are passionate about their Lord - like gang land leader Nicky Cruz who met David Wilkerson, Mormon Michael Wilder who in his attempt to convert a Christian Minister to accept the Mormon bible and way of life was converted by the one he was speaking to and so impacted by what he found out that he went on to share what he had learned with his parents who were elders in the Latter Day Saints university in Salt Lake City - the result - the whole family came to Christ and travel the world as His spokespeople. Awesome
Back to Saul, Unlike Lee Strobel, Saul thought he knew God and what God wanted from his life - but God intervened and revealed Himself to Saul in Christ. Set apart from birth by God and called by His grace - revealed His Son Jesus - and note this - IN ME so that I might preach Him among the Gentiles, the non-Jews.
The newly named Paul stresses that he had not been shown this by any mortal man but by God Himself in Christ Jesus. It was three years later that he went to Jerusalem to get together with Peter and stayed with him a couple of weeks. He also saw James the brother of Jesus who would confirm to Paul the things that they had learned from Jesus especially Peter who had been told by God that Jesus was indeed the son of the living God.
When you think of the impact that Peter who shared the physical ministry of Jesus and the impact that Paul, who shared the spiritual presence of Jesus had on the early church - it should encourage us all to realise that God is still calling people from all walks of life to become His followers and commit their lives to be His disciples.
The verse that stands out to me and I believe can impact our own lives and church is verse 15 God set me apart from birth and called me by His Grace and Revealed His Son Jesus so that I might preach Him among the Gentiles’
God is still in the business of calling people like you and me, setting us apart from our natural birth instincts and way of life which by nature is a selfish way of life - by offering us New Birth - Born again - a fresh start -
New birth with Spiritual not worldly aims - all through the precious sacrificial love of Jesus who has paid the price for our sins and opened the way for us to get to know Him personally so that we can then go on and make Him known to our friends, neighbours, work colleagues and family.
Peter put it so simply when he wrote in 1 Peter 2; 9 You are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, belonging to God that you may declare the praises of |Him who called you out of darkness into His wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God. Once you had not received mercy, but now you Have received mercy.
I believe that the life of Peter and the lives of the other disciples were impacted by the fact that they lived and shared the ministry of Jesus first hand and that the life and words of Peter still speak volumes to all of us today.
I also believe that the life of Paul - who hadn’t been with the disciples - was transformed by the fact that he encountered the living Christ on the Damascus Road and was impacted by the Spirit of Christ coming to live in Him enabling him to influence the lives of others like Luke and Mark who -together also speak into our lives today.
We sang the song at the beginning of our meeting - ‘I serve a Risen Saviour - He’s in the world today and I know that because He lives within my heart’. I hope you feel that, for I believe that God is still calling people today to accept the message of Jesus and accept Him as their personal Saviour - to live their lives in obedience to His word and love Him and one another and feel His presence so that they can, like Paul, Peter, Luke, John, Mark - influence others to want to know Him.
I believe that God wants us all to really know Him - like Paul, who had only seen Jesus that once - writes in his letter to the Philippians 3;10 I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead. Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.
We can find out about Jesus from taking time to read His word - Bible Fellowship is so important. We can also find out the real Christ by talking to other Christians and sharing our testimonies with them.
Bible Fellowship that’s a start - but what Paul craves here is not just to know about Him but to really know Him. That was my prayer when I saw something of the awesome truth of Jesus when David Murden laid hands on me, prayed for healing. and I was miraculously healed.
My prayer was 'Lord I want to know You like David does'. That prayer was answered and I really got to know Jesus when I took that first step of kneeling here at the penitent form when I was well enough to come to the hall.
I knelt here and I believe the power of the Holy Spirit came into me and over the years since then I have been privileged to see the power of God flow through me and know the presence of God with me when I have had to go through some very difficult times in my life. Don’t get me wrong - I’m not saying I’m perfect. Like Paul says, I’m in no way perfect - but I press on to hopefully take hold of that for which Jesus took a hold of me - eternity with Him.
This week has been very busy for me - I havn’t had a minute yet through it all God has been awesome in encouraging me to stick at it and stand firm in my endeavour to bring the church back to the truth.
On Tuesday I met a lady at lunch time who smiled at me and said how good it was to meet with me again - I must admit I didn’t know who she was - she went on to remind me that about twenty years ago, Beryl and I had been on a coach trip from her church ans that the coach was full so a few of us had to overflow intio a mini bus. She had shared with me that her daughter was very ill and had been diagnosed with breast cancer. To her surprise I offered to pray with her there and then for healing for her daughter. She looked at me over the dinner table and said I’ve been wanting to meet you again to thank you as my daughter had recovered and was still with her today.
On the afternoon of that same day I took helma and Yvonne for a ride and ended up at St Ives. After walking round the lake I bumped into a man and as we looked at one another I said ‘ I think I know you’ he smiled and grabbed me and said it’s Mr Cowgill - looked at him and said ‘wow it Mr Senior’ - David Senior. We hugged tightly and with tears in his eyes he shared how great it was to meet again after all these years. He shared how he was feeling very downcast that morning and decided to go for little walk - Wow he said = ‘God’s good - He brought us together - you’re just what I needed. Come on lets go and share a cuppa in the café‘. We did and had a great time.
God is awesome and when we try to live in obedience to Him He looks after us, guides us and encouraged us. WOW
What about you this morning - What is your relationship with Jesus like? Do you feel that you really know Him. Do you experience His presence in your daily life The awesome truth is that He wants you to really know Him and feel His presence in your life.
We are going to sing one of Graham Kendricks songs based around these words of Paul from Philippians 3; 10 Knowing You Jesus
All I once held dear built my life upon.
All this world reveres and wars to own
All I once thought gain I have counted loss -
Spent and worthless now compared to this
Knowing You, Jesus, Knowing You
There is no greater thing - You’re my all, You’re the best
You’re my Joy, my Righteousness
And I love You Lord
Now my hearts desire is to know You more
To be found in You and known as Your
To possess by faith what I could not earn
All surpassing gift of Righteousnes
MM 4 August 2019
This year I believe I have been led by God to look at the birth of the Church in Acts and see how that relates to our own church today - with that in mind I entitled my Sunday sermons ‘Getting our ACTS 2gether‘.
The awesome lessons we can learn from Acts is the way in which following His resurrection, Jesus commissioned His disciples to go and be His witnesses and empowered them by the baptism in the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. Empowered by the Holy Spirit these ordinary men and women became powerful witnesses to the living presence of the risen Lord in their lives which resulted in 3000 converts followed by another 2000 - the Church was birthed.
We looked at the way in which fist and foremost to make all this possible the followers had to be a together people devoting themselves to prayer and fellowship around the word- encouraging one another in testimony and as a result people around could see the evidence of the risen Lord in the way in which they lived their new lives in Christ and joined them. GOD added to their fellowship those who were being saved. ( Acts 2;42-47)
We then looked at the way in which God made sure that they were all together with no passengers, or as I termed it, veneer Christians - those who on the outside looked every bit like their brothers and sisters ( Annanias and Saphirra) while in reality not fully commited to God and the fellowship. I said how easy it is to look the part and in some cases cover up with a uniform, dog collar, or a cross around your neck .
In these days it’s so easy to look like a Church whilst accepting a changing gospel that whilst being easy for self, panders to worldly desires and ideology in an effort to attract people. So many churches are watering down or even changing the truth of Gods word.
We should not be surprised at this, we are told from Scripture, the devil is very clever and in these last days is getting into the fabric of many churches so they ‘have a form of godliness but deny the power’ we are told ‘have nothing to do with this. (2 Tim 3;5) Because of that I believe that God is calling His people to stand firm and live in obedience to His word and that way He will build His Church - the first task in Mission is to make sure that we - the church are living in complete obedience to God - no pretence - a together people who love God and one another - a people who’s faith and obedience will be seen by their family, friend and neighbours.
It was awesome last Sunday when on holiday we went to a little Evangelical Church just on the harbour side of Bridlington where we staying.
The visiting preacher, who was retired, now lives in Bridlington where he originally came from before he joined the ministry. During his ministry he had been pastor of a church in Morley and other local West Yorkshire churches.
What was amazing is that his theme was taken from Revelation - a book he said that is not very often - if at all - preached from in churches today. I shared with him afterwards that we at Idle had been looking at Revelation in our Bible Fellowship for the last three months.
What was awesome to me was the fact that he said many of the things that I believe God has been speaking to us about in the last few months - the dangers of allowing the false doctrines of this present age to creep in to our churches - he, like me - saw this as the end times work of satan. In his sermon he said exactly what I had said here in my last sermon before the holiday when I stressed the need for Christians today to stand firm to the truth of the gospel and be counted among the faithful that God is preparing to be with Him in Glory. I just sat there and smiled and nodded in agreement - and I believe God was confirming what we have been sharing for the last few months.
A couple of weeks ago we shared together how Peter and John had stood before the Sanhedrin who were accusing them of continuing to preach Jesus as Saviour and Messiah - it wasn’t until one of their own Gamiliel stood up and reminded the accusers that if what Peter and John were doing was not of God it would fail which made them release them back to their fellowship.
This was the third time they had been arrested, the first, following the healing of the lame man - when because the evidence was their they had no option but to let them go with the instruction to stop preaching the name of Jesus. The second time they were imprisoned but were released by an angel of the Lord who commanded them to carry on preaching the full message of the new Christian life. This they did and of course were brought before the Sanhedrin again but they had to let them go because of the evidence and the words of Gamiliel.
There was no stopping them - in Acts Ch 5 v 41 we are told that ‘ the Apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name of Jesus. Day after day in the Temple courts and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Christ.
Wow! Rejoicing of being counted worthy to suffer disgrace for what they were doing.
We read how following this, the church began to grow and become active in not only proclaiming the truth in Christ but also in trying to meet the needs of those of their fellowship were having difficult times in providing the basics of food. They not only fed people the truth of Jesus the bread of Heaven but they also saw to the needs of those who hadn’t enough Physical food.
Following that, Chapter 6 tells us that as it was important to share the work of preaching the word and feeding the hungry and so they chose seven of their fellowship to preach and the others to tend to peoples physical needs .
Lets read Chapter 6, from v8-15 where we read about one of the chosen - Stephen.
8 Now Stephen, a man full of God’s grace and power, performed great wonders and signs among the people. Opposition arose, however, from members of the Synagogue of the Freedmen (as it was called)—Jews of Cyrene and Alexandria as well as the provinces of Cilicia and Asia—who began to argue with Stephen. But they could not stand up against the wisdom the Spirit gave him as he spoke.
Then they secretly persuaded some men to say, “We have heard Stephen speak blasphemous words against Moses and against God.”
So they stirred up the people and the elders and the teachers of the law. They seized Stephen and brought him before the Sanhedrin. They produced false witnesses, who testified, “This fellow never stops speaking against this holy place and against the law. For we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and change the customs Moses handed down to us.”
All who were sitting in the Sanhedrin looked intently at Stephen, and they saw that his face was like the face of an angel.
Here we see the quality of one of those chosen - Stephen- a real man of God full of God’s grace and power by which he did great wonders and miraculous things among the people - great - but this so angered the Jewish leaders of the synagogue - the freedmen as they were called - that they arrested Stephen and argued with him but to no avail - he was stronger than they were in his faith. So what did they do? They persuaded some men to falsely say they had heard Stephen speak blasphemy against Moses and God which resulted in Stephen being arrested and brought to the Sanhedrin in the same way Peter and John had been many times before.
They accused Stephen of blasphemy saying he had spoken against the Jewish laws and even told people that Jesus would destroy this place and change the customs that Moses had handed down to them. Amazingly we are told that as the Sanhedrin looked at Stephen all they could see was the face of an angel. - yet they still were against him.
When asked if the accusations were true - Stephen boldly did what Peter had done when he was accused - by giving them a history lesson of their own faith. He told them how even Moses had said God would send another prophet - the Messiah - and how when this happened they crucified Him. Not surprisingly, they were furious and even as Stephen told them that he could see before him, God and Jesus standing at His right hand, they covered their ears and dragged Stephen out to stone him.
Acts 7; 54-60 When the members of the Sanhedrin heard this, they were furious and gnashed their teeth at him. But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. “Look,” he said, “I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.” At this they covered their ears and, yelling at the top of their voices, they all rushed at him, dragged him out of the city and began to stone him. Meanwhile, the witnesses laid their coats at the feet of a young man named Saul.
While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” Then he fell on his knees and cried out, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” When he had said this, he fell asleep. C8 and Saul was there giving approval to his death.
How awesome it is that as they were stoning Stephen, he was able to do what Jesus did when He hung in agony on the cross - Jesus had said ‘Father forgive them for they know not what they are doing‘. Stephen said ‘Don’t hold this sin against them. Next week we be looking at what followed regarding Saul from Acts ch9 . As I said last time we met, there is no stopping the church that gets it’s Acts2 gether
Last week following the morning meeting in Bridlington the visiting preacher came to talk to me and together we shared what God had done and was doing in our individual lives and I was amazed as we spoke how alike our testimonies were right down to the finest detail. He shared how he had been brought up in the church but it wasn’t until much later in his life that he go really saved. He had to retire from work aged 55 and felt called to became a pastor. His financed were taken care of as he was given a pension.
As we talked a big grin spread over my face - t was almost like looking into a mirror and seeing myself in all he said. I had to retire through ill health when I was 55 and I had a works pension that more than provided for my daily living so much so that when God called ne to become an Officer I didn’t need to take a salary.
It was amazing , and then to find that God was showing him the same things about the state of the Church in this modern age and how far removed it was becoming for the church that God set up in Acts - it was just conformation to me that the way God was leading me and us here at Idle the right way and that all we had to do was trust and obey Him - stand firn in what we know and believe is the truth - do that and eventually when we get there - God will grow His church and bring more people in - people whom God knows will be taught the truth enabling their own ministry to grow.
My prayers for Idle Corps is as I said the last time we met, that we all will seek to be honest and open with ourselves and with God and make sure we are living in true obedience to the Word of God.
I shared with that visiting pastor how in my own life, God had revealed to me that when I was in my early 30’s that I didn’t know Him in the way He wanted me to know Him. I had grown up through the Army ranks having been saved as a young seven year old and eventually becoming Bandmaster. I shared how following a failed operation on my kidneys He led two officers to lay hands on me and pray for healing - hours before I was due to go down for a second operation - God healed me. I knew then that God had placed me in that situation to show me I didn’t really know Him, as He wanted me to and that when I realised that and responded to His leading - the plans He had for me would start to take shape. God led me to read Jeremiah 29 and showed me that He had plans for my life. WOW!
When I was out of hospital I came and knelt here at the mercy seat and prayed the same prayer that Paul prayed ‘ I want to know You Lord’ not just about You - but really know You - That was the turning point in my life and I felt the empowering of the Holy Spirit flood into my soul - the rest is history - but how awesome for God to bring me to a state of confirmation that what He is saying to me every day when I kneel before Him in prayer is to encourage my people to look at their own lives and where needed to respond to the desire of God to come to really know Him and His presence in their lives and the life and ministry of this - His church.
On Wednesday we looked at the testimony of Steve Green - it was his birthday that day - we watched a video of his testimony where he shared how he had been brought up in a Christian home, the son of missionaries in Argentina. He shared how as a teenager he found that he wasn’t living true to his Christian faith and it was his brother who brought him to think seriously about his relationship with Jesus. He did and got saved. He started singing and eventually joined the Gaither group. He soon realised that he was still living a life of pretence - putting a front on - that had to change - thankfully it did and when he started singing with his new found faith he meant every word he sang and his life changed dramatically - he now today has a mission to bring others to Christ.
How important it is in these days to be really genuine in our faith and allegiance to Jesus. Last week I understand that Sharon Furlong suggested that we meet to discuss the mission of this fellowship. I believe that Mission begins when the fellowship is living in complete allegiance to God and getting their ACT2gether. I believe that God has been speaking to us over the last few months urging us to be that together ACTS2 fellowship.
We started a prayer meeting five weeks ago where as a church we could come before God and seek His will regarding our lives and the life of this fellowship. I urge you if you don’t already, to consider coming to that so that we can become one with the Lord and each other as we seek His direction.
Lets sing together the lovely song - Be still for the presence of the Lord is moving in this place - I pray you will let Him move in your heart and claim His presence.
This year I believe I have been led by God to look at the birth of the Church in Acts and see how that relates to our own church today - with that in mind I entitled my Sunday sermons ‘Getting our ACTS 2gether‘.
The awesome lessons we can learn from Acts is the way in which following His resurrection, Jesus commissioned His disciples to go and be His witnesses and empowered them by the baptism in the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. Empowered by the Holy Spirit these ordinary men and women became powerful witnesses to the living presence of the risen Lord in their lives which resulted in 3000 converts followed by another 2000 - the Church was birthed.
We looked at the way in which fist and foremost to make all this possible the followers had to be a together people devoting themselves to prayer and fellowship around the word- encouraging one another in testimony and as a result people around could see the evidence of the risen Lord in the way in which they lived their new lives in Christ and joined them. GOD added to their fellowship those who were being saved. ( Acts 2;42-47)
We then looked at the way in which God made sure that they were all together with no passengers, or as I termed it, veneer Christians - those who on the outside looked every bit like their brothers and sisters ( Annanias and Saphirra) while in reality not fully commited to God and the fellowship. I said how easy it is to look the part and in some cases cover up with a uniform, dog collar, or a cross around your neck .
In these days it’s so easy to look like a Church whilst accepting a changing gospel that whilst being easy for self, panders to worldly desires and ideology in an effort to attract people. So many churches are watering down or even changing the truth of Gods word.
We should not be surprised at this, we are told from Scripture, the devil is very clever and in these last days is getting into the fabric of many churches so they ‘have a form of godliness but deny the power’ we are told ‘have nothing to do with this. (2 Tim 3;5) Because of that I believe that God is calling His people to stand firm and live in obedience to His word and that way He will build His Church - the first task in Mission is to make sure that we - the church are living in complete obedience to God - no pretence - a together people who love God and one another - a people who’s faith and obedience will be seen by their family, friend and neighbours.
It was awesome last Sunday when on holiday we went to a little Evangelical Church just on the harbour side of Bridlington where we staying.
The visiting preacher, who was retired, now lives in Bridlington where he originally came from before he joined the ministry. During his ministry he had been pastor of a church in Morley and other local West Yorkshire churches.
What was amazing is that his theme was taken from Revelation - a book he said that is not very often - if at all - preached from in churches today. I shared with him afterwards that we at Idle had been looking at Revelation in our Bible Fellowship for the last three months.
What was awesome to me was the fact that he said many of the things that I believe God has been speaking to us about in the last few months - the dangers of allowing the false doctrines of this present age to creep in to our churches - he, like me - saw this as the end times work of satan. In his sermon he said exactly what I had said here in my last sermon before the holiday when I stressed the need for Christians today to stand firm to the truth of the gospel and be counted among the faithful that God is preparing to be with Him in Glory. I just sat there and smiled and nodded in agreement - and I believe God was confirming what we have been sharing for the last few months.
A couple of weeks ago we shared together how Peter and John had stood before the Sanhedrin who were accusing them of continuing to preach Jesus as Saviour and Messiah - it wasn’t until one of their own Gamiliel stood up and reminded the accusers that if what Peter and John were doing was not of God it would fail which made them release them back to their fellowship.
This was the third time they had been arrested, the first, following the healing of the lame man - when because the evidence was their they had no option but to let them go with the instruction to stop preaching the name of Jesus. The second time they were imprisoned but were released by an angel of the Lord who commanded them to carry on preaching the full message of the new Christian life. This they did and of course were brought before the Sanhedrin again but they had to let them go because of the evidence and the words of Gamiliel.
There was no stopping them - in Acts Ch 5 v 41 we are told that ‘ the Apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name of Jesus. Day after day in the Temple courts and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Christ.
Wow! Rejoicing of being counted worthy to suffer disgrace for what they were doing.
We read how following this, the church began to grow and become active in not only proclaiming the truth in Christ but also in trying to meet the needs of those of their fellowship were having difficult times in providing the basics of food. They not only fed people the truth of Jesus the bread of Heaven but they also saw to the needs of those who hadn’t enough Physical food.
Following that, Chapter 6 tells us that as it was important to share the work of preaching the word and feeding the hungry and so they chose seven of their fellowship to preach and the others to tend to peoples physical needs .
Lets read Chapter 6, from v8-15 where we read about one of the chosen - Stephen.
8 Now Stephen, a man full of God’s grace and power, performed great wonders and signs among the people. Opposition arose, however, from members of the Synagogue of the Freedmen (as it was called)—Jews of Cyrene and Alexandria as well as the provinces of Cilicia and Asia—who began to argue with Stephen. But they could not stand up against the wisdom the Spirit gave him as he spoke.
Then they secretly persuaded some men to say, “We have heard Stephen speak blasphemous words against Moses and against God.”
So they stirred up the people and the elders and the teachers of the law. They seized Stephen and brought him before the Sanhedrin. They produced false witnesses, who testified, “This fellow never stops speaking against this holy place and against the law. For we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and change the customs Moses handed down to us.”
All who were sitting in the Sanhedrin looked intently at Stephen, and they saw that his face was like the face of an angel.
Here we see the quality of one of those chosen - Stephen- a real man of God full of God’s grace and power by which he did great wonders and miraculous things among the people - great - but this so angered the Jewish leaders of the synagogue - the freedmen as they were called - that they arrested Stephen and argued with him but to no avail - he was stronger than they were in his faith. So what did they do? They persuaded some men to falsely say they had heard Stephen speak blasphemy against Moses and God which resulted in Stephen being arrested and brought to the Sanhedrin in the same way Peter and John had been many times before.
They accused Stephen of blasphemy saying he had spoken against the Jewish laws and even told people that Jesus would destroy this place and change the customs that Moses had handed down to them. Amazingly we are told that as the Sanhedrin looked at Stephen all they could see was the face of an angel. - yet they still were against him.
When asked if the accusations were true - Stephen boldly did what Peter had done when he was accused - by giving them a history lesson of their own faith. He told them how even Moses had said God would send another prophet - the Messiah - and how when this happened they crucified Him. Not surprisingly, they were furious and even as Stephen told them that he could see before him, God and Jesus standing at His right hand, they covered their ears and dragged Stephen out to stone him.
Acts 7; 54-60 When the members of the Sanhedrin heard this, they were furious and gnashed their teeth at him. But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. “Look,” he said, “I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.” At this they covered their ears and, yelling at the top of their voices, they all rushed at him, dragged him out of the city and began to stone him. Meanwhile, the witnesses laid their coats at the feet of a young man named Saul.
While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” Then he fell on his knees and cried out, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” When he had said this, he fell asleep. C8 and Saul was there giving approval to his death.
How awesome it is that as they were stoning Stephen, he was able to do what Jesus did when He hung in agony on the cross - Jesus had said ‘Father forgive them for they know not what they are doing‘. Stephen said ‘Don’t hold this sin against them. Next week we be looking at what followed regarding Saul from Acts ch9 . As I said last time we met, there is no stopping the church that gets it’s Acts2 gether
Last week following the morning meeting in Bridlington the visiting preacher came to talk to me and together we shared what God had done and was doing in our individual lives and I was amazed as we spoke how alike our testimonies were right down to the finest detail. He shared how he had been brought up in the church but it wasn’t until much later in his life that he go really saved. He had to retire from work aged 55 and felt called to became a pastor. His financed were taken care of as he was given a pension.
As we talked a big grin spread over my face - t was almost like looking into a mirror and seeing myself in all he said. I had to retire through ill health when I was 55 and I had a works pension that more than provided for my daily living so much so that when God called ne to become an Officer I didn’t need to take a salary.
It was amazing , and then to find that God was showing him the same things about the state of the Church in this modern age and how far removed it was becoming for the church that God set up in Acts - it was just conformation to me that the way God was leading me and us here at Idle the right way and that all we had to do was trust and obey Him - stand firn in what we know and believe is the truth - do that and eventually when we get there - God will grow His church and bring more people in - people whom God knows will be taught the truth enabling their own ministry to grow.
My prayers for Idle Corps is as I said the last time we met, that we all will seek to be honest and open with ourselves and with God and make sure we are living in true obedience to the Word of God.
I shared with that visiting pastor how in my own life, God had revealed to me that when I was in my early 30’s that I didn’t know Him in the way He wanted me to know Him. I had grown up through the Army ranks having been saved as a young seven year old and eventually becoming Bandmaster. I shared how following a failed operation on my kidneys He led two officers to lay hands on me and pray for healing - hours before I was due to go down for a second operation - God healed me. I knew then that God had placed me in that situation to show me I didn’t really know Him, as He wanted me to and that when I realised that and responded to His leading - the plans He had for me would start to take shape. God led me to read Jeremiah 29 and showed me that He had plans for my life. WOW!
When I was out of hospital I came and knelt here at the mercy seat and prayed the same prayer that Paul prayed ‘ I want to know You Lord’ not just about You - but really know You - That was the turning point in my life and I felt the empowering of the Holy Spirit flood into my soul - the rest is history - but how awesome for God to bring me to a state of confirmation that what He is saying to me every day when I kneel before Him in prayer is to encourage my people to look at their own lives and where needed to respond to the desire of God to come to really know Him and His presence in their lives and the life and ministry of this - His church.
On Wednesday we looked at the testimony of Steve Green - it was his birthday that day - we watched a video of his testimony where he shared how he had been brought up in a Christian home, the son of missionaries in Argentina. He shared how as a teenager he found that he wasn’t living true to his Christian faith and it was his brother who brought him to think seriously about his relationship with Jesus. He did and got saved. He started singing and eventually joined the Gaither group. He soon realised that he was still living a life of pretence - putting a front on - that had to change - thankfully it did and when he started singing with his new found faith he meant every word he sang and his life changed dramatically - he now today has a mission to bring others to Christ.
How important it is in these days to be really genuine in our faith and allegiance to Jesus. Last week I understand that Sharon Furlong suggested that we meet to discuss the mission of this fellowship. I believe that Mission begins when the fellowship is living in complete allegiance to God and getting their ACT2gether. I believe that God has been speaking to us over the last few months urging us to be that together ACTS2 fellowship.
We started a prayer meeting five weeks ago where as a church we could come before God and seek His will regarding our lives and the life of this fellowship. I urge you if you don’t already, to consider coming to that so that we can become one with the Lord and each other as we seek His direction.
Lets sing together the lovely song - Be still for the presence of the Lord is moving in this place - I pray you will let Him move in your heart and claim His presence.
MM 21 July 2019
Last week we continued to look at the growth of the New Testament Church and how God wanted them to be a Together people who prayed together, shared His word together and lived the life that He was inspiring them to live. We looked at how the church grew from the 3000 at Pentecost to another 5000 and how two of their members Annanias and Saphira lied to both the fellowship and the Holy Spirit which moved God to removed them. They were Veneer Christians and lived a lie in their new found Christian faith.
I said then that ‘You can’t short change God’ when He calls us to follow Him and we accept the challenge to become Christian and live the lifestyle from the example set us by Jesus - we can’t go back on our promises.The awesome thing is that God knows our frailty and has provided a helper to transform our worldly viewpoint to become more like Christ. With that in mind we looked at Pauls letter to the Romans ch12 v1 and 2
Paul says this ; Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God--this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will.
We also read the second of Peters letters; 2 Peter 1; where writing about Jesus, Peter says this His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.
5 For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; ( bible study) and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But whoever does not have them is nearsighted and blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their past sins.
10 Therefore, my brothers and sisters, make every effort to confirm your calling and election. For if you do these things, you will never stumble, and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
This was how the early church started - how it was born of the Spirit and in genuinely devoting their lives to God, the Church grew rapidly.
We talked about truth and commitment to God being important and was shown this by the way in which, as we see in Acts, right at the beginning of the birth of Christianity - God made sure the church set off on the right foot by showing it’s commitment to the Gospel. The tragedy was that two of the fellowship, Annanias and Saphira, lied to the fellowship and to God and had to be removed so that right from the beginning - the Christian fellowship set off on the right foot to become the Church that would be a loving - honest and open fellowship.
We saw how, following the removal of Annanias and Saphira from the fellowship it began to grow and the Apostles were empowered to exercise the power given by the Holy Spirit to do the things that until then only Jesus had done, one of which was to bring miraculous healing - to show the power of God and the fact that here was the true Church of Jesus Christ that God wanted.
Last week we read how crowds gathered from all the towns around Jerusalem to see the power of God at work in the lives of the new Church that God had formed to become living vibrant witnesses of the truth.
Peter and John, who started all this when they healed the lame man at the doorway to the Temple had been arrested, imprisoned and on their release commanded not to speak the name of Jesus again - what did they do? They went back to the fellowship and prayed for more strength and power to do exactly what they had been commanded not to do - to spread the good news.
No wonder that the authorities were jealous of the Apostles as they successfully gathered around them people who were seeking to embrace the Apostles teaching. The next verses, 17 onwards continue to tell us of the anger of the High Priest and the Sadducees - lets read it together;
Acts 5; 17 Then the high priest and all his associates, who were members of the party of the Sadducees, were filled with jealousy. They arrested the apostles and put them in the public jail. But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the doors of the jail and brought them out. “Go, stand in the temple courts,” he said, “and tell the people all about this new life.” At daybreak they entered the temple courts, as they had been told, and began to teach the people.
WOW! Imprisoned by the powers that be - locked behind bars in the jail and what happens - God sends an angel to open the door and bring them out with the instruction to Go, stand in the temple courts, and tell the people all about this new life.” and that’s exactly what they did. There’s no stopping them - they had found the truth and felt the call of God to go and share that truth with the world outside - just what we are called to do?
It used to be so easy and expected of us particulary on a Sunday evening to hold an open air service on the green in Idle - people used to listen and respond. We even went out on the streets at 10am every Sunday morning - blowing our trumpets in the streets = wow I think that today would be a lot different. Most are still in bed - not interested.
One more reason to make sure that the lives we live reveal the faith we have in God and the passion to share His love with others.
So here we are in our Bible reading - the Apostles have been told to go stand in the Temple courts and tell people about the new life that can be experienced in Christ Jesus. - Suprisingly the authorities were unaware of what was happenning for we then read that;
Acts 5; 21 At daybreak they entered the temple courts, as they had been told, and began to teach the people.
When the high priest and his associates arrived, they called together the Sanhedrin—the full assembly of the elders of Israel—and sent to the jail for the apostles. But on arriving at the jail, the officers did not find them there. Course they didn’t - they’re outside the Temple Courts - So they went back and reported, “We found the jail securely locked, with the guards standing at the doors; but when we opened them, we found no one inside.” On hearing this report, the captain of the temple guard and the chief priests were at a loss, wondering what this might lead to.
Then someone came and said, “Look! The men you put in jail are standing in the temple courts teaching the people.” At that, the captain went with his officers and brought the apostles. They did not use force, because they feared that the people would stone them. The Apostles preaching was gaining popularity.
The apostles were brought in and made to appear before the Sanhedrin to be questioned by the high priest. “We gave you strict orders not to teach in this name,” he said. “Yet you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and are determined to make us guilty of this man’s blood.”
I love the reply of that the Apostles gave ; 29 Peter and the other apostles replied: “We must obey God rather than human beings!
They then went on boldly to convict the High Priest and leaders of murdering the long promised Messiah they had been waiting for when they said; The God of our ancestors raised Jesus from the dead—whom you killed by hanging him on a cross. God exalted him to his own right hand as Prince and Saviour that he might bring Israel to repentance and forgive their sins. We are witnesses of these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him.”
Wow! What bravery - but then - if you are as convinced as the Apostles were that you were telling the truth and had seen the power of God manifest in His Son Jesus.
The response was obvious 33 When they heard this, they were furious and wanted to put them to death.
Can you believe that that’s still happenning in the world today? Christians who stand up for Christ are being persecuted, locked up
But then - v 34 Miraculously God used a man from their own group a Pharisee named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law, who was honoured by all the people, to stand up in the Sanhedrin and ordered that the men be put outside for a little while.
Then he addressed the Sanhedrin: “Men of Israel, consider carefully what you intend to do to these men. Some time ago Theudas appeared, claiming to be somebody, and about four hundred men rallied to him. He was killed, all his followers were dispersed, and it all came to nothing. After him, Judas the Galilean appeared in the days of the census and led a band of people in revolt. He too was killed, and all his followers were scattered. Therefore, in the present case I advise you: Leave these men alone! Let them go! For if their purpose or activity is of human origin, it will fail. But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God.” 40 His speech persuaded them. They called the apostles in and had them flogged. Then they ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go.
What Gamilael said was so obviously true For if their purpose or activity is of human origin, it will fail. But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God.”
Speak the truth of God and what you say and do will be blessed by God and bear fruit Preach a false gospel and it will fail. That’s why we have to be careful in these days to make sure we speak the truth of the gospel and don’t fall into the trap of softening or changing it to meet the approval of modern man as so many so called Christian fellowships are doing.
The great result was that 41 The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name. Day after day, in the temple courts and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Messiah. - Christ.
There was no stopping them - Awesome - that’s the determination that is needed today in this country where daily mankind is moving further from the truth of the gospel and going it’s own blind way.
Last year I shared how in London 1556 – The Stratford Martyrs, eleven men and two women one of whom was pregnant were burned at the stake together for their Protestant beliefs watched by 20 0000 people. All, they had done was stand up for their faith in the true gospel - Appallingly it was the Catholic Church of the day that condemned them. In 1879 a large monument was erected in St John's churchyard in Stratford Broadway, to commemorate the 13 and others who were executed or tortured in Stratford during the persecutions
We only have to look at how the Christian faith today is being challenged not only by the unbelieving world but also from within its own ranks from leaders who want to compromise the basic concepts of our Christian faith to make it more acceptable to the man in the street.
What did Gamilael say? If what the Apostles and the early church preach and teach is of human origin, it will fail. And it will But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop it; you will only find yourselves fighting against God.” In other words Preach the unaltered truth and it will eventually succeed. Preach the compromise and long term it will fail.
The Church today needs to get back to the truth of the Gospel and accept the way of Jesus to live a life that will glorify that truth.
Remember that great Sunday school song we used to sing about Daniel - says it all ;
Standing by a purpose true heading Gods commands
Honour them, the faithful few- all hail to Daniels band
Many mighty men are lost, daring not to stand
Who for God had been a host by joining Daniels band
In other words stand firm as Daniel did and the worldly giants - the lies of the enemy - will fall So then;
Hold the gospel banner high, on to victory grand
Satan and his hosts defy and shout for Daniels band
Dare to be a Daniel, dare to stand alone
Dare to have a purpose firm and dare to make it known
We all know how Daniel stood in defiance against the powers that be who ordered people to bow to them and not to God. Daniel still continued to stand firm and spend time on his knees in private devotional prayer to God - he was seen - arrested and put in the lions den.
Daniel stood up for the truth - or rather bowed down for what He believed in the same way Peter and John and the early Church did - and just as God miraculously closed the mouth of the lion so too He opened the prison doors for Peter and John and they all lived on to fulfil what God had called them to do.
Acts is all about the birth and growth of the Christian Fellowship - the living body of Christ in the world that went on to become the Christian Church that we are a part of. It sets the pattern - Gods clear pattern as to how we as His church, His body of believers need to live our lives.
I believe that today, God wants us - His chosen people to stand up for Him and the truth of the Word by not merely talking and preaching it but by living it to the full. The opposition that we face from the world today is apathy - un-interest - couldn’t care less what you believe - just let me get on with my life the way I like it.
What they need to see is the difference that Jesus makes in our lives. The way in which, when we go through difficult times as they do, we are able to cope - that’s when I believe they start to ask the question how? That’s the time we can tell them that without our faith in God we, like them, would struggle.
That leads us on to be able to share the gospel and repentance of the old style to acceptance of new life in Jesus who gave His life on the cross to pay for our sins. Freedom in Christ today that makes the way open for us to move on into eternity with Him.
One of my favourite truths from Paul are found in 2 Corinthians 5; 17 When someone becomes a Christian, he becomes a brand new person inside. He is not the same anymore. A new life has begun! The world needs to see that in you and me - we are not alone in this - He is with us - we are in His hands
Song Trust and Obey
Last week we continued to look at the growth of the New Testament Church and how God wanted them to be a Together people who prayed together, shared His word together and lived the life that He was inspiring them to live. We looked at how the church grew from the 3000 at Pentecost to another 5000 and how two of their members Annanias and Saphira lied to both the fellowship and the Holy Spirit which moved God to removed them. They were Veneer Christians and lived a lie in their new found Christian faith.
I said then that ‘You can’t short change God’ when He calls us to follow Him and we accept the challenge to become Christian and live the lifestyle from the example set us by Jesus - we can’t go back on our promises.The awesome thing is that God knows our frailty and has provided a helper to transform our worldly viewpoint to become more like Christ. With that in mind we looked at Pauls letter to the Romans ch12 v1 and 2
Paul says this ; Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God--this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will.
We also read the second of Peters letters; 2 Peter 1; where writing about Jesus, Peter says this His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.
5 For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; ( bible study) and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But whoever does not have them is nearsighted and blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their past sins.
10 Therefore, my brothers and sisters, make every effort to confirm your calling and election. For if you do these things, you will never stumble, and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
This was how the early church started - how it was born of the Spirit and in genuinely devoting their lives to God, the Church grew rapidly.
We talked about truth and commitment to God being important and was shown this by the way in which, as we see in Acts, right at the beginning of the birth of Christianity - God made sure the church set off on the right foot by showing it’s commitment to the Gospel. The tragedy was that two of the fellowship, Annanias and Saphira, lied to the fellowship and to God and had to be removed so that right from the beginning - the Christian fellowship set off on the right foot to become the Church that would be a loving - honest and open fellowship.
We saw how, following the removal of Annanias and Saphira from the fellowship it began to grow and the Apostles were empowered to exercise the power given by the Holy Spirit to do the things that until then only Jesus had done, one of which was to bring miraculous healing - to show the power of God and the fact that here was the true Church of Jesus Christ that God wanted.
Last week we read how crowds gathered from all the towns around Jerusalem to see the power of God at work in the lives of the new Church that God had formed to become living vibrant witnesses of the truth.
Peter and John, who started all this when they healed the lame man at the doorway to the Temple had been arrested, imprisoned and on their release commanded not to speak the name of Jesus again - what did they do? They went back to the fellowship and prayed for more strength and power to do exactly what they had been commanded not to do - to spread the good news.
No wonder that the authorities were jealous of the Apostles as they successfully gathered around them people who were seeking to embrace the Apostles teaching. The next verses, 17 onwards continue to tell us of the anger of the High Priest and the Sadducees - lets read it together;
Acts 5; 17 Then the high priest and all his associates, who were members of the party of the Sadducees, were filled with jealousy. They arrested the apostles and put them in the public jail. But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the doors of the jail and brought them out. “Go, stand in the temple courts,” he said, “and tell the people all about this new life.” At daybreak they entered the temple courts, as they had been told, and began to teach the people.
WOW! Imprisoned by the powers that be - locked behind bars in the jail and what happens - God sends an angel to open the door and bring them out with the instruction to Go, stand in the temple courts, and tell the people all about this new life.” and that’s exactly what they did. There’s no stopping them - they had found the truth and felt the call of God to go and share that truth with the world outside - just what we are called to do?
It used to be so easy and expected of us particulary on a Sunday evening to hold an open air service on the green in Idle - people used to listen and respond. We even went out on the streets at 10am every Sunday morning - blowing our trumpets in the streets = wow I think that today would be a lot different. Most are still in bed - not interested.
One more reason to make sure that the lives we live reveal the faith we have in God and the passion to share His love with others.
So here we are in our Bible reading - the Apostles have been told to go stand in the Temple courts and tell people about the new life that can be experienced in Christ Jesus. - Suprisingly the authorities were unaware of what was happenning for we then read that;
Acts 5; 21 At daybreak they entered the temple courts, as they had been told, and began to teach the people.
When the high priest and his associates arrived, they called together the Sanhedrin—the full assembly of the elders of Israel—and sent to the jail for the apostles. But on arriving at the jail, the officers did not find them there. Course they didn’t - they’re outside the Temple Courts - So they went back and reported, “We found the jail securely locked, with the guards standing at the doors; but when we opened them, we found no one inside.” On hearing this report, the captain of the temple guard and the chief priests were at a loss, wondering what this might lead to.
Then someone came and said, “Look! The men you put in jail are standing in the temple courts teaching the people.” At that, the captain went with his officers and brought the apostles. They did not use force, because they feared that the people would stone them. The Apostles preaching was gaining popularity.
The apostles were brought in and made to appear before the Sanhedrin to be questioned by the high priest. “We gave you strict orders not to teach in this name,” he said. “Yet you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and are determined to make us guilty of this man’s blood.”
I love the reply of that the Apostles gave ; 29 Peter and the other apostles replied: “We must obey God rather than human beings!
They then went on boldly to convict the High Priest and leaders of murdering the long promised Messiah they had been waiting for when they said; The God of our ancestors raised Jesus from the dead—whom you killed by hanging him on a cross. God exalted him to his own right hand as Prince and Saviour that he might bring Israel to repentance and forgive their sins. We are witnesses of these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him.”
Wow! What bravery - but then - if you are as convinced as the Apostles were that you were telling the truth and had seen the power of God manifest in His Son Jesus.
The response was obvious 33 When they heard this, they were furious and wanted to put them to death.
Can you believe that that’s still happenning in the world today? Christians who stand up for Christ are being persecuted, locked up
But then - v 34 Miraculously God used a man from their own group a Pharisee named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law, who was honoured by all the people, to stand up in the Sanhedrin and ordered that the men be put outside for a little while.
Then he addressed the Sanhedrin: “Men of Israel, consider carefully what you intend to do to these men. Some time ago Theudas appeared, claiming to be somebody, and about four hundred men rallied to him. He was killed, all his followers were dispersed, and it all came to nothing. After him, Judas the Galilean appeared in the days of the census and led a band of people in revolt. He too was killed, and all his followers were scattered. Therefore, in the present case I advise you: Leave these men alone! Let them go! For if their purpose or activity is of human origin, it will fail. But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God.” 40 His speech persuaded them. They called the apostles in and had them flogged. Then they ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go.
What Gamilael said was so obviously true For if their purpose or activity is of human origin, it will fail. But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God.”
Speak the truth of God and what you say and do will be blessed by God and bear fruit Preach a false gospel and it will fail. That’s why we have to be careful in these days to make sure we speak the truth of the gospel and don’t fall into the trap of softening or changing it to meet the approval of modern man as so many so called Christian fellowships are doing.
The great result was that 41 The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name. Day after day, in the temple courts and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Messiah. - Christ.
There was no stopping them - Awesome - that’s the determination that is needed today in this country where daily mankind is moving further from the truth of the gospel and going it’s own blind way.
Last year I shared how in London 1556 – The Stratford Martyrs, eleven men and two women one of whom was pregnant were burned at the stake together for their Protestant beliefs watched by 20 0000 people. All, they had done was stand up for their faith in the true gospel - Appallingly it was the Catholic Church of the day that condemned them. In 1879 a large monument was erected in St John's churchyard in Stratford Broadway, to commemorate the 13 and others who were executed or tortured in Stratford during the persecutions
We only have to look at how the Christian faith today is being challenged not only by the unbelieving world but also from within its own ranks from leaders who want to compromise the basic concepts of our Christian faith to make it more acceptable to the man in the street.
What did Gamilael say? If what the Apostles and the early church preach and teach is of human origin, it will fail. And it will But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop it; you will only find yourselves fighting against God.” In other words Preach the unaltered truth and it will eventually succeed. Preach the compromise and long term it will fail.
The Church today needs to get back to the truth of the Gospel and accept the way of Jesus to live a life that will glorify that truth.
Remember that great Sunday school song we used to sing about Daniel - says it all ;
Standing by a purpose true heading Gods commands
Honour them, the faithful few- all hail to Daniels band
Many mighty men are lost, daring not to stand
Who for God had been a host by joining Daniels band
In other words stand firm as Daniel did and the worldly giants - the lies of the enemy - will fall So then;
Hold the gospel banner high, on to victory grand
Satan and his hosts defy and shout for Daniels band
Dare to be a Daniel, dare to stand alone
Dare to have a purpose firm and dare to make it known
We all know how Daniel stood in defiance against the powers that be who ordered people to bow to them and not to God. Daniel still continued to stand firm and spend time on his knees in private devotional prayer to God - he was seen - arrested and put in the lions den.
Daniel stood up for the truth - or rather bowed down for what He believed in the same way Peter and John and the early Church did - and just as God miraculously closed the mouth of the lion so too He opened the prison doors for Peter and John and they all lived on to fulfil what God had called them to do.
Acts is all about the birth and growth of the Christian Fellowship - the living body of Christ in the world that went on to become the Christian Church that we are a part of. It sets the pattern - Gods clear pattern as to how we as His church, His body of believers need to live our lives.
I believe that today, God wants us - His chosen people to stand up for Him and the truth of the Word by not merely talking and preaching it but by living it to the full. The opposition that we face from the world today is apathy - un-interest - couldn’t care less what you believe - just let me get on with my life the way I like it.
What they need to see is the difference that Jesus makes in our lives. The way in which, when we go through difficult times as they do, we are able to cope - that’s when I believe they start to ask the question how? That’s the time we can tell them that without our faith in God we, like them, would struggle.
That leads us on to be able to share the gospel and repentance of the old style to acceptance of new life in Jesus who gave His life on the cross to pay for our sins. Freedom in Christ today that makes the way open for us to move on into eternity with Him.
One of my favourite truths from Paul are found in 2 Corinthians 5; 17 When someone becomes a Christian, he becomes a brand new person inside. He is not the same anymore. A new life has begun! The world needs to see that in you and me - we are not alone in this - He is with us - we are in His hands
Song Trust and Obey
MM 14 July 2019
Last week we looked at what happened following the miraculous healing of the lame man when Peter and John called on the power of Jesus to heal him. Great crowds were brought to accept Jesus and 2000 were added to the church. They were then arrested and imprisoned and warned not to continue telling people about Jesus - on their release the first thing they did was to go back to their own fellowship and prayed for more boldness to continue doing what they had been ordered not to do
Acts 4;23 On their release, Peter and John went back to their own people and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said to them. When they heard this, they raised their voices together in prayer to God. Sovereign Lord," they said, "you made the heaven and the earth and the sea, and everything in them. You spoke by the Holy Spirit through the mouth of your servant, our father David: "`Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers gather together against the Lord and against his Anointed One.' Indeed Herod and Pontius Pilate met together with the Gentiles and the people of Israel in this city to conspire against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed. They did what your power and will had decided beforehand should happen.
Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness. Stretch out your hand to heal and perform miraculous signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus."
Wow! that must have been some kind of prayer meeting! These 'ordinary ' men and women that made up the body of Christ's followers, the first members of His Church, now had a boldness that the more they exercised, the more successful they were. The early church, now filled with the Holy Spirit, was now feeling their feet as it were, and finding that as they took those steps of faith, they could walk.
What happened then was awesome as they felt the mighty impact of Gods response After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.
I closed last week by saying that the world out there more than ever today, need to see a church where they can see the power of God evidenced in their midst, a people who have the aroma of Christ. They need to see a victorious people, who even though we suffer the same hardships as they do, have found the answer to this life and the gateway to the next, in Jesus Christ.
Ordinary people like them, who have found the secret of real life now and eternal life to come. People who have found the source of real life, the Divine Power for living that can only be found in Jesus Christ.
It may have been Peter and John who reached out their hands to the cripple, but it was the power of the Living Christ that flowed into him, and that power is still available today!
I love the way that Peter and John, on their release, went straight back to the fellowship, and had a thanksgiving prayer meeting. They realised that the same mighty power of God that had healed the lame man, had also protected them. They prayed for more boldness and as they prayed following their release from prison, we are told 'the building Shook’. This new church was shaken - not just stirred but shaken to the Core’ And that 'Mighty Power' is still available today.
The source of this dynamic power, is Jesus, who gives power for victorious living. This power is still available, to equip and empower the church to let the world see God in action through the lives of ordinary people like you and me. We closed with the words that the church today needs to get its ACTS 2 GETHER -and that mean you and me.
Lets read from v 32-37 All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of their possessions was their own, but they shared everything they had. With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And God’s grace was so powerfully at work in them all that there were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned land or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales and put it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to anyone who had need. Joseph, a Levite from Cyprus, whom the apostles called Barnabas (which means “son of encouragement”), sold a field he owned and brought the money and put it at the apostles’ feet.
Great - a together caring fellowship - no wonder people were attracted to what they saw and wanted to be a part of it all. A church with a purpose to accept that Jesus Christ was indeed the promised Messiah and that He wanted nothing more than a people to confess their sins, receive forgiveness and start again to live a life under the authority of God who wanted nothing more than mankind to love and obey Him and to love one another.
That’s great but why then do we read in chapter 5; 13 that No one else dared join them, even though they were highly regarded by the people.
Acts 5 1-11 reveals that. Even though The apostles performed many signs and wonders among the people. And all the believers used to meet together in Solomon’s Colonnade. 13 No one else dared join them, even though they were highly regarded by the people. Somehow fear was holding them back - what fear? The wrath of a Holy God who will not tolerate a persistently deceitful heart.
Chapter 5 tells us why. Two of the new followers, Annanias and Saphira thought they could deceive the Holy Spirit when they tried to make it look as if they had sold some property and given the full proceeds to the Fellowship. It wasn’t that they had only given part of the proceeds - that would not have been a problem - it was the fact that they lied and said that they had given the whole proceeds.
Peter found out and confronted them by saying ‘What made you think of doing such a thing? You’ve have not lied to men but to God. The result was that Ananias fell dead at the Apostles feet and Great fear seized all who heard what had happened. Three hours later his wife came in and when she was asked if they had given the whole of the proceeds she too lied and say ‘Yes’ - she too fell down dead
That’s why no one else dared join them. V 11 of Ch 5 tells us that great fear seized the whole church and all who heard about these events. It’s not about money - it’s about honesty and truth. Just as God set the pattern for the beginnings of His new Church as a group of repentant, forgiven and together people dedicated to living under the authority of His word - I believe that God wanted to make certain that His new Church was founded on truth and honesty. There was no place for deceit and pretence - this was to be a pure, trustworthy and holy church.
Annanias and his wife Saphira wanted to be seen as being part of the fellowship - the fellowship that shared, that cared and lived up to the new standards set by God. They wanted to be seen as committed as the rest of thy fellowship. This was the birth of the Church and it had to be right - right from the beginning. God would not tolerate pretence and deciet and so Annanias and Sapphira had to go. No wonder we are told that ‘Great fear seized the whole church and all who heard about these events’. That’s why no one else dared join them.
The fear was in the fact that people saw the consequence of not being all that the new Christians should be. A kind of dressing up for the part whilst not being completely honest and fully desiring to be like God wants us to be. This was a drastic act of God to cleanse the church of pretence and deciet so that it had a right foundation on which to build. Start off on the wrong foot and it will continue in that same way.
I’ve said it so many times - there is a danger today of being what I call ‘a veneer Christian‘.
When Beryl and I started to put our first home together, money was scarce and so many couples had to buy veneer furniture. A Veneer table would consist of a cheap ( chip) board covered with a thin layer of the genuine teak which on the outside looks like the genuine article but scratch the surface and it revealed a different story.
Thankfully we saved up and bought a real genuine Teak table - a table that even if the kids accidently scribbled on it - you could lightly sandpaper it off, add some teak oil and it became as good as new. We still have the same table and chairs today.
It’s so easy today to look the part - easier still for a Salvationist who could cover themselves with a uniform - a veneer that covers the real person. Annanias and Saphira wanted to look like their friends at church but when you got to the real person - they were just playing at it. The trouble is that so often it’s not just others that fall prey to the deciet it’s the person themselves who fail to see that they are not living true to their commitment
Today in many churches the true word of God is being compromised and re-packaged by church leaders to make it more attractive to the unbeliever. The truth about God and the Christian life is being distorted and instead of a true church we see a veneer church but if the truth be known and the hypocrisy exposed it’s not difficult to see that it’s not what it appears to be.
Thankfully Luke then goes on the say that even though No one else dared join them, even though they were highly regarded by the people. 14 Nevertheless, more and more men and women believed in the Lord and were added to their number.
It sounds like a little contradiction but what I think it’s really saying is that even though the fear of not being completely honest with God and the fellowship was a mighty deterent it made people consider the foolishness of being deceitful and more determined to be upfront with God and the Fellowship and in that positive way more men and women believed in the Lord and were added to their number.
We need to make sure that we today are not living a veneer Christian life - and the danger is that people can even deceive themselves that they are living a truly Christian life. We need to make sure that our commitment is firstly to God and not things of the world. That our desire is to live lives that please Him and not just ourselves. The Bible tells us that you can’t serve God and mammon.
Thankfully Luke goes on to tell us what God was able to do through the purified Church when they continued to perform many miraculous signs and wonders among the people - 15 As a result, people brought the sick into the streets and laid them on beds and mats so that at least Peter’s shadow might fall on some of them as he passed by. 16 Crowds gathered also from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing their sick and those tormented by impure spirits, and all of them were healed.
We can see how successful they were in becoming vehicles of Gods power. In Pauls letter to the church at Rome - Romans 12; 1,2 he says this ; Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God--this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will.
He then goes into great detail about how a transformed person should live their lives. Writing to the church at Corinth he says this; 2 Cor 3;18 we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into His image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.
In the second of Peters letters 2 Peter 1; he writes about Jesus and says this His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.
5 For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; ( bible study) and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But whoever does not have them is nearsighted and blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their past sins.
10 Therefore, my brothers and sisters, make every effort to confirm your calling and election. For if you do these things, you will never stumble, and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
This was how the early church started - how it was born of the Spirit and in genuinely devoting their lives to God, the Church grew rapidly.
The power of God was evidenced through the Acts of the Apostles which even though what happened to Annanias and Sapphira meant brought fear - we are told that more and more people were encouraged to believe in the Lord and were added to their number, people who were being transformed by the renewing of their minds - On seeing the power of God evidenced in the lives of the new church we are told that crowds from the towns around Jerusalem began bringing their sick and those tormented by evil spirits - and all of them were healed.
There is a great need for Gods people to be open and honest in their commitment to God and the fellowship. That way they and the church will grow and through them. God will build HIS Church.
Consecration, Dedication easy words to say but not so easy to live out in our Christian Lives yet so vital to show our true Commitment to God. Just as at the birth of the Christian Church, God had to remove the pretenders - so too today we need to make sure that we are not divided in our allegiance to God, that we are not giving our time to build our idea of Church but rather dedicated to give Him the best there is of selve to the furtherance of His Kingdom.
Our prayer should be ‘Lord I want You to build Your Church and if I’m getting it wrong, Lord show me and give me the grace and strength to change my ways and start doing it Your way.
The song we are going to close with is a song of commitment - Take my life and let it be consecrated Lord to Thee.
Last week we looked at what happened following the miraculous healing of the lame man when Peter and John called on the power of Jesus to heal him. Great crowds were brought to accept Jesus and 2000 were added to the church. They were then arrested and imprisoned and warned not to continue telling people about Jesus - on their release the first thing they did was to go back to their own fellowship and prayed for more boldness to continue doing what they had been ordered not to do
Acts 4;23 On their release, Peter and John went back to their own people and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said to them. When they heard this, they raised their voices together in prayer to God. Sovereign Lord," they said, "you made the heaven and the earth and the sea, and everything in them. You spoke by the Holy Spirit through the mouth of your servant, our father David: "`Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers gather together against the Lord and against his Anointed One.' Indeed Herod and Pontius Pilate met together with the Gentiles and the people of Israel in this city to conspire against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed. They did what your power and will had decided beforehand should happen.
Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness. Stretch out your hand to heal and perform miraculous signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus."
Wow! that must have been some kind of prayer meeting! These 'ordinary ' men and women that made up the body of Christ's followers, the first members of His Church, now had a boldness that the more they exercised, the more successful they were. The early church, now filled with the Holy Spirit, was now feeling their feet as it were, and finding that as they took those steps of faith, they could walk.
What happened then was awesome as they felt the mighty impact of Gods response After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.
I closed last week by saying that the world out there more than ever today, need to see a church where they can see the power of God evidenced in their midst, a people who have the aroma of Christ. They need to see a victorious people, who even though we suffer the same hardships as they do, have found the answer to this life and the gateway to the next, in Jesus Christ.
Ordinary people like them, who have found the secret of real life now and eternal life to come. People who have found the source of real life, the Divine Power for living that can only be found in Jesus Christ.
It may have been Peter and John who reached out their hands to the cripple, but it was the power of the Living Christ that flowed into him, and that power is still available today!
I love the way that Peter and John, on their release, went straight back to the fellowship, and had a thanksgiving prayer meeting. They realised that the same mighty power of God that had healed the lame man, had also protected them. They prayed for more boldness and as they prayed following their release from prison, we are told 'the building Shook’. This new church was shaken - not just stirred but shaken to the Core’ And that 'Mighty Power' is still available today.
The source of this dynamic power, is Jesus, who gives power for victorious living. This power is still available, to equip and empower the church to let the world see God in action through the lives of ordinary people like you and me. We closed with the words that the church today needs to get its ACTS 2 GETHER -and that mean you and me.
Lets read from v 32-37 All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of their possessions was their own, but they shared everything they had. With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And God’s grace was so powerfully at work in them all that there were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned land or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales and put it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to anyone who had need. Joseph, a Levite from Cyprus, whom the apostles called Barnabas (which means “son of encouragement”), sold a field he owned and brought the money and put it at the apostles’ feet.
Great - a together caring fellowship - no wonder people were attracted to what they saw and wanted to be a part of it all. A church with a purpose to accept that Jesus Christ was indeed the promised Messiah and that He wanted nothing more than a people to confess their sins, receive forgiveness and start again to live a life under the authority of God who wanted nothing more than mankind to love and obey Him and to love one another.
That’s great but why then do we read in chapter 5; 13 that No one else dared join them, even though they were highly regarded by the people.
Acts 5 1-11 reveals that. Even though The apostles performed many signs and wonders among the people. And all the believers used to meet together in Solomon’s Colonnade. 13 No one else dared join them, even though they were highly regarded by the people. Somehow fear was holding them back - what fear? The wrath of a Holy God who will not tolerate a persistently deceitful heart.
Chapter 5 tells us why. Two of the new followers, Annanias and Saphira thought they could deceive the Holy Spirit when they tried to make it look as if they had sold some property and given the full proceeds to the Fellowship. It wasn’t that they had only given part of the proceeds - that would not have been a problem - it was the fact that they lied and said that they had given the whole proceeds.
Peter found out and confronted them by saying ‘What made you think of doing such a thing? You’ve have not lied to men but to God. The result was that Ananias fell dead at the Apostles feet and Great fear seized all who heard what had happened. Three hours later his wife came in and when she was asked if they had given the whole of the proceeds she too lied and say ‘Yes’ - she too fell down dead
That’s why no one else dared join them. V 11 of Ch 5 tells us that great fear seized the whole church and all who heard about these events. It’s not about money - it’s about honesty and truth. Just as God set the pattern for the beginnings of His new Church as a group of repentant, forgiven and together people dedicated to living under the authority of His word - I believe that God wanted to make certain that His new Church was founded on truth and honesty. There was no place for deceit and pretence - this was to be a pure, trustworthy and holy church.
Annanias and his wife Saphira wanted to be seen as being part of the fellowship - the fellowship that shared, that cared and lived up to the new standards set by God. They wanted to be seen as committed as the rest of thy fellowship. This was the birth of the Church and it had to be right - right from the beginning. God would not tolerate pretence and deciet and so Annanias and Sapphira had to go. No wonder we are told that ‘Great fear seized the whole church and all who heard about these events’. That’s why no one else dared join them.
The fear was in the fact that people saw the consequence of not being all that the new Christians should be. A kind of dressing up for the part whilst not being completely honest and fully desiring to be like God wants us to be. This was a drastic act of God to cleanse the church of pretence and deciet so that it had a right foundation on which to build. Start off on the wrong foot and it will continue in that same way.
I’ve said it so many times - there is a danger today of being what I call ‘a veneer Christian‘.
When Beryl and I started to put our first home together, money was scarce and so many couples had to buy veneer furniture. A Veneer table would consist of a cheap ( chip) board covered with a thin layer of the genuine teak which on the outside looks like the genuine article but scratch the surface and it revealed a different story.
Thankfully we saved up and bought a real genuine Teak table - a table that even if the kids accidently scribbled on it - you could lightly sandpaper it off, add some teak oil and it became as good as new. We still have the same table and chairs today.
It’s so easy today to look the part - easier still for a Salvationist who could cover themselves with a uniform - a veneer that covers the real person. Annanias and Saphira wanted to look like their friends at church but when you got to the real person - they were just playing at it. The trouble is that so often it’s not just others that fall prey to the deciet it’s the person themselves who fail to see that they are not living true to their commitment
Today in many churches the true word of God is being compromised and re-packaged by church leaders to make it more attractive to the unbeliever. The truth about God and the Christian life is being distorted and instead of a true church we see a veneer church but if the truth be known and the hypocrisy exposed it’s not difficult to see that it’s not what it appears to be.
Thankfully Luke then goes on the say that even though No one else dared join them, even though they were highly regarded by the people. 14 Nevertheless, more and more men and women believed in the Lord and were added to their number.
It sounds like a little contradiction but what I think it’s really saying is that even though the fear of not being completely honest with God and the fellowship was a mighty deterent it made people consider the foolishness of being deceitful and more determined to be upfront with God and the Fellowship and in that positive way more men and women believed in the Lord and were added to their number.
We need to make sure that we today are not living a veneer Christian life - and the danger is that people can even deceive themselves that they are living a truly Christian life. We need to make sure that our commitment is firstly to God and not things of the world. That our desire is to live lives that please Him and not just ourselves. The Bible tells us that you can’t serve God and mammon.
Thankfully Luke goes on to tell us what God was able to do through the purified Church when they continued to perform many miraculous signs and wonders among the people - 15 As a result, people brought the sick into the streets and laid them on beds and mats so that at least Peter’s shadow might fall on some of them as he passed by. 16 Crowds gathered also from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing their sick and those tormented by impure spirits, and all of them were healed.
We can see how successful they were in becoming vehicles of Gods power. In Pauls letter to the church at Rome - Romans 12; 1,2 he says this ; Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God--this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will.
He then goes into great detail about how a transformed person should live their lives. Writing to the church at Corinth he says this; 2 Cor 3;18 we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into His image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.
In the second of Peters letters 2 Peter 1; he writes about Jesus and says this His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.
5 For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; ( bible study) and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But whoever does not have them is nearsighted and blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their past sins.
10 Therefore, my brothers and sisters, make every effort to confirm your calling and election. For if you do these things, you will never stumble, and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
This was how the early church started - how it was born of the Spirit and in genuinely devoting their lives to God, the Church grew rapidly.
The power of God was evidenced through the Acts of the Apostles which even though what happened to Annanias and Sapphira meant brought fear - we are told that more and more people were encouraged to believe in the Lord and were added to their number, people who were being transformed by the renewing of their minds - On seeing the power of God evidenced in the lives of the new church we are told that crowds from the towns around Jerusalem began bringing their sick and those tormented by evil spirits - and all of them were healed.
There is a great need for Gods people to be open and honest in their commitment to God and the fellowship. That way they and the church will grow and through them. God will build HIS Church.
Consecration, Dedication easy words to say but not so easy to live out in our Christian Lives yet so vital to show our true Commitment to God. Just as at the birth of the Christian Church, God had to remove the pretenders - so too today we need to make sure that we are not divided in our allegiance to God, that we are not giving our time to build our idea of Church but rather dedicated to give Him the best there is of selve to the furtherance of His Kingdom.
Our prayer should be ‘Lord I want You to build Your Church and if I’m getting it wrong, Lord show me and give me the grace and strength to change my ways and start doing it Your way.
The song we are going to close with is a song of commitment - Take my life and let it be consecrated Lord to Thee.
MM 7 July 2019
Last week we read Acts 3 that tells us of the awesome account of what happened when Peter and John were going to the Temple for the daily prayer meeting - how they met the lame man and through their faith, God healed him.
The next verses tell how the onlookers were astonished and Peter asked them ‘Why? Why stare at us as if by our own power or godliness we have made this man walk? He then reminds, just like he did when he spoke to them following the baptism in the Holy Spirit - that it is by faith in the name of Jesus - the Messiah - whom they crucified, but who God rose from the dead, that this man now walks.
Peter uses the occasion to warn then to ‘repent and turn to God that their sins will be forgiven and refreshing come to once again enliven and empower Gods people. He warns them with great power that if they don’t listen, respond and change their ways then God will cut them off. That’s why God sent Jesus to bring in the new covenant and restore His people back to the heart of the Father - God.
Wow! This would come as a great rebuff to the leaders of the ‘Church’ in their day in the same way that when Jesus comes back again many of the church leaders of our day will for the falsehoods they preach. In the following chapter, Acts 4: 1 -12, we’re going to read the reaction of the Priests - and the leaders of Gods people
Acts 4: 1 -12, . The priests and the captain of the temple guard and the Sadducees came up to Peter and John while they were speaking to the people. They were greatly disturbed - I’ll bet they were -Why? because the apostles were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection of the dead.
Their response? They seized Peter and John, and because it was evening, they put them in jail until the next day.
The crowds response? But many who heard the message believed, and the number of men grew to about five thousand. WOW! first 3000 and now another 2000 - that’s growth - thats Amazing!
5 The next day the rulers, elders and teachers of the law met in Jerusalem. Annas the high priest was there, and so were Caiaphas, John, Alexander and the other men of the high priest's family. Annas and Caiaphas were the ones who sent Jesus to Pilate - in fact Caiaphas had prophesied that Jesus would die for the Jewish nation, and not only for that nation but also for the scattered children of God, to bring them together and make them one. (John 11; 49)
7 They had Peter and John brought before them and began to question them: "By what power or what name did you do this?" Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them: "Rulers and elders of the people! If we are being called to account today for an act of kindness shown to a cripple and are asked how he was healed, then know this, you and all the people of Israel: It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed. He is "`the stone you builders rejected, which has become the capstone.' Salvation is found in no-one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved."
What boldness - there they stand - accused of proclaiming the Lordship of Jesus and proclaiming Him as Messiah and now they turn the tables and defiantly accuse the powers that be of crucifying the long awaited Messiah - that takes guts - but then we are talking about Peter and John, who’s lives had been transformed and empowered by the Holy Spirit. They had lived with Jesus three years - they had heard the prophesies of Jesus regarding His ressurection and return to Heaven. They had seen the risen Lord whom as they state, ‘You crucified but whom God raised from the dead’ WOW!
The true God indwelt church had now been born. These were a people who lives had been transformed. A liberated, bold, excited people, full of expectation and wonder as to what God was going to do next - unlike the elders and leaders.
Acts 4; 13 When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realised that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus. But since they could see the man who had been healed standing there with them, there was nothing they could say. So they ordered them to withdraw from the Sanhedrin and then conferred together.
They realised that Peter and John were just ‘unschooled, ordinary men, and they were astonished and could see the influence that being with Jesus had made of these ordinary guys - they had been with Jesus’ WOW! and It showed.
Now following Pentecost these ‘Ordinary guys’ were filled and empowered with the Holy Spirit to become like Jesus and continue the work that He had begun. The powers that be in the world in their day could not deny what they could see before their very eyes.
Every time Pentecost comes around, what I read does two things On the one hand, it lifts and excites me to know that our great and awesome God is the same today as yesterday and that secondly that His promises still stands if only we would believe’
I said last week that we here at Idle have seen so many awesome proofs of the power of God at work through us today that none of us - or even those we share them with could fail to see the presence of the living God in our midst.
But on the other hand it depresses me to see a church today that resembles the cripple more than it does the power available for those who’s faith is firmly anchored in Jesus
At Pentecost the Holy Spirit brought the power that transforms individual lives - and that could be seen by their neighbours and as we have just read, the powers that be.
I believe that today Gods desire is to energise and transform churches to make the word live- and transform the Kingdom of this world into Gods Kingdom. God the holy Spirit entered our world like a pebble dropped in the sea creating ever widening circles of Hope where once there was only despair.
As I’ve said, so many times before, the holy Spirit came and made the ‘Ready and the Willing’ - Able
The disciples were fired up - filled from within with the same Spirit that rested on Jesus before He began His earthly ministry. The Holy Spirit of God who’s presence generated boldness and vigour - a boldness to move forward filled with a power that I’m sure amazed the Apostles as much as the watching world.
The power of God that empowered and equipped the ordinary, working man, the fisherman, the office worker, the tax collector, to show His power to a watching world.
Take a look around! What’s happened to His Church? Whats happened to His people? ‘Why is it that with such power available,many churches today are full of spiritual cripples? people unable to walk in the spirit, and who are content to sit and watch their world go by, accepting second best, when there is power available to stand them firm on their feet, and move them boldly forward ?
Why is it that there are so many struggling churches, who seem unable to stand on their own two feet, and who are powerless to minister to a dying world ? like the lame man. Could it be that the reason the church today fails to minister to the lame world is because as I said last week, the church has become the lame man.?
I say it every year - The Church needs to get it’s ‘Acts 2gether’ The Spirit was given to empower Jesus’s followers to live their lives in His power . The God we serve - is a God of power who wants to equip and enable His body to move in the power of the Spirit to win the lost. That’s the mission of the Church and that’s why God gives His Spirit today - to raise the crippled church to its feet and let the watching world see the victories there are to be won in Jesus.
God wants to be glorified in His Church in you and me. God gave the Holy Spirit to set us on fire for Him. Our calling is first to know Him ourselves and then go and make Him known to others.
Its about time that Gods people began to rise up and recognise the power and authority there is in the Name of Jesus. Power, not only to preach a life -changing Gospel - but to live a life changing Gospel. When we get our Acts2-gether then others will be able to see the passion and the power of God in the church, what they see and hear will be enough and then God, just as He did at Pentecost, will direct people to our churches. ‘Daily God added to the Church, those who were being saved.
Acts 4; 13-15 When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realised that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus. But since they could see the man who had been healed standing there with them, there was nothing they could say. So they ordered them to withdraw from the Sanhedrin and then conferred together. ‘
What they heard was a powerful preaching from men who hadn’t been to college. Their college was the University of life. No theory - all practical. Men who’s passion stemmed from their experience of simply being with Jesus - the truth shone from their faces and resounded in their conviction. These were men who had been who’s now motivated by Jesus and set on fire by the inner presence of the Holy Spirit.
I wonder if if when we go home from the meeting today - our families and friends will see anything different about us - I wonder if it shows that we have been with Jesus?
16 "What are we going to do with these men?" they asked. "Everybody living in Jerusalem knows they have done an outstanding miracle, and we cannot deny it. But to stop this thing from spreading any further among the people, we must warn these men to speak no longer to anyone in this name." They’re scared and so they called them in again and commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. There’s a mighty storm brewing and the apostles would feel to be in the middle of a storm - but Jesus is there in the boat with them - they knew what that felt like - they were not afraid now.
A great and active Pastor today, - David Hathaway knew all about this when he said ‘I would rather be in a storm with Jesus than live at peace without Him’.
David is the Founder and President of Eurovision Mission to Europe, Editorial Director of Prophetic Vision magazine – is an International Evangelist who has ministered worldwide for more than 50 years. He has reaches millions over the years through his Live-TV crusades in Russia, Siberia, Ukraine and Europe and through his Power of Faith TV broadcasts worldwide.
David has always chosen to live on the edge, in the danger zone, to take amazing risks for God …risking his life he began smuggling Bibles in a secret compartment on his buses – he could take in two tonnes of Bibles every time! But on Midsummer’s day 1972, after taking in over 150,000 Bibles and New Testaments, David was stopped at the Czechoslovak border with 5000 Bibles destined for Russia. He was arrested, tortured and sentenced to five years in prison – then given another five years for preaching the Gospel inside the prison! Just like Peter and John you can’t stop him.
In answer to prayer, God showed him the exact day of his release and after ten months’ in prison, by a miracle God sent the British Prime Minister Harold Wilson to bring him out! This miracle and his experience with God in the prison meant that before returning to work in Eastern Europe, David told his story around the world, leading more than a quarter of a million people to Christ in just two years.
After his release from prison, David’s heart continued to burn for Eastern Europe, the last words of one of his fellow prisoners continually ringing in his ears, “David, don’t forget us. No one knows, no one in the West cares.” In 1976 he organised the successful worldwide campaign for the release of Georgi Vins, a renowned Russian pastor from Kiev, sentenced to long years in a Siberian prison for his faith. David continued to go into the Underground Churches to preach until eventually in the 1980’s, he began to openly hold crusades and conferences in the communist counties.
In 1986 God spoke clearly to David again, telling him that the Iron Curtain that had separated East and West Europe for so long would be melted by the power of the Holy Spirit, that a new great move of the Spirit would sweep across the whole of Europe, uniting East and West, that this would not be an act of man, but a sovereign act of God, a demonstration of the Holy Spirit’s power.
In 1988 he began to see the vision and prophecy fulfilled when 4000 delegates came to the first conference – and six hundred came by a miracle through the Iron Curtain! Again God challenged David to hold a second East-West conference in 1989, publicly prophesying the fall of the Iron Curtain. Six hundred came from the East – and within a few days of the ending of the conference, the Iron Curtain began to fall!
Just as the Holy Spirit was evidenced in Peter and John, it is evidenced in todays faithful. Like David Hathaway - God is still at work - you can’t stop God. The powers that be tried to by putting David in prison for ten years but after just 10 months they were pressurised to let him go - just like Peter and John.
Lets read further what happened then; Acts 4;18 -22
And so they commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus.
But Peter and John replied, "Judge for yourselves whether it is right in God's sight to obey you rather than God. For we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard." and after further threats they let them go. They could not decide how to punish them, because all the people were praising God for what had happened. For the man who was miraculously healed was over forty years old.
Their faith was so strong that they didn’t need props or crutches to help them stand firm. They knew the truth of what Paul would confirm years later when he wrote to the church at Corinth ‘Faith is the substance, the essence, the stuff of things hoped for - the unseen, of things hoped for. Sadly many in the church today need crutches, safety nets, positive assurance before they will step out and do anything for Christ.
The secret is in having a firm and resolute faith . The faith that rely’s not on the known, the tried and the proven -but on Jesus - who is and has to be for you and me, all these things - Known - Tried and Proven - but it takes faith on our part - Faith in in Him - to exercise that. You can’t learn faith - you have to boldly step into it!
Peter knew that when he stepped out of the boat - that’s when he began to walk on water. He and John experienced that when they reached out their empty hands to the cripple and the power of God flowed through them and brought healing.
The faith of Moses when he raised his staff before the fast flowing Red Sea. The faith of Elijah when he poured bucket loads of water over the altar when he challenged the prophets of Baal. The faith of Mary the mother of Jesus when at the wedding of Cana she told the disciples to ‘just do as He says’ as foolish as it may sound. This was to be His first public miracle and she had faith in Him.
Peter had simply said to the crippled man ‘In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk’ there was real faith, real authority - and in the mighty name of Jesus the cripple got up and walked.
When we get our Acts2-gether then others will be able to see the passion and the power of God in the church, what they see and hear will be enough and then God, just as He did at Pentecost, will steer people to our churches. ‘Daily God added to the Church, those who were being saved.
Acts 4;23 On their release, Peter and John went back to their own people and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said to them. When they heard this, they raised their voices together in prayer to God.. . . . .29 .Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness. Stretch out your hand to heal and perform miraculous signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus."
After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.
The world out there more than ever today, need to see a church where they can see the power of God evidenced in their midst, a people who have the aroma of Christ. They need to see a victorious people, who even though we suffer the same hardships as they do, have found the answer to this life and the gateway to the next, in Jesus Christ.
Ordinary people like them, who have found the secret of real life now and eternal life to come. People who have found the source of real life, the Divine Power for living that can only be found in Jesus Christ.
It may have been Peter and John who reached out their hands to the cripple, but it was the power of the Living Christ that flowed into him, and that power is still available today!
I love the way that Peter and John, on their release, went straight back to the fellowship, and had a thanksgiving prayer meeting. They realised that the same mighty power of God that had healed the lame man, had also protected them.
They prayed for more boldness and as they prayed following their release from prison, we are told 'the building Shook’. This new church was shaken - not just stirred but shaken to the Core’ And that 'Mighty Power' is still available today.
The source of this dynamic power, is Jesus, who gives power for victorious living. This power is still available, to equip and empower the church to let the world see God in action through the lives of ordinary people like you and me.
The early church began to realise the extent of that power as daily they saw God at work before their very eyes. As they felt the power of God flow through them, they grew ever bolder, and were able to face whatever the world threw at them.
They prayed for boldness to press forward, they asked God to stretch out His hand to heal and show forth His power through them. And in a show of force, God shook the building where they were, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit.
Awesome ordinary men - not as educated as you or me -unschooled - and yet people through whom the power of God was seen - the church today needs to get its ACTS 2 GETHER what about you? what about us all as a fellowship?
Last week we read Acts 3 that tells us of the awesome account of what happened when Peter and John were going to the Temple for the daily prayer meeting - how they met the lame man and through their faith, God healed him.
The next verses tell how the onlookers were astonished and Peter asked them ‘Why? Why stare at us as if by our own power or godliness we have made this man walk? He then reminds, just like he did when he spoke to them following the baptism in the Holy Spirit - that it is by faith in the name of Jesus - the Messiah - whom they crucified, but who God rose from the dead, that this man now walks.
Peter uses the occasion to warn then to ‘repent and turn to God that their sins will be forgiven and refreshing come to once again enliven and empower Gods people. He warns them with great power that if they don’t listen, respond and change their ways then God will cut them off. That’s why God sent Jesus to bring in the new covenant and restore His people back to the heart of the Father - God.
Wow! This would come as a great rebuff to the leaders of the ‘Church’ in their day in the same way that when Jesus comes back again many of the church leaders of our day will for the falsehoods they preach. In the following chapter, Acts 4: 1 -12, we’re going to read the reaction of the Priests - and the leaders of Gods people
Acts 4: 1 -12, . The priests and the captain of the temple guard and the Sadducees came up to Peter and John while they were speaking to the people. They were greatly disturbed - I’ll bet they were -Why? because the apostles were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection of the dead.
Their response? They seized Peter and John, and because it was evening, they put them in jail until the next day.
The crowds response? But many who heard the message believed, and the number of men grew to about five thousand. WOW! first 3000 and now another 2000 - that’s growth - thats Amazing!
5 The next day the rulers, elders and teachers of the law met in Jerusalem. Annas the high priest was there, and so were Caiaphas, John, Alexander and the other men of the high priest's family. Annas and Caiaphas were the ones who sent Jesus to Pilate - in fact Caiaphas had prophesied that Jesus would die for the Jewish nation, and not only for that nation but also for the scattered children of God, to bring them together and make them one. (John 11; 49)
7 They had Peter and John brought before them and began to question them: "By what power or what name did you do this?" Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them: "Rulers and elders of the people! If we are being called to account today for an act of kindness shown to a cripple and are asked how he was healed, then know this, you and all the people of Israel: It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed. He is "`the stone you builders rejected, which has become the capstone.' Salvation is found in no-one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved."
What boldness - there they stand - accused of proclaiming the Lordship of Jesus and proclaiming Him as Messiah and now they turn the tables and defiantly accuse the powers that be of crucifying the long awaited Messiah - that takes guts - but then we are talking about Peter and John, who’s lives had been transformed and empowered by the Holy Spirit. They had lived with Jesus three years - they had heard the prophesies of Jesus regarding His ressurection and return to Heaven. They had seen the risen Lord whom as they state, ‘You crucified but whom God raised from the dead’ WOW!
The true God indwelt church had now been born. These were a people who lives had been transformed. A liberated, bold, excited people, full of expectation and wonder as to what God was going to do next - unlike the elders and leaders.
Acts 4; 13 When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realised that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus. But since they could see the man who had been healed standing there with them, there was nothing they could say. So they ordered them to withdraw from the Sanhedrin and then conferred together.
They realised that Peter and John were just ‘unschooled, ordinary men, and they were astonished and could see the influence that being with Jesus had made of these ordinary guys - they had been with Jesus’ WOW! and It showed.
Now following Pentecost these ‘Ordinary guys’ were filled and empowered with the Holy Spirit to become like Jesus and continue the work that He had begun. The powers that be in the world in their day could not deny what they could see before their very eyes.
Every time Pentecost comes around, what I read does two things On the one hand, it lifts and excites me to know that our great and awesome God is the same today as yesterday and that secondly that His promises still stands if only we would believe’
I said last week that we here at Idle have seen so many awesome proofs of the power of God at work through us today that none of us - or even those we share them with could fail to see the presence of the living God in our midst.
But on the other hand it depresses me to see a church today that resembles the cripple more than it does the power available for those who’s faith is firmly anchored in Jesus
At Pentecost the Holy Spirit brought the power that transforms individual lives - and that could be seen by their neighbours and as we have just read, the powers that be.
I believe that today Gods desire is to energise and transform churches to make the word live- and transform the Kingdom of this world into Gods Kingdom. God the holy Spirit entered our world like a pebble dropped in the sea creating ever widening circles of Hope where once there was only despair.
As I’ve said, so many times before, the holy Spirit came and made the ‘Ready and the Willing’ - Able
The disciples were fired up - filled from within with the same Spirit that rested on Jesus before He began His earthly ministry. The Holy Spirit of God who’s presence generated boldness and vigour - a boldness to move forward filled with a power that I’m sure amazed the Apostles as much as the watching world.
The power of God that empowered and equipped the ordinary, working man, the fisherman, the office worker, the tax collector, to show His power to a watching world.
Take a look around! What’s happened to His Church? Whats happened to His people? ‘Why is it that with such power available,many churches today are full of spiritual cripples? people unable to walk in the spirit, and who are content to sit and watch their world go by, accepting second best, when there is power available to stand them firm on their feet, and move them boldly forward ?
Why is it that there are so many struggling churches, who seem unable to stand on their own two feet, and who are powerless to minister to a dying world ? like the lame man. Could it be that the reason the church today fails to minister to the lame world is because as I said last week, the church has become the lame man.?
I say it every year - The Church needs to get it’s ‘Acts 2gether’ The Spirit was given to empower Jesus’s followers to live their lives in His power . The God we serve - is a God of power who wants to equip and enable His body to move in the power of the Spirit to win the lost. That’s the mission of the Church and that’s why God gives His Spirit today - to raise the crippled church to its feet and let the watching world see the victories there are to be won in Jesus.
God wants to be glorified in His Church in you and me. God gave the Holy Spirit to set us on fire for Him. Our calling is first to know Him ourselves and then go and make Him known to others.
Its about time that Gods people began to rise up and recognise the power and authority there is in the Name of Jesus. Power, not only to preach a life -changing Gospel - but to live a life changing Gospel. When we get our Acts2-gether then others will be able to see the passion and the power of God in the church, what they see and hear will be enough and then God, just as He did at Pentecost, will direct people to our churches. ‘Daily God added to the Church, those who were being saved.
Acts 4; 13-15 When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realised that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus. But since they could see the man who had been healed standing there with them, there was nothing they could say. So they ordered them to withdraw from the Sanhedrin and then conferred together. ‘
What they heard was a powerful preaching from men who hadn’t been to college. Their college was the University of life. No theory - all practical. Men who’s passion stemmed from their experience of simply being with Jesus - the truth shone from their faces and resounded in their conviction. These were men who had been who’s now motivated by Jesus and set on fire by the inner presence of the Holy Spirit.
I wonder if if when we go home from the meeting today - our families and friends will see anything different about us - I wonder if it shows that we have been with Jesus?
16 "What are we going to do with these men?" they asked. "Everybody living in Jerusalem knows they have done an outstanding miracle, and we cannot deny it. But to stop this thing from spreading any further among the people, we must warn these men to speak no longer to anyone in this name." They’re scared and so they called them in again and commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. There’s a mighty storm brewing and the apostles would feel to be in the middle of a storm - but Jesus is there in the boat with them - they knew what that felt like - they were not afraid now.
A great and active Pastor today, - David Hathaway knew all about this when he said ‘I would rather be in a storm with Jesus than live at peace without Him’.
David is the Founder and President of Eurovision Mission to Europe, Editorial Director of Prophetic Vision magazine – is an International Evangelist who has ministered worldwide for more than 50 years. He has reaches millions over the years through his Live-TV crusades in Russia, Siberia, Ukraine and Europe and through his Power of Faith TV broadcasts worldwide.
David has always chosen to live on the edge, in the danger zone, to take amazing risks for God …risking his life he began smuggling Bibles in a secret compartment on his buses – he could take in two tonnes of Bibles every time! But on Midsummer’s day 1972, after taking in over 150,000 Bibles and New Testaments, David was stopped at the Czechoslovak border with 5000 Bibles destined for Russia. He was arrested, tortured and sentenced to five years in prison – then given another five years for preaching the Gospel inside the prison! Just like Peter and John you can’t stop him.
In answer to prayer, God showed him the exact day of his release and after ten months’ in prison, by a miracle God sent the British Prime Minister Harold Wilson to bring him out! This miracle and his experience with God in the prison meant that before returning to work in Eastern Europe, David told his story around the world, leading more than a quarter of a million people to Christ in just two years.
After his release from prison, David’s heart continued to burn for Eastern Europe, the last words of one of his fellow prisoners continually ringing in his ears, “David, don’t forget us. No one knows, no one in the West cares.” In 1976 he organised the successful worldwide campaign for the release of Georgi Vins, a renowned Russian pastor from Kiev, sentenced to long years in a Siberian prison for his faith. David continued to go into the Underground Churches to preach until eventually in the 1980’s, he began to openly hold crusades and conferences in the communist counties.
In 1986 God spoke clearly to David again, telling him that the Iron Curtain that had separated East and West Europe for so long would be melted by the power of the Holy Spirit, that a new great move of the Spirit would sweep across the whole of Europe, uniting East and West, that this would not be an act of man, but a sovereign act of God, a demonstration of the Holy Spirit’s power.
In 1988 he began to see the vision and prophecy fulfilled when 4000 delegates came to the first conference – and six hundred came by a miracle through the Iron Curtain! Again God challenged David to hold a second East-West conference in 1989, publicly prophesying the fall of the Iron Curtain. Six hundred came from the East – and within a few days of the ending of the conference, the Iron Curtain began to fall!
Just as the Holy Spirit was evidenced in Peter and John, it is evidenced in todays faithful. Like David Hathaway - God is still at work - you can’t stop God. The powers that be tried to by putting David in prison for ten years but after just 10 months they were pressurised to let him go - just like Peter and John.
Lets read further what happened then; Acts 4;18 -22
And so they commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus.
But Peter and John replied, "Judge for yourselves whether it is right in God's sight to obey you rather than God. For we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard." and after further threats they let them go. They could not decide how to punish them, because all the people were praising God for what had happened. For the man who was miraculously healed was over forty years old.
Their faith was so strong that they didn’t need props or crutches to help them stand firm. They knew the truth of what Paul would confirm years later when he wrote to the church at Corinth ‘Faith is the substance, the essence, the stuff of things hoped for - the unseen, of things hoped for. Sadly many in the church today need crutches, safety nets, positive assurance before they will step out and do anything for Christ.
The secret is in having a firm and resolute faith . The faith that rely’s not on the known, the tried and the proven -but on Jesus - who is and has to be for you and me, all these things - Known - Tried and Proven - but it takes faith on our part - Faith in in Him - to exercise that. You can’t learn faith - you have to boldly step into it!
Peter knew that when he stepped out of the boat - that’s when he began to walk on water. He and John experienced that when they reached out their empty hands to the cripple and the power of God flowed through them and brought healing.
The faith of Moses when he raised his staff before the fast flowing Red Sea. The faith of Elijah when he poured bucket loads of water over the altar when he challenged the prophets of Baal. The faith of Mary the mother of Jesus when at the wedding of Cana she told the disciples to ‘just do as He says’ as foolish as it may sound. This was to be His first public miracle and she had faith in Him.
Peter had simply said to the crippled man ‘In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk’ there was real faith, real authority - and in the mighty name of Jesus the cripple got up and walked.
When we get our Acts2-gether then others will be able to see the passion and the power of God in the church, what they see and hear will be enough and then God, just as He did at Pentecost, will steer people to our churches. ‘Daily God added to the Church, those who were being saved.
Acts 4;23 On their release, Peter and John went back to their own people and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said to them. When they heard this, they raised their voices together in prayer to God.. . . . .29 .Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness. Stretch out your hand to heal and perform miraculous signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus."
After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.
The world out there more than ever today, need to see a church where they can see the power of God evidenced in their midst, a people who have the aroma of Christ. They need to see a victorious people, who even though we suffer the same hardships as they do, have found the answer to this life and the gateway to the next, in Jesus Christ.
Ordinary people like them, who have found the secret of real life now and eternal life to come. People who have found the source of real life, the Divine Power for living that can only be found in Jesus Christ.
It may have been Peter and John who reached out their hands to the cripple, but it was the power of the Living Christ that flowed into him, and that power is still available today!
I love the way that Peter and John, on their release, went straight back to the fellowship, and had a thanksgiving prayer meeting. They realised that the same mighty power of God that had healed the lame man, had also protected them.
They prayed for more boldness and as they prayed following their release from prison, we are told 'the building Shook’. This new church was shaken - not just stirred but shaken to the Core’ And that 'Mighty Power' is still available today.
The source of this dynamic power, is Jesus, who gives power for victorious living. This power is still available, to equip and empower the church to let the world see God in action through the lives of ordinary people like you and me.
The early church began to realise the extent of that power as daily they saw God at work before their very eyes. As they felt the power of God flow through them, they grew ever bolder, and were able to face whatever the world threw at them.
They prayed for boldness to press forward, they asked God to stretch out His hand to heal and show forth His power through them. And in a show of force, God shook the building where they were, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit.
Awesome ordinary men - not as educated as you or me -unschooled - and yet people through whom the power of God was seen - the church today needs to get its ACTS 2 GETHER what about you? what about us all as a fellowship?
Sunday 30 June 2019
Last week we read Acts 2; 42-47 The Fellowship of the Believers. The main points we shared were these;
42 They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. And;
43 Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. Lame man outside the temple healed in the
name of Jesus
44 All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need.
46 Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere
hearts, praising God and enjoying the favour of all the people.
Don’t forget, that’s over 3000 people! And then, as if 3000 were not enough,
47 The Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.
WOW! That’s awesome! And the awesome truth is that that’s how God wants His church to be today - He’s not changed - and the power is still available - all people have to do realise their need of the Saviour and seek to know, love and serve Him in obedience to His word - and as God says; ‘you shall receive the Holy Spirit‘.That’s power from on High.
As we shared a few weeks ago, the disciples reciept of power was preceded by persistent prayer. Today we look at the impact the baptism in the Holy Spirit had on Peter, John and the people around them.
Lets read Acts 3; 1-10 One day Peter and John were going up to the temple at the time of prayer—at three in the afternoon. Now a man who was lame from birth was being carried to the temple gate called Beautiful, where he was put every day to beg from those going into the temple courts. When he saw Peter and John about to enter, he asked them for money. Peter looked straight at him, as did John. Then Peter said, “Look at us!” So the man gave them his attention, expecting to get something from them.
Then Peter said, “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.” Taking him by the right hand, he helped him up, and instantly the man’s feet and ankles became strong. He jumped to his feet and began to walk. Then he went with them into the temple courts, walking and jumping, and praising God. When all the people saw him walking and praising God, they recognized him as the same man who used to sit begging at the temple gate called Beautiful, and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.
WOW! I love this it excited me and encourages me every time I read it. Peter - the forgiven - reinstated Peter - has now become a vehicle through whom ALMIGHTY God can perform great miracles. Filled with the Spirit - just like Jesus he amazes not just the cripple - but the onlookers as through him, the power of Almighty God brings healing to the cripple.
Just imagine what Peter must have felt like when he reached out in faith and held the cripples right hand and helped him to stand - something the cripple he had never experienced before - being crippled from birth.
Just imaging how Peter felt when the cripples ankles became strong and he walked, jumped in praise to God. WOW!
I remember when Christopher, the young lad who came to our church from the Allerton area - the lad who had been in leg calipers from birth - I remember when he came in that Sunday morning a few years ago - he was very sad and told us all that he had to see the specialist that Thursday as they wanted to put a steel rod down his spine to correct the curvature of his sine that was beginning to cause him problems.
He was frightened and came to the front to share that. with us all. I was led to lay hands on him and pray that God would bring the healing that he needed to heal his legs and spine so that he wouldn’t need the operation.
I’ll never forget the amazing impact that Christopher made the following Sunday when he danced into the hall wearing trainers - no calipers - he bounded to the front and jumped - like the cripple did - crying out ‘I don’t need the operation - Jesus healed me’. There wasn’t a dry eye in the place. He had been healed by the mighty power of Holy Spirit.That’s the same mighty power that we have just read about when the cripple danced into the temple praising God - just like Christopher did. The same mighty power that we evidenced here at Idle. We have been blessed so many times here at Idle over the last few years as we have seen first hand the mighty power of God to heal the most humanly impossible things.
Like little baby Adam who was born with a faulty lung and in intensive care - his grandma had visited us for the first time one Sunday morning - as she came in, I noticed how sad she looked and when I asked her she told me why - I said we would pray for baby Adam that morning. I prayed that baby Adam would be healed and that God would breath new life into baby Adam just as He did the first Adam.
A week later his grandma came into our meeting - this time with a smile all over her face and told us that he was home and his lungs were working fine. An amazing miraculous answer to prayer. When the whole family were well enough to come to church, they asked me if I would dedicate baby Adam and his sister which I did a few weeks later. Gods mighty power brought healing to Adam and his family to our fellowship.
I myself have experienced the mighty power of God not just once but many times. God healed me of a faulty Kidney that hadn’t responded to surgery when Lieut David Murden layed hands on me and prayed that the Holy Spirit would heal me. There I was, all ready to go down to the operating theatre again the very next morning for a second operation. The very next morning I awoke to an eerie silence in the ward to find the artificial breathing machine had been disconnected and I didn’t need the operation - my Kidneys were healed. Imagine how I felt then!. Only house before David had prayed for my healing, my wife had asked me if I had prayed about it to which I replied 'Yes, but theres no one listenning to me'. It was only afterwards when I was healed that I realised that I didn't really know God as He wanted me to know Him - I had been going along with the crowd - and God wanted me to know that. That was the beginning of a change in my Spiritual life - a re-connection with Almighty God that was to change my life.
It didn’t stop there, as a few years later I was told I had one of the deepest cancers they had seen and was told by the specialist that the long term prospects for me were not good. I was shown the letter the specialist sent to my doctor that said all this. What an awesome experience to then be told by my sister-in-Law Thelma that in her private devotions God told her that my illness would not end in death - and here I am 16 years later.
I’ve since had cancers on my face and arm removed = God has been awesome and I believe used me to help others going through difficult times in their lives. I remember how Julia Barrans felt the power of God when I prayed with her,. When Doreen Black was seriously ill in hospital- God led me to see her the very hour that she died and I was able to pray with her as she entered Heaven.
Another awesome experience was when John Miller was taken ill and Molly shared with me how he was in so much pain that the doctors were finding it increasingly difficult to deal with it.
I went into his room - saw the pain he was in and held his hand and asked if I could pray with him. I then cradled his head in my hands and asked that we would feel the presence of Almighty God and that we would all feel His comfort, and love -I then prayed that the power of His Holy Spirit would come and take the pain away and bring John the peace that he so desperately needed.
After I had prayed John opened his eyes and a smile spread across his face - he looked at Molly and as Molly shared later - that smile was so special and that he hadn’t been like that for a long time. We thanked God for His presence and His ministry.
The second time I went was special too - John shared how he wanted so much for God to take him to be with Him - I held John again in my arms and prayed that Gods will would be done - that what God knew was the best for John would happen. This wasn’t a defeatists prayer this was a victorious prayer that whatever was the best for John, God would do. A few days later I was told that He had peacefully gone to live with the Lord. A further blessing to me was when, even though Molly and John were members of another church in Idle, Molly asked if I would do the funeral service - which I was honoured to do at the Pounds chapel of rest.
Our God is an amazing God - we don’t just read about the awesome things He is able to do - we’ve been privileged to experience them for ourselves here in this fellowship.
We read in our bible reading this morning how every day, for years, this crippled man had been carried to the Temple gates to beg from those about to enter. Following the awesome account of Pentecost, we see Peter and John con their way to the Temple and being stopped by the cripple who asked them for money.
Peter told the man to look at them which the man did and as he looked into the eyes of Peter was told ‘we don’t have any money - but hang in their - what we do have we give you - In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth - walk’ and taking the cripple by the right hand Peter helped him up onto his feet which instantly became strong - WOW! Imagine what the cripple would feel like having never stood on his own feet before. Imagine too what Peter would feel like after stepping out in faith he had told the cripple to do this normally physical impossible thing.
The cripple jumped to his feet and literally danced into the Temple to the wonder and amazement of the congregation that had gathered there.
Listen to what happened next; Acts 3; 11-26 While the man held on to Peter and John, all the people were astonished and came running to them in the place called Solomon’s Colonnade. When Peter saw this, he said to them: “Fellow Israelites, why does this surprise you? Why do you stare at us as if by our own power or godliness we had made this man walk?
Now, Peter, empowered by the Holy began to tell them what he had said at the Pentecost gathering when the Holy Spirit came in great power.
The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified his servant Jesus. You handed him over to be killed, and you disowned him before Pilate, though he had decided to let him go. You disowned the Holy and Righteous One and asked that a murderer be released to you. You killed the author of life, but God raised him from the dead. We are witnesses of this. By faith in the name of Jesus, this man whom you see and know was made strong. It is Jesus’ name and the faith that comes through him that has completely healed him, as you can all see.
He then went on to tell them about Jesus the Messiah sent from God, prophesied and proclaimed in their own scriptures to be the one who would come and die for their sins yet ignored by them. The One who through Moses warned them with the threat from God that Anyone who does not listen to him will be completely cut off from their people.’ for God Peter closes with the truth that When God raised up his servant, he sent him first to you to bless you by turning each of you from your wicked ways.”
Next week we will be looking at what their response was to all this but for this week I want us to focus our thoughts on the miracle itself and what it teaches us.
The empowering of the Holy Spirit was and still is given to all those who have given their lives to God by accepting the sacrifice that Jesus made in atonement for their sins and are doing their best to live in obedience to Gods word and seek to claim the promise of the indwelling Spirit who will transform and empower their lives to become more like Jesus. There is so much more to the Christian life when we respond to God in the way the disciples, Peter and John did. They were forerunners to the mighty Church that God will raise to abundant life.
In the final meeting Jesus had with His disciples before He was arrested and taken away to be crucified. Johns gospel 14 tells us that He was concerned about His disciples - He told them that He was going back to the Father and would prepare a place for them to eventually come.
It was then that He told them that He and the Father were one and that the miracles He had done were proof of that as only God could possible do those things.
Then in verse 12 He tells them the most staggering thing - that Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.
He then went on to promise how this would be made possible by the Indwelling Holy Spirit who will bind them as one with the Father as Jesus was.
WOW! Only believe in Jesus and you will be empowered in the same way as He was to do even greater things -
We can read about the awesome things Jesus did in the scriptures - we have just read how that same power was passed on to the faithful obedient followers of Jesus - like Peter and John - we have not only read about these things but we have witnessed the awesome power of God here in our own fellowship.
Healings;- so many! Finance; Gods provision that provided £200 000 for a new roof, £6000 for new chairs, new windows, and £160 000 for the new hall next door - what more could we ask of God to show us that He is the same today as yesterday and wants to show His power through people like you and me.
Sadly all around us we see churches that have become a shadow of what they used to be - churches that have moved away from the miraculous and have become more worldly. Sadly this too affects the members of those churches who get sidetracked into seeking after more worldly activities in an attempt to attract people who wouldn’t otherwise go to church.
Last week I closed with the question ‘where has the powerful energetic life giving church that we read about in Acts gone? What’s happened to our churches. What’s Changed?, the message is the same, the power of the Holy Spirit is still available - what’s changed - To our shame - the church has. Exactly as is prophesied in the new Testament there are too many churches who have a form of godliness but deny the power. 2 Timothy 3;5
Real Church is made up of a people who mirror the life of Jesus and desire to share the ideals of God with those who as yet don’t know Him. The purpose of Church is for its members to grow through hungering after His word and engaging with Him in prayer to equip and enable them to live lives in obedience to Gods word and become people who are able to share the good news that will bring the lost to faith in God.
The people who saw the miracle of the crippled man were amazed and wanted to know more. Next week we will read what happened next as the authorities heard about what had happened and did what they thought would detract the people away from the things that Peter was telling them about Jesus and His claim on their lives.
We have seen the miraculous here at Idle - How can you ignore what we have both seen and heard amongst us.
In praise and honour to all that God has and will do I want to pursue His plan and purpose for my life and the life of this Fellowship.
What impression does all this made in your Christian life - are you ready and eager to move on to experience what God wants to do next here at Idle?
Our God is an awesome God who has made it possible for those who love Him to become more like Jesus as He changes us daily to conform to His pattern
Lets close by singing along with Marilyn Baker who wrote - Jesus You are changing me, by Your Spirit you’re making me like You - lets sing it and make it our prayer and testimony.
Last week we read Acts 2; 42-47 The Fellowship of the Believers. The main points we shared were these;
42 They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. And;
43 Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. Lame man outside the temple healed in the
name of Jesus
44 All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need.
46 Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere
hearts, praising God and enjoying the favour of all the people.
Don’t forget, that’s over 3000 people! And then, as if 3000 were not enough,
47 The Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.
WOW! That’s awesome! And the awesome truth is that that’s how God wants His church to be today - He’s not changed - and the power is still available - all people have to do realise their need of the Saviour and seek to know, love and serve Him in obedience to His word - and as God says; ‘you shall receive the Holy Spirit‘.That’s power from on High.
As we shared a few weeks ago, the disciples reciept of power was preceded by persistent prayer. Today we look at the impact the baptism in the Holy Spirit had on Peter, John and the people around them.
Lets read Acts 3; 1-10 One day Peter and John were going up to the temple at the time of prayer—at three in the afternoon. Now a man who was lame from birth was being carried to the temple gate called Beautiful, where he was put every day to beg from those going into the temple courts. When he saw Peter and John about to enter, he asked them for money. Peter looked straight at him, as did John. Then Peter said, “Look at us!” So the man gave them his attention, expecting to get something from them.
Then Peter said, “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.” Taking him by the right hand, he helped him up, and instantly the man’s feet and ankles became strong. He jumped to his feet and began to walk. Then he went with them into the temple courts, walking and jumping, and praising God. When all the people saw him walking and praising God, they recognized him as the same man who used to sit begging at the temple gate called Beautiful, and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.
WOW! I love this it excited me and encourages me every time I read it. Peter - the forgiven - reinstated Peter - has now become a vehicle through whom ALMIGHTY God can perform great miracles. Filled with the Spirit - just like Jesus he amazes not just the cripple - but the onlookers as through him, the power of Almighty God brings healing to the cripple.
Just imagine what Peter must have felt like when he reached out in faith and held the cripples right hand and helped him to stand - something the cripple he had never experienced before - being crippled from birth.
Just imaging how Peter felt when the cripples ankles became strong and he walked, jumped in praise to God. WOW!
I remember when Christopher, the young lad who came to our church from the Allerton area - the lad who had been in leg calipers from birth - I remember when he came in that Sunday morning a few years ago - he was very sad and told us all that he had to see the specialist that Thursday as they wanted to put a steel rod down his spine to correct the curvature of his sine that was beginning to cause him problems.
He was frightened and came to the front to share that. with us all. I was led to lay hands on him and pray that God would bring the healing that he needed to heal his legs and spine so that he wouldn’t need the operation.
I’ll never forget the amazing impact that Christopher made the following Sunday when he danced into the hall wearing trainers - no calipers - he bounded to the front and jumped - like the cripple did - crying out ‘I don’t need the operation - Jesus healed me’. There wasn’t a dry eye in the place. He had been healed by the mighty power of Holy Spirit.That’s the same mighty power that we have just read about when the cripple danced into the temple praising God - just like Christopher did. The same mighty power that we evidenced here at Idle. We have been blessed so many times here at Idle over the last few years as we have seen first hand the mighty power of God to heal the most humanly impossible things.
Like little baby Adam who was born with a faulty lung and in intensive care - his grandma had visited us for the first time one Sunday morning - as she came in, I noticed how sad she looked and when I asked her she told me why - I said we would pray for baby Adam that morning. I prayed that baby Adam would be healed and that God would breath new life into baby Adam just as He did the first Adam.
A week later his grandma came into our meeting - this time with a smile all over her face and told us that he was home and his lungs were working fine. An amazing miraculous answer to prayer. When the whole family were well enough to come to church, they asked me if I would dedicate baby Adam and his sister which I did a few weeks later. Gods mighty power brought healing to Adam and his family to our fellowship.
I myself have experienced the mighty power of God not just once but many times. God healed me of a faulty Kidney that hadn’t responded to surgery when Lieut David Murden layed hands on me and prayed that the Holy Spirit would heal me. There I was, all ready to go down to the operating theatre again the very next morning for a second operation. The very next morning I awoke to an eerie silence in the ward to find the artificial breathing machine had been disconnected and I didn’t need the operation - my Kidneys were healed. Imagine how I felt then!. Only house before David had prayed for my healing, my wife had asked me if I had prayed about it to which I replied 'Yes, but theres no one listenning to me'. It was only afterwards when I was healed that I realised that I didn't really know God as He wanted me to know Him - I had been going along with the crowd - and God wanted me to know that. That was the beginning of a change in my Spiritual life - a re-connection with Almighty God that was to change my life.
It didn’t stop there, as a few years later I was told I had one of the deepest cancers they had seen and was told by the specialist that the long term prospects for me were not good. I was shown the letter the specialist sent to my doctor that said all this. What an awesome experience to then be told by my sister-in-Law Thelma that in her private devotions God told her that my illness would not end in death - and here I am 16 years later.
I’ve since had cancers on my face and arm removed = God has been awesome and I believe used me to help others going through difficult times in their lives. I remember how Julia Barrans felt the power of God when I prayed with her,. When Doreen Black was seriously ill in hospital- God led me to see her the very hour that she died and I was able to pray with her as she entered Heaven.
Another awesome experience was when John Miller was taken ill and Molly shared with me how he was in so much pain that the doctors were finding it increasingly difficult to deal with it.
I went into his room - saw the pain he was in and held his hand and asked if I could pray with him. I then cradled his head in my hands and asked that we would feel the presence of Almighty God and that we would all feel His comfort, and love -I then prayed that the power of His Holy Spirit would come and take the pain away and bring John the peace that he so desperately needed.
After I had prayed John opened his eyes and a smile spread across his face - he looked at Molly and as Molly shared later - that smile was so special and that he hadn’t been like that for a long time. We thanked God for His presence and His ministry.
The second time I went was special too - John shared how he wanted so much for God to take him to be with Him - I held John again in my arms and prayed that Gods will would be done - that what God knew was the best for John would happen. This wasn’t a defeatists prayer this was a victorious prayer that whatever was the best for John, God would do. A few days later I was told that He had peacefully gone to live with the Lord. A further blessing to me was when, even though Molly and John were members of another church in Idle, Molly asked if I would do the funeral service - which I was honoured to do at the Pounds chapel of rest.
Our God is an amazing God - we don’t just read about the awesome things He is able to do - we’ve been privileged to experience them for ourselves here in this fellowship.
We read in our bible reading this morning how every day, for years, this crippled man had been carried to the Temple gates to beg from those about to enter. Following the awesome account of Pentecost, we see Peter and John con their way to the Temple and being stopped by the cripple who asked them for money.
Peter told the man to look at them which the man did and as he looked into the eyes of Peter was told ‘we don’t have any money - but hang in their - what we do have we give you - In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth - walk’ and taking the cripple by the right hand Peter helped him up onto his feet which instantly became strong - WOW! Imagine what the cripple would feel like having never stood on his own feet before. Imagine too what Peter would feel like after stepping out in faith he had told the cripple to do this normally physical impossible thing.
The cripple jumped to his feet and literally danced into the Temple to the wonder and amazement of the congregation that had gathered there.
Listen to what happened next; Acts 3; 11-26 While the man held on to Peter and John, all the people were astonished and came running to them in the place called Solomon’s Colonnade. When Peter saw this, he said to them: “Fellow Israelites, why does this surprise you? Why do you stare at us as if by our own power or godliness we had made this man walk?
Now, Peter, empowered by the Holy began to tell them what he had said at the Pentecost gathering when the Holy Spirit came in great power.
The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified his servant Jesus. You handed him over to be killed, and you disowned him before Pilate, though he had decided to let him go. You disowned the Holy and Righteous One and asked that a murderer be released to you. You killed the author of life, but God raised him from the dead. We are witnesses of this. By faith in the name of Jesus, this man whom you see and know was made strong. It is Jesus’ name and the faith that comes through him that has completely healed him, as you can all see.
He then went on to tell them about Jesus the Messiah sent from God, prophesied and proclaimed in their own scriptures to be the one who would come and die for their sins yet ignored by them. The One who through Moses warned them with the threat from God that Anyone who does not listen to him will be completely cut off from their people.’ for God Peter closes with the truth that When God raised up his servant, he sent him first to you to bless you by turning each of you from your wicked ways.”
Next week we will be looking at what their response was to all this but for this week I want us to focus our thoughts on the miracle itself and what it teaches us.
The empowering of the Holy Spirit was and still is given to all those who have given their lives to God by accepting the sacrifice that Jesus made in atonement for their sins and are doing their best to live in obedience to Gods word and seek to claim the promise of the indwelling Spirit who will transform and empower their lives to become more like Jesus. There is so much more to the Christian life when we respond to God in the way the disciples, Peter and John did. They were forerunners to the mighty Church that God will raise to abundant life.
In the final meeting Jesus had with His disciples before He was arrested and taken away to be crucified. Johns gospel 14 tells us that He was concerned about His disciples - He told them that He was going back to the Father and would prepare a place for them to eventually come.
It was then that He told them that He and the Father were one and that the miracles He had done were proof of that as only God could possible do those things.
Then in verse 12 He tells them the most staggering thing - that Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.
He then went on to promise how this would be made possible by the Indwelling Holy Spirit who will bind them as one with the Father as Jesus was.
WOW! Only believe in Jesus and you will be empowered in the same way as He was to do even greater things -
We can read about the awesome things Jesus did in the scriptures - we have just read how that same power was passed on to the faithful obedient followers of Jesus - like Peter and John - we have not only read about these things but we have witnessed the awesome power of God here in our own fellowship.
Healings;- so many! Finance; Gods provision that provided £200 000 for a new roof, £6000 for new chairs, new windows, and £160 000 for the new hall next door - what more could we ask of God to show us that He is the same today as yesterday and wants to show His power through people like you and me.
Sadly all around us we see churches that have become a shadow of what they used to be - churches that have moved away from the miraculous and have become more worldly. Sadly this too affects the members of those churches who get sidetracked into seeking after more worldly activities in an attempt to attract people who wouldn’t otherwise go to church.
Last week I closed with the question ‘where has the powerful energetic life giving church that we read about in Acts gone? What’s happened to our churches. What’s Changed?, the message is the same, the power of the Holy Spirit is still available - what’s changed - To our shame - the church has. Exactly as is prophesied in the new Testament there are too many churches who have a form of godliness but deny the power. 2 Timothy 3;5
Real Church is made up of a people who mirror the life of Jesus and desire to share the ideals of God with those who as yet don’t know Him. The purpose of Church is for its members to grow through hungering after His word and engaging with Him in prayer to equip and enable them to live lives in obedience to Gods word and become people who are able to share the good news that will bring the lost to faith in God.
The people who saw the miracle of the crippled man were amazed and wanted to know more. Next week we will read what happened next as the authorities heard about what had happened and did what they thought would detract the people away from the things that Peter was telling them about Jesus and His claim on their lives.
We have seen the miraculous here at Idle - How can you ignore what we have both seen and heard amongst us.
In praise and honour to all that God has and will do I want to pursue His plan and purpose for my life and the life of this Fellowship.
What impression does all this made in your Christian life - are you ready and eager to move on to experience what God wants to do next here at Idle?
Our God is an awesome God who has made it possible for those who love Him to become more like Jesus as He changes us daily to conform to His pattern
Lets close by singing along with Marilyn Baker who wrote - Jesus You are changing me, by Your Spirit you’re making me like You - lets sing it and make it our prayer and testimony.
Sunday 23 June 2019 Acts 2; 38-41
A couple of weeks ago we celebrated Pentecost - the birth of the church - this followed the death and resurrection of Jesus that showed mankind that through personal repentance - the price for our sins was paid for and forgiveness was available through the blood of Jesus. That was the first step new life in Christ - death to self and new birth.
The second step entailed the giving of the Holy Spirit to empower and equip the redeemed followers of Jesus to be His witnesses.
The speech that the forgiven - re-born Peter gave on the day of Pentecost was very bold, honest and extremely challenging He didn’t mince his words in his condemnation of the people who stood before him as he reminded them that it was they who put Jesus to death on the cross - then came the altar call ,
Acts 2; 38-41‘Repent and be baptised, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off – for all whom the Lord our God will call.’ With many other words he warned them; and he pleaded with them, ‘Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.’ The result was that; Those who accepted his message were baptised, and about three thousand were added to their number that day. WOW!
Acts tells us that Peter certainly stood for Christ when he preached his first sermon. He had first hand experience of what he is now voicing - Repent - was the first step and that’s what Peter had done when Jesus forgave Him for denying Him. Three times Jesus forgave him - every fault and sin needed to be confessed and forgiveness received - and that way, even today, God will fill His people with His Spirit.
As Peter spoke, the power of the Holy Spirit came upon all those who heard, and we are told that Those who accepted his message were baptised, and about three thousand were added to their number that day.
Reminds me of the Salvation Meetings we used to have at the close of every Sunday when we would see folk come and kneel at the Penitent form in response to the call of God. When I first came here in 1947 this place was full - over a hundred soldiers on the roll.
When I looked at what I said in my sermon last year at this time - I was drawn to the thought - what’s changed since then - has what we shared then had any impact of how we are today. Lets look at the bible reading and some of the main points we shared then and see if it made an impact on us personally and our fellowship as a whole. First the bible reading
Acts 2; 42-47 The Fellowship of the Believers
42 They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favuor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.
Last year the main points we shared were these;
42 They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. And;
43 Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. Lame man outside the temple healed in the name of Jesus
44 All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need.
46 Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favour of all the people.
Don’t forget, that’s over 3000 people! And then, as if 3000 were not enough,
47 The Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.
WOW! That’s awesome! And the awesome truth is that that’s how God wants His church to be today - He’s not changed - and the power is still available - all people have to do realise their need of the Saviour and seek to know, love and serve Him in obedience to His word - and as God says; ‘you shall receive the Holy Spirit‘.
As we shared a few weeks ago, the disciples reciept of power was preceded by persistent prayer.
We read then how the disciples had been told by Jesus to go back to Jerusalem and wait for the promise the Father had given them - and that’s exactly what they did they went back to their room and spent the time in prayer Different prayers, some repenting their doubts and asking for forgiveness -all of them seeking to know Jesus and the secret of His power and strength.
My question last year was this; How much time do you spend in prayer?
Is it just a Quick prayer when you have problems - or have you disciplined yourself to make time every day to come before the Lord in prayer to seek His presence and help for whatever the day has in store for you. Prayer is the Christians vital breath - both personal and as a fellowship.
I have been disappointed at the lack of response to the invitation I gave to come to the Corps prayer meeting that we started two weeks ago. Last week I gave out the invitation again and even said if the date and timing isn’t to your liking lets talk about it after the morning meeting - no one did - and no one else came to the prayer meeting.
Church History has proven that Prayer is the key to revival and spiritual growth - prayer is so important - that’s why when Jesus told the disciples to go back to Jerusalem and wait for the gift of the Holy Spirit - that’s what they did, they spent their time together in prayer. - The result was when the day of Pentecost came - they were a together people - together in thought, purpose and commitment and God answered their prayers with the gift of the Holy Spirit - His indwelling presence.
The Holy Spirit that filled and empowered Jesus - and who empowers and equips people like you and me to do the right, to conquer in the fight against sin and evil, to live in harmony with one another and to win others for Christ
The second question I asked last year was - How desperate do you want the resurrection power of God to be seen and experienced in your own life and in the life of our fellowship? I said then how sadly many are content to stand by and see the empowering in others - probably through fear, insecurity of their own faith or fear of what it might cost them. We’ve got to be willing to venture with God from the Holy Huddle of Church out into a hostile world where often, discomfort, uncertainty and ridicule await?
The song ‘I’ll stand for Christ for Christ alone - amid the tempest and the storm. Where Jesus leads I’ll follow on - I’ll stand, I’ll stand for Christ - Alone is easier to sing than it is to actually put into practice - the great thing is that we are not expected to do it alone - it’s a together activity as we read in Acts.
They were a together people - no divisions - together with one another and with God through the power and presence of the Holy Spirit. It was the togetherness of the early church that brought strength and growth.
It was when the people around those early followers of Jesus saw their togetherness and what could be achieved by that togetherness that they were attracted to join them and in addition we read that ‘daily, God added to their number those who were being saved.
In our Bible reading we read how the disciples and the new followers responded to the baptism of the Holy Spirit - they couldn’t get enough of being together - every day in fact they met for prayer and fellowship.
It was the same when William Booth brought the Salvation Army to Bradford in 1875. Elijah Cadman reported it this way; Holiness for the early day Salvationist was imparted by the indwelling Spirit. How else could they hold indoor and open-air meetings every night of the week - and three times on Sundays - summer and winter, rain or shine, unless they had the power of the Holy Spirit? What else could have kept every Salvation Army Soldier at his or her post seven days a week and taking part, if possible, in every meeting?
When I read Acts 2 and how the fellowship were passionate in their desire to meet together under Gods word and in prayer I just say to myself Now that's church - that's the living body of Christ in the world today.
I can just imagine Jesus smiling that day as He looked down upon that glorious show of unity and power - I can just imagine Jesus smiling and thinking ‘that makes all the suffering and the sacrifice worthwhile, that was worth dying for’
They were a together people - Wow! The answer to the prayer of Jesus John 17:11 I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name the name you gave me - so that they may be one as we are one.
That’s one with each other and one with the Father The great thing is that Jesus also prayed that prayer in the garden of Gethsemane before He went to the cross - Jesus prayed that prayer for you and me - for His church today
John 17; 20: "My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one: I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.
I love the song ‘We are one in the Spirit, we are one with the Lord, we are one with each other we are one with the Lord and they’ll know we are Christians by our love, by our love, they will know we are Christians by our love’. That’s church Gods people living in complete harmony - together in thought word and deed. Sadly I don’t think that that’s the picture the world has of the church.
But that’s what God expects - that’s what Jesus died for and that’s why He promised the Holy Spirit.
That’s a United Living body of Christ in the world today - Now that’s Church
There is a marked difference between the meaning of the words Untied and United
Untied means it won’t hold together - whilst United is a bond that holds it all together.
It all depends on where you put the ‘I’ The I meaning you and me - in relation to everyone else
I, me, You - each one of us can make a big difference to this fellowship - we can cause disruption, dissention, diss-unity - or we can work together for unity It’s all down to me, you - I
The early church grew through their togetherness. Together in thought word and deed - they were united. They were one with Jesus and wanted to stay close to Him through prayer and reading the word. They were one with each other.
They had lived with Jesus - He had been their inspiration, now Jesus lived in them and through them - His power was evidenced as the Holy Spirit of God worked through them. - Their Exuberance and Enthusiasm for everything they did and celebrated would act as a magnet in attracting others to claim what they had.
We are told that people around them liked what they saw. Every day their number grew as God added those who were being saved.
The early church were Energised, Empowered - on fire - raring to go - a together people who enjoyed each others company - they couldn’t meet together enough. Look at verse 46 - ‘Every day thy continued to met together in the temple courts. They even broke bread in their homes and ate together. - WOW when I look back to my younger years - that’s what it was like then. I remember that almost every night we met together at church for something or other -
Monday was the Home league,
Tuesday the different musical groups met for practice,
Wednesday afternoon was the Over 60’s with a Family Night in the evening.
Thursday was the Corps cadets, a young peoples bible study
Friday the Torchbearer youth group.
Saturdays we had concerts or were out with the band somewhere.
Sunday 10 am out at the open air while the YP had their Sunday School. 11am we met for the Holiness meeting.
2pm Sunday school met again followed by a 3pm Praise meeting
6pm in the evening we were on the Idle Green for another open-air followed by a march back up to the hall for the evening
6.45 Salvation Meeting followed at around
8.30 with a Wind-up that finished at 9.30.
All that and the normal working week was 48 hours - that’s 8 and a half hours a day.
Like the early Christians, we met together almost every day and loved it. Today the working week is 36 hours Today we have more time for leisure activities but , it seems for some, less time for Church.
The world today is a different one to the one of my childhood. Today -Sunday - there is more going on out there - more people in the Supermarkets, on the football pitch, at the cinema or at home watching TV. In fact today people spend more time watching other people live their lives in TV Soaps than they do getting on living their own lives
Church in this country today is a far cry from the church that we have just been reading about in Acts and if we are not careful tomorrows world will be a far cry from the world that God intended.
I said all this last year - and today it’s getting worse. I believe that there is a real desperate need for churches today to ‘get real’ as far as God’s Church is concerned and to get their priorities right.
A couple of weeks ago we sang ‘We want another Pentecost’ Another Pentecost will only come when Gods people are together in their desire to give God the better parts of their lives and not just the left over time - Sadly Today we are lucky if we can get folk to one mid-week meeting let alone every night and three times on Sunday and it’s the same in other churches too, who looking at their notice boards of weekly activities seem to look more like social clubs.
As for Bible Fellowships, prayer meetings? It would seem that many folk who go to church on Sunday - fill their time with other activities Such a contrast to the early church who were now so on fire for God that they loved to meet together as often as they could to share their blessings, seek further direction from God and be re-energised for more service.
Where has the powerful energetic life giving church that we read about in Acts gone? What’s happened to our churches. What’s Changed?, the message is the same, the power of the Holy Spirit is still available - what’s changed - To our shame - the church has. Exactly as is prophesied in the new Testament there are too many churches who have a form of godliness but deny the power.
Real Church is made up of a people who mirror the life of Jesus and desire to share the ideals of God with those who as yet don’t know Him. The purpose of Church is for its members to grow through hungering after His word and engaging with Him in prayer to equip and enable them to share the good news that empowers them and bring the lost to faith in God.
I closed last years sermon by saying that I believe that as a fellowship of Gods people in the Salvation Army we need to look seriously at our commitment. If we are committed, what are we committed to.
I said then, that these seats have been empty for too long - we need to do something about it. I believe that as we have read in Acts, the pattern that God set is there - it starts with Gods people being obedient to God and make prayer and bible study their starting point both individually and together as a Church.
It starts with prayer and progresses through to seeking to know what God will for us as individuals and as a fellowship by reading His word together.
I’ve said it before - but I believe that God hasn’t just provided us with a beautiful church and Community hall without reason - I believe that there is so much more in store for you and this fellowship. We want another Pentecost - Lord send the fire
A couple of weeks ago we celebrated Pentecost - the birth of the church - this followed the death and resurrection of Jesus that showed mankind that through personal repentance - the price for our sins was paid for and forgiveness was available through the blood of Jesus. That was the first step new life in Christ - death to self and new birth.
The second step entailed the giving of the Holy Spirit to empower and equip the redeemed followers of Jesus to be His witnesses.
The speech that the forgiven - re-born Peter gave on the day of Pentecost was very bold, honest and extremely challenging He didn’t mince his words in his condemnation of the people who stood before him as he reminded them that it was they who put Jesus to death on the cross - then came the altar call ,
Acts 2; 38-41‘Repent and be baptised, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off – for all whom the Lord our God will call.’ With many other words he warned them; and he pleaded with them, ‘Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.’ The result was that; Those who accepted his message were baptised, and about three thousand were added to their number that day. WOW!
Acts tells us that Peter certainly stood for Christ when he preached his first sermon. He had first hand experience of what he is now voicing - Repent - was the first step and that’s what Peter had done when Jesus forgave Him for denying Him. Three times Jesus forgave him - every fault and sin needed to be confessed and forgiveness received - and that way, even today, God will fill His people with His Spirit.
As Peter spoke, the power of the Holy Spirit came upon all those who heard, and we are told that Those who accepted his message were baptised, and about three thousand were added to their number that day.
Reminds me of the Salvation Meetings we used to have at the close of every Sunday when we would see folk come and kneel at the Penitent form in response to the call of God. When I first came here in 1947 this place was full - over a hundred soldiers on the roll.
When I looked at what I said in my sermon last year at this time - I was drawn to the thought - what’s changed since then - has what we shared then had any impact of how we are today. Lets look at the bible reading and some of the main points we shared then and see if it made an impact on us personally and our fellowship as a whole. First the bible reading
Acts 2; 42-47 The Fellowship of the Believers
42 They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favuor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.
Last year the main points we shared were these;
42 They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. And;
43 Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. Lame man outside the temple healed in the name of Jesus
44 All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need.
46 Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favour of all the people.
Don’t forget, that’s over 3000 people! And then, as if 3000 were not enough,
47 The Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.
WOW! That’s awesome! And the awesome truth is that that’s how God wants His church to be today - He’s not changed - and the power is still available - all people have to do realise their need of the Saviour and seek to know, love and serve Him in obedience to His word - and as God says; ‘you shall receive the Holy Spirit‘.
As we shared a few weeks ago, the disciples reciept of power was preceded by persistent prayer.
We read then how the disciples had been told by Jesus to go back to Jerusalem and wait for the promise the Father had given them - and that’s exactly what they did they went back to their room and spent the time in prayer Different prayers, some repenting their doubts and asking for forgiveness -all of them seeking to know Jesus and the secret of His power and strength.
My question last year was this; How much time do you spend in prayer?
Is it just a Quick prayer when you have problems - or have you disciplined yourself to make time every day to come before the Lord in prayer to seek His presence and help for whatever the day has in store for you. Prayer is the Christians vital breath - both personal and as a fellowship.
I have been disappointed at the lack of response to the invitation I gave to come to the Corps prayer meeting that we started two weeks ago. Last week I gave out the invitation again and even said if the date and timing isn’t to your liking lets talk about it after the morning meeting - no one did - and no one else came to the prayer meeting.
Church History has proven that Prayer is the key to revival and spiritual growth - prayer is so important - that’s why when Jesus told the disciples to go back to Jerusalem and wait for the gift of the Holy Spirit - that’s what they did, they spent their time together in prayer. - The result was when the day of Pentecost came - they were a together people - together in thought, purpose and commitment and God answered their prayers with the gift of the Holy Spirit - His indwelling presence.
The Holy Spirit that filled and empowered Jesus - and who empowers and equips people like you and me to do the right, to conquer in the fight against sin and evil, to live in harmony with one another and to win others for Christ
The second question I asked last year was - How desperate do you want the resurrection power of God to be seen and experienced in your own life and in the life of our fellowship? I said then how sadly many are content to stand by and see the empowering in others - probably through fear, insecurity of their own faith or fear of what it might cost them. We’ve got to be willing to venture with God from the Holy Huddle of Church out into a hostile world where often, discomfort, uncertainty and ridicule await?
The song ‘I’ll stand for Christ for Christ alone - amid the tempest and the storm. Where Jesus leads I’ll follow on - I’ll stand, I’ll stand for Christ - Alone is easier to sing than it is to actually put into practice - the great thing is that we are not expected to do it alone - it’s a together activity as we read in Acts.
They were a together people - no divisions - together with one another and with God through the power and presence of the Holy Spirit. It was the togetherness of the early church that brought strength and growth.
It was when the people around those early followers of Jesus saw their togetherness and what could be achieved by that togetherness that they were attracted to join them and in addition we read that ‘daily, God added to their number those who were being saved.
In our Bible reading we read how the disciples and the new followers responded to the baptism of the Holy Spirit - they couldn’t get enough of being together - every day in fact they met for prayer and fellowship.
It was the same when William Booth brought the Salvation Army to Bradford in 1875. Elijah Cadman reported it this way; Holiness for the early day Salvationist was imparted by the indwelling Spirit. How else could they hold indoor and open-air meetings every night of the week - and three times on Sundays - summer and winter, rain or shine, unless they had the power of the Holy Spirit? What else could have kept every Salvation Army Soldier at his or her post seven days a week and taking part, if possible, in every meeting?
When I read Acts 2 and how the fellowship were passionate in their desire to meet together under Gods word and in prayer I just say to myself Now that's church - that's the living body of Christ in the world today.
I can just imagine Jesus smiling that day as He looked down upon that glorious show of unity and power - I can just imagine Jesus smiling and thinking ‘that makes all the suffering and the sacrifice worthwhile, that was worth dying for’
They were a together people - Wow! The answer to the prayer of Jesus John 17:11 I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name the name you gave me - so that they may be one as we are one.
That’s one with each other and one with the Father The great thing is that Jesus also prayed that prayer in the garden of Gethsemane before He went to the cross - Jesus prayed that prayer for you and me - for His church today
John 17; 20: "My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one: I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.
I love the song ‘We are one in the Spirit, we are one with the Lord, we are one with each other we are one with the Lord and they’ll know we are Christians by our love, by our love, they will know we are Christians by our love’. That’s church Gods people living in complete harmony - together in thought word and deed. Sadly I don’t think that that’s the picture the world has of the church.
But that’s what God expects - that’s what Jesus died for and that’s why He promised the Holy Spirit.
That’s a United Living body of Christ in the world today - Now that’s Church
There is a marked difference between the meaning of the words Untied and United
Untied means it won’t hold together - whilst United is a bond that holds it all together.
It all depends on where you put the ‘I’ The I meaning you and me - in relation to everyone else
I, me, You - each one of us can make a big difference to this fellowship - we can cause disruption, dissention, diss-unity - or we can work together for unity It’s all down to me, you - I
The early church grew through their togetherness. Together in thought word and deed - they were united. They were one with Jesus and wanted to stay close to Him through prayer and reading the word. They were one with each other.
They had lived with Jesus - He had been their inspiration, now Jesus lived in them and through them - His power was evidenced as the Holy Spirit of God worked through them. - Their Exuberance and Enthusiasm for everything they did and celebrated would act as a magnet in attracting others to claim what they had.
We are told that people around them liked what they saw. Every day their number grew as God added those who were being saved.
The early church were Energised, Empowered - on fire - raring to go - a together people who enjoyed each others company - they couldn’t meet together enough. Look at verse 46 - ‘Every day thy continued to met together in the temple courts. They even broke bread in their homes and ate together. - WOW when I look back to my younger years - that’s what it was like then. I remember that almost every night we met together at church for something or other -
Monday was the Home league,
Tuesday the different musical groups met for practice,
Wednesday afternoon was the Over 60’s with a Family Night in the evening.
Thursday was the Corps cadets, a young peoples bible study
Friday the Torchbearer youth group.
Saturdays we had concerts or were out with the band somewhere.
Sunday 10 am out at the open air while the YP had their Sunday School. 11am we met for the Holiness meeting.
2pm Sunday school met again followed by a 3pm Praise meeting
6pm in the evening we were on the Idle Green for another open-air followed by a march back up to the hall for the evening
6.45 Salvation Meeting followed at around
8.30 with a Wind-up that finished at 9.30.
All that and the normal working week was 48 hours - that’s 8 and a half hours a day.
Like the early Christians, we met together almost every day and loved it. Today the working week is 36 hours Today we have more time for leisure activities but , it seems for some, less time for Church.
The world today is a different one to the one of my childhood. Today -Sunday - there is more going on out there - more people in the Supermarkets, on the football pitch, at the cinema or at home watching TV. In fact today people spend more time watching other people live their lives in TV Soaps than they do getting on living their own lives
Church in this country today is a far cry from the church that we have just been reading about in Acts and if we are not careful tomorrows world will be a far cry from the world that God intended.
I said all this last year - and today it’s getting worse. I believe that there is a real desperate need for churches today to ‘get real’ as far as God’s Church is concerned and to get their priorities right.
A couple of weeks ago we sang ‘We want another Pentecost’ Another Pentecost will only come when Gods people are together in their desire to give God the better parts of their lives and not just the left over time - Sadly Today we are lucky if we can get folk to one mid-week meeting let alone every night and three times on Sunday and it’s the same in other churches too, who looking at their notice boards of weekly activities seem to look more like social clubs.
As for Bible Fellowships, prayer meetings? It would seem that many folk who go to church on Sunday - fill their time with other activities Such a contrast to the early church who were now so on fire for God that they loved to meet together as often as they could to share their blessings, seek further direction from God and be re-energised for more service.
Where has the powerful energetic life giving church that we read about in Acts gone? What’s happened to our churches. What’s Changed?, the message is the same, the power of the Holy Spirit is still available - what’s changed - To our shame - the church has. Exactly as is prophesied in the new Testament there are too many churches who have a form of godliness but deny the power.
Real Church is made up of a people who mirror the life of Jesus and desire to share the ideals of God with those who as yet don’t know Him. The purpose of Church is for its members to grow through hungering after His word and engaging with Him in prayer to equip and enable them to share the good news that empowers them and bring the lost to faith in God.
I closed last years sermon by saying that I believe that as a fellowship of Gods people in the Salvation Army we need to look seriously at our commitment. If we are committed, what are we committed to.
I said then, that these seats have been empty for too long - we need to do something about it. I believe that as we have read in Acts, the pattern that God set is there - it starts with Gods people being obedient to God and make prayer and bible study their starting point both individually and together as a Church.
It starts with prayer and progresses through to seeking to know what God will for us as individuals and as a fellowship by reading His word together.
I’ve said it before - but I believe that God hasn’t just provided us with a beautiful church and Community hall without reason - I believe that there is so much more in store for you and this fellowship. We want another Pentecost - Lord send the fire
MM 16 June 2019 Fathers day
Today all over the country fellowships like ours will be celebrating Fathers Day and thanking God for the love, dedication and for many - the sacrifice our fathers made to bring us up to love and respect one another - but also as individuals brought together as brothers and sisters in Christ - for us as a family to thank God for His sacrificial love, dedication in desiring us to know Him as our Father - that’s Almighty God the creator of the Universe, the world, mankind - Almighty God wants us to know Him as our Father. WOW!
God sent Jesus to show us what He - the Father was really like - up to then God was seen as far beyond the reach of humanity - an Almighty God yes but up there in Heaven - beyond the reach of ordinary man.
When Jesus told His disciples that He was leaving them and going back to the Fathers to prepare a place for them to one day be with Him and His Father in Glory - Philip said ‘show us the Father’ to which Jesus answered ‘if you’ve seen Me - then you’ve seen the Father.
I can think of no better illustration of this that the one I’ve used so many time before. It was when Betty and John Matear, were leaving this Division to go to Territorial Headquarters, we all wondered who would come in their place. We had grown to know and love them both. They were good for this Division, and had served God well.
Tony Brown went to Balvonie, on a Salvation Army training course and while he was there met up with a young man called Duncan Parker. It turned out that this young man was the son of the new officers that were to take John and Betty's place at DHQ.
A couple of weeks later, Tony and I discussed the new officers, this was well before they came into the Division. Tony said, 'Well if they are anything like their son, they will be OK, He's a good lad' or something to that effect.
This is what Jesus is saying - if you’ve seen Me (Gods Son) then you have seen the Father. Jesus came top show us what the Father was really like.
The Bible goes to great lengths to reveal to us the depth of Gods devotion and love for you and me and that he wants us to be like chips off the old block - like sons of the father who reflect that love to others. We all are children of the living God - our Heavenly Father - and need to reflect His love to others.
I love the parable that Jesus told designed to show the depth of the Fathers love of God who wanted His creation - His people - His children back into the fold. The first part of the parables were about the lost sheep and the lengths that the good shepherd would go to bring the lost sheep home.
The Fathers joy was shared when Jesus told them how the shepherd called his friends and neighbours together telling them, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’ I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.
The second was the parable of the lost coin where a woman has ten gold coins but looses one - she looks and finds it to which Jesus said In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”
The extent of Gods love is not just for the hundreds but for every single one of us
Then Jesus takes the parable one step closer to be more personal - lets read it
Luke 15; 11-32. Jesus continued: “There was a man who had two sons. The younger one said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate.’ So he divided his property between them.
“Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything.
“When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.’ So he got up and went to his father.
“But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.
“The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’“But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate.
“Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. So he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on. ‘Your brother has come,’ he replied, ‘and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.’
“The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him. But he answered his father, ‘Look! All these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!’
“‘My son,’ the father said, ‘you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found
WOW! that’s the extent of the Father Love of God for you and me.
We -every one of us - as well as thanking God for our earthly fathers need to also thank God for being our Heavenly Father and just as many times people say they can see the likeness of the father in the son - O how much God wants us to know the extent of His love and desire that people around us would be able to see the Him - the Father in each one of us.
In Romans 8;14 Paul reminds us that ‘all who are led by the Spirit of God are Sons of God and that we should behave like Gods very own children, adopted into the bosom, the very heart of His family and calling Him Abba which means Father. His spirit speaks deep into our hearts and tells us that we are God’s children.
Wow! How blessed we are in that we not only have our earthly Fathers to thank God for but we also have a ‘forever dad’ in our Heavenly Father - God.
Paul wrote to the church at Ephesus and told them that it was ‘Gods plan that we should be adopted as His children through Christ for Gods pleasure. We are His very own children, and as such, all the benefits of the Kingdom are ours - we are children of the King!
When I was young, one of my favourite stories was about the woodcarver called Geppetto - a lonely old man who decided that to keep him company he would make himself a puppet. He lovingly carved the figure of a little boy and when he had finished he called him ‘Pinocchio‘. That night, Geppetto looked into the night sky and with a great heart felt sigh cried out ’I wish my little Pinocchio was a real little boy’
The story goes on to say that because Geppetto was always doing kind things for others, his wish was partially granted and when he woke up the next morning he found that his puppet although still made of wood, didn’t need strings any more to make him walk - he could walk unaided and even talk.
At first all went well and Geppetto enjoyed his creation Pinocchio until he decided that Pinocchio needed to go to school. This he did but soon fell into bad company and soon gat attracted to the things of the world - they looked exciting and he soon found himself getting into all kinds of problems.
He soon became a prisoner to the wild side of life and even started to tell lies to get himself out of trouble - what happened then was that his nose began to grow and he found out that the more lies you tell to get out of trouble, things get worse and you get deeper into trouble. Pinocchio ended up on Pleasure Island with aother naughty boys and started to wish that he could go home and be with his master Geppetto.
When he eventually came to his senses - he set off back home - to find that Geppetto wasn’t there - he’d gone looking for Pinocchio.
They finally meet again and the story ends happily with Pinocchio becoming a real boy and crying out to Geppetto ‘Father, I’m alive’ and Geppetto saying, this calls for a celebration and organised a party.
No guessing where I think the Author got his inspiration - I think God owns the copyright to that story. A loving Fathers deep love for His wayward child.
The parable Jesus told gave us a picture of the father love of God who continues to love His creation even though man separated himself from the father by his foolish disobedience.
The parable is all about a Father who loved his child so much that he was willing to forgive him and accept him back into His family.
A Father who loves His children so much that He was willing to become like man in Christ - come to earth to seek His wayward children and welcome them home.
A Father who didn’t give up on His wayward children but instead offered them forgiveness, new life by being born again.
This is God - Almighty God - our Heavenly Father and we are His children
1 John 3; 1 reminds us See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!
John goes on to say; Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. 3 All who have this hope in him purify themselves, just as He is pure.
As parents and grandparent it’s easy to see something of ourselves in our children - the ‘family likeness’ This me - a little lad -with my dad - and her I am years later with my own little son - Kevin - like Father like son.
This morning each of us will have our own special thoughts about our own fathers and the role they played in our lives.
As many of you know, I was born in August 1940 - my dad was in Germany - the 2nd world war was well under way. I was two years old when I first saw my dad. He came home on leave at the birth of my brother Sam - I can‘t remember it but I know he came as I have a photograph of us taken at Jeromes in Bradford. He didn’t come home again until the war ended in 1946 and then he seemed to be a stranger. He was badly traumatized when he came home because of the awful things he had seen - especially being there at the liberation of Belsen.
When he started work he was on nights from 6pm until 6am and so again, I didn’t see him until breakfast time when he came home from work and got us ready for school. The next time was at tea time when he got up. had his tea and then went off to catch the bus to work. Five nights a week - 12 hours a night. 60 hours a week and then if that wasn’t enough in the holidays he went to work with Howgates setting up bird shows up and down the country - we never saw him but he was there working hard to provide food and clothes for us as a family. Like many other fathers in those days, dad sacrificed a lot for me and I will never forget that.
My dad played a very important part in my life, I still pray for him every morning thanking God for the devotion of my dad and even though he didn’t come to church with us on Sundays - he supported us in all that we did at church and came to the special meetings we had when the band played away.
I would think that we all thank God for our fathers and the sacrifices they made in bringing us up - and the impact they had on our lives and I guess that the sacrifices they made has made a great impression on each of us and in that way I trust that others today will see something of our fathers love in us.
More importantly, I wonder what people see when they look at us - do they see a reflection of our heavenly Father in us. ‘Jesus said ‘I and the father are one’ - do people see the Christlikeness in us?
When we are ‘born again’ I believe that Gods intention is that we begin to take on the family likeness. The more time we spend with our Heavenly father - the more it should show. Spend more time in His presence by reading His word and speaking to Him in prayer - then, as John says ‘when He appears, we shall be like Him’
We sing don’t we? To be like Jesus this hope possesses me. In word and deed, this is my greatest need.
Graham Kendricks song we sang earlier said ‘As we gaze on Your Kingly brightness, so our faces display Your likeness, ever changing from Glory to Glory, mirrored here may our lives tell Your story - Shine on me - Shine on me.
I pray that people will be able to see the Father in you and me. In the way we live in obedience to His word - in the way we share His love with others.
The Father God was seen in the life of His son Jesus who showed compassion, fairness, humility, gentleness, patience and the Father love of God to everyone He met - that’s the love that God wants to be seen in you and me as His children.
2 Corinthians 2; 15 For we are to God the pleasing aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing
We grow to be more like Him when we spend more time with Him
Today all over the country fellowships like ours will be celebrating Fathers Day and thanking God for the love, dedication and for many - the sacrifice our fathers made to bring us up to love and respect one another - but also as individuals brought together as brothers and sisters in Christ - for us as a family to thank God for His sacrificial love, dedication in desiring us to know Him as our Father - that’s Almighty God the creator of the Universe, the world, mankind - Almighty God wants us to know Him as our Father. WOW!
God sent Jesus to show us what He - the Father was really like - up to then God was seen as far beyond the reach of humanity - an Almighty God yes but up there in Heaven - beyond the reach of ordinary man.
When Jesus told His disciples that He was leaving them and going back to the Fathers to prepare a place for them to one day be with Him and His Father in Glory - Philip said ‘show us the Father’ to which Jesus answered ‘if you’ve seen Me - then you’ve seen the Father.
I can think of no better illustration of this that the one I’ve used so many time before. It was when Betty and John Matear, were leaving this Division to go to Territorial Headquarters, we all wondered who would come in their place. We had grown to know and love them both. They were good for this Division, and had served God well.
Tony Brown went to Balvonie, on a Salvation Army training course and while he was there met up with a young man called Duncan Parker. It turned out that this young man was the son of the new officers that were to take John and Betty's place at DHQ.
A couple of weeks later, Tony and I discussed the new officers, this was well before they came into the Division. Tony said, 'Well if they are anything like their son, they will be OK, He's a good lad' or something to that effect.
This is what Jesus is saying - if you’ve seen Me (Gods Son) then you have seen the Father. Jesus came top show us what the Father was really like.
The Bible goes to great lengths to reveal to us the depth of Gods devotion and love for you and me and that he wants us to be like chips off the old block - like sons of the father who reflect that love to others. We all are children of the living God - our Heavenly Father - and need to reflect His love to others.
I love the parable that Jesus told designed to show the depth of the Fathers love of God who wanted His creation - His people - His children back into the fold. The first part of the parables were about the lost sheep and the lengths that the good shepherd would go to bring the lost sheep home.
The Fathers joy was shared when Jesus told them how the shepherd called his friends and neighbours together telling them, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’ I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.
The second was the parable of the lost coin where a woman has ten gold coins but looses one - she looks and finds it to which Jesus said In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”
The extent of Gods love is not just for the hundreds but for every single one of us
Then Jesus takes the parable one step closer to be more personal - lets read it
Luke 15; 11-32. Jesus continued: “There was a man who had two sons. The younger one said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate.’ So he divided his property between them.
“Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything.
“When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.’ So he got up and went to his father.
“But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.
“The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’“But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate.
“Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. So he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on. ‘Your brother has come,’ he replied, ‘and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.’
“The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him. But he answered his father, ‘Look! All these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!’
“‘My son,’ the father said, ‘you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found
WOW! that’s the extent of the Father Love of God for you and me.
We -every one of us - as well as thanking God for our earthly fathers need to also thank God for being our Heavenly Father and just as many times people say they can see the likeness of the father in the son - O how much God wants us to know the extent of His love and desire that people around us would be able to see the Him - the Father in each one of us.
In Romans 8;14 Paul reminds us that ‘all who are led by the Spirit of God are Sons of God and that we should behave like Gods very own children, adopted into the bosom, the very heart of His family and calling Him Abba which means Father. His spirit speaks deep into our hearts and tells us that we are God’s children.
Wow! How blessed we are in that we not only have our earthly Fathers to thank God for but we also have a ‘forever dad’ in our Heavenly Father - God.
Paul wrote to the church at Ephesus and told them that it was ‘Gods plan that we should be adopted as His children through Christ for Gods pleasure. We are His very own children, and as such, all the benefits of the Kingdom are ours - we are children of the King!
When I was young, one of my favourite stories was about the woodcarver called Geppetto - a lonely old man who decided that to keep him company he would make himself a puppet. He lovingly carved the figure of a little boy and when he had finished he called him ‘Pinocchio‘. That night, Geppetto looked into the night sky and with a great heart felt sigh cried out ’I wish my little Pinocchio was a real little boy’
The story goes on to say that because Geppetto was always doing kind things for others, his wish was partially granted and when he woke up the next morning he found that his puppet although still made of wood, didn’t need strings any more to make him walk - he could walk unaided and even talk.
At first all went well and Geppetto enjoyed his creation Pinocchio until he decided that Pinocchio needed to go to school. This he did but soon fell into bad company and soon gat attracted to the things of the world - they looked exciting and he soon found himself getting into all kinds of problems.
He soon became a prisoner to the wild side of life and even started to tell lies to get himself out of trouble - what happened then was that his nose began to grow and he found out that the more lies you tell to get out of trouble, things get worse and you get deeper into trouble. Pinocchio ended up on Pleasure Island with aother naughty boys and started to wish that he could go home and be with his master Geppetto.
When he eventually came to his senses - he set off back home - to find that Geppetto wasn’t there - he’d gone looking for Pinocchio.
They finally meet again and the story ends happily with Pinocchio becoming a real boy and crying out to Geppetto ‘Father, I’m alive’ and Geppetto saying, this calls for a celebration and organised a party.
No guessing where I think the Author got his inspiration - I think God owns the copyright to that story. A loving Fathers deep love for His wayward child.
The parable Jesus told gave us a picture of the father love of God who continues to love His creation even though man separated himself from the father by his foolish disobedience.
The parable is all about a Father who loved his child so much that he was willing to forgive him and accept him back into His family.
A Father who loves His children so much that He was willing to become like man in Christ - come to earth to seek His wayward children and welcome them home.
A Father who didn’t give up on His wayward children but instead offered them forgiveness, new life by being born again.
This is God - Almighty God - our Heavenly Father and we are His children
1 John 3; 1 reminds us See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!
John goes on to say; Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. 3 All who have this hope in him purify themselves, just as He is pure.
As parents and grandparent it’s easy to see something of ourselves in our children - the ‘family likeness’ This me - a little lad -with my dad - and her I am years later with my own little son - Kevin - like Father like son.
This morning each of us will have our own special thoughts about our own fathers and the role they played in our lives.
As many of you know, I was born in August 1940 - my dad was in Germany - the 2nd world war was well under way. I was two years old when I first saw my dad. He came home on leave at the birth of my brother Sam - I can‘t remember it but I know he came as I have a photograph of us taken at Jeromes in Bradford. He didn’t come home again until the war ended in 1946 and then he seemed to be a stranger. He was badly traumatized when he came home because of the awful things he had seen - especially being there at the liberation of Belsen.
When he started work he was on nights from 6pm until 6am and so again, I didn’t see him until breakfast time when he came home from work and got us ready for school. The next time was at tea time when he got up. had his tea and then went off to catch the bus to work. Five nights a week - 12 hours a night. 60 hours a week and then if that wasn’t enough in the holidays he went to work with Howgates setting up bird shows up and down the country - we never saw him but he was there working hard to provide food and clothes for us as a family. Like many other fathers in those days, dad sacrificed a lot for me and I will never forget that.
My dad played a very important part in my life, I still pray for him every morning thanking God for the devotion of my dad and even though he didn’t come to church with us on Sundays - he supported us in all that we did at church and came to the special meetings we had when the band played away.
I would think that we all thank God for our fathers and the sacrifices they made in bringing us up - and the impact they had on our lives and I guess that the sacrifices they made has made a great impression on each of us and in that way I trust that others today will see something of our fathers love in us.
More importantly, I wonder what people see when they look at us - do they see a reflection of our heavenly Father in us. ‘Jesus said ‘I and the father are one’ - do people see the Christlikeness in us?
When we are ‘born again’ I believe that Gods intention is that we begin to take on the family likeness. The more time we spend with our Heavenly father - the more it should show. Spend more time in His presence by reading His word and speaking to Him in prayer - then, as John says ‘when He appears, we shall be like Him’
We sing don’t we? To be like Jesus this hope possesses me. In word and deed, this is my greatest need.
Graham Kendricks song we sang earlier said ‘As we gaze on Your Kingly brightness, so our faces display Your likeness, ever changing from Glory to Glory, mirrored here may our lives tell Your story - Shine on me - Shine on me.
I pray that people will be able to see the Father in you and me. In the way we live in obedience to His word - in the way we share His love with others.
The Father God was seen in the life of His son Jesus who showed compassion, fairness, humility, gentleness, patience and the Father love of God to everyone He met - that’s the love that God wants to be seen in you and me as His children.
2 Corinthians 2; 15 For we are to God the pleasing aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing
We grow to be more like Him when we spend more time with Him
.MM 9 June 2019 Pentecost Sunday
Acts 2; 1 When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.
Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment because each one heard them speaking in his own language.
Utterly amazed, they asked: "Are not all these men who are speaking Galileans? Then how is it that each of us hears them in his own native language? Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome (both Jews and converts to Judaism); Cretans and Arabs - we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!"
Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, "What does this mean?"
Some, however, made fun of them and said, "They have had too much wine."
_______________________________________
Wow! Whats happening? Only seven weeks ago they were in hiding cowering in fear that the authorities would get them. Jesus had gone - left them - then three days later they hear the startling news that He is alive - He is risen from the dead - He appears to them, they get heartened - He starts to unwrap the mysterious promises that He made earlier that He has to go but will not leave them - but will come to take up residence in their hearts.
Then the ascension when He rides the cloud back to Heaven with the command to Go into all the world and preach the good news - what? How? When? and then the command to go and wait in Jerusalem until the promised Holy Spirit is given. In other words, wait at the ready - receive the empowering that will equip and engage them in the mission to ‘Go and tell’ everyone the good news.
They go - they wait - they spend their time together in prayer - they talk - they share, they grow together and reach out to God expecting and waiting for God to fulfill the promise Jesus gave them while He was with them.
The day comes - but they don’t know it - apart from the fact that this is the day they celebrate Pentecost- the giving of the word of God from Mount Sinai - it’s just like any other morning- They can’t possibly know that ‘this is the day - this is the day that the Lord has made’ the day when the promised gift will be given - the gift that will bring to life the WORD of God in their hearts to help them to LIVE the WORD just like Jesus did. Wow! are they in for a wonderful surprise.
The important thing was that they were now ready - waiting, expectant and together - they were united in purpose and desire. Then Woosh! Suddenly it came
Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit
God reached out of Heaven and touching His church released the power of the Holy Spirit into the hearts of the waiting disciples. I’ll bet it feel great - they’re on fire and ready to go - no stopping them - the days of waiting are now over - the day of the Spirit is here.
God, as revealed in His son Jesus, is now manifest in man by the power of the Holy Spirit. God is in effect reaching down from Heaven, like He did when Jesus was baptised and began His ministry here on earth. This time, instead of ’This is My beloved Son’ listen to Him- this time God is saying to the watching world - ‘these are my beloved sons in whom I am well pleased’ - listen to them.
He then sends them out in the power of the Spirit - anointed and ready for anything.
All through History God has been reaching down to mankind - They experienced it in William Booths Day. The same empowering that Smith Wigglesworth had, when the power of God was seen in the church with signs following - healings and miracles.
I believe that today, God is longing to reach down to His people again to provide the imputus, the power, the enabling and empowering that will get the top spinning again.
Sadly, today in many churches man is too preoccupied with his own struggling activities content to muddle on in his own strength, building self made churches that instead of transforming peoples lives by getting them saved, spends most of its time organising activities that do no more than tire the workers out. Sticking plasters on peoples wounds instead of healing their diseases at source.
The disciples at Pentecost received from God, the same Spirit that came upon Jesus before He began His earthly ministry - in fact - the same mighty power that raised Jesus Christ from the dead.
The early church now had that something extra special that empowered and enabled them to continue the work that Jesus began and committed His Church to do.
The great Wesleyan revival in the 18th century saw the same thing happen as the Holy Spirit took hold of groups of people from ineffectual churches that for some reason had lost the plot, and set these people on fire. The same thing happened in Wales with Owen Roberts and the Welsh revival
There was the revivalist movement in the 19th century when men like Dwight L Moody were blessed with the same outpouring of the Spirit as on the day of Pentecost. Our own Samuel Logan Brengle was baptised with the Holy Spirit walking across Ealing common. When the Salvation Army opened fire in Bradford, hundreds felt the outpouring of Gods Holy Spirit as they worshipped in Pullans Theatre.
Smith Wigglesworth the great Pentecostal preacher and healer experienced the mighty moving of the Holy Spirit in the early days of the Salvation Army in Bradford and joined them because of the great power that was manifest in their meetings. And the result of the outpouring was no different than that on the day of Pentecost - ‘We used to pray for 50 or a hundred souls every week and get them’ he exclaimed
There were mighty happenings in Bradford when the Salvation Army opened fire with Elijah Cadman. The power of God fell on the waiting hosts and the evidence of that was seen and experienced by everyone. People were laid out under the Spirits power, healings took place and great awe was upon the people of Bradford.
Two young women, Annie Fleet and Jennie Street came to Idle started worshipping in the Old Green Mill and within a few years they had enough converts to raise money to build a new purpose built Citadel - the hall we are worshipping in today.. That’s the power and work of the Spirit.
I wonder what God sees today when He looks down on us here at Idle. Does He see a group of 'Idle engines', basking in their 'former glory', telling of exciting days in the past, yet lacking the power to move on. Old men dreaming dreams instead of catching visions.
'We want another Pentecost’ William Booth urged his Army to sing ‘Send the Fire' and God did, and the fire spread throughout the length and breadth of this country and then over seas to other lands as God empowered His Army to ‘go and make disciples’. Perhaps we should be singing with real conviction and fervour 'Look down and see Thy waiting Host, send us the promised Holy Ghost, we want another Pentecost, send the fire, and send it today'. Is that your prayer? I hope so.
The awesomeness of what we have just read can seem so out of our reach, that we never really pray the prayer or sing the song expecting it to happen - certainly not in the big way it did on the day of Pentecost.
The day that the fearful, cowering, disciples were fired up by the Spirit to expect even greater things. Once empowered and equipped by God, there was no stopping them. All the Fire brigades in the world, would not be able to put out this fire.
Peter was known for his impetuosity, always quick to jump in feet first, speaking before he got his brain into gear, misunderstanding Jesus, failing Him when He needed someone to speak up for Him, yet today, he stands up with the eleven and preaches the sermon of a lifetime that touched the hearts of his hearers and resulted in 3 000 converts. WOW! What’s happened to Peter.
Peter had experienced the mighty power of God in a most unbelievable way when, before the fear of what he was doing took the better of him, he took that bold step of faith and actually walked on water. Peter had failed Jesus when he denied Him - he wasn’t going to fail Him again, not after Jesus had forgiven him, not after Jesus had risen from the dead and appeared to Peter, not after being instructed by Jesus to ‘wait in Jerusalem until the power of the Spirit came upon them’
Peter was eager to do as Jesus said - and so he and the others had waited - until the time was ripe- and as they waited, they prayed.
This was the day, and here they were all assembled in one place, and in singleness of spirit. They waited and they waited until that moment when ‘Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. And all of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them’.
It’s no mere chance that the Salvation Army symbol bears the words ‘Blood and Fire’
The blood of Jesus that cleanses us from all sin and the Fire of the Holy Spirit who enables and empowers His people to Be Church 0 the living body of Christ in the world today.
Two vital elements of our Christian faith. Cleansing and infilling.
Easter Salvation through the blood of Jesus
Pentecost Sanctification Empowered filled with the Holy Spirit.
The two together are vital for Gods people to become the people of God through whom He can manifest His truth and love to the waiting world.
No wonder Paul asked the the twelve Christians he met at Ephesus if they had received the Spirit since they became believers. ‘No’ they said, ‘we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit - we received John’s baptism. Paul said ‘that was a baptism of repentance’ Paul then laid hands on them and they were filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke in tongues and prophesied.
The two are indispensable and so intrinsically entwined. Like the song ‘Love and Marriage‘, ‘they go together like a horse and carriage’ and ‘you can’t have one without the other‘. You can’t be filled with the Spirit until you’ve repented your sins and accepted Jesus Christ as your Saviour.
When you sang ‘we want another Pentecost’ what did you mean? Did you mean you wanted to see the power of the Spirit in others - but not me Lord! not me!
Are you willing to set aside your fears and embarrassment in order to share the good news with a dying world. Are you willing to ‘risk’ sharing your faith with friends and relatives, neighbours, work colleagues and the non-Christians in your own family?
That’s what the Spirit empowers His Church, you and me to do. Peter was given a boldness that was new to him. This time when he spoke, people listened and responded, this time he spoke with the voice of authority as the Holy Spirit spoke through him.
I believe that today - God wants His church, His people to experience the power of the Holy Spirit to transform our lives and give us the boldness that will enable us to move forward as His body, the Church and win others for the Kingdom.
A favourite book of mine written by Lee Strobel is entitled ‘If you want to walk on water, you’ve got to get out of the boat’ in other words if you want another Pentecost - get out of the comfort of your little boat and claim it.
The American pastor Craig Groeschell starts one of his Bible teaching sessions by asking ‘Have you ever walked into a church and felt that there was something special about it you could almost feel it in the air - there was a ‘holy atmosphere - a sense of the presence of God - you knew as you walked in that this church’ had it’ whatever ‘it’ is. He then asks the question does your church have ‘it’ - has it ever had ‘it’ - has it lost ‘it’ if so, do you want ‘it’ back?
He gives his testimony of how as a young Methodist he went to a Bill Hybels meeting and felt ‘it’ he knew that he didn’t have ‘it’ and neither did his church. He wanted ‘it’ and sought whatever it was from God and as he prayed. God graciously gave ‘it’ to him and his life changed. He left his Methodist Church and started a small fellowship in his garage. There were just 40 of them. They were exciting days - he knew that he had ‘it’ and that as his church grew, others would feel that ‘it’.
Over the next couple of years the fellowship grew rapidly which meant that he was spending more time keeping the wheels of the organisation turning and the initial sense of outward mission became a more inward battle - he began to realise that he had lost ‘it’ and wanted it back. For the next year he started to get back to the bible, to prayer and fasting until suddenly ‘it’ came back.
Today his church - the LIFE Church’ has become a gigantic church in America and other parts of the world that has thousands of members and more importantly the church has that special ‘it’. He realised that like many of the great revival churches all down through history - as the ‘church’ gets bigger the danger is it can become an organisation rather than a growing living organism.
Blood and Fire? The Blood signifies the need for Conversion,of seeking forgiveness and a complete turning round of your life. The Fire - Sanctification is the ongoing desire in you to be filled with the Holy Spirit like the disciples and desire to become a disciple of Jesus learning day by day how to live the Jesus life.
The Fire of the Holy Spirit is given to empower, equip and enable us to not only live the life that Jesus wants us to but to do the things that Jesus did. The inner presence of the Holy spirit makes it possible for us to continue the work that Jesus began which was to proclaim and live the gospel message encouraging others to come to Christ and start the chain of events happen in their lives. We are called to be disciples in order to make disciples. Not in our own strength but empowered from within by God Himself.
William Booth wrote 'We want another Pentecost send the Fire'. Today it is vitally important that we as Gods people sing with real conviction and fervour 'Look down and see Thy waiting Host, send us the promised Holy Ghost, we want another Pentecost, send the fire, and send it today'. Is that your prayer? I hope so.
At the beginning of our meeting this morning we sang the song ; For I am building a people of power that will move through this land by My Spirit The chorus of which calls us to respond by asking God to Build Your church Lord, make us strong Lord, join our hearts through Your son.
The trouble today is that many churches; Instead of saying ‘Build YOUR Church’ Lord - they’re are building THEIR church for themselves. Instead of building HIS Church - they’re building - OUR Church
Instead of seeking HIS WILL and purpose - they implore Him to bless OUR programme and efforts
Instead of doing it HIS way, they’re doing it OUR way
The disciples had been broken, made painfully aware of their unfaithfulness, their doubting, their weakness. Now in complete obedience to His commands, they were ready to be moulded and filled with the awesome presence of the Holy Spirit, and 'Wham' He came in great power, turning their lives upside down. He set them on Fire.
Once the Spirit had been received by the disciples, the church began to grow rapidly, as the Holy Spirit started His work through them. Peter straight away preached a hell fire sermon, pulling no punches, and the result was that thousands gave their lives to Jesus that day! WOW!
Ezekiels vision shows us today that As the spirit breathes new life into the dry bones of Gods church, the result is that His people are bonded together to become a together people, (bone to bone) and as a result are enabled to move forward in great power to win the world for Jesus.
That's the church God wants, and that's why He gives us His Spirit.
Just like the Idle engines at the railway museum in York ‘Idle engines’ that in their hey day years ago, empowered by fire travelled across the land - today they just stand Idle, powerless. Today they are museum relics of better days. Sadly that could also be said of many of todays churches that have become mere museums to a time of former Glory
It doesn’t have to be like that - Idle Engines can be given a new lease of life as - filled with Holy Fire - they are raring to move - this time - in the power of the Spirit to new spheres of adventure.
I believe that God is just waiting to fire us up here at Idle . Mobilising a mighty Army that will move through this land by His Spirit. No more 'Idle engines' but a fellowship fired up by the power of the Holy Spirit.
The promise given by Jesus to the disciples at the ascension was - wait in Jerusalem for the gift My Father promised. John baptised with water but in a few days you will be baptised with the Holy Spirit ‘You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria and to the ends of the earth - WOW!
What are we waiting for - the waiting time is over - receive the Holy Spirit today
Lets close with Brindley Booths Pentecost song; Spirit Divine
MM 2 June 2019
Thursday this last week was the day of the ascension of Jesus - we shared this last Sunday - the time when Jesus appeared to His disciples before ascending into Heaven commanded them to ‘Wait in Jerusalem until you have received the gift My Father promised - John baptised you with water but in a few days you will be baptised with the Holy Spirit’. You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria and to the ends of the earth’.
Lets read what followed Acts 1:12-26 New International Version (NIV) Then the apostles returned to Jerusalem from the hill called the Mount of Olives, a Sabbath day’s walk from the city. When they arrived, they went upstairs to the room where they were staying. Those present were Peter, John, James and Andrew; Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew; James son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of James. They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers.
In those days Peter stood up among the believers (a group numbering about a hundred and twenty) and said, “Brothers and sisters, the Scripture had to be fulfilled in which the Holy Spirit spoke long ago through David concerning Judas, who served as guide for those who arrested Jesus. He was one of our number and shared in our ministry.”
(With the payment he received for his wickedness, Judas bought a field; there he fell headlong, his body burst open and all his intestines spilled out. Everyone in Jerusalem heard about this, so they called that field in their language Akeldama, that is, Field of Blood.) “For,” said Peter, “it is written in the Book of Psalms: “‘May his place be deserted; let there be no one to dwell in it,’ and, “‘May another take his place of leadership.’
Therefore it is necessary to choose one of the men who have been with us the whole time the Lord Jesus was living among us, beginning from John’s baptism to the time when Jesus was taken up from us. For one of these must become a witness with us of his resurrection.”
So they nominated two men: Joseph called Barsabbas (also known as Justus) and Matthias. Then they prayed, “Lord, you know everyone’s heart. Show us which of these two you have chosen to take over this apostolic ministry, which Judas left to go where he belongs.” Then they cast lots, and the lot fell to Matthias; so he was added to the eleven apostles.
The command was to go back to Jerusalem and wait - I said last week that waiting is not something we are good at - we hate waiting - whatever it is for. I said then that when I got married - if you didn’t have enough money you had to wait until you had in order to purchase anything. The first places that offered ‘credit’ or ‘tick’ as they called it was the local grocery shop - but that was only until the end of the week when you got paid at work and you could settle your bill.
I said last week how that all changed when in October 1972 the first Credit card was introduced - it was called the Access Card and promised instant money for you to purchase things you couldn’t afford and would have had to wait until you could.
The slogan that they put out said this ‘Why wait till tomorrow for things that you can have today?’ ‘Access takes the waiting out of wanting’. Of course the Access card cost you more money that you actually needed. The best way was to wait until you’d saved up enough money to buy what you needed. ‘Waiting’ would prove to be the best and most profitable option.
The great thing is that God has given us His own Access card in the form of prayer. Prayer that puts us in touch with Almighty God and is an immediate access to Jesus. Jesus said ‘wait‘ which they did in prayer and then added more - wait in Jerusalem for the gift that Your Father promised. The gift was the Holy Spirit as outlined in the book of Joel.
As the disciples waited, Prayer - access to God - took the anxiety of wanting out of waiting as they spent time together in prayer claiming the constant presence of Jesus. Prayer helped them to stay in His presence until His presence came to stay in them.
The great thing is that as the disciples were instructed to wait - they found their comfort and strength in praying together. The disciples were obedient to the command of Jesus and went back to Jerusalem to the room where they were staying - all eleven of them - not forgetting Mary, Jesus’s mother and His brothers - and what did they do? - They all joined together constantly in prayer.
This was to be a time of self examination, reassesment, of reflection, of looking at themselves and how far they had come in their walk with Jesus - it was a time to re-strengthening their ranks and re-establish their calling their commitment. This waiting until the Holy Spirit came to empower and equip them to continue the ministry that Jesus had started.
They had been called as Disciples which means learners - now they were being called to be Apostles - those who now having spent three years with Jesus learning from Him are now going to be equipped to go on the mission and continue the work that Jesus would empower them to do - they were being sent as missionaries into the areas all round them and unto the uttermost parts of the world. This would be accomplished when they were filled with the Spirit and in their preaching and ministry were able to spread the truth through to all who would listen to them - starting at Pentecost.
Jesus had said ‘Wait’ and when the Holy Spirit comes upon you - you will receive power - power that will enable you to be My witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria and to the ends of the earth’ --- WOW surely that’s worth waiting for?
No sooner had Jesus said this, than He was taken up before their very eyes and disappeared ‘. They were politely told to ‘stop looking into the sky and get back down to earth’.
Their waiting proved to be a valuable time - it was this time of fellowshipping together, praying together, that bonded them into a ‘together people’. As we all know, ‘The family that prays together, stays together‘. As a together people they would now be able to move forward and accomplish all that God had in store for them to do.
Next week is Pentecost Sunday - the day we look at the fulfilment of Gods promise to His church and the Lords instruction to His disciples to wait until the Spirit came upon them. The birthday of the Church - a very special day.
I believe that as His Church today we should be looking forward to this important time by waiting upon Him in prayer - asking God to show us what needs to happen, or change in our lives to take us forward and become the people He wants us to be. God want to move us forward from being disciples - learners - to become Apostles - those He has called to go show and tell our neighbours, our families, our colleagues what Jesus is all about and how He wants to reveal Himself to them through us.
It’s a time for the three ‘R’s’ to be acted upon, that’s not Reading, Riting and Rithmetic - that’s Reflection, and if needed, Repentance and Renewal - a time to examine our commitment to God and seek His empowering - His infilling to move forward and accomplish all that He wants to do in our lives and the life of our fellowship.
It’s a time of Re-awakening of the church to be what God intended it to be - the living body of Christ in the world today. That’s you and me.
The disciples went back and as they waited they prayed and as they prayed they looked at re-strengthening their fellowship by asking God to show them who He wanted to replace the one who had betrayed then and led the authorities to Crucify Jesus - that was Judas Iscariot = Biblical Hebrew: Yehûdâh, literally meaning 'God is praised';
As we know, Judas was one of the original Twelve Disciples of Jesus Christ and I find it really sad that according to all four gospels, Judas, who had shared life with Jesus for the three years they were together - that Judas when the time was right, was the one who betrayed Jesus to the Sanhedrin in the Garden of Gethsemane by kissing him and addressing him as "rabbi" to reveal his identity to the soldiers who had come to arrest Him.
As Matthew tells us, Judas betrayed Jesus for a bribe of "thirty pieces of silver" by identifying him with a kiss – "the kiss of Judas" – to arresting soldiers of the High Priest Caiaphas, who then turned Jesus over to Pontius Pilate's soldiers.
No wonder - Matthew 27:1–10 states that, after learning that Jesus was to be crucified, Judas reflected on ewhat he had done and overcome with remorse attempted to return the 30 pieces of silver to the priests, but they would not accept them because they were blood money, so he threw them on the ground and left. Afterwards, full of remorse he committed suicide by hanging himself. The priests used the money to buy a potter's field, which became known as "the Field of Blood" because it had been bought with blood money.
Difficult to understand that Judas was the one chosen to betray Jesus - I can understand how Judas felt when Jesus was condemned to death at being the one who betrayed Him and tried to give the money back to the chief priests with the confession ‘I have sinned and betrayed innocent blood’ The priests wouldn’t take the money and told him that he was responsible for his own actions - so Judas threw the money down, went away and hung himself. Judas saw the error of his ways and repented. I feel sorry for Judas - the death of Jesus on the cross was planned by God to show that Jesus was prepared to pay the price for all our sins and offer forgiveness to us all.
Back to Luke - who tells us that after the disciples had returned to Jerusalem from the mount of Olives they went upstairs to the room they were staying in.
Luke tells us the names of the eleven disciples who met there, Peter, John, James, Andrew. Philip. Thomas, Bartholomew, Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus, Simon the zealot and another the eleventh being Judas, the son of James. In addition there women including Mary, the mother of Jesus and her other sons.
I love the way in which Peter - who had denied Jesus three times, was forgiven three times and then appointed by Jesus to head up His church - Peter, we are told stood up amongst the believers of which there were about 120 taking a prominent role in the what was going to be the church - Peter stood up and said ‘ Brothers and sisters, the Scripture had to be fulfilled in which the Holy Spirit spoke long ago through David concerning Judas, who served as guide for those who arrested Jesus. He was one of our number and shared in our ministry.” May another take his place of leadership.’
Originally there were 12 disciples but with Judas’s death they needed another disciple to bring it back to the original number. Twelve was an important number, as we know there were twelve tribes of Israel, Twelve disciples, Even today the number 12 is a very significant number, there is 12 in a dozen, 12 months in a year, 12 inches in a foot, before decimalisation there were 12 pennies in pound.
They felt the need to bring their number back to twelve and to make sure it was Gods choice, they would write the names of the two candidates on to rocks, place them into a container, shake it and tip one out. It wasn’t chance - it was God’s choice and their way of finding out what God’s choice was. The person chosen had to be one who had been with them all the way through Christ’s ministry from the beginning. The choices were That one was Matthias.
Now they were completely together again - back to strength - now they were ready and waiting on God to empower them to move forward.
The first verse of the next chapter tells us that when the day of Pentecost came- they were all together - united - waiting for the next important step - the empowering of the Holy Spirit. Plugged in to God.
O that the church today would approach Pentecost in the same way - to get plugged in to what God wants to do in the world today - especially here at Idle.
I remember saying last year how we need to get plugged in to God. As you all know, a plug has three wires. The live wire which is coloured Red ( or Brown), the negative which is Blue and the earth which is Yellow/green. These are also the same colours on the Army Flag.
The Red Live The blood of Jesus that offers life
Blue The purity of God and the need to live a life of holiness
Yellow The fire and power of the Holy Spirit
Just as in the electric plug all three wired need top be connected to be effective so too we as Christians need to make sure that we are fully in contact with God - we need to get plugged in. To get plugged in to the power that is not only available but vital to our continued growth as His fellowship. In preparation for next week - could I ask that in your own private devotions - prayer - you seek to ask God to make you aware of how He sees you in your daily Christian walk and to help you change - if needed - to be available and ready just like the disciples were so that when we meet together next Sunday and seek the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives and our fellowship - we will all experience His indwelling and empowering
Prayer is the vital key; I shared last year how in America they had what is known as the The Fulton Street prayer meeting that sparked a revival in 1858. It began when one man, Jeremiah Lanphier decided to open his church for prayer.
At the first meeting he was alone for over half-an-hour, but then he was joined by six others. Over the next few days that number increased to 20 - then 40 and within six months there were ten thousand businessmen gathering daily for prayer in New York City, and within two years one million converts were added to the American church. Amazing - a one man - revival the result of prayer.
Our own William Booth also inspired revival when the Christian Mission became the Salvation Army and in his own lifetime the Salvation Army spread throughout the whole world a a result of prayer. That’s why, I believe it would be beneficial for this Corps to meet for half-an-hour in this worship hall every week. I’m suggesting 7pm on Tuesday evening before the Bible Fellowship at 7.30 in the Community hall next door.
I believe that what God is saying to us today is that ‘You won’t accomplish anything of lasting value until I have filled you with power from on high, so wait, get your act together, be a together people and pray. If you do this I will amaze you. I will fill you and empower you to be my church, My witnesses, My people.
How about it?
Thursday this last week was the day of the ascension of Jesus - we shared this last Sunday - the time when Jesus appeared to His disciples before ascending into Heaven commanded them to ‘Wait in Jerusalem until you have received the gift My Father promised - John baptised you with water but in a few days you will be baptised with the Holy Spirit’. You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria and to the ends of the earth’.
Lets read what followed Acts 1:12-26 New International Version (NIV) Then the apostles returned to Jerusalem from the hill called the Mount of Olives, a Sabbath day’s walk from the city. When they arrived, they went upstairs to the room where they were staying. Those present were Peter, John, James and Andrew; Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew; James son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of James. They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers.
In those days Peter stood up among the believers (a group numbering about a hundred and twenty) and said, “Brothers and sisters, the Scripture had to be fulfilled in which the Holy Spirit spoke long ago through David concerning Judas, who served as guide for those who arrested Jesus. He was one of our number and shared in our ministry.”
(With the payment he received for his wickedness, Judas bought a field; there he fell headlong, his body burst open and all his intestines spilled out. Everyone in Jerusalem heard about this, so they called that field in their language Akeldama, that is, Field of Blood.) “For,” said Peter, “it is written in the Book of Psalms: “‘May his place be deserted; let there be no one to dwell in it,’ and, “‘May another take his place of leadership.’
Therefore it is necessary to choose one of the men who have been with us the whole time the Lord Jesus was living among us, beginning from John’s baptism to the time when Jesus was taken up from us. For one of these must become a witness with us of his resurrection.”
So they nominated two men: Joseph called Barsabbas (also known as Justus) and Matthias. Then they prayed, “Lord, you know everyone’s heart. Show us which of these two you have chosen to take over this apostolic ministry, which Judas left to go where he belongs.” Then they cast lots, and the lot fell to Matthias; so he was added to the eleven apostles.
The command was to go back to Jerusalem and wait - I said last week that waiting is not something we are good at - we hate waiting - whatever it is for. I said then that when I got married - if you didn’t have enough money you had to wait until you had in order to purchase anything. The first places that offered ‘credit’ or ‘tick’ as they called it was the local grocery shop - but that was only until the end of the week when you got paid at work and you could settle your bill.
I said last week how that all changed when in October 1972 the first Credit card was introduced - it was called the Access Card and promised instant money for you to purchase things you couldn’t afford and would have had to wait until you could.
The slogan that they put out said this ‘Why wait till tomorrow for things that you can have today?’ ‘Access takes the waiting out of wanting’. Of course the Access card cost you more money that you actually needed. The best way was to wait until you’d saved up enough money to buy what you needed. ‘Waiting’ would prove to be the best and most profitable option.
The great thing is that God has given us His own Access card in the form of prayer. Prayer that puts us in touch with Almighty God and is an immediate access to Jesus. Jesus said ‘wait‘ which they did in prayer and then added more - wait in Jerusalem for the gift that Your Father promised. The gift was the Holy Spirit as outlined in the book of Joel.
As the disciples waited, Prayer - access to God - took the anxiety of wanting out of waiting as they spent time together in prayer claiming the constant presence of Jesus. Prayer helped them to stay in His presence until His presence came to stay in them.
The great thing is that as the disciples were instructed to wait - they found their comfort and strength in praying together. The disciples were obedient to the command of Jesus and went back to Jerusalem to the room where they were staying - all eleven of them - not forgetting Mary, Jesus’s mother and His brothers - and what did they do? - They all joined together constantly in prayer.
This was to be a time of self examination, reassesment, of reflection, of looking at themselves and how far they had come in their walk with Jesus - it was a time to re-strengthening their ranks and re-establish their calling their commitment. This waiting until the Holy Spirit came to empower and equip them to continue the ministry that Jesus had started.
They had been called as Disciples which means learners - now they were being called to be Apostles - those who now having spent three years with Jesus learning from Him are now going to be equipped to go on the mission and continue the work that Jesus would empower them to do - they were being sent as missionaries into the areas all round them and unto the uttermost parts of the world. This would be accomplished when they were filled with the Spirit and in their preaching and ministry were able to spread the truth through to all who would listen to them - starting at Pentecost.
Jesus had said ‘Wait’ and when the Holy Spirit comes upon you - you will receive power - power that will enable you to be My witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria and to the ends of the earth’ --- WOW surely that’s worth waiting for?
No sooner had Jesus said this, than He was taken up before their very eyes and disappeared ‘. They were politely told to ‘stop looking into the sky and get back down to earth’.
Their waiting proved to be a valuable time - it was this time of fellowshipping together, praying together, that bonded them into a ‘together people’. As we all know, ‘The family that prays together, stays together‘. As a together people they would now be able to move forward and accomplish all that God had in store for them to do.
Next week is Pentecost Sunday - the day we look at the fulfilment of Gods promise to His church and the Lords instruction to His disciples to wait until the Spirit came upon them. The birthday of the Church - a very special day.
I believe that as His Church today we should be looking forward to this important time by waiting upon Him in prayer - asking God to show us what needs to happen, or change in our lives to take us forward and become the people He wants us to be. God want to move us forward from being disciples - learners - to become Apostles - those He has called to go show and tell our neighbours, our families, our colleagues what Jesus is all about and how He wants to reveal Himself to them through us.
It’s a time for the three ‘R’s’ to be acted upon, that’s not Reading, Riting and Rithmetic - that’s Reflection, and if needed, Repentance and Renewal - a time to examine our commitment to God and seek His empowering - His infilling to move forward and accomplish all that He wants to do in our lives and the life of our fellowship.
It’s a time of Re-awakening of the church to be what God intended it to be - the living body of Christ in the world today. That’s you and me.
The disciples went back and as they waited they prayed and as they prayed they looked at re-strengthening their fellowship by asking God to show them who He wanted to replace the one who had betrayed then and led the authorities to Crucify Jesus - that was Judas Iscariot = Biblical Hebrew: Yehûdâh, literally meaning 'God is praised';
As we know, Judas was one of the original Twelve Disciples of Jesus Christ and I find it really sad that according to all four gospels, Judas, who had shared life with Jesus for the three years they were together - that Judas when the time was right, was the one who betrayed Jesus to the Sanhedrin in the Garden of Gethsemane by kissing him and addressing him as "rabbi" to reveal his identity to the soldiers who had come to arrest Him.
As Matthew tells us, Judas betrayed Jesus for a bribe of "thirty pieces of silver" by identifying him with a kiss – "the kiss of Judas" – to arresting soldiers of the High Priest Caiaphas, who then turned Jesus over to Pontius Pilate's soldiers.
No wonder - Matthew 27:1–10 states that, after learning that Jesus was to be crucified, Judas reflected on ewhat he had done and overcome with remorse attempted to return the 30 pieces of silver to the priests, but they would not accept them because they were blood money, so he threw them on the ground and left. Afterwards, full of remorse he committed suicide by hanging himself. The priests used the money to buy a potter's field, which became known as "the Field of Blood" because it had been bought with blood money.
Difficult to understand that Judas was the one chosen to betray Jesus - I can understand how Judas felt when Jesus was condemned to death at being the one who betrayed Him and tried to give the money back to the chief priests with the confession ‘I have sinned and betrayed innocent blood’ The priests wouldn’t take the money and told him that he was responsible for his own actions - so Judas threw the money down, went away and hung himself. Judas saw the error of his ways and repented. I feel sorry for Judas - the death of Jesus on the cross was planned by God to show that Jesus was prepared to pay the price for all our sins and offer forgiveness to us all.
Back to Luke - who tells us that after the disciples had returned to Jerusalem from the mount of Olives they went upstairs to the room they were staying in.
Luke tells us the names of the eleven disciples who met there, Peter, John, James, Andrew. Philip. Thomas, Bartholomew, Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus, Simon the zealot and another the eleventh being Judas, the son of James. In addition there women including Mary, the mother of Jesus and her other sons.
I love the way in which Peter - who had denied Jesus three times, was forgiven three times and then appointed by Jesus to head up His church - Peter, we are told stood up amongst the believers of which there were about 120 taking a prominent role in the what was going to be the church - Peter stood up and said ‘ Brothers and sisters, the Scripture had to be fulfilled in which the Holy Spirit spoke long ago through David concerning Judas, who served as guide for those who arrested Jesus. He was one of our number and shared in our ministry.” May another take his place of leadership.’
Originally there were 12 disciples but with Judas’s death they needed another disciple to bring it back to the original number. Twelve was an important number, as we know there were twelve tribes of Israel, Twelve disciples, Even today the number 12 is a very significant number, there is 12 in a dozen, 12 months in a year, 12 inches in a foot, before decimalisation there were 12 pennies in pound.
They felt the need to bring their number back to twelve and to make sure it was Gods choice, they would write the names of the two candidates on to rocks, place them into a container, shake it and tip one out. It wasn’t chance - it was God’s choice and their way of finding out what God’s choice was. The person chosen had to be one who had been with them all the way through Christ’s ministry from the beginning. The choices were That one was Matthias.
Now they were completely together again - back to strength - now they were ready and waiting on God to empower them to move forward.
The first verse of the next chapter tells us that when the day of Pentecost came- they were all together - united - waiting for the next important step - the empowering of the Holy Spirit. Plugged in to God.
O that the church today would approach Pentecost in the same way - to get plugged in to what God wants to do in the world today - especially here at Idle.
I remember saying last year how we need to get plugged in to God. As you all know, a plug has three wires. The live wire which is coloured Red ( or Brown), the negative which is Blue and the earth which is Yellow/green. These are also the same colours on the Army Flag.
The Red Live The blood of Jesus that offers life
Blue The purity of God and the need to live a life of holiness
Yellow The fire and power of the Holy Spirit
Just as in the electric plug all three wired need top be connected to be effective so too we as Christians need to make sure that we are fully in contact with God - we need to get plugged in. To get plugged in to the power that is not only available but vital to our continued growth as His fellowship. In preparation for next week - could I ask that in your own private devotions - prayer - you seek to ask God to make you aware of how He sees you in your daily Christian walk and to help you change - if needed - to be available and ready just like the disciples were so that when we meet together next Sunday and seek the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives and our fellowship - we will all experience His indwelling and empowering
Prayer is the vital key; I shared last year how in America they had what is known as the The Fulton Street prayer meeting that sparked a revival in 1858. It began when one man, Jeremiah Lanphier decided to open his church for prayer.
At the first meeting he was alone for over half-an-hour, but then he was joined by six others. Over the next few days that number increased to 20 - then 40 and within six months there were ten thousand businessmen gathering daily for prayer in New York City, and within two years one million converts were added to the American church. Amazing - a one man - revival the result of prayer.
Our own William Booth also inspired revival when the Christian Mission became the Salvation Army and in his own lifetime the Salvation Army spread throughout the whole world a a result of prayer. That’s why, I believe it would be beneficial for this Corps to meet for half-an-hour in this worship hall every week. I’m suggesting 7pm on Tuesday evening before the Bible Fellowship at 7.30 in the Community hall next door.
I believe that what God is saying to us today is that ‘You won’t accomplish anything of lasting value until I have filled you with power from on high, so wait, get your act together, be a together people and pray. If you do this I will amaze you. I will fill you and empower you to be my church, My witnesses, My people.
How about it?
MM 26 May 2019 The indwelling Christ
Over the last few weeks we have shared the many times Jesus appeared to His disciples - I said last week, He couldn’t keep away - He loved them so much and had so much more in store for them - the faithful few who had stayed faithful to Him throughout His life and ministry. They thought the end had come as far as their relationship and journey with Jesus - but No - there’s more to come.
He had so much more in store for them - they were going to be empowered to continue the work that He had begun in bringing mankind to know the truth that would set them free from the penalty of sin and set them on course to Heaven.
Last week we looked at the aftermath of the Emmaus journey when Jesus drew alongside the two who were getting away from Jerusalem following the crucifixion and returning home - Jesus wasn’t going to let them go back to their former ways -
He wanted them to share in the joy of the fulfilment - and receive the empowering.
Immediately after realising that it really was Jesus who walked alongside them - they rushed back to Jerusalem, met the other disciples and celebrated the fact that Jesus really had arisen and had appeared to some of them - now - together Jesus came and revealed Himself to them all. Then Jesus told them Luke 24; 44-49
He said to them, “This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms.” Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures.
He told them, “This is what is written: The Messiah will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things.
He reminded them from Scripture, what men like Moses, the prophets and even the Psalms of David had said. He opened their minds so that they could understand the Scriptures.
Amazingly that’s what God still does today - the scriptures of the Old Testament are there that shoe us all that actually happened in the New testament which today we have. More than that, the New testament also reveals things to us that continue to be fulfilled through history and are being revealed to us even today.
We talked about the awesome privilage that is ours as believers that we can be assured of Gods presence in whatever we are called to face in this life -
We talked about the fact that there can be no way any sensible person can doubt or disbelieve the existence of God and the way He loves us so much when we have it all proven in His word. We reminded ourselves of the onetime athiest Lee Strobel who setting out to write a book that he thought would proof the non existence of God and the foolishness of believing in Him ended up finding it was all true and came to faith Himself. The book that was to have been entitled ’The case against Christ’ became ‘The case for Christ’. This became the first of many other books that followed.
Like the disciples, Le Strobel learned through the testimony of others and the revelation of His word that what was written in Gods word proved that Jesus was the Messiah and that He is alive today and wants to continue the world He began through those who come on board and are willing to live lives in obedience to His word.
I believe that today - 2000 years later we have the assurance and the promise that if we - believe the evidence of His word and accept Jesus Christ as our Saviour - He will fill us with His Holy Spirit and empower us to continue the work that Jesus began
That’s why Jesus finally told His disciples I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.”
This is the second letter that Luke had written to Theophilus - we don’t know who Theophilus was, but some say he was probably a Roman Official who wanted to know the truth about Jesus and found a good teacher in Luke. The name Theophilus means ‘One who loves God’. Obviously the life of Luke who had been transformed by spending those three years as a disciple of Jesus impressed Theophilus and Luke was able to share the truth about Jesus with him.
Acts 1:1-11 In my former book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach until the day he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles he had chosen.
After his suffering, he showed himself to these men and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God. On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: "Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. For John baptised with water, but in a few days you will be baptised with the Holy Spirit."
Forgiven and Cleansed by the water - commissioned and empowered by the Spirit.
So when they met together, they asked him, "Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?" He said to them: "It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. ( But) you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight.
I love this last part - I can just see them standing there Jaw dropping Gob smacked They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. ‘Men of Galilee,’ they said, ‘why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.’
It’s almost like they’re saying ‘stop staring with your head in the clouds - get back down to earth - you’ve got a job to do.
The ascension must have been an awesome occasion - to see the physical Jesus again before He goes back to the Father - to hear His word of commission and then the promise of the empowering of the Holy Spirit who will equip them for the work that God has appointed them to do- just like Jesus when He was baptised by John.
Jesus had told them at the last supper He shared with them before the crucifixion that if they loved Him and were obedient to Him then He and the Father would come and make their dwelling within them by the power of the Holy Spirit and here He was confirming that again. ‘Wait’ He said
Wait - we are not good at that are we - we get impatient - as I say every time I read this verse - today we have instant everything - Coffee - immediate contact with others through the mobile phone - we don’t like waiting - The disciples were told to ‘wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. For John baptised with water, but in a few days you will be baptised with the Holy Spirit.’
Scriptures tell us that waiting is important and can be so rewarding;
Isaiah 40; they that wait upon the LORD will renew their strength
Isaiah 30:18 .... the LORD longs to be gracious to you; He rises to show you compassion. Blessed are all who wait for Him!
Isaiah 64:4 Since ancient times no-one has heard, no ear has perceived, no eye has seen any God besides you, who acts on behalf
of those who wait for Him.
The disciples had spent three years with Jesus - now it was time for them to move on and put into practice all that Jesus had taught them on how He wanted them to live their lives as Christians - to become the living body of Christ in the world today. Jesus wanted His disciples to continue the work that He had begun in bringing others into Kingdom life - to grow His church - and knowing that they would never accomplish this in their own strength instructed them to ‘Wait’ for the empowering. Wait for the infilling - that will equip, enable and empower them to become living witnesses to what the Lord had done in their life and what He could do in other peoples lives.
As we know from the word of God, waiting on God is vital in order to claim the promises He has made available for us to share. And so, the disciples waited and praise the Lord, in a couple of weeks time Sunday 9th of June we will be celebrating the fruits of that waiting time Pentecost. Pentecost is the time that the church, the body of Christ went public - out onto the streets - not cooped up in mausoleums - dead lifeless ineffective churches.
This was the birthday of the real Church - the church down our street - the time when Gods people realised the awesomeness of His indwelling Spirit as they began to move in the spirit and see the very power of God flow through them. Peter and the lame man -imagine how they felt when they became channels of Gods power - right there outside the doors of the church.
Those early converts not only encountered the awesome truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ - but knew by experience that Jesus had come to live in their hearts and therefore was integral in their thoughts, their actions, their living. This was revival at it’s best - O how we yearn for the fire of the Holy Spirit to once again set His church ablaze so that the world will see the awesome power of God in us drawing mankind to the feet of Jesus.
The secret is in the waiting - I believe that revival will come again when Gods people humble themselves before Him and are prepared to wait for His blessing.
I believe that revival will come to the church when Gods people give themselves in total commitment to His service and are prepared to wait for His anointing, His enabling and His empowering.
I believe that revival will come when Gods people and fellowships cry ‘break me, melt me, mould me and fill me’ Spirit of the living God fall afresh on me’.
Jesus said ‘Wait’ stay just where you are - don’t move out of Jerusalem until you receive the gift My Father promised.
The promise? Like the whole life of Jesus - that promise was prophesied in the Old Testament when we read Joel 2:28 I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions. Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days. I will show wonders in the heavens and on the earth, blood and fire and billows of smoke. The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD.
And everyone who calls on the name of the LORD will be saved; for on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there will be deliverance, as the LORD has said, among the survivors whom the LORD calls.
Jesus said ‘Wait’ stay just where you are then - Wow! you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."
There is a lot of talk these days on healthy diets and the value of E numbers. I believe they are just as important in the Church - Empowered - Equipped - Enabled to be Witnesses to what they had not only seen with their own eyes but been a part of. The humble fishermen, despised Tax collector were to be transformed into fishers of men just like Jesus said they would - but not until they had been filled with the Holy Spirit - just like Jesus. They would be equipped and enabled to do the same things that Jesus had done - Empowered by the Holy Spirit from within.
After Jesus had said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight. They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. "Men of Galilee," they said, "why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven."
Then they returned to Jerusalem from the hill called the Mount of Olives, a Sabbath day's walk from the city. When they arrived, they went upstairs to the room where they were staying. Those present were Peter, John, James and Andrew; Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew; James son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of James. They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers.
That’s the secret - wait - pray - seek His will and purpose for your life and ask Him to come and equip you to do what He desires of you in His Kingdom building work.
I remember when Midland bank invented the ACCESS Card - it was a credit card that when you used it you paid back a regular sum each month until you had made up the full amount that you had spent. Their slogan was ‘Access takes the waiting out of wanting’.
The disciples didn’t just wait physically- they waited on the Lord in prayer - they sought His presence every day - they gained ACCESS through prayer that helped to ease the waiting. That’s what prayer is - Access to the Father now - today.
Today as we look at many churches - what do we see? A people who have retreated into their own buildings that in many cases have become more like social clubs than centres for evangelism. Activities like slimming clubs, yoga classes, dominate their weekly activities instead of prayer meeting. Places of comfort rather than powerhouses of energy that will bring hope to a fallen world.
The world is not different! I said last week, tomorrows is Bank Holiday Monday - it used to be the Monday after Pentecost and called Whit Monday when all the churches met together to celebrate the birth of the Church. Not any more, the powers that be in the world have taken over and the Holy days have been renamed Bank holidays - reflecting the power of money that man places more emphasis on than Church.
At one time the church was seen as Gods people in waiting - waiting for His return - but using the time to make sure that no one would be left out of the Kingdom - that the message of Gods redeeming love would be actively proclaimed.
O how we need a revival in these days when we see churches all round us dying on their feet because they refuse to wait on their knees. I believe that there is a great need for a spiritual shake up that will bring the church back to its senses that will restore vision and renew our mission
Isaiah 40: 30-31 Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who wait upon the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.
Lord teach us to wait on You in prayer until we are filled with Your Holy Spirit and equipped, enabled and empowered to be Your witnesses - not just in word but in deed.
Over the last few weeks we have shared the many times Jesus appeared to His disciples - I said last week, He couldn’t keep away - He loved them so much and had so much more in store for them - the faithful few who had stayed faithful to Him throughout His life and ministry. They thought the end had come as far as their relationship and journey with Jesus - but No - there’s more to come.
He had so much more in store for them - they were going to be empowered to continue the work that He had begun in bringing mankind to know the truth that would set them free from the penalty of sin and set them on course to Heaven.
Last week we looked at the aftermath of the Emmaus journey when Jesus drew alongside the two who were getting away from Jerusalem following the crucifixion and returning home - Jesus wasn’t going to let them go back to their former ways -
He wanted them to share in the joy of the fulfilment - and receive the empowering.
Immediately after realising that it really was Jesus who walked alongside them - they rushed back to Jerusalem, met the other disciples and celebrated the fact that Jesus really had arisen and had appeared to some of them - now - together Jesus came and revealed Himself to them all. Then Jesus told them Luke 24; 44-49
He said to them, “This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms.” Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures.
He told them, “This is what is written: The Messiah will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things.
He reminded them from Scripture, what men like Moses, the prophets and even the Psalms of David had said. He opened their minds so that they could understand the Scriptures.
Amazingly that’s what God still does today - the scriptures of the Old Testament are there that shoe us all that actually happened in the New testament which today we have. More than that, the New testament also reveals things to us that continue to be fulfilled through history and are being revealed to us even today.
We talked about the awesome privilage that is ours as believers that we can be assured of Gods presence in whatever we are called to face in this life -
We talked about the fact that there can be no way any sensible person can doubt or disbelieve the existence of God and the way He loves us so much when we have it all proven in His word. We reminded ourselves of the onetime athiest Lee Strobel who setting out to write a book that he thought would proof the non existence of God and the foolishness of believing in Him ended up finding it was all true and came to faith Himself. The book that was to have been entitled ’The case against Christ’ became ‘The case for Christ’. This became the first of many other books that followed.
Like the disciples, Le Strobel learned through the testimony of others and the revelation of His word that what was written in Gods word proved that Jesus was the Messiah and that He is alive today and wants to continue the world He began through those who come on board and are willing to live lives in obedience to His word.
I believe that today - 2000 years later we have the assurance and the promise that if we - believe the evidence of His word and accept Jesus Christ as our Saviour - He will fill us with His Holy Spirit and empower us to continue the work that Jesus began
That’s why Jesus finally told His disciples I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.”
This is the second letter that Luke had written to Theophilus - we don’t know who Theophilus was, but some say he was probably a Roman Official who wanted to know the truth about Jesus and found a good teacher in Luke. The name Theophilus means ‘One who loves God’. Obviously the life of Luke who had been transformed by spending those three years as a disciple of Jesus impressed Theophilus and Luke was able to share the truth about Jesus with him.
Acts 1:1-11 In my former book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach until the day he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles he had chosen.
After his suffering, he showed himself to these men and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God. On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: "Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. For John baptised with water, but in a few days you will be baptised with the Holy Spirit."
Forgiven and Cleansed by the water - commissioned and empowered by the Spirit.
So when they met together, they asked him, "Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?" He said to them: "It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. ( But) you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight.
I love this last part - I can just see them standing there Jaw dropping Gob smacked They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. ‘Men of Galilee,’ they said, ‘why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.’
It’s almost like they’re saying ‘stop staring with your head in the clouds - get back down to earth - you’ve got a job to do.
The ascension must have been an awesome occasion - to see the physical Jesus again before He goes back to the Father - to hear His word of commission and then the promise of the empowering of the Holy Spirit who will equip them for the work that God has appointed them to do- just like Jesus when He was baptised by John.
Jesus had told them at the last supper He shared with them before the crucifixion that if they loved Him and were obedient to Him then He and the Father would come and make their dwelling within them by the power of the Holy Spirit and here He was confirming that again. ‘Wait’ He said
Wait - we are not good at that are we - we get impatient - as I say every time I read this verse - today we have instant everything - Coffee - immediate contact with others through the mobile phone - we don’t like waiting - The disciples were told to ‘wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. For John baptised with water, but in a few days you will be baptised with the Holy Spirit.’
Scriptures tell us that waiting is important and can be so rewarding;
Isaiah 40; they that wait upon the LORD will renew their strength
Isaiah 30:18 .... the LORD longs to be gracious to you; He rises to show you compassion. Blessed are all who wait for Him!
Isaiah 64:4 Since ancient times no-one has heard, no ear has perceived, no eye has seen any God besides you, who acts on behalf
of those who wait for Him.
The disciples had spent three years with Jesus - now it was time for them to move on and put into practice all that Jesus had taught them on how He wanted them to live their lives as Christians - to become the living body of Christ in the world today. Jesus wanted His disciples to continue the work that He had begun in bringing others into Kingdom life - to grow His church - and knowing that they would never accomplish this in their own strength instructed them to ‘Wait’ for the empowering. Wait for the infilling - that will equip, enable and empower them to become living witnesses to what the Lord had done in their life and what He could do in other peoples lives.
As we know from the word of God, waiting on God is vital in order to claim the promises He has made available for us to share. And so, the disciples waited and praise the Lord, in a couple of weeks time Sunday 9th of June we will be celebrating the fruits of that waiting time Pentecost. Pentecost is the time that the church, the body of Christ went public - out onto the streets - not cooped up in mausoleums - dead lifeless ineffective churches.
This was the birthday of the real Church - the church down our street - the time when Gods people realised the awesomeness of His indwelling Spirit as they began to move in the spirit and see the very power of God flow through them. Peter and the lame man -imagine how they felt when they became channels of Gods power - right there outside the doors of the church.
Those early converts not only encountered the awesome truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ - but knew by experience that Jesus had come to live in their hearts and therefore was integral in their thoughts, their actions, their living. This was revival at it’s best - O how we yearn for the fire of the Holy Spirit to once again set His church ablaze so that the world will see the awesome power of God in us drawing mankind to the feet of Jesus.
The secret is in the waiting - I believe that revival will come again when Gods people humble themselves before Him and are prepared to wait for His blessing.
I believe that revival will come to the church when Gods people give themselves in total commitment to His service and are prepared to wait for His anointing, His enabling and His empowering.
I believe that revival will come when Gods people and fellowships cry ‘break me, melt me, mould me and fill me’ Spirit of the living God fall afresh on me’.
Jesus said ‘Wait’ stay just where you are - don’t move out of Jerusalem until you receive the gift My Father promised.
The promise? Like the whole life of Jesus - that promise was prophesied in the Old Testament when we read Joel 2:28 I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions. Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days. I will show wonders in the heavens and on the earth, blood and fire and billows of smoke. The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD.
And everyone who calls on the name of the LORD will be saved; for on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there will be deliverance, as the LORD has said, among the survivors whom the LORD calls.
Jesus said ‘Wait’ stay just where you are then - Wow! you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."
There is a lot of talk these days on healthy diets and the value of E numbers. I believe they are just as important in the Church - Empowered - Equipped - Enabled to be Witnesses to what they had not only seen with their own eyes but been a part of. The humble fishermen, despised Tax collector were to be transformed into fishers of men just like Jesus said they would - but not until they had been filled with the Holy Spirit - just like Jesus. They would be equipped and enabled to do the same things that Jesus had done - Empowered by the Holy Spirit from within.
After Jesus had said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight. They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. "Men of Galilee," they said, "why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven."
Then they returned to Jerusalem from the hill called the Mount of Olives, a Sabbath day's walk from the city. When they arrived, they went upstairs to the room where they were staying. Those present were Peter, John, James and Andrew; Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew; James son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of James. They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers.
That’s the secret - wait - pray - seek His will and purpose for your life and ask Him to come and equip you to do what He desires of you in His Kingdom building work.
I remember when Midland bank invented the ACCESS Card - it was a credit card that when you used it you paid back a regular sum each month until you had made up the full amount that you had spent. Their slogan was ‘Access takes the waiting out of wanting’.
The disciples didn’t just wait physically- they waited on the Lord in prayer - they sought His presence every day - they gained ACCESS through prayer that helped to ease the waiting. That’s what prayer is - Access to the Father now - today.
Today as we look at many churches - what do we see? A people who have retreated into their own buildings that in many cases have become more like social clubs than centres for evangelism. Activities like slimming clubs, yoga classes, dominate their weekly activities instead of prayer meeting. Places of comfort rather than powerhouses of energy that will bring hope to a fallen world.
The world is not different! I said last week, tomorrows is Bank Holiday Monday - it used to be the Monday after Pentecost and called Whit Monday when all the churches met together to celebrate the birth of the Church. Not any more, the powers that be in the world have taken over and the Holy days have been renamed Bank holidays - reflecting the power of money that man places more emphasis on than Church.
At one time the church was seen as Gods people in waiting - waiting for His return - but using the time to make sure that no one would be left out of the Kingdom - that the message of Gods redeeming love would be actively proclaimed.
O how we need a revival in these days when we see churches all round us dying on their feet because they refuse to wait on their knees. I believe that there is a great need for a spiritual shake up that will bring the church back to its senses that will restore vision and renew our mission
Isaiah 40: 30-31 Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who wait upon the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.
Lord teach us to wait on You in prayer until we are filled with Your Holy Spirit and equipped, enabled and empowered to be Your witnesses - not just in word but in deed.
MM 19 May 2019 The awesome presence of God
Over the last few weeks we have shared the many times Jesus appeared to His disciples - He couldn’t keep away - He loved them so much and had so much more in store for them - the faithful few who had stayed faithful to Him throughout His life and ministry. He had so much more in store for them - they were going to be empowered to continue the work that He had begun in bringing mankind to know the truth that would set them free from the penalty of sin and set them on course to Heaven.
Lets remind ourselves on what Jesus said following His appearance to the two on the road to Emmaus
Luke 24:33-49 New International Version (NIV) 33 They got up and returned at once to Jerusalem. There they found the Eleven and those with them, assembled together and saying, “It is true! The Lord has risen and has appeared to Simon.” Then the two told what had happened on the way, and how Jesus was recognized by them when he broke the bread.
While they were still talking about this, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.” They were startled and frightened, thinking they saw a ghost. He said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts rise in your minds? Look at my hands and my feet. It is I myself! Touch me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have.”
When he had said this, he showed them his hands and feet. And while they still did not believe it because of joy and amazement, he asked them, “Do you have anything here to eat?” They gave him a piece of broiled fish, 43 and he took it and ate it in their presence.
He said to them, “This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms.” Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures.
He told them, “This is what is written: The Messiah will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things. I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.”
WOW what an awesome experience. The two were on their way to Emmaus
One of them was called Cleopas but the other isn’t named although we know that they were among the group of disciples who were there when the women came from the tomb and told them Jesus was alive. Most people assume that both of them were men but there is another thought that it could have been Mary the wife of Cleopas.
John 19;25 tells us that Near the cross of Jesus stood His mother, His mothers sister, Mary the wife of Clopas and Mary Magdalene
If Cleopas was on his way back home then it would follow that his companion could have been his wife - they both knew so much about the last few days especially the appearances of Jesus to the women at the tomb and the fact that Peter had rushed to the tomb to see if the women’s testimonies were true.
Whatever - the fact remains that Jesus had conquered death and had risen from the dead and was now walking alongside them even though it was kept from them who He really was. Here they are then - returned to Jerusalem to share the good news with the other disciples that they too had been with Jesus and how their eyes were opened as when He broke bread with them.
I love the fact that Jesus knowing how the disciples were feeling wanted to be with them - draw along side them - assure them of His presence. That’s one of the first things that we see as we read the accounts of His appearances wether in the upper room or out in the highways. Wether gathering together with others or even walking away - Jesus wants them to realise His presence.
That’s the awesome privilage of each one of us today to know and experience the presence of Jsus whatever situation we find ourselves in - wherever we are on lifes journey - Jesu wants us to be assure dof His presence.
Whatever situation we find ourselves in this life - be assured that if we love Jesus and try to live in obedience to His word - He will be with us through whatever trials or difficulties we face. He is also with us when things are going well - Jesus loves to presence Himself with those He loves and who He know love Him. Whatever we face in this life - we have the assurance of His presence = without that knowing that - I wouldn’t have been able to cope with life over the last few years
After caring for and loosing my mother to Alzheimers I was told I had cancer and the propects were not good. Then having to share the aweful time when Kevin lost his business in Ilkley after being duped by the women he bought it off which resulted in him having to sell his house to pay off all the debts of the shop. Thankfully God had made it possible for me to buy him a home to live in. All this - at a time Beryl and I were facing up to the challenges of living with Altzheimers.
Then as if matters couldn’t get any worse, Kevin and Judy were told the only way they could have children was through IVF which cost us thousands - then after sharing the wonderful news of the birth of their daughter Victoria to have to bear the tragic news that she had Cystic Fibrosis which resulted in her death a week after being born.
Who would have believed that a couple of years later we would have to face the tragic death of Kevin himself following a failed minor operation. Then 18 months later the death of my lovely wife Beryl - how do you cope with all that without the knowledge that Jesus cares and understands and will see us through
That’s the awesome truth I want to share this morning that whatever you are going through today - Jesus cares and wants to assure you of His presence - more than that, I believe that He wants you to feel His presence - in whatever situation you find yourself. We talked last week about the extent of Gods love to those who love Him
We have just read about the two followers of Jesus leaving Jerusalem after sharing the most horrifying experiences of seeing Jesus taken away, tortured and crucified - they were possibly down in spirits and even though Cleopas had heard the testimonies of those who had seen Jesus alive - even his own wife - He still had doubts - but Jesus cared enough to appear to them and assure them that He was alive and well. He reminded them from Scripture, what men like Moses, the prophets and even the Psalms of David had said. He opened their minds so that they could understand the Scriptures.
Amazingly that’s what God still does today - the scriptures of the Old Testament are there that reveal all that actually happened in the New testament which today we have. More than that, the scriptures of the New testament also reveal things to us that have been fulfilled through history and are being revealed to us even today.
We have all read the news of what has happened in the Far East, Jerusalem etc. We also have Gods written word of what to expect in present times and in the future regarding the world we live in, mans selfish greed and lust for power - even what is happening in the EU, and what to expect in the end times.
We can see the evil way in which the powers that be are gradually taking over mans identity - internet, mobile phones, codeless purchases with bank cards, implants that containing info about us and able to tell others of our wereabouts - its all there. The evil one is certainly having a last pitched attempt to take over mankind - thankfully we also know that he will not succeed and that God will eventually have His way when Jesus Christ comes again the second time.
So to recap - firstly Gods presence Jesus drawing alongside His followers
We have the assurance that God wants to presence Himself in the lives of those who love Him and has promised His indwelling in the hearts of His followers with the promised presence of His Holy Spirit as revealed at Pentecost.
Whatever we are called to face in this life - if we place our trust and faith in God He will see us through - whatever - and we will be able to feel His presence.
Secondly - Proof He lives today from Gods word There is no way any sensible person can doubt or disbelieve the existence of God and the way He loves us so much when we have it all proven in His word.
Those of us who came to Bible fellowship have shared the testimony of the athiest journalist Lee Strobel who setting out to write a book that he thought would proof the non existence of God and the foolishness of believing in Him ended up finding it was all true and came to faith Himself. The book that was to have been entitled ’The case against Christ’ became ‘The case for Christ’. This became the first of many other books that followed.
In his book ’the case for faith’ he answers the question ’did Jesus - and Jesus alone 0- match the identity on the Messiah? By saying Hundreds of years before Jesus was born, prophets foretold the coming of the Messiah, or Anointed One who would redeem God’s people. In effect, dozens of these Old Testament prophesies created a fingerprint that only the true Messiah could fit. This gave Israel a way to ruile out imoposters and validate the credentials of the authentic Messiah. Against astronomical odds - one chance in a trillion, trillion, trillion, trillion, and he reiterates this word another 14 times - Jesus and only Jesus throughout history matched this prophetic fingerprint.
That’s what Jesus is saying here to His disciples This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms.” Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. He told them, “This is what is written: The Messiah will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things.
And then finally - I believe that we have the assurance and the promise that if we - believe the evidence of His word and accept Jesus Christ as our Saviour - He will fill us with His Holy Spirit and empower us to continue the work that Jesus began
I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.”
Next week we will share the awesome time when the disciples actually saw the return of Jesus back to Heaven with the promise that they would clothed with power from on high - that happened at Pentecost when they were all filled with the Holy Spirit.
Which we celebrate on the 9th of June
Meanwhile we have this assurance that God loves us so much and by accepting Jesus as our Saviour He assures of His love at all times that enable us to stand against the temptations of this world and feel His indwelling presence. We used to sing a chorus that said; God is with us all the time, In the morning when church bells chime, In the evening, when lights are low, Our God is with us everywhere we go So true - Life would not be the same without our faith in God
Not surprisingly just before going to the Corps to lead this meeting, I checked my face book and saw there an entry from my friend Comm Harry Read it read;
Just thanking God
The feet of God tread gently on our road:
We turn a corner but to meet him there,
Face steepening tracks and find he bears our load,
Peer through the valley’s gloom and feel his care.
His constant presence, though a mystery,
Becomes a proved and loved reality. Thank you, Lord.
I believe that this is just one more confirmation that what God wanted us to look at this morning - the fact that He loves to presence Himself with His people - you and I.
The bible reading Harry quotes confirms that too Matthew 28: 20b "And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."
In closing lets sing ‘Be still for the presence of the Lord'. And as we sing it - reach out and feel His presence - Let Him come within you to bless, comfort, cheer, heal - whatever is your need this morning - don’t go home without experiencing the presence of God within you.
Over the last few weeks we have shared the many times Jesus appeared to His disciples - He couldn’t keep away - He loved them so much and had so much more in store for them - the faithful few who had stayed faithful to Him throughout His life and ministry. He had so much more in store for them - they were going to be empowered to continue the work that He had begun in bringing mankind to know the truth that would set them free from the penalty of sin and set them on course to Heaven.
Lets remind ourselves on what Jesus said following His appearance to the two on the road to Emmaus
Luke 24:33-49 New International Version (NIV) 33 They got up and returned at once to Jerusalem. There they found the Eleven and those with them, assembled together and saying, “It is true! The Lord has risen and has appeared to Simon.” Then the two told what had happened on the way, and how Jesus was recognized by them when he broke the bread.
While they were still talking about this, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.” They were startled and frightened, thinking they saw a ghost. He said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts rise in your minds? Look at my hands and my feet. It is I myself! Touch me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have.”
When he had said this, he showed them his hands and feet. And while they still did not believe it because of joy and amazement, he asked them, “Do you have anything here to eat?” They gave him a piece of broiled fish, 43 and he took it and ate it in their presence.
He said to them, “This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms.” Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures.
He told them, “This is what is written: The Messiah will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things. I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.”
WOW what an awesome experience. The two were on their way to Emmaus
One of them was called Cleopas but the other isn’t named although we know that they were among the group of disciples who were there when the women came from the tomb and told them Jesus was alive. Most people assume that both of them were men but there is another thought that it could have been Mary the wife of Cleopas.
John 19;25 tells us that Near the cross of Jesus stood His mother, His mothers sister, Mary the wife of Clopas and Mary Magdalene
If Cleopas was on his way back home then it would follow that his companion could have been his wife - they both knew so much about the last few days especially the appearances of Jesus to the women at the tomb and the fact that Peter had rushed to the tomb to see if the women’s testimonies were true.
Whatever - the fact remains that Jesus had conquered death and had risen from the dead and was now walking alongside them even though it was kept from them who He really was. Here they are then - returned to Jerusalem to share the good news with the other disciples that they too had been with Jesus and how their eyes were opened as when He broke bread with them.
I love the fact that Jesus knowing how the disciples were feeling wanted to be with them - draw along side them - assure them of His presence. That’s one of the first things that we see as we read the accounts of His appearances wether in the upper room or out in the highways. Wether gathering together with others or even walking away - Jesus wants them to realise His presence.
That’s the awesome privilage of each one of us today to know and experience the presence of Jsus whatever situation we find ourselves in - wherever we are on lifes journey - Jesu wants us to be assure dof His presence.
Whatever situation we find ourselves in this life - be assured that if we love Jesus and try to live in obedience to His word - He will be with us through whatever trials or difficulties we face. He is also with us when things are going well - Jesus loves to presence Himself with those He loves and who He know love Him. Whatever we face in this life - we have the assurance of His presence = without that knowing that - I wouldn’t have been able to cope with life over the last few years
After caring for and loosing my mother to Alzheimers I was told I had cancer and the propects were not good. Then having to share the aweful time when Kevin lost his business in Ilkley after being duped by the women he bought it off which resulted in him having to sell his house to pay off all the debts of the shop. Thankfully God had made it possible for me to buy him a home to live in. All this - at a time Beryl and I were facing up to the challenges of living with Altzheimers.
Then as if matters couldn’t get any worse, Kevin and Judy were told the only way they could have children was through IVF which cost us thousands - then after sharing the wonderful news of the birth of their daughter Victoria to have to bear the tragic news that she had Cystic Fibrosis which resulted in her death a week after being born.
Who would have believed that a couple of years later we would have to face the tragic death of Kevin himself following a failed minor operation. Then 18 months later the death of my lovely wife Beryl - how do you cope with all that without the knowledge that Jesus cares and understands and will see us through
That’s the awesome truth I want to share this morning that whatever you are going through today - Jesus cares and wants to assure you of His presence - more than that, I believe that He wants you to feel His presence - in whatever situation you find yourself. We talked last week about the extent of Gods love to those who love Him
We have just read about the two followers of Jesus leaving Jerusalem after sharing the most horrifying experiences of seeing Jesus taken away, tortured and crucified - they were possibly down in spirits and even though Cleopas had heard the testimonies of those who had seen Jesus alive - even his own wife - He still had doubts - but Jesus cared enough to appear to them and assure them that He was alive and well. He reminded them from Scripture, what men like Moses, the prophets and even the Psalms of David had said. He opened their minds so that they could understand the Scriptures.
Amazingly that’s what God still does today - the scriptures of the Old Testament are there that reveal all that actually happened in the New testament which today we have. More than that, the scriptures of the New testament also reveal things to us that have been fulfilled through history and are being revealed to us even today.
We have all read the news of what has happened in the Far East, Jerusalem etc. We also have Gods written word of what to expect in present times and in the future regarding the world we live in, mans selfish greed and lust for power - even what is happening in the EU, and what to expect in the end times.
We can see the evil way in which the powers that be are gradually taking over mans identity - internet, mobile phones, codeless purchases with bank cards, implants that containing info about us and able to tell others of our wereabouts - its all there. The evil one is certainly having a last pitched attempt to take over mankind - thankfully we also know that he will not succeed and that God will eventually have His way when Jesus Christ comes again the second time.
So to recap - firstly Gods presence Jesus drawing alongside His followers
We have the assurance that God wants to presence Himself in the lives of those who love Him and has promised His indwelling in the hearts of His followers with the promised presence of His Holy Spirit as revealed at Pentecost.
Whatever we are called to face in this life - if we place our trust and faith in God He will see us through - whatever - and we will be able to feel His presence.
Secondly - Proof He lives today from Gods word There is no way any sensible person can doubt or disbelieve the existence of God and the way He loves us so much when we have it all proven in His word.
Those of us who came to Bible fellowship have shared the testimony of the athiest journalist Lee Strobel who setting out to write a book that he thought would proof the non existence of God and the foolishness of believing in Him ended up finding it was all true and came to faith Himself. The book that was to have been entitled ’The case against Christ’ became ‘The case for Christ’. This became the first of many other books that followed.
In his book ’the case for faith’ he answers the question ’did Jesus - and Jesus alone 0- match the identity on the Messiah? By saying Hundreds of years before Jesus was born, prophets foretold the coming of the Messiah, or Anointed One who would redeem God’s people. In effect, dozens of these Old Testament prophesies created a fingerprint that only the true Messiah could fit. This gave Israel a way to ruile out imoposters and validate the credentials of the authentic Messiah. Against astronomical odds - one chance in a trillion, trillion, trillion, trillion, and he reiterates this word another 14 times - Jesus and only Jesus throughout history matched this prophetic fingerprint.
That’s what Jesus is saying here to His disciples This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms.” Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. He told them, “This is what is written: The Messiah will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things.
And then finally - I believe that we have the assurance and the promise that if we - believe the evidence of His word and accept Jesus Christ as our Saviour - He will fill us with His Holy Spirit and empower us to continue the work that Jesus began
I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.”
Next week we will share the awesome time when the disciples actually saw the return of Jesus back to Heaven with the promise that they would clothed with power from on high - that happened at Pentecost when they were all filled with the Holy Spirit.
Which we celebrate on the 9th of June
Meanwhile we have this assurance that God loves us so much and by accepting Jesus as our Saviour He assures of His love at all times that enable us to stand against the temptations of this world and feel His indwelling presence. We used to sing a chorus that said; God is with us all the time, In the morning when church bells chime, In the evening, when lights are low, Our God is with us everywhere we go So true - Life would not be the same without our faith in God
Not surprisingly just before going to the Corps to lead this meeting, I checked my face book and saw there an entry from my friend Comm Harry Read it read;
Just thanking God
The feet of God tread gently on our road:
We turn a corner but to meet him there,
Face steepening tracks and find he bears our load,
Peer through the valley’s gloom and feel his care.
His constant presence, though a mystery,
Becomes a proved and loved reality. Thank you, Lord.
I believe that this is just one more confirmation that what God wanted us to look at this morning - the fact that He loves to presence Himself with His people - you and I.
The bible reading Harry quotes confirms that too Matthew 28: 20b "And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."
In closing lets sing ‘Be still for the presence of the Lord'. And as we sing it - reach out and feel His presence - Let Him come within you to bless, comfort, cheer, heal - whatever is your need this morning - don’t go home without experiencing the presence of God within you.
Sunday May 12 Bible reading 1 Corinthians 15; 1-11 and 58 from Paul
Now, brothers and sisters, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain. For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that He was buried, that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that He appeared to Cephas, and then to the Twelve. After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers and sisters at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born.
For I am the least of the apostles and do not even deserve to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them—yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me. Whether, then, it is I or they, this is what we preach, and this is what you believed.
58; Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labour in the Lord is not in vain.
Last week we talked about the love of God. John 3;16 God so loved the World that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have eternal live Gods redemptive plan for the world - was fulfilled in Jesus. God made it possible for His redemptive work to be continued -In You and me
Paul writing to the fellowship at Corinth is ecstatic about the fact that Jesus rose from the dead and appeared not only to His disciples but also to him - Paul = who had made it his work to destroy the Christian fellowships that had arisen in response to the love of Jesus through the testimony of His followers. Paul wanted to get the truth out to all people that Jesus is indeed the Messiah they had all been waiting for.
The outcome of Easter to the disciples is that they saw the risen Christ and were themselves filled with the Spirit and commissioned to go and tell the world the good news that Gods has made forgiveness and reconciliation available for us all. And that was also Pauls testimony- All because of the love of God - That’s awesome.
At the close of the meeting last week I asked; What does the love of God mean to you - how does it affect your life and ministry
When we come to God and seek forgiveness for the past He forgives us, that’s just the beginning - God makes it possible for us to be filled with the Holy Spirit so that His love and His power can be manifested in our lives. I said then that if more people in church would accept that and reach out to God to give them strength to do His will - churches wouldn’t be struggling today . Empty seats would be filled with the people that we have influenced by our lives and the love they can see there.
We need to Believe it! and Experience it! Just like the disciples of old, God has made it possible for each one of us to be actively involved in His redemptive work. Often the excuse is ‘I’m not articulate enough’ ‘I’m too busy’ or ‘I’m not as young as I used to be’ it’s a job better suited to younger people. Yet as we read last week, Gods word tells us that Isaiah 40; 29 He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.
It was then that I reminded you of one of my favourite illustrations to those who make excuses. The one about a town which is inhabited by ducks. Every Sunday the ducks waddle out of their homes and waddle down to the main street to their church.
They waddle into the sanctuary and squat in their favourite pews. The duck minister comes forward and opening the duck bible, reads ‘ Dear ducks! the Lord God has given you wings - and with wings you can fly! With wings you can mount up and soar like eagles - no walls can confine you! No fences hold you back - you have wings - God has given you wings and you can fly like the birds!
All the ducks nodded their heads - shouted ‘Amen’ and then they all waddled home.
I said then, how descriptive that is of many church people and fellowships - they read in His word about their potential in Christ - nod their heads in agreement with the declaration about the new life that can be theirs through faith and commitment - but sadly don’t act upon what they have just heard. They don’t make a commitment - they simply say ‘Amen brother’ and then continue on as they have always done. Its so easy to read the bible and relegate all it says to history - to Bible days - and fail to realise that God is the same today - He loves His people you and I and wants us to become partners in His Kingdom building business.
I closed by suggesting that for too long people have chosen to ignore God when He says that as His people we have the potential to fly and instead prefer to stay grounded by the voice of the deceiver. When are we as Gods people going to face up to the potential of New Lives - changed lives?
God Loves us - is ready to forgive us and fill us with His love to enable us to become Christlike so that just as the Word became flesh in Christ, Christ becomes flesh in us.
This fellowship - you and I - will only begin to make a difference in this community - in our homes - our workplace - our schools - amongst our friends, when we stop waddling and start flying - we closed with the song It’s time to fly, it’s time to spread our wings and catch the wind of the Spirit that blowing in our land and it’s time to soar, higher than we’ve been before - the wind of the Spirit is blowing, in our land.
Gods power and enabling to be His disciples and be ready and available to stand up for Him in our everyday lives. Since the New Testament days there has never been a more challenging time than today for Gods people, you and I to take up our cross and follow Him - to stand firm for what we believe against all the wiles of the evil one that are growing stronger every day.
All around the world, Christians are facing opposition from those who would want to destroy the Christian faith and take over. God wants His people to be prepared to stand up for their Christian faith at whatever cost. That’s why He promised the Holy Spirit.
For many years, all around us, many churches have dwindled in attendance - many even closing. Today even the Christian celebrations that we have all enjoyed over our lifetimes are being changed and taken over by the powers that be in the world today.
We no longer live in a Christian Country even the ‘Holy’ days are being taken over by a society that is more financial based than it is Christian - today what were called ‘Holy Days’ are being changed to Bank holidays.
Look what happened to Whitsuntide - it’s gone. I can well see Christmas disappearing in a few years and instead of celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ becoming a mere Festive Holiday who’s centre point is Father Christmas. The same with Easter which is amore about Eggs than it is the cross. Whitsuntide has become Spring bank holiday and more is being made of Halloween.
Times have certainly changed since I was a lad. To many of us, this world is not the same place as the one we were brought up in.
Most of us grew up in a world where we didn’t have things like TV, Videos, DVD’s computers mobile phones - things that whilst making the world a smaller place by making it possible to know whats happenning at the other side of the world as it happens and able to make immediate contact with folk miles, even hundreds and thousands of miles away by phone. Man has grown bigger and more powerful whilst the world has got smaller.
We have more time on our hands than we did when people worked 48 hours a week , no cars, we had to catch buses. No supermarkets, and the shops were only open during the day and closed on Sunday = it’s a different world - People used to talk to one another - knew their neighbours, and even though we were busy working longer hours or at home looking after the needs of the family we had time to go to church not just on Sundays but most days of the week.Today we have more time on our hands but sadly, many fill that time watching TV, or on the computer at home or the cell phone outside.
In years gone by we didn’t have sex education at school - we were allowed to mature and find out naturally as we grew up - today they teach it at an unnaturally early age and teach that any form of physical contact is permissable between either of the sexes - today the trend is to tell kids that you might be born in the wrong body and can change that - It’s so unbelievable - what is the next generation going to be like.
In years gone by we had morning assemblies at school where we sang hymns and prayed. We had religious instruction that was more about our Christian faith - sadly today it’s all about comparative religion - other faiths. We live in difficult days Times have changed Today I believe more than any other generation, God requires His people to STAND Up for Him Modern day Daniels’s who are empowered to withstand the heated times we live in and the Lions den where the evil one prowls round looking for easy prey. Modern day Daniels who know that if they stand against the evil on mans ways today God will keep safe and be strengthened by Him Ephesians 6;14 1 Peter 5;9
God needs people who are willing to take their stand against the evil doers in this world. People who are willing to take the L (HELL) our of the WOR(L)D by standing up for what we as Christians believe and know to be Gods way. That will only come when Christians take their calling seriously and move forward to take the next step and be filled with the Holy Spirit.
Paul to the church at Ephesus ; Ephesians 6; 14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace
The news is slow to report it but all around the world today people are in fear of their lives for declaring their Christianity - many are facing death simply for being a Christian - just as in the days of Peter.
1 Peter 5;8 Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings.
That was in Peters day - thankfully the Lords followers did as Peter said - they stood firm against the devil who wanted to destroy the Christian faith - inspired by the testimonies of those who had been with Jesus and witnessed His love - His commitment - His sacrifice - His death and ressurection - His appearances and continued support of those who loved Him.
They stood firm in their faith and resisted the evil one knowing full well that all around the world others who were new to the faith were suffering for their faith. Many being persecuted by the Jews and other religious bodies in the same way that today many Christians are being downtrodden and in any cases killed by people of other faiths and beliefs
I believe that in the same way, today, we need to stand firm for what we believe and take our stand for Jesus. We can’t do it in our own strength that’s why it’s important to receive the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit. That’s why, following Easter, the death and ressurection the disciples were told by Jesus to wait for the empowering and enabling of the Holy Spirit. That was the command of Jesus to the disciples on what will be our next Christian Celebration day - Ascension day which this year is 30 May. Always 40 days after the ressurection.
Luke tells us this in Acts 1;3 "After his suffering, Jesus presented himself to them and gave many convincing proofs of that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God."
As we have just read,, for the 40 days following His ressurection Jesus spent most of His time with His disciples - encouraging them - filling them with amazing confidence as they saw the risen Lord.
Amazingly, the number 40 appears 146 times in the Bible, a number of God's significance.
Noah,s 40 days and nights in the ark when God sent the floods to cleanse the earth of all that was unclean and against Him
The Israelites spent forty years in the wilderness, Exodus 16
Moses was on the Mount Sinai for forty days and forty nights
King David reigned for forty years
King Solomon reigned for forty years
The message of Jonah to Ninevah was that the country would be destroyed in forty days time
The most striking mention of all was the fact that Jesus - Gods Son was in the wilderness being tempted by the devil for forty days
Now - Jesus spends 40 days from His ressurection appearing to His followers and telling them to wait until the gift from the Father comes to empower and infill them to continue the work Had begun and commanded them to continue to do.
Matthew and Mark both close with the "Great Commission" – Jesus' instruction to his disciples to go out into the world and spread the good news of salvation. "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." (Matthew 28:18-20)
Today the call is the same - to share our faith with others - to stand firm against the wicked ungodly ways of todays generation as the evil one makes what I believe is his last days attemps to build his kingdom.
I believe as many others do that we are in the last days as prophesied in Gods word - that Jesus is coming again to claim His church and restore the Kingdom of God - that’s why we need to stand firm in our faith - inspired and enabled to do that by the inward power of the Holy Spirit . Lets close with the encouraging words that Paul wrote to the church at Ephesus
After telling them to be like obedient children of our father God and live a life of love just like Jesus who gave His life as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
Once you were in darkness but now - because of Jesus you are like lights - full of goodness, righteousness and truth as you find out what pleases the Lord.
Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness but rather expose them.
Be careful how you live - making the most of every opportunity because the days are evil. Paul continues by telling them to be filled with the Spirit, speak to one another with psalms , hymns and spiritual songs - sing and make music in your hearts to the Lord - always giving thanks to God the Father for everything in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ - submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.
After giving instruction how they should treat their wives and husbands, parents and children Paul closes with these words;
Ephesians 6 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armour of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armour of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.
Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.
In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
There we have it again - the theme of our meeting is to Stand firm - stand up for Jesus
The very words that Paul wrote to the Corinthians that we read earlier
58; Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your laboUr in the Lord is not in vain.
The only way we can do that is if we respond to the command of Jesus to wait and be filled with the Holy Spirit. I pray that that will be our aim as over the next two weeks that we will celebrate the outcome of the disciples decision and ourselves - be filled with the Spirit.
Song Send the fire
Now, brothers and sisters, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain. For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that He was buried, that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that He appeared to Cephas, and then to the Twelve. After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers and sisters at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born.
For I am the least of the apostles and do not even deserve to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them—yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me. Whether, then, it is I or they, this is what we preach, and this is what you believed.
58; Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labour in the Lord is not in vain.
Last week we talked about the love of God. John 3;16 God so loved the World that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have eternal live Gods redemptive plan for the world - was fulfilled in Jesus. God made it possible for His redemptive work to be continued -In You and me
Paul writing to the fellowship at Corinth is ecstatic about the fact that Jesus rose from the dead and appeared not only to His disciples but also to him - Paul = who had made it his work to destroy the Christian fellowships that had arisen in response to the love of Jesus through the testimony of His followers. Paul wanted to get the truth out to all people that Jesus is indeed the Messiah they had all been waiting for.
The outcome of Easter to the disciples is that they saw the risen Christ and were themselves filled with the Spirit and commissioned to go and tell the world the good news that Gods has made forgiveness and reconciliation available for us all. And that was also Pauls testimony- All because of the love of God - That’s awesome.
At the close of the meeting last week I asked; What does the love of God mean to you - how does it affect your life and ministry
When we come to God and seek forgiveness for the past He forgives us, that’s just the beginning - God makes it possible for us to be filled with the Holy Spirit so that His love and His power can be manifested in our lives. I said then that if more people in church would accept that and reach out to God to give them strength to do His will - churches wouldn’t be struggling today . Empty seats would be filled with the people that we have influenced by our lives and the love they can see there.
We need to Believe it! and Experience it! Just like the disciples of old, God has made it possible for each one of us to be actively involved in His redemptive work. Often the excuse is ‘I’m not articulate enough’ ‘I’m too busy’ or ‘I’m not as young as I used to be’ it’s a job better suited to younger people. Yet as we read last week, Gods word tells us that Isaiah 40; 29 He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.
It was then that I reminded you of one of my favourite illustrations to those who make excuses. The one about a town which is inhabited by ducks. Every Sunday the ducks waddle out of their homes and waddle down to the main street to their church.
They waddle into the sanctuary and squat in their favourite pews. The duck minister comes forward and opening the duck bible, reads ‘ Dear ducks! the Lord God has given you wings - and with wings you can fly! With wings you can mount up and soar like eagles - no walls can confine you! No fences hold you back - you have wings - God has given you wings and you can fly like the birds!
All the ducks nodded their heads - shouted ‘Amen’ and then they all waddled home.
I said then, how descriptive that is of many church people and fellowships - they read in His word about their potential in Christ - nod their heads in agreement with the declaration about the new life that can be theirs through faith and commitment - but sadly don’t act upon what they have just heard. They don’t make a commitment - they simply say ‘Amen brother’ and then continue on as they have always done. Its so easy to read the bible and relegate all it says to history - to Bible days - and fail to realise that God is the same today - He loves His people you and I and wants us to become partners in His Kingdom building business.
I closed by suggesting that for too long people have chosen to ignore God when He says that as His people we have the potential to fly and instead prefer to stay grounded by the voice of the deceiver. When are we as Gods people going to face up to the potential of New Lives - changed lives?
God Loves us - is ready to forgive us and fill us with His love to enable us to become Christlike so that just as the Word became flesh in Christ, Christ becomes flesh in us.
This fellowship - you and I - will only begin to make a difference in this community - in our homes - our workplace - our schools - amongst our friends, when we stop waddling and start flying - we closed with the song It’s time to fly, it’s time to spread our wings and catch the wind of the Spirit that blowing in our land and it’s time to soar, higher than we’ve been before - the wind of the Spirit is blowing, in our land.
Gods power and enabling to be His disciples and be ready and available to stand up for Him in our everyday lives. Since the New Testament days there has never been a more challenging time than today for Gods people, you and I to take up our cross and follow Him - to stand firm for what we believe against all the wiles of the evil one that are growing stronger every day.
All around the world, Christians are facing opposition from those who would want to destroy the Christian faith and take over. God wants His people to be prepared to stand up for their Christian faith at whatever cost. That’s why He promised the Holy Spirit.
For many years, all around us, many churches have dwindled in attendance - many even closing. Today even the Christian celebrations that we have all enjoyed over our lifetimes are being changed and taken over by the powers that be in the world today.
We no longer live in a Christian Country even the ‘Holy’ days are being taken over by a society that is more financial based than it is Christian - today what were called ‘Holy Days’ are being changed to Bank holidays.
Look what happened to Whitsuntide - it’s gone. I can well see Christmas disappearing in a few years and instead of celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ becoming a mere Festive Holiday who’s centre point is Father Christmas. The same with Easter which is amore about Eggs than it is the cross. Whitsuntide has become Spring bank holiday and more is being made of Halloween.
Times have certainly changed since I was a lad. To many of us, this world is not the same place as the one we were brought up in.
Most of us grew up in a world where we didn’t have things like TV, Videos, DVD’s computers mobile phones - things that whilst making the world a smaller place by making it possible to know whats happenning at the other side of the world as it happens and able to make immediate contact with folk miles, even hundreds and thousands of miles away by phone. Man has grown bigger and more powerful whilst the world has got smaller.
We have more time on our hands than we did when people worked 48 hours a week , no cars, we had to catch buses. No supermarkets, and the shops were only open during the day and closed on Sunday = it’s a different world - People used to talk to one another - knew their neighbours, and even though we were busy working longer hours or at home looking after the needs of the family we had time to go to church not just on Sundays but most days of the week.Today we have more time on our hands but sadly, many fill that time watching TV, or on the computer at home or the cell phone outside.
In years gone by we didn’t have sex education at school - we were allowed to mature and find out naturally as we grew up - today they teach it at an unnaturally early age and teach that any form of physical contact is permissable between either of the sexes - today the trend is to tell kids that you might be born in the wrong body and can change that - It’s so unbelievable - what is the next generation going to be like.
In years gone by we had morning assemblies at school where we sang hymns and prayed. We had religious instruction that was more about our Christian faith - sadly today it’s all about comparative religion - other faiths. We live in difficult days Times have changed Today I believe more than any other generation, God requires His people to STAND Up for Him Modern day Daniels’s who are empowered to withstand the heated times we live in and the Lions den where the evil one prowls round looking for easy prey. Modern day Daniels who know that if they stand against the evil on mans ways today God will keep safe and be strengthened by Him Ephesians 6;14 1 Peter 5;9
God needs people who are willing to take their stand against the evil doers in this world. People who are willing to take the L (HELL) our of the WOR(L)D by standing up for what we as Christians believe and know to be Gods way. That will only come when Christians take their calling seriously and move forward to take the next step and be filled with the Holy Spirit.
Paul to the church at Ephesus ; Ephesians 6; 14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace
The news is slow to report it but all around the world today people are in fear of their lives for declaring their Christianity - many are facing death simply for being a Christian - just as in the days of Peter.
1 Peter 5;8 Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings.
That was in Peters day - thankfully the Lords followers did as Peter said - they stood firm against the devil who wanted to destroy the Christian faith - inspired by the testimonies of those who had been with Jesus and witnessed His love - His commitment - His sacrifice - His death and ressurection - His appearances and continued support of those who loved Him.
They stood firm in their faith and resisted the evil one knowing full well that all around the world others who were new to the faith were suffering for their faith. Many being persecuted by the Jews and other religious bodies in the same way that today many Christians are being downtrodden and in any cases killed by people of other faiths and beliefs
I believe that in the same way, today, we need to stand firm for what we believe and take our stand for Jesus. We can’t do it in our own strength that’s why it’s important to receive the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit. That’s why, following Easter, the death and ressurection the disciples were told by Jesus to wait for the empowering and enabling of the Holy Spirit. That was the command of Jesus to the disciples on what will be our next Christian Celebration day - Ascension day which this year is 30 May. Always 40 days after the ressurection.
Luke tells us this in Acts 1;3 "After his suffering, Jesus presented himself to them and gave many convincing proofs of that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God."
As we have just read,, for the 40 days following His ressurection Jesus spent most of His time with His disciples - encouraging them - filling them with amazing confidence as they saw the risen Lord.
Amazingly, the number 40 appears 146 times in the Bible, a number of God's significance.
Noah,s 40 days and nights in the ark when God sent the floods to cleanse the earth of all that was unclean and against Him
The Israelites spent forty years in the wilderness, Exodus 16
Moses was on the Mount Sinai for forty days and forty nights
King David reigned for forty years
King Solomon reigned for forty years
The message of Jonah to Ninevah was that the country would be destroyed in forty days time
The most striking mention of all was the fact that Jesus - Gods Son was in the wilderness being tempted by the devil for forty days
Now - Jesus spends 40 days from His ressurection appearing to His followers and telling them to wait until the gift from the Father comes to empower and infill them to continue the work Had begun and commanded them to continue to do.
Matthew and Mark both close with the "Great Commission" – Jesus' instruction to his disciples to go out into the world and spread the good news of salvation. "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." (Matthew 28:18-20)
Today the call is the same - to share our faith with others - to stand firm against the wicked ungodly ways of todays generation as the evil one makes what I believe is his last days attemps to build his kingdom.
I believe as many others do that we are in the last days as prophesied in Gods word - that Jesus is coming again to claim His church and restore the Kingdom of God - that’s why we need to stand firm in our faith - inspired and enabled to do that by the inward power of the Holy Spirit . Lets close with the encouraging words that Paul wrote to the church at Ephesus
After telling them to be like obedient children of our father God and live a life of love just like Jesus who gave His life as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
Once you were in darkness but now - because of Jesus you are like lights - full of goodness, righteousness and truth as you find out what pleases the Lord.
Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness but rather expose them.
Be careful how you live - making the most of every opportunity because the days are evil. Paul continues by telling them to be filled with the Spirit, speak to one another with psalms , hymns and spiritual songs - sing and make music in your hearts to the Lord - always giving thanks to God the Father for everything in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ - submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.
After giving instruction how they should treat their wives and husbands, parents and children Paul closes with these words;
Ephesians 6 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armour of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armour of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.
Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.
In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
There we have it again - the theme of our meeting is to Stand firm - stand up for Jesus
The very words that Paul wrote to the Corinthians that we read earlier
58; Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your laboUr in the Lord is not in vain.
The only way we can do that is if we respond to the command of Jesus to wait and be filled with the Holy Spirit. I pray that that will be our aim as over the next two weeks that we will celebrate the outcome of the disciples decision and ourselves - be filled with the Spirit.
Song Send the fire
MM 5 May 2019 It’s time to fly
For the last few weeks we have shared the events of that first Easter. It started a few weeks ago when we read how Jesus after spending three years with His beloved disciples told them that His time had come. They were going to Jerusalem and everything that is written by the prophets about Him would be fulfilled - that He would be handed over to the Gentiles who flog Him and kill Him and on the third day He would rise again. Imagine their disbelief when Jesus told them He would be leaving them and going back to the Father - that Peter would deny Him, the Judas would betray Him.
Surely when Jesus rode into Jerusalem His disciples heard the crowds acclaiming Jesus as the one who came in the name of the Lord - surely what Jesus had said earlier can’t be true. Imagine the disciples horror when the same crowds that only a few days earlier as He rode into Jerusalem had acclaimed Him as the one who came in the name of the Lord now they were all shouting for His death - Crucify Him!
Imagine how they felt when Jesus prayed in the garden of Gethsemane, crying out to God asking if there is any other way - but there wasn’t - and then the soldiers came to arrest Him. Imagine how His disciples would feel then
We looked at how Peter denied even knowing Jesus - not once - but three times - just like Jesus had said he would. We tried to imagine how His mother and disciples felt as Jesus hung on the cross
Then their disbelief when Mary Magdalene came running from the tomb and told them that He had risen and was alive. His appearing to the two disciples on the road to Emmaus. The miraculous replay of the first calling at the miraculous catch of fish
The appearances to His believed disciples, then last week the forgiving of Peter.
Its been an amazing time. We’ve shared them all at Palm Sunday, the Haggadah, Good Friday and Easter Sunday.
Many in the world out there - today - find it hard to understand it all - why if Jesus was the Messiah did He have to die on a cross - what was the purpose of it all? Thankfully we have the answer in Gods word where John 3;16 tells us that ‘God so loved the World that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have eternal live John 3 16
God who is Love in perfection created the world and everything in it - you and me - He wanted it to be a loving caring world where mankind lived with love for God and one another - a perfect world - a Heavenly world - sadly man had other ideas and under the spell of the evil one became a selfish - unloving person. His aim was to eat of the tree of knowledge to become master of his own destiny.
Thankfully, as we discussed in our Bible fellowship on Tuesday night, we read how in Genesis we read that God had planted two trees in the garden of Eden - the first the tree of knowledge and the second one was the tree of life. Jesus came offer new lives for old - a new way of living - Jesus was the life giver The second tree that is mentioned in the last book of the Bible Revelation.
I love the emphasis that Johns gospel puts on John 3;16 where we read that ‘God so loved the World that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have eternal live John 3 16
God SO loved- you couldn’t have it more sincerely - He loved the world, His creation you and me - he Sooooo loved us. The bible tells us that God IS Love. The Bible shows us the extent of Gods love and how much He loves us - That’s why He sent Jesus - the living word - Jesus who life was dominated by the love of God - Jesus the Word became flesh and lived among us - In Jesus we see the perfection of how God intended His creation - you and me to be to be in the first place but through the wiles of the evil one man stepped down from Gods ideal and became a selfish creation.
God sent Jesus who Jesus became like us to show us how by repenting the past and accepting Him as Lord and saviour that we could become like Him - just as God intended us to be in the first place. Christ came into the world not to condemn the world but that through Him we would be saved - there is no other way - only Jesus.
God hates the sin but loves the sinner and wants him to repent and seek forgiveness in Jesus. The woman in John 8 is a perfect illustration of that - in that while she was caught in the act of adultery which was punishable by stoning to death- Jesus turned to her accusers and said- if anyone of you is without sin let him be the first one to throw a stone - no one did and so Jesus told the woman that if no one has accused you then neither do I’. - Go now and leave your life of sin’
That’s why Jesus came -to show us the extent of the Fathers love for us all and make it possible for us to repent and be forgiven - cleansed - a fresh start - born again of the Spirit. He did it because He loves us so much.
Charles Wesley who was the younger brother of John Wesley the founder of the Methodist Church wrote over 6500 hymns of which one of the most popular is ‘And can it be’ He wrote it following his conversion at the age of 31.
He begins the first verse by expressing amazement over the love expressed in God the Son dying for him; it is a mystery that we who caused his death now benefit from it. The chorus says it all - Amazing love! how can it be- That Thou, my God, should die for me
1 And can it be that I should gain an interest in the Saviour's blood?
Died He for me, who caused His pain? For me, who Him to death pursued?
Amazing love! how can it be that Thou, my God, should die for me?
In the third verse, Wesley recounts the infinite grace and mercy of Christ’s love and humility in the incarnation, death, and finding of lost sinners.
3 He left His Father's throne above, so free, so infinite His grace;
Emptied Himself of all but love, and bled for Adam's helpless race;
'Tis mercy all, immense and free; for, O my God, it found out me
Finally, in the last verse he explores the results of Christ’s amazing and merciful work: there is no condemnation for those made alive in Christ and clothed in his righteousness; rather, there is bold access to the throne as we have the right to claim the eschatological crown.
5 No condemnation now I dread; Jesus, and all in Him is mine!
Alive in Him, my living Head, and clothed in righteousness divine,
Bold I approach the eternal throne, and claim the crown, through Christ my own
Romans 8;1 tells us that there is no condemnation to them who are in Christ Jesus. Jesus came not to condemn the world but that the world through Him might be save - that’s what Jesus told Nicodeamus God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him. Whoever believes in Him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son John 3;17,18 Jesus told His disciples, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me John 14 There is no other way but through Christ.
The good news and the whole truth about Easter is that God so loves you and me that He made it possible in Christ Jesus for us to be forgiven and whats more for our sins to be blotted out - remembered no more - Acts 3;19 and Psalm 51;9
Acts 3;19 Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord, Psalm 51;9 we read how David repented after committing adultery with Bathsheba - he cried out Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions. Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin.
Forgiven and redeemed back into the Fathers loving arms to enjoy New life now and new life in eternity. WOW! What good news. No wonder Wesley became the person he did and together with his brother shared the love of God with thousands.
We are called by God to be filled with His spirit and become the person He designed us to be in the first place -that’s real love in action. No wonder Jesus when asked by one of the teachers of the Law what the greatest commandment was Jesus answered that we should love God with all our hearts and being and love one another - that’s Gods love in action do that and you can’t fail to obey all the other commandments.
The outcome of Easter to the disciples is that they saw the risen Christ and were themselves filled with the Spirit and commissioned to go and tell the world the good news that Gods has made forgiveness and reconciliation available for us all. All because of the love of God - That’s awesome.
What does the love of God mean to you - how does it affect your life and ministry
Gods redemptive plan for the world - was fulfilled in Jesus John 3:16
God made it possible for His redemptive work to be continued -In You and me -
Matthew 5: 14 “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven
God wants us to be lights in the darkness, revealing God's truth in a murky, grubby world in which many people are stumbling in a twilight zone of half-light, if not total darkness.
Jesus came to earth to live alongside people, to live in their neighbourhood
He was found- not only in the Temple but also mixing with saints and sinners workers and housewives, friends and strangers. They were impressed that His life fitted His words
He wanted people to ‘have life, and have it to the full.
Pray that you might be more like Jesus throughout the week and not just on Sundays.
The Bible tells us that that is possible.
Over the next few weeks we will be looking at the time Jesus finally left the disciples and returned to His father in Heaven after telling them that in the next few days they will be baptised in the Holy Spirit and empowered by God to continue the work that Jesus began and be empowered by the Spirit to do the things that Jesus did.
That was what happened at Pentecost. Peter speaks with the same authority as Jesus. Through Peter and John a crippled man is miraculously healed - all because God is now exercising His love through ordinary men and women like you and me - the same can happen today in your life.
When we come to God and seek forgiveness for the past He forgives us and makes it possible for us to be filled with the Holy Spirit making it possible for His power to be manifest in our lives. If more people in church would accept that and reach out to God to give them strength to do His will - churches wouldn’t be struggling today . Empty seats would be filled with the people that we have influenced by our lives and the love they can see there. Believe it! Experience it! God has made it possible for each one of us to be actively involved in His redemptive work.
Isaiah 40; 29 He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.
Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.
Sadly like much of Gods word - people read it but for whatever reason fail to experience it in their own lives. Iv’e used this modern parable before about a town which is inhabited by ducks. Every Sunday the ducks waddle out of their homes and waddle down to the main street to their church.
They waddle into the sanctuary and squat in their favourite pews. The duck minister comes forward and opening the duck bible, reads ‘ Dear ducks! the Lord God has given you wings - and with wings you can fly! With wings you can mount up and soar like eagles - no walls can confine you! No fences hold you back - you have wings - God has given you wings and you can fly like the birds!
All the ducks nodded their heads - shouted ‘Amen’ and then they all waddled home.
How descriptive that is of many church people and fellowships - they read in His word about their potential in Christ - they nod their heads in agreement with the declaration about the new life that can be theirs through faith and commitment - but in the end - they don’t act upon what they have just heard. They don’t make a commitment - they simply say ‘Amen brother’ and then continue on as they have always done. What are we? Quackers?
For too long people have chosen to ignore God when He says that as His people we have the potential to fly and prefer to stay grounded by the voice of the deceiver. When are we as Gods people going to face up to the potential of New Lives - changed lives?
Its so easy to read the bible and relegate all it says to history - to Bible days - and fail to realise that God is the same today - He loves His people you and I and wants us to become partners in His Kingdom building business.
God Loves us - is ready to forgive us and fill us with His love to enable us to become Christlike so that just as the Word became flesh in Christ, Christ becomes flesh in us.
This fellowship - you and I - will only begin to make a difference in this community - in our homes - ur workplace - our schools - amongst our friends, when we stop waddling and start flying - It’s time to fly, it’s time to spread our wings and catch the wind of the Spirit that blowing in our land and it’s time to soar, higher than we’ve been before - the wind of the Spirit is blowing, in our land.
Sunday morning 28 April 2019 John 20; 19-31
Forgiveness and Restoration
On Good Friday, we tried to imagine what Jesus thought as He looked down from the cross at those of His friends gathered there. Mary His mother, John whom He loved, Peter, the others, How He would want dearly to wrap His arms around them and tell them that everything is going to be OK - that this is not the end - this is the beginning. He will be back - this time in the victory of the ressurection.
Easter Sunday - We looked at the responses of Mary Magdalene, Peter, John and the other disciples when the news came that Jesus had dissapeared.. The shock when they saw that the stone had been rolled away and the body was missing.
The loving way Jesus spoke to Mary - now free from the shackles of the cross - but still not able to put His arms around her - His voice would have to say it all - His words would be full of love and compassion. ‘Mary’ Mary couldn’t contain her excitement and ran back to the upper room to tell the other disciples.
When the truth dawned on Jesus’s friends, their Joy would be real, but tinged with guilt and utter disbelief when they remember how, when the going got tough, they were quick to run away. They needed Jesus to come with words of comfort. Peace. - His peace
On Tuesday night we watched the film ‘the road to Emmaus ‘ about two followers of Jesus who were leaving Jerusalem following the Crucifixion and heading to Emmaus. We saw how Jesus appeared to them while they were talking about the events - they didn’t recognise Him and so started to tell Him all about what they had experienced.
This morning we have just read how as the disciples had gathered together in a locked room - fearful that the authorities might come after them - how Jesus appeared to and said ‘Peace be with you’ and as He showed them His hands and side - they were overjoyed - knowing an seeing for themselves that Jesus was indeed alive.
It was then that Jesus breathed on them and they received the Holy Spirit with the command to go into the world and continue the work that He had begun.
We then read how because Thomas hadn’t been with them on this occasion they told him what had happened but he didn’t believe them and said that unless he himself saw the nail prints and even put his finger where the nails had been - even put his hand into the side of Jesus - then he wouldn’t believe.
That changed when a week later Jesus appeared again to the discuples, this time Thomas is there and Jesus invited him to put his finger in the nail prints and his hand into his side and told Thomas to ‘stop doubting and believe’.
Thomas’s reaction was a dumbfounded ’My Lord and My God! Jesus told him that he believed because he had seen for himself and added ’ Because you have seen me - you believe, blessed are those who have not seen Me and yet have believed’.
This is all recorded by John who adds - Jesus did many other miraculous things in the presence of His disciples which I havn’t told you about - but the things he has written are so that people who read his account which includes people today - you and - that we would believe with real certainty that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God and that be believing we too would have life in His name. WOW!
This morning we continued to read chapter Ch 21 of John about the miraculous way in which Jesus appeared again to His disciples with the specific aim of bringing them back together to fulfil their calling. You may remember that when Jesus commissioned them to be His disciples He had been with them in a boat when they were out fishing and gave hem an awesome picture of what He was going to do through them by changing them from ordinary fishermen to become His disciples and fishers of men.
A lot had happened since that call three years earlier - the disciples had been through a lot with Jesus - they had seen Him do many miraculous things as He taught the truth about the Kingdom of God and Gods intentions for His creation. They had seen the apreciation of the people around - the acknowledgment as Jesus entered Jerusalem to the exhultant cries of ‘Hossana blessed is He who comes in the name of the |Lord’ followed a few days later by the crowds crying Crucify Him. They had watched Him die - they had been through a lot in the last few days And thankfully seen the risen Lord .
Peter had gone through a most agonising period of doubt and even rejection of Jesus as through fear for his won life he had even denied knowing Him. I don't know what your picture of Peter is like, but I always imagined him to be a big burly fisherman, the kind of man that you could trust with your life. The Peter that Luke reveals to us, is a frightened man, who when in fear of his own life, was prepared to lie about his friendship with Jesus.
Lets remind ourselves of what Peter did when Jesus was arrested in the garden of Gethsemane
Luke 22 54-62 Then seizing Jesus, they led him away and took him into the house of the high priest. Peter followed at a distance. But when they had kindled a fire in the middle of the courtyard and had sat down together, Peter sat down with them.
A servant girl saw him seated there in the firelight. She looked closely at him and said, "This man was with him." But he denied it. "Woman, I don't know him," he said.
A little later someone else saw him and said, "You also are one of them." "Man, I am not!" Peter replied.
About an hour later another asserted, "Certainly this fellow was with him, for he is a Galilean." Peter replied, "Man, I don't know what you're talking about!" Just as he was speaking, the cock crowed. The Lord turned and looked straight at Peter. Then Peter remembered the word the Lord had spoken to him: "Before the cock crows today, you will disown me three times." And he went outside and wept bitterly.
Peter must have hated himself for denying Jesus. He had thought that he was a strong man, zealously committed to following Jesus, and yet at the first hint of danger, he had distanced himself in an attempt to save his own skin. At the last supper, Jesus had tolg Peter that - ‘when the cock crows you will deny Me three times’ He’d said.
Peter must have suffered a crushing sense of guilt during the trial and crucifixion of Jesus. Not once, but three times, he had denied knowing Jesus. The cries of Jesus over the courtyard walls would have penetrated Peters heart. To see the bloodied Jesus carrying His cross to Calvary would have been too much. He would feel a traitor,
an utter failure, he must have felt despair as the body of Jesus was carried to the tomb.
That’s why I believe that knowing exactly how Peter would be feeling, Jesus couldn't wait to let him know that He was OK. 'Tell Peter', Jesus had said to Mary, the very first visitor to the empty tomb. 'Tell Peter' and when Mary ran to Peter to tell him that the tomb of Jesus was empty! Peter ran to the tomb and saw for himself that the body of Jesus had gone. Imagine how Peter would feel - after denying even knowing Jesus.
When Jesus had appeared to the whole of the disciples in the upper room and commissioned them to go and continue the work that He had begun this could only be achieved by Peter if he had a chance of repenting for his denials, and that’s exactly what Jesus did. Lets read that;
Bible John 21; 1-17 Afterward Jesus appeared again to his disciples, by the Sea of Galilee. It happened this way: Simon Peter, Thomas (called Didymus), Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two other disciples were together. “I’m going out to fish,” Simon Peter told them, and they said, “We’ll go with you.” So they went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing.
Early in the morning, Jesus stood on the shore, but the disciples did not realize that it was Jesus. He called out to them, “Friends, haven’t you any fish?” “No,” they answered. He said, “Throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some.” When they did, they were unable to haul the net in because of the large number of fish.
Then the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” As soon as Simon Peter heard him say, “It is the Lord,” he wrapped his outer garment around him (for he had taken it off) and jumped into the water. The other disciples followed in the boat, towing the net full of fish, for they were not far from shore, about a hundred yards. When they landed, they saw a fire of burning coals there with fish on it, and some bread.
Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish you have just caught.” So Simon Peter climbed back into the boat and dragged the net ashore. It was full of large fish, 153, but even with so many the net was not torn.
Jesus said to them, "Come and have breakfast." None of the disciples dared ask Him, "Who are you?" They knew it was the Lord. Jesus came, took the bread and gave it to them, and did the same with the fish. This was now the third time Jesus appeared to his disciples after he was raised from the dead.
When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon son of John, do you truly love Me more than these?" "Yes, Lord," he said, "You know that I love You." Jesus said, "Feed my lambs." Again Jesus said, "Simon son of John, do you truly love me?" He answered, "Yes, Lord, you know that I love You." Jesus said, "Take care of my sheep."
The third time He said to him, "Simon son of John, do you love Me?" Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, "Do you love me?" He said, "Lord, you know all things; You know that I love You." Jesus said, "Feed my sheep.
Jesus forgave Peter
As I said earlier, what we have just read this morning is almost a replay of the time, three years earlier when Jesus first commissioned them to become His disciples.
Jesus enacted the whole scene, they fished, caught nothing, Jesus told them to cast their nets on the right side - they did and their nets nearly broke with the strain of the enormous catch of fish. When they realise to was Jesus - can you imagine how Peter would feel - what did Jesus think of him now? '
Jesus prepared a meal for them and took time to speak to Peter and ask him three times if he loved Him - three times - the exact number of times Peter had denied knowing Him - I can almost hear the voice of Jesus filled with love in His heart as He asked Peter the three times.
Jesus lovingly forgave Peter and reinstated him - Jesus called Peter 'the Rock' on which I will build My Church, and the gates of Hell shall not prevail upon you'.
I can just imagine Peter thinking ‘no one in their right mind would trust His life's work to a failure, would they? How can Jesus love me, after what I have done?'
But instead of rejecting Peter, Jesus showed him the greatness of His forgiving love.
Jesus showed Peter that the message of the cross, was about forgiveness and reconciliation, about new starts, fresh beginnings, the joy of new life now ,and the sure hope of eternal life to come.
This is what Easter is all about - Jesus dying on the cross for our sins making forgiveness available for those who repent and accept the risen Lord as their Saviour.
We all make mistakes - no ones perfect - but God loves us and doesn’t want us to fall into the traps of the evil one - God loves you and me and has made forgiveness available to us all. Forgiveness and a chance to get back on track if we’ve failed Him in any way. God offers forgiveness and new birth to us all.
The world might pull failures down, but not Jesus, He knows our difficulties, our problems and our weakness and instead of condemnation, He encourages the weak, lifts the fallen, loves the unloved, and, as we have seen in the case of Peter, forgives the penitent,
That's why I love the story of the catch of fish, and although all the other gospel writers, Matthew, Mark and Luke are quick to tell us how Peter denied knowing Jesus, only John completes the story by showing us how Jesus forgave Peter three times, once for each denial, and then reinstates Peter.
As Jesus cooked the fish and gave it to His disciples, He looked at Peter and asked '
him three times ' Simon Peter, do you love me? each time Peter replied, 'You know I do, Lord'
I guess that each time Jesus asked 'do you love me' Peter grimaced and felt ashamed
He knew he had failed His Lord - big time and each denial, needed repentance and forgiveness to make Peter feel clean and good about himself again.
The truth here, for each one of us this morning, is this, that if you feel that you seem to be letting Jesus down, He is willing to forgive you .
If you feel that you’ve neglected Him by not giving Him enough time, you know, that quick prayer at the end of the day, or maybe being half hearted - this episode in Peters life shows that Jesus wants to forgive you and help you start again. Perhaps we even take that for granted and use it to excuse the way we feel or act at the moment
It might be that you feel that your’ letting Jesus down, there is always forgiveness available for those if you are truly sorry. I want to encourage you by reminding you what Jesus said 'I will never leave you or forsake you' that surely demands the same loyalty from us, doesn't it?
I want to remind you that no-matter what, Jesus loves us all, and gave His life for you and me even though at times, we fail Him. Jesus is much kinder to us, than we are to ourselves, and to each other.
If this morning, you are feeling unworthy, inadequate, a failure, take heart, Jesus loves you so much, that He died to forgive you - We use the phrase so glibly when we want to show how much we want something ‘I’d die for that’ Jesus didn’t say it - He DID IT He died for me and you and because He loves us, He reaches out with arms of love and forgiveness to welcome you back into His arms
The world is quick to pull us down by identifying our failures, the world has little sympathy. But Jesus wants to lift you up by encouraging you and boosting our confidence in Him.
The awesome truth is that Jesus not only forgave Peter, but He reinstated him as the Rock to build His church. Jesus gave him a commission, to look after, to take care of and feed His church. Even though Peter had failed Jesus when the pressure was on, Jesus knew in his heart, that Peter still loved Him and wanted to serve Him with his whole life. and gave Peter another chance.
Peter the strong, Peter the defensive - the one who had sliced off the soldiers ear in the garden when they came to arrest Jesus. Who would believe that he would be the one who would ever deny Jesus. Looking deep into the eyes of his friend and Saviour - he had denied even knowing Him - not once, not twice - but three times..
Peters story is awesome news for those of us who feel like we have screwed things up - many times - He is proof that failure is not the end when it comes to God. That just as we screw it up big time, Jesus is ready to forgive big time.
The world might pull failures down, but not Jesus, He knows our difficulties, our problems and our weakness and instead of condemnation, He encourages the weak, lifts the fallen, loves the unloved, and in the case of Peter, forgives the penitent,
Jesus knows our weakness, He knows that at times, we are ashamed of some of the things that we do. He knows that even though many times, our actions are not indicative of our true feelings. He knows that when by our foolishness, our 'giving in to temptation' we seem to deny all that we profess to be, that in our heart of hearts, their is remorse, a wishing that we hadn't done it, said it, thought it, and is always ready to forgive. Why? Because He loves us.
Jesus knows our weakness, He knows that at times, we are ashamed of some of the things that we do. He knows that even though many times, our actions are not indicative of our true feelings.
He knows that when by our foolishness, our 'giving in to temptation' we seem to deny all that we profess to be, that in our heart of hearts, their is remorse, a wishing that we hadn't done it, said it, thought it, and is always ready to forgive. Because He loves us.
We’ve all been there - made mistakes and still do - but thanks be to God, through the love of Jesus we can be forgiven a fresh start
Easter day 21 April 2019 read John 20; 1 - 19
If this is your first meeting this Easter, you’ve missed out on so much. The reason that the first Easter morning was so glorious to the friends of Jesus was because they had shared the tragic events of the crucifixion and the cross together, this day was a blessed release - a ‘champagne popping victory’ that would be mind blowing to them.
This last week has been very special to me and I think many of us. From the Haggadah and the Lord’s Supper on Tuesday to Good Friday morning when we met around the cross of Jesus and tried to imagine what Jesus would have thought as He looked at the out from the cross and looked at His friends and family - His mother Mary, beloved John and especially Peter who had denied even knowing Jesus.
After lunch together just six of us went to the cross at Otley and after singing
‘When I survey the wondrous cross’ we prayed that God would speak to each person that came to the cross that day.
As we looked out over Otley and I was reminded of a story I told you a couple of years ago. It was the Battle of Waterloo and the people of London were waiting anxiously for news of the outcome of the fierce fighting. No telephones then, only semaphore signals. From the top of Winchester Cathedral the people saw and read the message as it was relayed. They strained to see as blankets of fog came over the country.‘ Wellington defeated’ they read but then the fog veiled the signal.
The people of London were in deep despair at the thought of their great general being defeated. All seemed lost. Then the blanket of fog lifted and once again the message was relayed. Again they read ‘Wellington defeated’ - but this time there was more to the message. This time it read ‘Wellington defeated the enemy’ Their gloom changed to Glory, despair to delight, tragedy had become triumph.
I thought about the vast crowds that had gathered around the cross to see Jesus die.
As they looked, all they would see was Christ defeated at Calvary, if they’d have had to send a message to the world then it would have been ‘Jesus Christ defeated’ little were they to know that as the clouds lifted and night gave way to the glorious morning, the glorious message would read ‘Jesus Christ defeated sin and death’.
As the news spread from those early visitors to the tomb, it would be relayed like wildfire. ‘He is risen’ was the victorious cry ‘Jesus Christ has defeated sin and death’. Jesus the victim has become Jesus the victor
The gospel writers go to great lengths to help us to lift the fog and 'see' the truth for ourselves. Some of them, were 'Eyewitnesses' to the fact that Jesus lived, died and rose again. they 'saw and believed' in order that we might 'Believe and see' for ourselves.
Imagine the shock of the women who on visiting the tomb to anoint the body of Jesus seeing that the stone had been rolled away and when they entered they were unable to find Him. Then the angels question ‘Why do you look for the living among the dead’.
It reminded me of Isaiah’s vision when he says ‘In the year that King Uzziah died,
I saw the Lord’. In other words whilst others were following the funeral procession,
Isaiah followed the living, Risen Glorious Lord
This morning we celebrate the glorious resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.
Last week we shared How Jesus called His friends together and dropped the bombshell that they were going to Jerusalem and that all the things that the prophets had said about Him would come true. They would spit on Him, flog Him Kill Him - ‘Surely not - after the three years of relative popularity the people were getting to know Jesus - surely He’s got it wrong this time!’
We then read of the triumphant entry into Jerusalem with the adulation of the Crowds ringing in their ears ‘Blessed is He who come in the name of the Lord’ Hosanna’ He seemed to be gaining popularity amongst the ordinary folk - they clamoured to see Him - surely He’s got it all wrong -
Then when they heard what his enemies were saying about Him when they said ‘Look how the whole world has gone after Him’ that would surely give them more confidence.
‘He’s definately got it all wrong’
Then it all seemed to go wrong - the Last Supper, the terrors of the garden of Gethsemane - the shock of His arrest, His betrayed into the hands of the enemy by one of His own disciples. Taken away, then the crowds crying out for His blood as they shouted ‘Crucify Him’ - what’s happenning! ‘He WAS right all along’
They were afraid, they hid, Peter even denied that He knew Jesus. The feelings of despair, of guilt of fear were overwhelming.
On Friday we shared how THEY would feel looking at Jesus on the cross.
We also thought how JESUS would feel about them as He looked at them from the cross. If only He could reach out and love them - tell them it’s OK that in a few days their despair and grief would be changed to joy unspeakable.
And WOW - thankfully - amazingly - that’s exactly what happened
Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance.
Mary was devoted to her Lord, He had set her free from the demons that possessed her. She found healing, love and acceptance in Jesus. Unlike most of the other friends and followers of Jesus, Mary was one of the few who stayed with Him at the cross, until the end. Until it would seem that all hope was gone.
It was early in the morning, while it is still dark, when she came to the place where Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus had laid the body of her Lord. Imagine the shock that Mary must have felt when she found that not only had the stone been moved, but the tomb was empty. The first thing that she did was to run and tell His closest friends, John and Peter. 'They have taken the Lord out of the tomb' she cried, and I don't know where they have laid Him'.
Where Mary's reaction at the empty tomb was probably shock, John and Peter’s would be disbelief. They still hadn't realised what Jesus had tried to tell them at that last supper they had shared with Him. " I will be with only a little longer. Then you will look for me. I am going away, but I will come back to you. I am telling you this now, before it happens, so that when it does. you will believe".
Peter had been shocked when Jesus told him that in the next few day's, he would deny even being with Jesus, that he would desert his Lord. He would find it very hard to believe that Jesus could think that he would be capable of such a thing. Yet Jesus was right, Peter had let his friend down, and I would imagine felt very ashamed of himself.
Peter and John ran with much haste to the tomb, probably with feelings of disbelief,
who would do such a thing as remove the body, hadn't the authorities done enough
to humiliate Jesus ?
I wonder if the words of Jesus at that last supper had started to ring some bells. I can well imagine the thoughts that Peter would have had, knowing that not only had he denied even knowing Jesus, but he had deserted Him at the first sign of danger, and watched Him die on the cross alone.
Last week on Palm Sunday I asked the question ‘ have you ever had to get ready to go somewhere that you didn’t want to? We were thinking about how Jesus would be feeling that day - knowing that to go to Jerusalem meant certain death.
I believe that whilst John would want to get to the tomb as quickly as he could - Peters legs would be running faster than his head - he probably wasn’t as keen to get there as John - Peter would probably still have the image of Jesus looking at him when he denied knowing or being with Jesus,
No wonder we are told that John arrived first.
When John got to the tomb, he would see the bandages that had been wrapped around Jesus's body all neatly folded, not the work of someone trying to get away in a hurry. John saw the evidence, and scripture tells us 'he believed'
Mary just couldn't wait to go and tend to the needs of the Lord she loved. She felt indebted to Him, for what He had done for her, in giving her new life. Life that now had real purpose, a life of hope where before there was only despair.
Peter on the other hand would want to believe, but probably held back by his shame.
Today, like Mary, John and Peter those two thousand years ago, many Christians will give a sigh of relief that the pain and trauma of Good Friday is over - but unlike Mary, John or Peter, they hadn’t had to share the pain of Good Friday.
I don’t believe that anyone could fully appreciate the awesomeness of the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead if they hadn’t first, experienced the cross.
Paul writing to the fellowship of believers at Phillippi told them that the glorious resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead is more fully appreciated by those who are willing to experience the cross themselves. Not the searing nails of iron or the cruel cross of wood - but the cross of sacrifice - that often comes when you seriously devote your life, time and energy to the service of God. The cost of true love - devotion to the father and compassionate unselfish love to those around us.
‘I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead. Philippians 3; 10,11
On Good Friday I asked what your feelings were as we gathered around the cross of |Jesus. We thought about Mary His mother, John His beloved disciple, Peter who denied even being with Jesus. What are your feelings this morning as we come together to worship the risen Lord. Perhaps you share some of the feelings that Mary Magdalene had, of gratitude for what the Lord has and is doing in your life. A time when you want to rejoice in the victory over sin that Jesus showed was possible.
Perhaps, like Peter, you feel that you have let Him down, denied Him in some way. Maybe you have come sharing the same mixed feelings that Peter must have had, that if Jesus really did rise from the dead, exactly as He said He would do, then all the other claims He made must be true also. If they are, then perhaps I should be responding differently to the way I do?
Perhaps you've held back from making any kind of commitment to Him.
The way that we approach the empty tomb this morning, could change our lives.
Over the last week we have considered the claims of Jesus, the sacrificial lamb who paid the ultimate price on the cross, by freely giving His life as an atonement for the sins of the world. How God, so sick of the way in which man was rejecting Him, and His way of life, sent Jesus to show us by His example, that our Father wants His creation to live a life of love, and not a life of selfishness. The message of Easter, is one of new life, new birth into a living hope, through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Jesus said ' I have come that you might have life, life in all it's fullness'.
While Peter and John ran back to their homes, Mary stood outside the tomb weeping.
As she knelt there, she saw two angels, who asked her why she was crying. "because they have taken my Lord away, and I don't know where they have put Him". Then she turned round and saw a man standing by her side. "Woman, why do you weep, who are you looking for?" She thought he was the gardener, and asked him where he had put the body of her Lord. Jesus turned to her and gently said, "Mary" she turned and instantly recognised Him. In her deepest need, she found that He was there. Jesus came to her when in utter desperation she cried out for Him.
Maybe you feel like crying out to God, "where are you." There are times in our lives when ‘Lord You seem so far away’, when in reality He’s there beside us, sharing our pain, feeling our sorrow. It’s then we need to reach out to Him, and realise His presence.
Just as the way we approach the tomb is important, so too is the way we go from it and what we do with our lives.
Where Peter and John went home, perhaps to let the truth sink in before seeing the other disciples, Mary couldn't wait, and we are told that she went to tell them that she had found, the risen Lord.
I pray that that will be our testimony this morning that we know that Jesus Christ is indeed risen from the dead. That we serve a risen Saviour who is in the world today.
How do we know? Because He lives within my heart!
I remember as a young man how on Easter morning, everybody in Idle seemed to go to Church. There were very few cars then, and as you walked to church on - you met people on the way and shouted across the street ‘He is Risen’ Hallelujah. Today, the few people who do come to church, come in cars - so sadly, the greeting is rarely expressed.
William Sangster was a pastor in London in the middle of the last century. During World War II, when Germany was trying to bomb London into extinction, Pastor Sangster ministered to the citizens who for their safety were hiding in the underground tunnels. Many were injured, all feared for their lives.
In the later days of his life Pastor Sangster suffered from throat cancer. He lost his ability to speak. He lived the last months with his daughter. On the last Resurrection Sunday that Sangster spent on earth his daughter came into the kitchen where her father was eating breakfast. He gave her a napkin on which he had written these words, "How terrible to wake up on Easter and have no voice to shout, 'He is risen!' She fled the room with tears in her eyes, while she read the words on the other side. ‘But what is far worse, is to have a voice and not want to Praise Him."
He’s not in the manger, it’s an empty stable,
He’s not on the cross, it’s an empty Cross and
He’s not in the tomb - that too is empty -
but I know a place where He would love to be - in your heart.
The Living Christ promised that if we love Him and are obedient to Him then He and the father would come and live in our hearts by the power of the Holy Spirit - WOW!
He is risen -He’s alive - He’s conquered death and offers New life to everyone who will believe on Him
New Life that begins the minute we turn our backs on the past and accept Him as our Lord and Saviour.
Ressurection life begins when we are reborn by the power of the Holy Spirit. Life that begins now and continues on into eternity.
MM 14 April 2019 Palm Sunday Bible Luke 19; 28-44
On Palm Sunday there were two main groups spectators and the participants
Those Spectators waved a palm branch - The crowds - those who show the majority viewpoint - those who are content to watch from the sidelines - have great pulling power - although they don’t want to get involved too much because it costs to get involved yet they are ones that usually have the most to say.
Then there are the participants , the key players, those who are prepared to roll up their sleeves and get on with the job in hand. - those who have counted the cost and are prepared to pay the price whatever - the disciples, Jesus’s faithful band knew that they would have to support Jesus whatever others thought, said or did. ' They had their own cross to carry
I say it every year - Its easiest thing in the world to wave a palm branch -
Its not so easy to carry your cross
Why? Because often, waving a palm branch means you are going along with the crowds, whilst carrying your cross alone means you‘re going it alone.
Jesus knew what lay ahead - this was the reason why He came - He probably would have enjoyed the journey up till now - the good times with His friends, the shared experiences - the joy of the miracles and being able to bring comfort and healing to the downcast - but now - He faces the ultimate challenge - the testing of His commitment - the real reason why He came - to go to the cross and die for the sake of people like you and me.
Imagine how He felt when He gathered His friends together and in effect said - ‘Well, this is it lads its time to go to Jerusalem - the capital - the most dangerous place - right into the hands of the power mongers - and you know from Scripture what that means.
Gone the acclaim, the popularity now He would be the ‘Despised, rejected, a man of sorrows, grief stricken - the fulfilment of the prophecy outlined in Isaiah 53
3 He was despised and rejected by mankind, a man of suffering, and familiar with pain.
Like one from whom people hide their faces But He was pierced for our transgressions,
He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on Him,
and by His wounds we are healed.
Not a pretty picture. People gathered who will mock Him, insult Him, spit on He, flog He and ultimately kill Him. Imagine what feelings of disbelief and terror would be in the minds of His disciples. Even the good news, the unbelievable that on the third day he will rise again, would’nt bring the comfort that they would need. He told them but they just didn’t understand.
It was like that a few weeks earlier when Mary and Martha had called for Jesus because Lazarus had died. They would’nt believe that Lazarus was only asleep - that He would rise again as a sign of the new life that is available to those who are willing to die to the old way of life and be born again to the new." The disciples didn’t understand - the meaning was hidden from them, they did not know what he was talking about.
Imagine how they would feel now- do we have to go? can’t we just get on with life as it is and wait till the climate changes and more people are on your side?
The truth was that they had to go - there was no turning back.
Have you ever had to get ready to go somewhere that you really didn't want to go?
That first day at a new job, the dentists, perhaps the hospital.
I guess that this was one of those days for Jesus. Up till now, His life and ministry although sometimes hard, had been very rewarding, challenging, with evidences of Gods great power. There had been lots of mountain top experiences - the next leg on the journey would be the most difficult.
He knew that in a few days time, He would be hounded like a common criminal, betrayed by one of His own disciples Judas, let down by the other disciples who had become His friends, and even the unthinkable, denied by Peter.
But He had to go - Jesus knew that this was a journey of no return, Jesus knew that it was the only way that people like you and I could have our sins forgiven and be assured of the ressurection to new life - eternal life - He had to pay the price for our sins on the cross and go to His death.
The disciples didn’t understand - but Jesus did. He knew that He was going to His death. He knew that He would be deserted - alone.
He knew that there was no going back - as the song say’s I'll not turn back, whatever it may cost, He was called to die, in order to love and save the lost,
This was the final step on a journey that would lead to the cross - this would be a terribly difficult, traumatic time - a time of testing that Jesus the man would dearly love to avoid, but He knew that He had to go through the wilderness of life to gain the victory over sin and before He could experience of the ressurection.
For the Joy that was set before Him He endured the cross and all that that meant. Hebrews 12;2
Centuries earlier, the Children of Israel had been liberated from slavery and bondage under the Egyptians. Moses came along, told them of Gods plan to set the captives free and set them on course to the promised land. Everything was great - every obstacle that man put in their path was overcome.
They walked through the Red Sea. God fed them from manna in the desert, water from the rock - it was awesome -everything seemed to be going great apart until the grumblers among them, started to moan and groan at every obstacle, and wanted to go back - what they had experienced before, that which they were slaves to was seen as better than starvation in the desert. Even though every time, God came up trumps for them, they soon got disheartened when things didn’t appear to go right for them.
As they journeyed, they came to rest in a place called Marah - the trouble was that the waters of Marah were bitter and they didn’t like it there - once again, those who only wanted the easy life had had enough and were ready to go back into the wilderness-
I wonder how many times the thought as entered your heads to say I’ll turn back - iv’e had enough. Iv’e had enough of the difficult, the dark times - doors opening and then closing - the mountain tops and then the valleys - I’ve had enough - I guess we‘ve all been there. It’s not always to stand for Christ in a world where few acknowledge Him.
What the children of Israel didn’t realise was that they were only seven miles away from the lush land of Elim - they had to go through Marah to get to Elim.
Have you ever felt like that. Life isn’t always a bed of roses - in or out of Church.
Over the last few years, many of us have had a rough time - wev’e experienced the highs, we’ve been in the valleys - we’ve tasted the bitter waters of Marah. The bitter times - the difficult times that so often blurr the joys of the victories that we have shared, the obstacles we have overcome. Some of you are experiencing times like that today.
There have been problems with health that have stopped us giving 100% . We’ve had to say goodbye to people we’ve loved as they have gone to Glory. Loved ones, friends, colleagues.
On Tuesday at Bible fellowship we read the words of James, the brother of Jesus who wrote ‘Consider it pure Joy my brothers when you face trials of many kinds at first read I don’t think many of us would have agreed with that, but thankfully he clarifies it by adding ‘because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance - in other words, the joy we feel is not in the trials but the fact that God has promised to be with us at such times and see us through so that the Joy is in knowing that we will come through stronger and better able to persever in life whatever befalls us.
Just as Jesus knew that in a couple of weeks - He would be nailed to a cross but in a few days the ultimate victory would come - that He would rise again from the ashes of pain and despair. Elim was in sight and we are told that because He knew that - He was able to endure the difficulties of the present. There was no Joy in what He knew He had to face - only in the ultimate outcome.
I guess that here at Idle we’ve had many rough times with people leaving, through choice or through sickness and for those of us who are left - the uncertainties and the doubts about the future of our fellowship have been blurred.
I believe that for those willing to stick it out and fight it through, that Elim is in sight for this fellowship , All that is needed is for Gods people to stick together and trust God for all that I believe He has in mind for this fellowship in the coming months and years.
His plans for us haven’t changed - all we need to do is retune to His frequency, stop listenning to the conflicting voices of the world and those who would try to disrupt our vision - normal service will be resumed - and I believe that the picture will be even better.
Jesus set His face towards Jerusalem, knowing the battle that was before Him.
There was no going back.
History tells us that when the Romans were set to conquer a new country they would land on the shores of the unknown unchartered territory that they wanted to claim and what did they do? They set fire to their boats - the very boats that had brought them to where they were. The boats that if they needed to and the battle got hot, there would have been a way back. They burned their boats now there was only one way and that was forward.
There was no way back if their mission FAILED - they HAD to win.
Bill Wilson, the American who saw the plight of the young people in down town Brooklyn and built an empire of volunteers willing to give up a few years of their lives to minister to them - asked some of his young workers who were training for a place in his youth team that ‘ if the going gets tough and things didn’t work out - what will you do?’ most of them gave the same answer that there would ‘always be a job waiting back home’ They had kept their options open.
As Bill Wilson shared this on TV, tears filled his eyes for he knew that unless they changed their way of thinking and put the security of the past behind them and were willing to reach out into the unknown, putting everything they had into the work that God had called them to do - they would only give second best and be more likely to quit at the first hurdle. After all, they still had the security of the known the familiar.
With that in mind, they would never be prepared to take the risks that they would have done knowing that they had nothing to loose., They hadn’t yet burned their boats.
Luke tells us that when Jesus and His disciples were walking along the road, a man said to him, "I will follow you wherever you go." Jesus replied, "Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head."
He said to another man, "Follow me." But the man replied, "Lord, first let me go and bury my father." Jesus said to him, "Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God."
Still another said, "I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say good-bye to my family." Jesus replied, "No-one who puts his hand to the plough and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God." Luke 9:57
And so Jesus set His face towards Jerusalem, knowing the battle that was before Him.
There was no going back - as He rode into the city with the tumultuous Hosannas ringing in His ears - every Hosanna was like a flame to the boat.
Hang in there - Jesus told His disciples They will mock Me, insult Me, spit on Me, flog Me and kill Me. but Hey! On the third day I will rise again."
The disciples did not understand any of this. Its meaning was hidden from them, and they did not know what he was talking about. But we do - we have the full story - Scripture reveals that that’s exactly what happened and His followers, although they too went through it - their little fellowship enjoyed new life and were the stronger for it -
as filled with the spirit they became a powerful force to be reconned with in their land.
Maybe God us telling us to stop listenning to the voices of the past and tune in to Him with the response of Samuel - ‘Speak Lord for thy servant heareth’. In other words ‘Here I am Lord - Your servant - tell me what you want me to do and I’ll do it!’
As Jesus entered Jerusalem to the tumultuous applause of the crowds, He could have been thinking - its great today but the terrors of Good Friday are still to come. But then I believe that as He hung on the cross on Good Friday He would look at the crowds and think Its Friday but you wait -Sundays coming.
Over the next few days we will be sharing the rollercoaster of emotions, the highs of today, the lows of Good Friday but then the height of Easter Sunday when He triumphed over death, sin, apathy, and brought purpose, meaning, New Life.
Jesus went through all that He did for you and me, He came to seek the lost and bring them back to the Fathers heart. This is the message of Easter - that there is New Life for those who place their trust in Jesus.
Once you give your life to Jesus - there should be no turning back - we are called to continue His work in loving the lost - whatever the cost.
MM 7 April 2019
Last Sunday, Mothers Day, we looked at how Mary the mother of Jesus commanded the disciples to do whatever Jesus told them - Obedience. This was the first miracle that Jesus did at the beginning of . Today we will look at the last miracles Jesus did nearing the end of His earthly ministry.
This was around the week before Jesus went to Jerusalem the day we will celebrate next Sunday - Palm Sunday
Read Luke 18;- 31 Jesus took the Twelve aside and told them, “We are going up to Jerusalem, and everything that is written by the prophets about the Son of Man will be fulfilled. He will be delivered over to the Gentiles. They will mock him, insult him and spit on him; they will flog him and kill him. On the third day he will rise again.” The disciples did not understand any of this. Its meaning was hidden from them, and they did not know what he was talking about.
A Blind Beggar Receives His Sight 35 As Jesus approached Jericho, a blind man was sitting by the roadside begging. When he heard the crowd going by, he asked what was happening. They told him, “Jesus of Nazareth is passing by.” He called out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”
Those who led the way rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” Jesus stopped and ordered the man to be brought to him. When he came near, Jesus asked him, “What do you want me to do for you?” “Lord, I want to see,” he replied.
Jesus said to him, “Receive your sight; your faith has healed you.” Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus, praising God. When all the people saw it, they also praised God.
I can’t begin to imagine how Jesus would be feeling at this time of His life - knowing that in a couple of weeks time He will be arrested, tortured and nailed to a cross.
The gospels reveal to us the feelings of Jesus that acknowledge the fact that whilst he was fully God incarnate with all the spiritual powers and authority of Yahweh- He was also fully man and so, like us, shared our feelings of sadness, fear, and pain.
Jesus the miracle worker who healed the sick, cast out demons, raised the dead - here we see Jesus the man who knew that He would be facing death in the next couple of weeks - not just going to die but to suffer pain, torture, humiliation not for anything that He had done wrong but take the punishment for mankind's sin upon Himself so to bring forgiveness to you and me.
What would you and I do if we knew we hadn’t long for this earth. I think we would do some of the things that Jesus did. He would make and effort to see His friends, to reassure those closest to Him that whilst He didn’t look forward to what was going to happen to Him, and was fearful about the pain and suffering that He had been called to endure - He didn’t fear death itself as He was going to Heaven - back to the Father to live in eternity. We will hear more about this next week when we look at the last Supper that Jesus shared with His beloved disciples and again told them He was leaving.
Jesus was reaching the end of His earthly ministry which was to bring man back to the truth about God and their relationship with Him. Jesus wanted to make sure that the church of His day would take a good look at itself and see how far removed it had become from it’s first love and had become a self centred community that was more interested in worldly things such as money , fame and success. That’s why, as we will read next week, He repeats what He had done at the beginning of His ministry when He went into the Synagogue and declared who He was - the promised Messiah who had come in fulfilment of Gods promise through the old prophets like Isaiah. - next week at the end of His ministry He would enter the Synagogue and show them Gods anger at what they had become by overturning the tables of the money lenders etc.
Jesus would be feeling rather down at the events that were to come in the next week or so - we know that by the prayer He makes in the Garden of Gethsemane before the soldiers come and arrest Him. Father if there is any other way p please take this cup of suffering from Me’. Here we see the natural outpouring of the heart of Jesus the man - It reassures me that Jesus, the embodiment of God knows exactly what we feel like when we face difficult times in our lives - God cares about you and me - He shares our pain and promises to be with us through it all and will see us through.
Jesus knew that this was His mission - to take the punishment for our sins so that once and for all we could be forgiven and reconciled back to the heart of the Father. Jesus had come to seek and to save those who had come under the authority of the evil one and set them free - release them from his grip and give them new life now and eternal life in the hereafter.
Lets read what happened on His way back to Jerusalem.
Read Luke 19;1-10 Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy. He wanted to see who Jesus was, but because he was short he could not see over the crowd. So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way. When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today.” So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly.
All the people saw this and began to mutter, “He has gone to be the guest of a sinner.” But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.”Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”
This is the first and only time that we hear about Zacchaeus - the very little man we used to sing about who so much wanted to see Jesus that he climbed into a sycamore tree to get a good view. Amazingly Jesus saw him and called him down by name saying He wanted to go to his house and stay there - Wow - Jesus knew his name - even wanted to go to his house and share with him there - that what you mean by being called - Jesus knows each one of us and sees deep into the depth of our hearts and knows the desires we have there.
He knows why you have came here this morning - He knows you by your name - He can see into the hidden depth of your heart - and just as with Zacchaeus, Jesus wants to come into your life today - He wants to go home with you and share with your family - He wants to be IN your life and make a difference to it. Jesus knew that Zacchaeus was there and knew that Zacchaeus was there because he wanted to see Jesus for himself and made the effort to see Him.
Everyone was amazed because they knew that Zacchaeus was a sinner who cheated people out of money in his role as tax man - But this was the kind of person that Jesus had come to save and set free - Zacchaeus was singled out by Jesus - who called him by name and told him how much He wanted to save him and his household. Jesus called Zacchaeus and Zacchaues responded in the only way man can when called by Jesus - he repented of his past sins and said he would make amends and pay the ones he had robbed back fourfold.
The response of Jesus was Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”
This is why Jesus came - that what He had said in that first visit to the Synagogue when He began His ministry.
Luke 4; 18,19 The Spirit of the Lord is on Me, because he has anointed Me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent Me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour
Freedom for the prisoner ( prisoner to sin) - Jesus did that for Zacchaeus,
He came to give good news to the poor ( certainly the tax payers would be pleased) but this refers to the poor in Spirit and what we read earlier - sight to the blind - (in this case the spiritualy blind)
Remember what Jesus said to the blind Bartimaeus, “Receive your sight; your faith has healed you.” Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus, praising God. When all the people saw it, they also praised God
In these two occasions before His return to Jerusalem to face His accusers, Jesus, set Zacchaeus the prisoner to sin free and gave Sight to the blind Bartimaeus two of the things He said at His first sermon in the Synagogue when He began His ministry.
Jesus ministry was to bring the truth of how God wanted His people to respond to Him and one another - in love for Him and one another and begin to live unselfish loving caring compassionate lives in obedience to His word.
Just like today the word of God had been diluted, changed to fit mans ideas - the devil had crept in and was taking over mans mind and corrupting the truth. That’s why at the beginning of His ministry the first pace Jesus went to was the Temple to declare that He was the promised Messiah who had come to set the prisoners free and offer new life to those who accepted His message. That’s why one of the last places Jesus visited when in Jerusalem will again be the Temple - this time to show the righteous anger of God on a people who had turned His Fathers house into a den of thieves.
My heart goes out to Jesus at this time in ministry - the time has come for the ultimate sacrifice to be made that will bring freedom to those held in sins grip and sight to the spiritually blind - Jesus was about to give His life to set mankind free.
Mankind, that is, that responds to His message and invitation to acknowledge their sinfulness and ask forgiveness - there is no other way - Jesus paid the price but in order for us to gain from this we have to acknowledge our sins, seek and accept forgiveness and desire in our hearts to love Him and live in obedience to His word.
Easter is that time - we have eggs to remind us that through the sacrificial love of God for each one of us - New birth -that what the eggs represent - New birth is available for us all through the sacrificial love of God as seen in Jesus and all mankind has to do is respond to the reason for the season - Forgiveness and reconciliation in the name of Jesus Christ for each one of us.
Lets make sure that this Easter is a notable and special one in our lives as we respond to the love of God as seen in Jesus who went through the most unbelievable pain to pay for our forgiveness.
That was the only way that God could make mankind see that their sins could be forgiven as it was the custom then for man to bring a sacrificial lamb - and innocent lamb to the altar to be sacrificed by the priest - that was the way they accepted it could be done - and God made it possible through Jesus Christ. As I said earlier I can’t begin to understand what Jesus knows He is going to have to go through for our sake - but |He did it for you and me.
At the beginning of His ministry, Jesus set the scene and proclaimed who He was and the purpose of His coming which was to set the oppressed free - those who were captive to satans evil ways - and to bring sight to the blind -to open their spiritual eyes to see Gods purpose for their lives.
At the end of His ministry on earth, Jesus fulfilled the promises He had made at the beginning - Only God in Christ Jesus could do that.
There was no other good enough to pay the price of sin
He only - Jesus - could unlock the gates of Heaven and let us in
Make this Easter special in your life by accepting and responding to the sacrificial love of Jesus
Mothers Day 2019 John 2; 1- 11 The wedding at Cana
On the third day a wedding took place at Cana in Galilee. Jesus' mother was there, and Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding.
When the wine was gone, Jesus' mother said to him, "They have no more wine." "Dear woman, why do you involve me?" Jesus replied, "My time has not yet come." His mother said to the servants, "Do whatever he tells you."
Nearby stood six stone water jars, the kind used by the Jews for ceremonial washing, each holding from twenty to thirty gallons. Jesus said to the servants, "Fill the jars with water"; so they filled them to the brim.
Then he told them, "Now draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet." They did so, and the master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine. He did not realise where it had come from, though the servants who had drawn the water knew. Then he called the bridegroom aside and said, "Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink; but you have saved the best till now."
This, the first of his miraculous signs, Jesus performed at Cana in Galilee. He thus revealed his glory, and his disciples put their faith in Him.
Mary the mother of Jesus knew all about obedience. When the angel gave her the mind blowing news that she had been hand picked by God to be the mother of the long awaited Messiah, she listened, and then responded with the words 'I am the Lord's servant, may it be to me as you have said. Her response was obedience and faith in what God. In our bible reading this morning we see her encouraging His disciples to be obedient to Him too- no matter how strange His command may be.
Surprising that no where else in the gospels is this first miracle mentioned.
Our bible reading tells us of the first miracle that Jesus performed. Mary his mother and the disciples that he had only recently chosen were invited to a wedding in Cana. The wine has run out, and so Mary drew this to the attention of her son Jesus. Here is Jesus right at the beginning of His ministry, commanding ordinary, sensible people to do what would seem to be ridiculous.
But Mary knew there was something very special about Jesus, She was His mother, but also knew that He was more than just her son, He was the son of God! She trusted Him, and even though she wouldn't know what He could do about it, she wasn't afraid to ask Him.
Maybe you are in a situation that you cannot understand, and need to trust Jesus, and lean not on your own understanding, let Him take control. In contrast to the church notice board I saw that said, 'Why pray when you can worry about your problems?
Although Jesus said that it was not yet time for Him to do miracles, Mary said to the servants, 'Whatever He says to you- do it!' There were six water pots in the corner, the ones used for ceremonial washing, Jesus told the servants to fill them with water, then draw some of it off and present it to the master of the banquet to taste. I can just see the servants standing there thinking, 'He'll go barmy when he tastes it, when he realises that it's just plain water, he'll spit it out, or he'll kill us for sure.
The master drank and I can imagine that as a broad smile spread across his face and he judged it to be better than the first wine, everyone gave a huge sigh of relieve, I can just imagine Mary sitting back, a big smile on her face saying 'That's my boy'.
The main points of the story are these:
1 Mary trusted Jesus and encouraged obedience when she said to the servants 'Whatever He says to you- do it!'
2 the Servants themselves were obedient and did as Jesus commanded them
3 as a result of their obedience, they were amazed by the power, the authority of Jesus, they saw His glory and put their faith in Him.
O how we need to learn to trust Jesus. It's easy when the going is smooth, but not so easy when life is hard. Of course, before we can be obedient we have to learn to recognise Gods voice. To distinguish between the conflicting thoughts of inner self that find it easier to listen to reason, to common sense, to the dictates of our heart. That's where Mary came in, she knew her son, she knew who He was, she had been given special insight from God.
The words of the angel Gabriel would be forever ringing in her mind. Greetings you who are highly favoured .You are to give birth to a son, the Son of the most High. Any doubts that she may have had, went when Elizabeth confirmed what she had been told ' Blessed are you among women and blessed is the child you will bear. Blessed is she who hath believed that what the Lord has said to her will be accomplished.
Mary went on to become the mother of Jesus and following the further confirmation of the Shepherds and all the events surrounding His birth we are told that Mary treasured all these things and pondered them in her heart. Mary’s response was ‘be it unto me according word‘. Faith and trust that resulted in obedience. And the angel departed from her. Luke 1;38
Only believe, that's all it takes. Jesus said 'If you believe you will receive anything that you ask in prayer', Matt 21;22 When Jesus raised Jairuses daughter from the dead He said ' Don't be afraid, only believe' All the way through Mark, Jesus is telling people that the main condition of receiving is believing, having faith in God, and simply believing. This was the trade mark of Smith Wigglesworths ministry - the essence of a song he used ‘Only believe’ don’t rely on your own limited intelligence that finds it difficult to reach out for unbelievable answers to prayer - trust God and believe that in God - all things are possible to those who believe.
I stand here this morning as living proof of that - healed of a serous kidney malfunction - healed of one of the deepest cancers that should have been the death of me years ago. We have all witnessed awesome answers to prayers for healing of Christopher and baby Adam, weve all seen the result of believing prayer and Gods provision regarding the Community Hall, the roof, the chairs, the windows. Awesome!
Mary, this simple young girl, believed the unbelievable and as a result, had such a faith in her heart that she was able to encourage others to believe the impossible.
Mary is a supreme example of obedience. If only we could exercise that implicit trust that believes that whatever He says will happen, then we would be able to convince others with such an assurance that they would in turn have little doubt and believe for themselves. Only as we truly know Him can we make Him truly known. How do I know that that inner voice is God
Hannah, another of the famous mothers in the Bible, prayed for and was blessed by God with the birth of a son Samuel and in response to the favour of God, was obedient, and gave her son into His service as soon as he was old enough. Through Hannah's obedience we are able to learn the lesson of recognising the voice of God
You all know the story, Samuel slept in the next room to the wise Eli heard the voice of God, but didn't recognise it. Three times God called and it wasn't until Eli realised that it was God, that Samuel could make the proper response.
Although we need to recognise the voice of God for ourselves, sometimes, God uses others in our fellowship to identify those thoughts within us that are of God in the same way that as we have seen, Elizabeth would have helped Mary in this.
To know what He is saying, we have to listen 'speak Lord, for Thy servant heareth’
Many times people are waiting for some blinding revelation from God, yet fail to recognise that He is peaking to them every day through His word. Maybe if we listened more to what He says there, and were obedient to what He says, then He might speak to us from outside of His word.
Hearing the voice of God through His word
We already have the commands of Jesus in His word As regards our responses to each other Jesus said 'Greater love has no-one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command'
Jesus assures us that the two greatest comandments are to Love God with all your heart and love one another. As we obey this commandment, to love one another, the darkness in our lives disappears and the new light of life in Christ shines in. In His final moments before going to the cross Jesus repeated this command to love one another
'Love one another as I have loved you' John 13; 33 - 34 "My children, I will be with you only a little longer. You will look for me, and just as I told the Jews, so I tell you now: Where I am going, you cannot come. "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."
'Love one another. As I have loved you' ouch! Is that possible? That costs Lord
Be servant of all - Jesus washed His disciples feet. but that costs Lord!
Take up your cross and follow Me - but that costs too Lord!
What did Mary say? 'Whatever He says to you - do it!
What did Jesus say? Love Me, and Love each other as I have loved you, Jesus demands that we give our lives to Him and to each other. To live sacrificial lives that sees our brother and sister as being more important than self?
The trouble is that because many Christians fail to obey Him in the basic commands that He has given through His word, they fail to receive all that He has in store for them. They amble on like a crippled church when the mighty healing of God is available. What is the church waiting for? another blinding light, some out of this world experience?
Mary His mother gave the best advice - ‘Whatever He says to you do it!’
Jesus commands us to;
Love God with all Your heart Mark 12;30
Love one another as much as He loved us John 15;12
Care for others Matt 25:34-36
Live in obedience to His Word John 14;15
Don’t worry Matt 6:25-26
Have complete faith in God Mark 11:22-24
Be born again John 3;7
Let your light shine Matt 5:14;16 Go and make disciples Matt 28:19-20
Be ready for His return Luke 12:40
Watch out for false prophets Matt 7:15
What’s God saying to you today - what’s He commanding you to do?
As Mary the mother of Jesus said - Whatever it is - do it
I believe that God called me and Beryl to accept the invitation of Betty Matear to become the Commanding Officers of this Corps 24 years ago. I believe God gave me the vision to build the Community Hall next door and in being obedient to God He has blessed us. He’s provided all that we needed to do that financially and because of that, I believe that God has more in store for this place - for me and you - all of us - and all we need to do is seek to know His will for our own lives and this - His church and in obedience give our all to see it through.
Whatever He says to you - DO IT!
MM 24 March 2019
Ephesians 1;3-8 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. For He chose us in Him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in His sight. In love He predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with His pleasure and will— to the praise of His glorious grace, which He has freely given us in the One he loves. In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that He lavished on us. With all wisdom and understanding
Ephesians 1;3-8 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. For He chose us in Him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in His sight
Chosen to be holy and blameless in His sight That’s Gods desire for us all that we would be Holy and blameless in His sight by sending Jesus - the sacrificial lamb - to pay the ultimate penalty for our sins - Because it was the only way that man in those days believed you could atone for your sins by taking a sacrificial lamb to the High priest. Jesus became the sacrificial offering for our sins so that we could stand blameless before God.
In love He predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with His pleasure and will As a further display of His love, God made it possible for us to be Adopted to sonship - children of God our heavenly Father. - by providing a way for us to be born again - this time of the Spirit. God did this in accordance with His pleasure and will.
God did this for you and me through the loving sacrifice of His Son Jesus- in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that He lavished on us. With all wisdom and understanding
What a privilage is ours that God should show His love for us in such an extreme way.
God - our Father wants His creation - you and me - to become the kind of people He intended us to be in the first place but through the wiles of satan mankind went it’s own way and still does today.
But hold this awesome truth in your heart - that God loves you and me and through Christ has made us part of His family. God is our Father and if we love Him and accept the sacrificial love of Jesus we are adopted into the family of God.
This is all made clear in the verses that follow where Paul offers a prayer of Thanksgiving. In Ephesians 1;15 we have this prayer of thanksgiving for the way in which the Ephesian church had accepted the love of God, been adopted into His family and were trying as best they could to live according to the will of God. Pauls prayer was that they would be filled with the Holy Spirit in order to know God better and know with real certainty in their hearts that Gods way was best and that being obedient to Jesus - the Word made flesh - there was so much more in store for them.
They had been forgiven their past which was now dead and given new life - made alive in Christ as seen in ch 2v10 created to do good works for Him. They are now One in Christ Jesus - v 14 meaning Jews and Gentiles- a together people - born again and now family. Gods family. Members of Gods household v 19. Because of all this, in the very next chapter ( 3) we have Pauls prayer for the church.
Ephesians 3; 14-21 For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches He may strengthen you with power through His Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith.
Wow! Pauls prayer for the church in Ephesus is that they would be strengthened and empowered by the Holy Spirit right through to their inner being - completely filled with the spirit so that there would be no doubt that Jesus Christ lived in their hearts through faith.
His prayer goes on And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
This has always been one of my favourite verses - which I first read in the Living Bible following my own experience of being born again. To not just know about, but to feel and enjoy the love of Jesus that is outside our limited understanding - it surpasses knowledge that we can be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God - that filled to overflowing.
Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.
That power within us is explained further in In chapter 4; 13 where Paul talks about the way in which God builds His church by giving people in the fellowship ministerial gifts of service such as evangelists, pastors, teachers to prepare God’s people for works of service so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach the unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fulness of Christ. God is building His church using ordinary folk like you and me that’s why we are encouraged to Go deeper into the faith
Paul had a special place in his heart for the fellowship at Ephesus where he spent two years of his ministry (Acts 19:1-20). The apostle John wrote his gospel and the three letters of John in Ephesus where he lived. John had settled there along with Mary the mother of Jesus.
Ephesus was the most important city in western Asia Minor (now Turkey). It had a busy commercial harbour and was part of the major trade routes. It also boasted a pagan temple dedicated to the Roman goddess Diana known in Greek as Artemis . The local silversmiths made a lot of money making trinkets in memory of Diana who was the figurehead of a cult and when Paul started to preach the true gospel of Jesus, people turned away from the cult causing riots to start and the sale of trinkets fell dramatically. We can read about this in Acts ch 19; 23.
It was when Paul first arrived in Ephesus that he discovered twelve believers who had been baptized by John the Baptist for the forgiveness of their sins - who when asked if they had received the Holy Spirit - didn’t understand what Paul meant and when he explained, he placed his hands onthem and they receive the Holy Spirit (Acts 19:1-7).
It was while he was in Ephesus that people witnessed Paul doing miraculous things just like Jesus, healing the sick casting out demons and as a result started to turn to Christ. Paul was so successful at Ephesus that it became a centre for evangelism and the church flourished and grew = that’s why Paul wrote this letter of encouragement to them after he had left and during the time he was in prison.
It was in response to the happy time that Paul had spent in Ephesus and seen the awesome growth of the Christian Fellowship there that he wrote this letter to them and sharing with them a prayer that he made for them in thanks to God.
This prayer of Pauls has a 'trini - tare - ian' outline, in which the apostle asks that his readers may possess the strength of the Spirit v.16 the indwelling of Christ v.17, and the fullness of God v. 19.
Paul kneels "before the Father." The Father after whom "the whole family" is named. A family that includes those present and those in the heavenly realms. The Jews were known to Stand in prayer although kneeling was not unknown ( Daniel knelt before his window to pray). To kneel is an act of total submission, a solemn act of adoration. Someone once said 'Satan trembles when he sees Christians on their knees'.
Every morning I kneel at my bedside and spend time with the Lord - I couldn’t start a day without that - I pray for you all individualy by name and then ask for His presence to be within me to strengthen me with power to face whatever the day may hold.
Paul's prayer for the Ephesian Church was that out of His glorious riches, He may strengthen you with power.
The power to resist the devil and the power to glorify God.
The power needed to say No, to reject temptation, to deny satans power over us.
The power to claim the Victory, to continue the work of Jesus,
The power to glorify God in whatever way that could be accomplished.
The power that increases our faith as daily we realise the glorious presence of Christ in our hearts.
That was Pauls prayer for the Christian fellowship then but I believe that as we read it - God is making it clear to us - His people today - that He desires us to experience the same awesome presence and power that Paul talks about in his prayer for the Ephesians. In the same way today, we need the inner strengthening of the Holy Spirit to enable us to 'live the Jesus life' . In this day and age, we need all the help that we can to simply stay in tune with God, and enable us to grow and mature into His New creation.
The evil one is very subtle, he knows for instance that if he can tempt someone back into their old ways he will do. He is the one who tries to put doubt into a Christians mind. He knows how to utilise our problems to his best advantage. He knows how to kick someone when they are down.
He also knows how to spoil a fellowship by worming his way into that fellowship knowing that he will have a better chance to destroy that fellowship from within. As a Corps, we have know what it’s like to be under the subtle attack of the devil in his attempt to try and spoil all that I believe God wants to do in our Corps.
How can we safeguard against such attacks. Paul tells us that as Christians we need to be deeply rooted in the love of Jesus. As we read last week, Jesus tells us to Love God and love one another. Love is so powerful. Love is the greatest gift we could ever desire. All you need is love' the Beatles sang, how right they were. God is love! Jesus said - Greater love hath no man than this that a man lay down his life for his friends - you are my friends if you do whatsoever I command. He then went and gave His life - so that we could live. WOW!
Gods plan for His church and the Kingdom is that we should delight in the Love of God, delve deeper into the love of Jesus, be filled with His love and then go out into the world and let the love of God flow out to others. God IS love, Jesus showed the extent of Gods love by giving His life to save us. Gods plan is that we should be filled with His love so that we can show that love to the world, our world, wherever that may be.
Many churches today have folk in their fellowships who are just going along with the crowds - probably started out OK - with the intention of living in obedience to God and the honour the promises they made. Churches that once worshipped God in obedience to His word but who over the years have fallen away and whilst they may be busy in their churches are busy doing mundane things just to keep the doors open. Can’t believe that some churches and Corps have Yoga classes - In 2007 a lunchtime yoga session for staff our national headquarters in London was banned because of "irreconcilable differences" between yoga and Christianity - yet some Corps allow it.
That’s why I find sad that after all Paul wrote about the church at Ephesus we find disappointing words of caution to the church at Ephesus in in the book of Revelation where we read how John, imprisoned and exiled to a life of hard labour on the Roman penal colony at Patmos, had a Revelation from God, that forms the last book in the New Testament. In chapter 2, he writes this about the church at Ephesus I, (God) know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance. I know how you have endured hardship for My name, and have not grown weary. Yet, I hold this against you - you have forsaken your first love! This is the same church that we have been reading the great things about this morning.
They are exhorted to look back and see the difference that coming into the truth and light of Jesus, had made in their lives. The change in their lives, when they asked Jesus into their lives. The 'high' they were on - and then. V5 Remember the height from which you have fallen, and do something about it, repent, and let's get back on course. If you don't, then you face the consequences.
Sadly the same could be applied to many Christian Fellowships and Christians today - people that when they started hungered after the truth in Christ and sought the indwelling of the Holy Spirit to empower them to be Gods disciples.
People in the Army who promised to pray, to read their bibles and seek to grow in the family of God - like the Church at Ephesus did at first but then over the years busied themselves in living the way of the world and without realising they had forsaken their first love.
The great things that we have all shared this morning in Pauls letter to the Ephesians fall into the shade when we read the sad indictment of how they eventually lost sight of their first love - Jesus.
People in church today need to heed the warnings, and seek to live in complete harmony with God and one another. We have our 'pattern' our example in Jesus. Be imitators of God, therefore. as dearly loved children, and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
If only every Christian today who are meeting in churches all over the world would take an honest and careful look at their own Christian lives in the light of what we have read this morning and determined to make sure they were living in obedience to Gods word and enjoy the privilages that brings - then I believe there would be a new surge in the churches to be filled with the Spirit and become faithful witnesses to the world around us.
Ephesians 3v20 'Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen
In closing we sang - Take my life and let it be consecrated Lord to Thee
MM 17 March 2019 Li(o)ving for God
John 14; 15-21 ‘If you love me, keep my commands. And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another advocate to help you and be with you for ever – the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept Him, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him. But you know Him, for He lives with you and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. Before long, the world will not see me any more, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. On that day you will realise that I am in my Father, and you are in Me, and I am in you. Whoever has My commands and keeps them is the one who loves Me. The one who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I too will love them and show Myself to them.’
Wow! What a promise! Keep My commands - said Jesus - Live in obedience to My Word and I will ask the father to fill you with the Spirit of truth - the Holy Spirit - whoever has My commends and keeps them shows that they really love Me said Jesus and whoever loved Me can be assured that they will be loved by God.
A few weeks ago we read Mark 12; 28 where one of the teachers of the law asked asked Jesus, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?” Jesus told him “The most important one is this: Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbour as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.”
“Well said, teacher,” the man replied. “You are right in saying that God is one and there is no other but him. To love Him with all your heart, with all your understanding and with all your strength, and to love your neighbour as yourself is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.” And that from a teacher of the law.
All the way through Jesus’s life He not only taught and emphasised the way that man should strive to live in obedience to Gods word. To love God and one another - He lived it = the word became flesh in the way that Jesus lived His life. To share that same desire requires us to take self - the I - out of ‘live for God’ and replace it with O - which then says love for God. Jesus showed His love for God and mankind by giving His life on the cross to pay for mans sins. the cross. Just as God IS Love so too is Jesus - He lived showing the love of God.
I’ve said it so many time that just as we say in Yorkshire - ‘A picture speaks more than a thousand words’ that’s how Jesus lived His life and that’s how Jesus wants you and me to live our lives - honest and open to His word.
At school we had books that were full of information to teach us all kinds of subjects. History, Geography, Science - I can’t count the times I would ask a question and the teacher would say ‘it’s in the book’ havn’t you read it?
It’s amazing that we today have the book - in it we have awesome stories of how God wants us to live our lives - what His purpose is for you and me - what He wants us to know and do - ‘It’s all in the book - the trouble is that many people don’t take the time or make the effort to read it. If the quizzes on TV are anything to go by - especially when they get asked a question from the bible - people seem to know more about Coronation Street and Emmerdale than they do the Bible.
Jesus only had three years to share the good news and direct mankind into the right way to live their lives and prepare themselves for eternity - but WOW! He gave it His best. We read how Jesus promised the Holy Spirit to help man to begin to understand the ways of God and empower him to live his life in obedience to the will of God. The Holy Spirit who will lead man into all truth and empower and enable man to fulfil what God wanted him to do which is to share the good news with others.
Over the last few weeks we have seen how Jesus, when He reached 30 embarked on His ministry after being filled with the Holy Spirit and sent into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.
In Luke 4;14 Luke tells us that the first things Jesus did after leaving the wilderness was to Galilee to the Synagogue to teach people the right way and how everyone praised Him. He then went to Nazareth where He had been brought up and on the Sabbath day went to the synagogue there - as was His custom - and there He stood up and read from the prophet Isaiah who all through the book of Isaiah heralds the Messianic age - Jesus read the part that heralded the coming Saviour that they had all been waiting for. In our Bibles it’s Isaiah 61.
A Saviour who preached good news, a Saviour who would bring freedom for prisoners of sin, sight for the blind and freedom for those oppressed. A Saviour was coming who would proclaim the year of the Lords favour - I can just see the face of Jesus as after He had read Isaiahs prophesy - I can just imagine the face of Jesus lifting His eyes from the pages of the scroll and handed it back to the attendants. I can just see Him turning His gaze and looking straight at the congregation and saying - today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing - in other words - Here I am - I’m the one you’ve been waiting for all these years.
At first the congregation were amazed and all spoke well of Him - that was until He turned the challenge back to them by saying the trouble is no prophet is is accepted in His home town - and that’s where He was - the place He had been brought up in.
They were furious when He said that and drove Him out of their town - took Him to the brow of a hill with the intention of throwing Him off the cliff - but he walked straight through the crowds and went on His way. Jesus then went to Capernaum and again - on the Sabbath began to teach the people - who were amazed at His teaching because He spoke with authority.
Luke tells us that there was a man there who was filled with an evil spirit who challenged Jesus - ‘what do you want of us - have you come to destroy us’ that was the evil one speaking through man and just like satan in the wilderness showed that he knew exactly who Jesus was when he said ‘I know who you are - you’re the Holy One of God’ Wow - no wonder when the people heard this - we are told that they were amazed and realised that Jesus not only spoke with authority but His actions showed the power that He had was from God as they watched Jesus cast the evil spirit out of the man.
Jesus went on to heal many and gain disciples who began to follow Him and learn from Him. WOW! It’s all here in the book - everything mankind needs to know about life and how God wants His creation to live in Peace, harmony and love with God and each other.
Jesus had just three short years to spread the truth around and get rid of the false teachings and hypocritical way that those who should have known better, the Pharisees and teachers of the Law.
Jesus came to offer forgiveness for mankind by paying the ultimate price - death on the cross - but more than that - He not only brought forgiveness but the further blessing of being filled with the Holy Spirit - just as He had been when the Spirit of God decended upon Him when He was baptised by John in the River Jordan.
Jesus didn’t need to be cleansed from sin by John - he was sinless - He did it as an example for us to follow to be forgiven and cleansed of our sinfulness. He didn’t need to be filled with the Holy Spirit because He Himself was the embodiment of God - He did it to show us that we too needed to be cleansed of our sin and filled with the Spirit to enable us to become Christ-like - more like Jesus.
Jesus emphasised this when He talked to Nicodemus who was a Pharisee and a member of the Jewish ruling council. Nicodemus, who came to Jesus under the cloak of darkness - the night - and acknowledged that he knew Jesus was a teacher who had come from God as the miraculous things that Jesus did proved that.
John 3; Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, no one could perform the signs you are doing if God were not with him.”
3 Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.” “How can someone be born when they are old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely they cannot enter a second time into their mother’s womb to be born!” Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”
9 “How can this be?” Nicodemus asked. “You are Israel’s teacher,” said Jesus, “and do you not understand these things? Very truly I tell you, we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, but still you people do not accept our testimony. I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things? No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven—the Son of Man. Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes may have eternal life in Him.”
Then the most well remembered words from the bible 16 For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him.
Born again - I love that truth - A second chance at life - Born or the Spirit and God is our Father. It all hinges on our desire to love God and one another and live in obedience to the word of God. Love Him with all your heart - live in obedience to His Word - be filled with the love of Jesus so much that it shows - to let go the past and claim new birth.
‘Born of the Spirit’ - our second hymn this morning was ‘Heaven came down and Glory filled my soul’ we sing it because we know its true. ‘Born of the Spirit with life from above into Gods family divine - justified fully through Calvary’s love’ WOW! And because of that ‘I have a future in heaven for sure’
That’s what Jesus told His disciples at that last supper before He left them and went to the cross. He then went on to say; John 14 Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. 4 You know the way to the place where I am going.”
Thomas said to him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?” Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you really know me, you will know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.”
Philip said, “Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us.” Jesus answered: “Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? Don’t you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you I do not speak on my own authority. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work. Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the works themselves.
Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.
Some of the Pharisees and teachers of the Jewish law could see from the evidence of the miraculous things Jesus did that He had been sent by God. We read earlier how Nicodeamus said Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one could perform the signs you are doing if God were not with Him.”
As the Bible reading we started with - John 14 -tells us that Jesus told His disciples that it they loved Him and lived in obedience to His word then He would come and live within them by the power of the Holy Spirit and enable them to continue to work that Jesus had begun - through them.
Finally - when Jesus commissioned His disciples to go and continue the work of reconciliation that He had begun He told them this; Matthew 28; 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
Go and make disciples - bring them to accept the teachings of Jesus - the need to be forgiven and be filled with the Holy Spirit to enable them to live in obedience to the teachings of Jesus - do that and be assured that I will be with you.
From leaving the wilderness and beginning His ministry by declaring to Gods people that He was the Messiah they had been waiting for who would bring Gods people out of bondage to man made rituals and set them free by paying the ultimate price for their sins on the cross - Jesus showed mankind that they could have a fresh start in Kingdom terms by accepting Him as Saviour. Love God and one another and desire in their hearts to live in obedience to His word - by being born again and filled with the same Spirit that empowered Him to live the life He did.
That’s our privilage and responsibility in the world today - to know and love God - to live in obedience to His Word and to share that love with others - do that and be assured that God will be with you throughout your whole life.
We are not alone in this - Jesus promised to come and live within us to empower us to share His love with others so that they and we become like Him.
God calls us to come and really know Him and His word to enable us and equip us to share His love with others and bring them into the truth. That’s what Jesus did and what He called His disciples to do - and that’s exactly what He expects us to do
We closed with the hymn Lord I come to You
MM 10 March 2019 Matthew 4; 1-11
Lent is a solemn religious observance in the Christian calendar that begins on Ash Wednesday and ends approximately six weeks later, before Easter Sunday. The 40 days ( not counting Sundays) represent the 40 days Jesus spent in the wilderness prior to beginning His earthly ministry following His Jordan river experience.
The purpose of Lent for the believer serves as a time of preparation for Easter through prayer, self examination a Spiritual check and affirmation of our faith.
During Moses' life he lived forty years in Egypt and forty years in the desert before God selected him to lead his people out of slavery when they spent 40 years in the wilderness. Moses was also on Mount Sinai for 40 days and nights, on two separate occasions (Exodus 24:18, 34:1 - 28), receiving God's laws. He also sent spies, for forty days, to investigate the land God promised the Israelites as an inheritance (Numbers 13:25, 14:34). The prophet Jonah powerfully warned ancient Nineveh, for forty days, that its destruction would come because of its many sins. The prophet Ezekiel laid on His right side for 40 days to symbolize Judah's sins (Ezekiel 4:6). Elijah went 40 days without food or water at Mount Horeb. Abraham tried to bargain with God to NOT destroy Sodom and Gomorrah if forty righteous people were found (Genesis 18:29). God flooded the earth by having it rain for forty days and nights (Genesis 7:12).
The number Forty is mentioned 146 times in Scripture, and generally symbolizes a period of testing, trial or probation.
Lent is the time we remember the time that Jesus was led into the wilderness to be tested by satan before His earthy ministry began. - For Jesus it certainly was a time of testing and preperation for what lay ahead. Jesus was tempted by the devil not just three times, but MANY times during the 40 days and nights he fasted just before his ministry began.
As I said earlier, the purpose of Lent for you and me today serves as a time of preparation for Easter through prayer, self examination a Spiritual check an affirmation of our faith and re-dedication. I thought it was great last week at the close of the meeting when we brought our gifts of self-denial to the altar, when some of us knelt at the mercy seat at the feet of our Father God to feel His presence.
Lent, is the time when Christians should take stock of their lives, and if necessary, take the remedial action to bring themselves back on course. David the psalmist realised the importance of taking stock when he wrote Psalm 139, " Search me, O Lord and know my heart, test me and know my anxious thoughts, see if their is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting ".
This morning, we have seen Jesus, on the verge of his earthly ministry, that of putting man back on course, to bring forgiveness, reconciliation with the Father. To offer a new life style, abundant life, life in all it's fullness. To bring man back to the Fathers heart and for this, He was prepared to give His own life.
God in Jesus, wanted to show man that his rituals, his vain oblations, his outward show, his attempts to appear religious, was not what God wanted. God wanted His creation to be honest with Him about themselves. What the Father requires, is that His children be obedient to His will, and seek to honour Him by 'producing fruit that is in keeping with repentance'. Lives that, as Peter put it, "declare the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His glorious light".
John the Baptists had been faithful in his preparation for the coming Messiah, and now, here was that very man, Jesus. John had given him the big build up, and now Jesus asked to be baptised by John, not for forgiveness, for Christ was sinless, but rather to identify with man, and show him the need for repentance. This baptism was symbolic of a much greater reality, that man could be completely cleansed of his sins through the atoning sacrifice of Jesus on the cross. This baptism was but a shadow of the reality of true repentance.
In the Salvation Army we kneel at the penitent form - confess our need to repent of all our wrongs and rise from there forgiven. It’s also a place to recieve empowering, equipping and enabling us for future service and feel the presence of Almighty God.
As I said earlier, Lent is a time to take stock, to stand back and honestly look at ourselves and our relationship to God. A time to assess our progress, our commitment to God. A time for those who have already committed their lives to God and promised to live according to His will to ask themselves if they have been true to those promises, and if not - to repent and resolve to try again?
As we read the story of the commissioning of Jesus, we have a perfect example of the way in which the devil tries to trip us up, to go back on our commitment, by tempting us, by making us question the faith. He puts doubts in our minds, makes us question the importance of observing some of the promises we made, are they important, surely the observance of the Sabbath day isn't important, surely we live in more enlightened times.
Jesus was led into the wilderness to be tempted. A time when the strength of a mans convictions would be tested. In this Jesus identified with mankind, in this Jesus showed how by knowing the word of God, one could be victorious in defeating Satan.
Satan threw the book at Jesus and each time Jesus hurled it back to reveal the truth to satan.
The Israelites in the Old Testament, were, because of their own disobedience, led through the wilderness for 40 years, during which time God tested them. Now Jesus was allowed to be tempted by the ruler of this world, for 40 days to show that by obedience to the word of God, one could stand against the devil.
We all go through wilderness experiences which reveal the depth of our faith. If we know the word of God, then we know that He is with us, and that He gives us the strength to cope, and the peace needed to see us through.
Often, just after conversion, and indeed throughout our lives, the evil one of this world tries to tempt us back into our old way of life, by hitting us in our weak spots, which are often the very things in our lives we tried to give up. We need to make him aware that we are under new management! Born again of the Spirit - God is our father - Jesus lives within us and now have the inner strength of the Holy Spirit.
When Jesus was tempted, He was prepared, He fasted, and although He was hungry, He stuck out, and resisted the temptations that the devil put His way. Satan challenged Jesus to turn stones into bread to which Jesus replied ‘It is written, man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of God’ .
The word of God is the Christians vital source of spiritual food, without it we die. The old self was satisfied by a different craving, the wrong desires that we hungered for, and be sure that the devil will use those desires to tempt us. As Christians we know the truth of what Jesus tells us when He said " I am the bread of life, He who comes to me shall never hunger". John 6; 35 The result of Jesus standing firm against the evil one was that the devil left Him, and scripture tells us "and the devil left Him, and the angels came and attended Him".
WOW we can learn a lot from this episode in the life of Jesus who before He embarked on His lifes mission needed to spend those 40 days in the wilderness to be strengthened and prepared for all that lay before Him.
We need to pray the prayer of David the Psalmist as related in Psalm 139;1-10, and 23, 24 You have searched me, Lord, and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; You perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; You are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue You, Lord, know it completely. You hem me in behind and before, and You lay your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain.
Where can I go from Your Spirit? Where can I flee from Your presence? If I go up to the heavens, You are there; if I make my bed in the depths, You are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there Your hand will guide me, Your right hand will hold me fast. 23 Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.
What a powerful and honest prayer that is. I pray that over the next few weeks leading up to Easter, we may take an honest look at our own lives, and if needed, take the necessary steps to make sure that we are living according to His word, and the promises we made. Lent - a time of self awareness and affirmation of our faith and commitment
Just as Jesus prepared for what He would have to face at Easter - I pray that we will make sure that our lives are in step with our Lord and we are ready, available and equipped to love Him and serve Him whatever obstacles we may be called to face in the days that lie ahead.
We are living in difficult times as far as the Christian Church is involved. A time when the devil is testing the Christian faith and sneaking false teachers into our fellowships to question what the bible really says and move away from the truth by accepting worldly unbiblical ungodly ideals. The church is in the wilderness with many falling prey to the deciet of the devil. We need to be careful and hold to the truth.
As the Psalmist David reminds us and as we read last week, if we love God then Nothing - can separate us from the love of Christ? Trouble, hardship even persecution No, in all things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that nothing will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. The very last words Jesus shared with His disciples before going to the cross was - If you love me, keep my commands. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. John 14; 15-17
We close with the Hymn ‘Search me O God’ - make the prayer of David your prayer this morning 23 Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.
Sunday 3 March 2019 Self Denial Sunday
Last week we talked abut the Love of God and how awesome it is to know that God loves us each one - our Father -in Heaven - God Almighty loves us all.
We read Romans 8; 28-39 where Paul shares to the fellowship in Rome that we can know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose. As His children we can know with real certainty whatever we might be going through in our daily lives - God has promised to be with us because He loves us.
Paul further shares that God loves us so much that He wants us to take the example of Jesus and in our daily living seek to become like Him. For those God foreknew He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. And those He predestined, He also called; those He called, He also justified; those He justified, He also glorified.
He called us and made it possible for us to know Jesus not only by reading about Him in His word but also through prayer knowing Him personally .
We looked at the awesome truth that God made it possible in Christ for mankind to not just to be aware of their sinfulness but to be able to claim forgiveness through the sacrificial love of Jesus who has paid for our sins and given us new birth. Born Again.
And it doesn’t stop there as all through our lives, He continues to perfect us and make us more like Jesus. We have been singing that song - God’s still working on me - all week and it’s so true.
Paul then asked his audience in Roman 31 What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but gave Him up for us all—how will He not also, along with Him, graciously give us all things? Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us.
He then concludes with a great comforting truth that because of Gods love - Nothing can separate us from the love of Christ? Trouble, hardship even persecution No, in all things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. As we sing, It’s so high you can’t get over it, so low you can’t get under it, so wide you can’t get round it - O wonderful Love
We looked at the importance of ourselves having the same love within us for God and for one another - the first two positives that Jesus commended as being the most important of the commandments. Love God and love one another.
Gods intention is that those who choose to accept Jesus as their Saviour would desire to be conformed to the image of his Son, and by accepting His offer of salvation and by spending more time with Jesus become Christ like.
We are called to love God and one another and that by fixing our eyes on Jesus He will empower and enable us to become the person He intended us to be
On Tuesday night in our Bible fellowship we looked at 1 John 4; 7-21 where John further explores the meaning of this great and awesome love that God, in Christ Jesus has for us and how we should endeavour to have that same sacrificial love for one another. This is about real family love where we care about one another.
John, was the writer of the gospel of John as well as the three letters 1vJohn, 2vJohn and 3 John as well as the last book of the New testament Revelation. John, like John the Baptist, was related to Jesus. He was a first cousin of Jesus - his mother was Salome, Mary‘s sister. John the Baptists mother - Elizabeth was Mary’s cousin.
Lets read 1 John 4:7-21 I’m reading it from the King James Version. 7 Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love. In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us, and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.
12 No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and His love is perfected in us. Hereby know we that we dwell in Him, and He in us, because He hath given us of His Spirit. And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world. Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in Him, and he in God. And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him. Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as He is, so are we in this world. There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love. We love Him, because He first loved us. 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?
And this commandment have we from Him, That he who loveth God love his brother also.
That’s real family love - the love of the Father is seen in His children -1 John 3 begins How great is the love the Father has lavished on us that we should be called Children of God - and that’s what we are! - what we shall be has not yet been made known but we know that when He appears - we shall be like Him. Whoever loves God must also love his brothers and sisters
On Tuesday we looked at some of the ways that love is expressed like in ch3 v16-18
This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters.
A few years ago we were privileged to see and hear the testimony of the life of a great lady called Jackie Pullinger. In her teenage years, she had little interest in God and it wasn’t until she went to university that she befriended other girls who in their spare time went to Bible Class and invited Jackie to go with them. Because of their friendship she went with them. Amazingly she recalled how what they studied began to have a great impact on her life and eventually she accepted Jesus as her own Lord and Saviour - a further proof of the influence of other friendly Christians - As she began to get to know Jesus personally, she was influenced by His love and unselfish sacrificial life and decided to put her own ambitions on hold to seek Gods will for her life - this led her to ask God what He wanted her to do with her life.
She felt that God wanted her to do missionary work but when she applied to the Society in London she was refused help. Still determined to do what she felt God was calling her to do she shared how God told her to buy a ticket for China - get on the boat and wait until He told her where to get off. She obeyed and ended up in the walled city of Kowloon - where she met men and women who were captives to prostitution and drugs.
She started Bible classes there and started to influence the gang leaders and their brothel holders to give up their sinful lives and turn to God for their salvation. This they did - amidst the fiercest of opposition. Jackies persistence won through and through her work hundreds have come to the Lord.
Following the Lords direction, she laid down her life for the sake of her brothers and sisters in Kowloon. What an awesome testimony.
Some of us have been privileged to watch a video of her story and watch as group of young converts sang their thanks to God for setting them free with the song ‘Give thanks with a grateful heart’
Our bible reading goes further by saying; If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth. That’s Love in action -
That takes great courage and determination - to give our lives into the service of God and to be prepared to share what we have with others less fortunate than ourselves. To love in action not just words.
This morning in our self denial offering we have the opportunity to give to help our brothers and sisters in other parts of the world - I hope you see this as an opportunity to show your love to them.
One of the recipients of what we give, is the Salvation Army school for the blind in Kingston Jamaica.
We were given a leaflet that shared what a difference you and I can make in the lives of the blind children there. They have marvellous typewriters that don’t just type the words in print but as raised dots- braille - so that they can be read the children can send letter to their friends and loved ones. We were given a message from a girl called Suen - it was written in Braille and we were given the braille alphabet to decipher what she wrote. I wonder if you read it -
She wrote ‘I want to say thank you for all of your wonderful help. We are all so happy to know that you are with us’
One of the last things Jesus shared with His disciples before He went to the cross was this “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another John 13:34-35 (NIV) The scripture verse on the envelope is from Hebrews 13;16 Do good and share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.
Next Wednesday the 6th of March is the first day of Lent the period of 40 days which comes before Easter in the Christian calendar. Beginning on Ash Wednesday, Lent is a season of reflection and preparation before the celebrations of Easter. By observing the 40 days of Lent, Christians replicate Jesus Christ's sacrifice and withdrawal into the desert for 40 days.
As well as coming to the front to lay our gifts on the altar I also see this as an opportunity to use it as a time of re-dedication and commitment to God - maybe by keeling at the foot of the cross - our mercy seat. This is where I knelt to give my life to Jesus as a 7 year old boy and then 30 years later knelt here and was baptised in the Holy Spirit.
I think it sad that in many places the Mercy seat is not even recognised as a special place to kneel and receive Gods blessing and empowering for our Christian lives.
In Most churches people make the effort to go and kneel at the front to receive communion - in other churches, the wine and the bread are brought to them in their seats - in the Salvation Army we - like the People in the Old testament have a mercy seat.
The Hebrew mercy seat was the top or lid of the ark of the covenant that contained the ten commandments - it was seen as a place of atonement - a place to go to recieve forgiveness from God and a place where the spirit of the Lord could be felt. Our Father God wants to come and live within the hearts of His people, you and I and this was the place ( the mercy seat) where that happened for me those 40 years ago.
I love verse 12 of our Bible reading - it says it all - its so awesome to know that even though No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and His love is perfected in us. Hereby know we that we dwell in Him, and He in us, because He hath given us of His Spirit.
If we love one another - really love one another and extend that love to the rest of Humanity - then God lives in us and His love is perfected - manifested, grows, matures in us enabling us to become Christlike. That’s what Church is all about - it’s the living body of Christ in the world today.
It’s wonderful to be able to share with one another and as we do - see and feel the awesome presence of God in our midst.
There’s a lovely Yorkshire expression that we use when we say that we are gradually getting to accept and love something we say ‘ it’s are growing on me’. I believe that as we seek to know Him more - then Gods love not only grows on us but grows within us and should be able to be seen and experienced by those we share our lives with, our loved ones at home and each other here in the family of God. My prayer is that we will make every effort to let that love grow and be felt in our fellowship.
At the close of our meeting, our Self Denial giving took place and we sang the consecration hymn ‘Take my life and let it be’ as people brought their gifts to the altar It was lovely to see five of them place their gifts on the altar and then knelt in prayer at the mercy seat. - Thank You Lord
Sunday 24 February 2019 Fix your eyes on Jesus
Last week we read of the mighty men of the Bible who lived by faith and with that faith accomplished great things. We also looked at great men who since Bible times have continued to live in Faith and made a big impact on the way that we live our Christian lives today.
We looked at Pauls letter to the Hebrews where he wrote Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. This is what the ancients were commended for. Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.
Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfector of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.
In todays world mankind has taken his eyes off Jesus and looks rather to the things of the world. Success is seen in financial terms, Ambition is set more towards the empowering and enriching of self. People set their eyes, their goal on anything but Jesus. The world is motivated by greed and selfishness. We see that in both the political commercial arena.
The world needs to take it’s eyes off self and look to Jesus - the author and perfector of our faith who as scripture reminds us was willing to give His life on the cross to show the extent of His love and concern for each of us and because of His unselfish sacrificial love awaits our response - seated at the right hand of the throne of God - waiting for us to respond to His example and in looking to Him -one day to be with Him in Glory.
Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. By looking away from the world and setting our eyes and goal on Jesus we will begin to know what it is like to really know Christ and not just about Him which is sadly what happens in so many Christian circles these days.
To fix your eyes on something is to make it your goal - your desire is to claim it for yourself no matter how difficult that goal may be to achieve - you are determined to reach it.
That’s what our response as Christians should be today - to fix our eyes on Jesus and seek to live our lives in gratitude for His sacrificial love for us.
With this in mind lets turn to Romans 8; 28-39
28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose. For those God foreknew He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. And those He predestined, He also called; those He called, He also justified; those He justified, He also glorified.
31 What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but gave Him up for us all—how will He not also, along with Him, graciously give us all things? Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies.
Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: “For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.” Psalm 42;22 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.
38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. It’s so high you can’t get over it, so low you can’t get under it, so wide you can’t get round it - O wonderful Love
Our bible reading started with the words ‘And’ which requires you to look further back to the previous chapter to see what it says there. In the previous chapter Paul addresses the difficulties the nation was struggling with - which was to keep true to the commandments - the Law. The commandments originally made to show man how God wanted him to live - loving God and one another - had become a stumbling block to many. Paul says in Chapter 7; 7 I would not have known what sin was except through the law - and then mentions the tenth commandment - thou shalt not covet - as being the overall problem with mankind in it’s selfish ’I want’ attitude.
Paul stresses the point that the commandments - the Law - made man aware of his sinfulness and condemned mankind but that Jesus came to show us a better way and in taking the punishment for mans sins made a way possible - through His sacrifice - to reconcile mankind back into the loving arms of a forgiving God.
Gods intention is that those who choose to accept Jesus as their Saviour would desire to be conformed to the image of his Son, By accepting His offer of salvation and by spending more time with Jesus become Christ like.
Paul is not knocking the commandments but commending them for highlighting the sinful things in mans life that unless he turns to Jesus condemn mankind. Jesus, when asked by the young teacher of the law what were the most important commandments replied - ‘love the Lord your God with all your heart and love one another’ by saying this Jesus knew that by obeying the first commandmentS - you would not be able to break the other commands.
Only last week ,Thursday, January 10, 2019 the Christian Headlines tell how a popular megachurch pastor Andy Stanley says that the Ten Commandments no longer apply to Christians today’.
My response was this ; The command of Jesus to love God and one another adds emphasis to the ten Commandments. Jesus points to the first commandment ' to love God and then adds emphasis to vs 12 to 17 of Exodus 20 by stressing the importance of love in it's proper unselfish response by loving one another - father, mother, neighbour. If you love God with all your heart and love one another then you will not be able to break the other commandments - they are a natural follow up to loving . As I see it, Jesus, in His two commands emphasised the importance of the ten commandments. Jesus was being challenged by a Pharisee lawyer to whom Jesus replied 'On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.” Matthew 22;40 and by saying that, didn't cancel the ten commandments but showed that if we honestly have love for God and one another - we cannot fail to be obediant to the ten commandments.
The first commandments tell mankind to honour, love God and one another. These commands serve to highlight the verses that follow that show man the things that prevent him from knowing and becoming Christlike.
We are called to love God and one another and that by fixing our eyes on Jesus He will empower and enable us to become the person He intended us to be - and that by so doing; 28 tells us that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose. For those God foreknew He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. And those He predestined, He also called; those He called, He also justified; those He justified, He also glorified.
Predestined - Gods intention for mankind all along was to call mankind back to Himself by sending Jesus our Saviour to be the glorious example of Godly living.
To be Conformed to the image of Jesus.
And those He predestined, He also called; those He called, He also justified; those He justified, He also glorified. Called to become Christlike and through Christs sacrifice enabled to stand before God Justified ‘Just as if I’d’ never sinned. WOW! How awesome is that? Justified by God
Paul continues 31 What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but gave Him up for us all—how will He not also, along with Him, graciously give us all things? Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies.
Forgiven If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. If we claim we have not sinned, we make Him out to be a liar and His word has no place in our lives. 1 John 1;9
How awesome to know that if we confess our sins to God He will forgive us, cleanse us and hold nothing against us We have been Forgiven and are justified by God as Jesus stands with us in the presence of God Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us.
When our time comes - Jesus will remember each one of us and be there to see that we enter Heaven 35 Who then shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?
Life is not always easy - we all know that - many of us have had to endure difficult times over the last year - trouble - hardship Thankfully Gods word assures us that at such time - God is with us - it might not seem like it - but hold on in there - it’s true.
On Friday night in the Gaither night we heard testimonies of those who are going through or have gone through the most difficult of lives but who hold on to the truth that if they hadn’t any faith in God they would not be able to cope. One of them was comedian Jeff Allen who asked the choir to sing Amazing Grace for his wife who was confined to her room dying with cancer. With tears in his eyes he shared how he was enabled to endure the suffering and pain through the Amazing Grace of God and become more than conquerors through Him who loved us.
The testimonies of the ones who shared in that video on Sunday night were as v 38 says For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Nothing - whatever we are called to go through in this life - be assured of this that Nothing can separate us from the love of God that we have come to know through Jesus our Lord.
Our final words this morning are the same as last Sunday - I trust that we will do as Paul says and fix our eyes on Jesus as we go through whatever we have to face in this life knowing that He will be with us and that nothing can separate us from the love of God -if we remain faithful to Him - and with the assurance that if we remain faithful to Him that one day we will come face to face with our Lord and hear His welcome ‘Well done thou good and faithful servant’
Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfector of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.
Whatever we are called to face remember that He is with us. A song that John Gowans wrote for the musical Hosea says this;
Don't assume that God's dismissed you from His mind,
Don't assume that God's forgotten to be kind
For no matter what you do, His love still follows you
Don't think that you have left Him far behind.
Don't assume that God will plan for you no more,
Don't assume that there's no future to explore;
For your life he'll re-design, the pattern be divine
Don't think that your repentance He'll ignore
Don't assume you cannot give what He'll demand
Don't assume that God condemns you out of hand
For He gives to those who ask His grace for every task
Don't think that God will fail to understand.
For His love remains the same, He knows you by your name,
Don't think because you failed Him He despairs
For He gives to those who ask His grace for every task,
God plans for you in love for He still cares
Prayer Song His love remains the same
Sunday 17 February 2019 Faith
Hebrews 11 Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.
This is what the ancients were commended for.
3 By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God's command, so that
what is seen was not made out of what was visible.
4 By Faith Abel offered God a better sacrifice than Cain did.
5 By faith Enoch was taken from this life, so that he did not experience death; before
he was taken, he was commended as one who pleased God.
6 Without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must
believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.
7 By faith Noah, built an ark to save his family. By his faith he condemned the world
and became heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.
8 By Faith Abraham, obeyed God and made his home in the promised land like a
stranger in a foreign country; he lived in tents, he was looking forward to the city
with foundations, whose architect and builder is God.
9 By faith ,even though he was past age. And Sarah herself was barren, was enabled
to become a father and had descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as
countless as the sand on the seashore.
17 By faith Abraham, when God tested him, offered Isaac as a sacrifice. :even though
God had said to him, "It is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned."
23 By Faith Moses' parents hid him for three months after he was born, 29 led the
Israelites from bondage to freedom, led the people through the Red Sea as on dry
land;
30 By faith the walls of Jericho fell after the people had marched round them for seven
days
31 The prostitute Rahab, because she welcomed the spies, was not killed with those
who were disobedient.
32 Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel and the prophets, conquered
kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the
mouths of lions, quenched the fury of the flames, and escaped the edge of the
sword; whose weakness was turned to strength; and who became powerful in battle
and routed foreign armies.
35 Women received back their dead, raised to life again. Others were tortured and
refused to be released, so that they might gain a better resurrection. :
36 Some faced jeers and flogging, others were chained and put in prison, stoned; sawn
in two; put to death by the sword, went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute,
persecuted and ill-treated -the world was not worthy of them. They wandered in
deserts and mountains, and in caves and holes in the ground.
39 These were all commended for their faith yet none of them receive what had been
promised. God had planned something better for us so that only together with us
would they be made perfect
Hebrews 12 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.
Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfector of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.
_________________________________
What a great list of powerful Witnesses - hundreds of them - men and women from all walks of life who were so sure of their faith that they were even willing to give their lives for what they believed in.
Paul was saying that as we have such great a crowd of witnesses let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let’s run with perseverance the race marked out for us.
Over the last few weeks we have been looking at how Jesus called His disciples to leave their past and follow Him to become like Him in His life and death and continue to bring the truth of Salvation to those around them. They came to faith in Christ Jesus and lived the faith and by so doing were able to share their faith with others encouraging them to claim that faith for themselves.
The secret is in Knowing Christ and not just about Him which is sadly what happens in so many Christian circles these days. We have a Bible full of awesome testimonies of the time Jesus was on earth - we have books that tell us of the continuing story of Faith shared in days since the Bible and right up to our modern times - men and women who inspired by God have lived lives that have changed and impacted the world we live in today. People who gained their faith in God and in living a life of faith inspire us all to keep strong in the faith and be enabled to share our faith with others.
We sing I want to serve the purpose of God in my generation Do You?
I want to give my life for something that will last forever Would You?
The Bible is full of stories of the great people of faith. For the most part, the contents of the Bible are a compilation of eye witnessed accounts whose characters are real flesh and blood like you and me.
People who bleed when cut and cry when hurt. Real people with problems, doubts, uncertainties. People who have to eat, sleep, laugh, cry - real people with ambitions, feelings, emotions, desires, needs - ordinary people with an awesome faith in God. His witnesses.
Witnesses are ordinary people who have encountered an extraordinary God.
People who have placed their faith and trust in God against all man s reasoning.
People who’s only credential is that they ‘believe in God’.
What gives them the abilities to do the superhuman things they do is a faith in an Almighty God.
Witnesses inspire others to accept the faith who in turn become witnesses themselves and so it goes on until the ones become twos and the tens become hundreds until the whole world has been exposed to the truth and have either seen or heard about a new and better way, a Kingdom of power - all through someone else’s life and experience - Witnesses are those who have experienced and want others to experience for themselves,
John 1:14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
1 John 1:1 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched - this we proclaim concerning the Word of life. The life appeared; we have seen it and testify to it, and we proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and has appeared to us. We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. We write this to make our joy complete.
In Pauls letters to the Hebrews, his list of witnesses span from the beginning of time to people nearer his own era. People of whom the world was not worthy of them. The New Testament itself continues in the same way giving account upon account of men and women who became great witnesses. The continuation of the Christian Faith is dependant to some extent on the continuation of faithful men and women who become witnesses to encourage others to embrace the faith.
In my office at home I am surrounded by over Christian 900 books, many of them about spiritual giants - all of them, witnessing to a great and Awesome God. On my book shelves the clever intellectuals stand side by side with the ordinary simple folk.
John Wesley, founder of the Methodist Church stands alongside Billy Bray the Cornish tin miner. The great teacher Charles Spurgeon is next to converted chimney sweep Elijah Cadman who began work at the tender age of five.
People from different backgrounds who have stumbled on the most exciting hidden treasures known to man. Jesus the Rock over whom some men stumble whilst others stand.
In Victorian England, and up to even when I was a lad witnesses were out on the streets, attracting the crowds with storied of changed lives and the countenance to prove it. Glory shone from their faces. The only witnesses that do that today and go round knocking on doors are the deceived ‘Jehovah’s witnesses’ and the Mormons
In the technological world in which we live today, we have more ways of hearing about Jesus than at any other time in history - Books, Video’s, CD’s the Internet - and yet churches with dwindling congregations struggle on like a grovelling caterpillar on the ground. The difference is that the caterpillar knows, because its witnessed it in other caterpillars, that one day it will fly. The Christian has all the evidence in the world to tell him he has the potential to fly if only he will believe the testimony of others and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ yet instead chooses to struggle on .
The Bible bears witness. History bears witness. Great men and women of the past bear witness - Witness to a great, glorious, powerful God.
Why then are our churches not bursting at the seams?
Why, today, are we closing more Churches than we are building?
Why then do we find it easier to convert the chapel to a carpet warehouse than a sinner to Christ.
All the books that I read shout victory through Christ. They witness to a powerful, Almighty God who ministers to people today - Whats going wrong ? Is our concept of God a God of yesterday, a God relegated to the annals of History. I hope not! Or is it that the witnesses of this age, me and you, are not as effective as the witnesses of yesterday.
It would seem that Paul had to spur the believers on with a reminder of Gods power in the same way that the greats of the Old Testament were reminded of how God had been faithful to His people in the most extraordinary ways that encouraged them to move forward in faith, leaning on the mystery of God rather than the knowledge of man.
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let’s run with perseverance the race marked out for us.
In those days they needed inspiration. When you are facing persecution and death then you need to be convinced that ‘Jesus is all that they say He is and Yes’ He is worth giving your life for that there is a better world. Thats the reason for Pauls advise when he said’ Let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Here, Paul is using the terminology of the Sports stadium that they would all be familiar with. In those days the contestants, runners, hurdlers, discus throwers, wrestlers were naked so that their was nothing to hinder them or entangle them, nothing to hold them back so that they could run the race with determined perseverance. He likens the Christian life to a race that to win takes courage and commitment. You compete because you want to win.
Physically fitness comes through exercise and eating the right kinds of foods, of being mentally at you peak. I’ve never seen a sculpure or a painting of a fat out of shape Greek athlete. Christian perfection comes when we are hungry for Gods word as food for our Souls, and exercise diligence in our prayer lives. We know that - but do we do it?
Let us throw off everything that hinders ‘to personally discard all that holds us back’ let go your fears, your apprehensions, your doubts and trust in Jesus.
Sometimes the things that prevent us moving forward as a fellowship are the things that we busy ourselves with, established programme, familiar safe comfort zones that take our time and energy. Maybe some of them need to go to allow more time to get to know God, to fix our eyes on Jesus.
What do you need to let go of? What do you need to put aside in order to run the race that is set before you? It might be, pride, jealousy, selfishness, greed, always desiring more of what you don’t really need to fill an emptiness in your life that you pretend isn’t there?
Those hidden desires, those un-confessed sins that still niggle. Those little gateways for the devil to come in and tempt us with. When you get entangled you get frustrated - you find it hard to work your way out of the net - Look to Jesus, bring them to Him and let Him deal with them.
When I read of the simplicity of the faith of a man like Smith Wigglesworth whose advice to his hearers was ‘Only Believe’ and the way in which he plugged in to the awesome power of God, raising the dead, healing the sick in their hundreds, I realise how far short I am of coming anywhere near him. Yet all the books I have bear witness to the fact that God never changes, ‘He’s the same today as yesterday’.
Smith was an uneducated Bradford plumber who at first, preferred to listen to others preach. He could neither read nor write when he married the Salvation Army Captain Polly Featherstone. At first he found married life with a woman who was being powerfully used by God, frustrating. She was out every night at prayer meetings, house fellowships, and he was at home. One night when she came in late, he threw her out the back door such was his frustration.
What he didn’t realise was that he yearned to have what she had, to know God with the intensity that she did, and when that happened, WOW! his life changed and he became a power house for God.
He was uneducated and inarticulate. He could barely put a sentence together when he spoke and yet God touched him in the same way that He touched Isaiah and Moses before him and gave him a simple elegance with words that brought hundreds to the foot of the cross. ‘Only believe’ he would cry, that’s all it takes - Wigglesworth found out that faith makes the impossible - possible. For Wigglesworth, Faith was indeed the substance of things hoped for, things not seen’ ‘ faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. This is what the ancients were commended for.
The key to unlock the power of God in our lives is faith. Thats what all the great witnesses had in common - faith. A strong and active Faith that makes sure - all the promises of God. Faith that makes us certain of things not yet seen
.
By faith these witnesses became the people God intended them to be.
By faith they became vehicles for Gods power.
By faith they saw the Glory of God.
By faith they lived lives that glorified God.
Thats all it took, an uncomplicated, childlike faith - as Smith said, ‘only believe- and because of that faith and trust, they became powerful witnesses. To have this kind of faith means that we have to put off that which holds us back - confess our sins to God and ask His forgiveness.
In Paul’s letter to the Church at Galatia. Chapter 2 verse 20 he says ‘I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. We cannot be filled with Jesus if we are too full of ourselves. For Christ to live in me means that I have to die in many ways to self. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave
Himself for me.
This morning we have read of great men and women who have been obedient to His word and in whom Christ lived by the power of the spirit. We cannot witness to that we ourselves do not know or have not seen. The greater witness of all that God is and does through those who love Him is Jesus.
Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfector of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.
When a tightrope walker sets off from one side of the Circus ring to the other, he sets his eyes on the central pole at the end of the rope. That focuses his mind and alerts his balance. The secret of balancing a stick on the tip of you finger is to fix your eyes on the top of the stick which again, alerts your balance senses.
To walk tall as a Christian, all one has to do is ‘Fix your eyes on Jesus’. That’s what Peter did when he walked on water and thats all we have to do to walk the Christian way and become good witnesses ourselves. Tomorrow, wherever you find yourself - how about becoming a witness for Jesus
MM 10 February 2019 Read Luke 5 17-32
Last Sunday we looked at how Jesus called His first disciples to leave their nets and follow Him, and from His example and teaching, learn how to live better lives and through a spiritual rebirth become more like Him and transformed to be able to continue the work that Jesus had begun, which was to wake mankind up and make them aware of how God wanted and intended them to live their lives by repenting of their sins, and claim salvation through Jesus.
We looked at the importance then of personal contact between the born again Disciples and people around them and the way in which Jesus equipped them to be able to influence others to accept Jesus as their Lord and Saviour. I said then that that’s what God wants us - His Church - the Body of Christ to do today, by Christians living lives in line with the gospel Of Christ and sharing our faith with others around and so continue to help build the Kingdom of God.
We looked at the difference that sharing our testimonies with others influences them to find our more about the living reality of Jesus. I myself was influenced by the powerful faith of our then, new officer, Lieutenant David Murden who I believe was sent by God to show me that even though I had grown up in the Salvation Army, taken part in all their activities even becoming bandmaster that although I new all about Jesus, I didn’t really know Him.
In hospital, failed operation, Kidneys not working, attached to a kidney machine - all ready to go down for another operation in the morning to see if they could do anything more for me - David saw my predicament, layed hands on me - prayed for healing and the very next morning I awoke to the silence of a turned off kidney machine - the operation had been cancelled - the nurses said they couldn’t explain it but that my kidneys had started to function again - WOW - My prayer was ‘I want to know You Lord like David does. The same prayer that Paul said in Philippians 3;10-14. I couldn’t wait to get back home, kneel at the penitent form and receive the Holy Spirit of God into my life. All through the faith of another - David Murden.
David is the founder of the And Albert Foundation based in Beverley and works tirelessly to cultivate fare trade between Africa and Britain - his son Simon worked alongside him. Tragically Simon was shot dead by the Beverley police in 2005 when he was mistaken as having a gun in his hands when the police stopped him on the motorway - it was an African sword. They shot him 6 times. David and his mother Dorothy were devastated but David continued to do his work in Africa which has grown phenomenally.
Last week we looked at the lives of modern day celebrities who through the influence of other Christians their lives were dramatically changed to become like the first disciples - witnesses for Jesus and spend their time and energy proclaiming the truth of the gospel all around.
People like comedians Bobby and Tommy Ball, Limbless Nick Vucicic and David Ring born with Cerebral Palsy and how God was using them today to minister to hundreds.
I closed last week by saying that God calls us all to follow Him. Know Him and through bible study and prayer equip us to become true effective disciples with a passionate desire is to share our faith with others around. When God calls He transforms and equips us to fit the calling.
Just as Jesus called His disciples to follow Him, God still calls men and women to follow Him and taking His life as an example to build their own lifes and become Christlike - that way they can attract others to come to Christ to change their lives.
As we read last week, Jesus proclaimed Himself to be the one called to
(1) Proclaim good news to the (Spiritually) poor.
(2) Proclaim Freedom for the prisoners - those held captive to sin
(3) Recover the sight of those blinded to the truth by satans lies.
(4) To release those oppressed because of their stance for God’s values
(5) To preach the day of the Lord’s favour and imminent return of Jesus.
Jesus did that and continued to do that through the disciples He called to come to Him. Then following His return to Heaven commissioned them to continue the work He had begun in bringing mankind back to God through repentance, forgiveness and re-birth.
In the same way, today He is still calling for men and women to repent - accept Him as their Lord and Saviour and He does that through his modern day disciples - that’s you and me. Called to be like Jesus and encourage others to come to Him by living lives that mirror the life of Jesus. The challenge I set last week was to ask ourselves
1 ‘am I living the kind of life that God called me to live as a disciplined disciples of Jesus Christ?
2 How many people have I influenced for Christ? - If not
3 what are am I going to do about it as the world needs that kind of witness and Heaven depends on it.
I said then that ‘That Jesus was committed to bring the Good News of Gods forgiving heart to fallen mankind - for that reason He called for disciples to share that commitment and go into all the world and share the good news with others.
Today God still calls and needs people to come on board, repent their past, look to Him for their future and commit their lives to follow Him and take up the challenge of Christ to share the good news with our communities, our neighbourhood, our family and friends.
Jesus gave His life for that - what is our response to that?
The challenge then was to look at our own lives and honestly answer the question - how many have I influenced to accept Jesus as their Saviour and Lord and to be ready this week to be open and available to God for Him to use us by bringing us into contact with others who need either help of encouragement in their faith.
On Friday I was led to talk to a man in the café at Bolton Villas who as we talked found that he had been brought up in the Salvation Army, been to training College and become an officer in the Social Work of the Salvation Army.
I didn’t find out why he wasn’t still in the work but following our conversation he excitedly told me that he had realised as we shared how he felt that he had to come to the café that day - that God had brought him to meet with me and how blessed and encouraged he now was.
This week we will are going to follow on from last week and look at what happened following His calling of those first disciples and how He then called Matthew.
Luke 5 17-32 One day Jesus was teaching, and Pharisees and teachers of the law were sitting there. They had come from every village of Galilee and from Judea and Jerusalem. And the power of the Lord was with Jesus to heal the sick. Some men came carrying a paralyzed man on a mat and tried to take him into the house to lay him before Jesus. When they could not find a way to do this because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and lowered him on his mat through the tiles into the middle of the crowd, right in front of Jesus. When Jesus saw their faith, He said, “Friend, your sins are forgiven.”
I love this episode in the life and ministry of Jesus how through the faith and help of the paralyzed mans friends he was healed. They had to physically carry him to Jesus and even when they found obstacles in their way they went to the extreme of carrying him up onto the roof and lowering him through the tiles on his mat so that he was right in front of Jesus. Notice this - it was when Jesus saw their faith that he said to the man - friend, your sins are forgiven’.- look at the response of the pious Pharisees and teachers - 27; The Pharisees and the teachers of the law began thinking to themselves, “Who is this fellow who speaks blasphemy? Who can forgive sins but God alone?” Jesus knew what they were thinking and asked, “Why are you thinking these things in your hearts? Which is easier: to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk’?
It was held in those days that severe illness was caused by the sin in a persons life and so Jesus forgave the man his sins and he was healed. The Pharisees and teachers of the law would hold to this firmly and taught that because of this, healing was not possible unless the man had been to a priest with a sacrificial offering seeking forgiveness from God.
For Jesus to openly forgive the man his sins would be seen as blasphemy. The reply of Jesus was to add credence to who He wanted them to know He really was = the Messiah - the Son of God
24 But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.” So he said to the paralyzed man, “I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.” 25 Immediately he stood up in front of them, took what he had been lying on and went home praising God. 26 Everyone was amazed and gave praise to God. They were filled with awe and said, “We have seen remarkable things today.”
The fact that the lame man had stood up would be proof to them that he had been forgiven his sins and that Jesus was indeed the Messiah they had been waiting for.
The lovely thing about this is that it further emphasises the important responsibility we have as Christians to be available for God to use us to share our faith in Him with others - the importance of loving God and loving one another - being concerned about one another here in the fellowship and just as importantly out there in the world we live.
It was through the efforts and determination of the cripples friends that he had been brought to Jesus and received healing.
I remember when a lady came to our corps many years ago who asked me to pray for her three week old grandson who was in intensive care as his lungs wouldn’t start to function - they didn’t expect him to live. We prayed and two weeks later she came and told us he had been healed and had been allowed home. The result was that when the baby was well enough she brought the whole family, her daughter and family and asked me to dedicate the children, Adam and his sister.
God calls us to be concerned not just about one another here in the fellowship but also people out there who as yet don‘t know the Lord. That’s why He has called us and brought us together. That’s what Church is all about - it not the building its you and I - the living body of Christ in the world today - people He has called and brought together, as He did the disciples - to come to really know God personally - invite Him to come and live in our hearts and be available for Him to use us to further the gospel as the disciples did. Following the healings Jesus went on to call another disciple - Levi - Matthew the tax gatherer.
Imagine this - Jesus had called His first disciples - two followers of John the Baptist and a group of fishermen like Peter, Andrew, James now He was going into unlikely territory to call a tax collector - not very popular people in those days - Matthew the tax collector to become one of His disciples.
27 After this, Jesus went out and saw a tax collector by the name of Levi sitting at his tax booth. “Follow me,” Jesus said to him, and Levi got up, left everything and followed Him. Then Levi held a great banquet for Jesus at his house, and a large crowd of tax collectors and others were eating with them. But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law who belonged to their sect complained to His disciples, “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?” Jesus answered them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.
It was here and through the calling of Matthew that Jesus proclaimed that He had come to call all men regardless of status or position - lowly fishermen of wealthy Tax Collector - they all needed to hear the truth and know that forgiveness for their past was available through the sacrificial love of Jesus and that rebirth into a new lifestyle was possible by repenting the past and looking to Jesus for the future.
The answer stresses the two things that the ministry of Jesus was proclaiming - Healing for the sick and forgiveness for the sinner. that’s why He said “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.
That was tone of the reasons why I believe God called William Booth to start the Salvation Army. The church in Booths say pandered to the healthy and wealthy.
The church had no time or place for the poor as was seen when they were converted in the SA and directed to go join their local church. The pews had names of the gentry on them - rich and well to do families had their own pews allocated - the poor, the drunks, the lower classes were turned away and so Booth had to hire halls to use as churches for them - that’s why when he eventually decided to purchase premises for them to meet he called them citadels - places of refuge - for those oppressed and rejected by society.
Gradually over the years many places of worship have become holy clubs for the few where very little evangelism takes place and over the years they become less and less frequented and eventually close through lack of support. There is a real need today for the disciples of Jesus - those who have been called out of the sinful world and into fellowship with God to begin to live the life of the forgiven - realise the presence of the living Christ within their hearts and seek to spread the good news outside with those who as yet don’t know Jesus.
Those who claim to know God and are seeking to be right with Him - the righteous - to do what God has called them to do which is to make Him known to the sinner - those who as yet don’t now Him. That’s the only way the fellowship of believers will grow. We are not here to create a social club but to encourage others to know the Christ we serve.
It was the cripples friends who brought him to Jesus. It was Johns disciple Andrew who sought his brother Peter to tell him he found the Messiah and brought Peter to Jesus. Jesus called Philip to become one of His disciples and it was Philip who then went to tell Nathaniel we have found the Messiah. It was Max Wigley who brought the truth to Bobby Ball, it was David Wideman a friend of David Rings who brought him to the truth, it was Nick Vujicic’s mother who helped him to find Jesus, David Murden inspired me to seek to know the living Lord.
You and I are important to God to spread the good news and encourage others to come to know Jesus.
MM 3 February 2019
Over the last few weeks week we have been looking at the early life of Jesus from birth to baptism, temptations in the wilderness and last week the beginning of His ministry when the book of Isaiah was handed to Him and using the words of the prophet declared to the people that He was the one the prophet was speaking about. Jesus declared himself to be the fulfilment of the Old Testament prophesies ‘The Messiah’ When baptised by John in the river Jordan following His wilderness experience, God had declared Jesus as His beloved Son’ and now Jesus is acknowledging that by in reality saying ‘Here I am’.
Jesus had been prepared and strengthened for His lifes commission which was to bring the truth to fallen mankind and offer forgiveness for their past lives and give them a hope for the future - a time for man to be reconciled to God - forgiven and given spiritual rebirth for the life ahead that God had prepared for them. We saw how Jesus - at just 30 years old is setting His face to move forward and accomplish all that His Father God had sent Him to earth to do.
(1) To Proclaim good news to the (Spiritually) poor.
(2) To proclaim Freedom for the prisoners people caught up in the sinful ways of the evil one. Also those were bound by tradition Freedom through the sacrificial love of Jesus who sets the prisoner free from the shackles of sin. That’s why John the Baptist introduced Jesus with the words ‘See the Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world’. Freedom that has to be sought after and claimed through repentance.
(3) Recovery of sight to the blind those who have been blinded to the truth by satans lies. I said last week that today that would be the attractions of the world that tempt man away from the things of God. That includes leaders in parliament and in Church who are spiritually blind. Yesterday I read of a proposed bill to go through parliament banning the use of prayer before preliminary business.
(4) To release the oppressed those who live in fear, feel weak and of little value to the Kingdom. The devil is cunning that he uses the success and ability of others to make people feel inadequate. Those Christians in parliament and the Church who are being oppressed because of their stance for the values of the Kingdom of God. Christians in other countries who are being persecuted for their Christian faith. Jesus came to set the oppressed free.
(5) To preach the day of the Lord’s favour To herald the Kingdom to come that is not just ‘pie in the sky when you die’ but also ‘meat on your plate while you wait’.
A kingdom that begins the moment we accept Jesus into our lives
Just as 2000 years ago Jesus boldly stood in the Temple on the first leg of His journey to bring mankind back to the Biblical truth, there is a real need today for Christians - you and I to take our stand against the evil one and the unscriptural, ungodly ways of man today. God requires the world to reject the selfish aims of mankind and get back to establishing the truth. Jesus came to give us life in all it’s fullness, O how we need to grasp that while we can and live life to the glory of God - praising Him in the way we live our own lives.
I closed last week by saying that today there is a real need for the truth that Jesus proclaimed to be heard and accepted by the nation and the church - by you and me today. Sadly we see a world that has gone away from God - even churches who are preaching another gospel that is not of God - a world ready for the return of Jesus.
Matthew tells us that following the things Jesus shared All spoke well of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his lips. “Isn’t this Joseph’s son?” they asked. Jesus then shared that just as in the same way people rejected the things that the prophets of old told them In the same way people will reject the things that Jesus would tell them as no prophet is accepted in his hometown.
We then read that All the people in the synagogue were furious when they heard this. They got up, drove him out of the town, and took him to the brow of the hill on which the town was built, in order to throw him off the cliff. But he walked right through the crowd and went on his way. People wouldn’t respond then and neither do they today. That’s why there was a call to prayer last Saturday and the need for the church start to tell the truth - however unpopular it may be. There is a real need today for people like you and me to live the truth and proclaim it to others.
The next things we read about Jesus is the way in which He showed the power and authority of God that we in Him by casting out demons and healing vast amounts of sick people from the most debilitating illnesses and diseases.
This morning we are going to read how Jesus went on to call His disciples to follow Him - learn from Him, be transformed by Him, and following His death and ressurection to be indwelt by Him and at Pentecost empowered by the Holy Spirit to continue to share the good news like Jesus did with the people around so that the truth of the gospel would spread throughout the whole world.
You could be forgiven for finding the writers of the four gospels relating the calling of the disciples at different times and in different ways but regardless it doesn’t change the fact that Jesus called His disciples to follow Him, get to know Him and be transformed by Him into becoming witnesses themselves to the truth.
Lets read from one of them, John 1;35-51
The first disciple was Andrew, one of Johns the Baptists disciples who along with another of Johns disciples followed Jesus after John had declared Jesus to be the Lamb of God.
They started to follow after Jesus, and I can just see Jesus turning round and asking them ;’what do you want’ to which they replied ‘Rabbi - teacher - we want to kinow where you are staying. Jesus invites them to follow Him - ‘Come, he says, and you will see. So they did and spent a whole day with Jesus
Andrew obviously liked what he saw and was impressed by Jesus that the first thing he diod was to find his brother Simon and tell him ‘ Simon - we’ve found the Messiah - Christ’, WOW! No wonder Simon went with his brother Andrew who then took Simon to meet with Jesus.
The next day Jesus set off for Galilee and called Philip to follow Him. Like Andrew, who went to tell Simon, Philip went off and found Nathaniel and told him ‘we have found the one Moses wrote about - Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph. Nazareth? Can anything good come from there? Nathaniel exclaimed = ‘Come and see’ said Philip. Jesus told Nathaniel that He had seen Nathaniel long before Philip called him - WOW! Rabbi you are the Son of God, the King of Israel’.
Jesus called His disciples to come along side Him and get to know Him and why He had come - what His mission was. This was the calling of the disciples.
The accounts we read in Matthew, Mark and Luke tell us about the commissioning of the disciples to be more than just followers but called to become like Jesus - examples to the world of men who are passionate in their desire to call others to repent and accept Jesus Christ as their Saviour - to become fishers of men.
Lets read Luke 5; 1-11
Luke goes on in v27 to tell of the calling of Matthew and in Chapter 10 Matthew gives us the names of all the twelve disciples - Peter, Andrew, James, John, Philip, Bartholomew, Thomas, Matthew, James, Thaddaeus, Simon, and Judas Iscariot
I love the way Jesus didn’t just call His disciples to become followers but more than that, He commissioned them to become fishers of men. Right at the beginning of His ministry Jesus called people to become not just followers but disciples. People who accept the discipline of the Word ( Jesus) and become , like Him, people commissioned to continue in the ministry He began - to attract others.
Ever since the calling of the disciples, God has continued to call men and women to become not just followers but people committed to Him to share the good news with others and become Kingdom builders.
Today we have many people from all walks of life who having accepted Jesus as their saviour and Lord have become witnesses for Him to share the good news and spread the gospel around the world.
On Wednesday at the Friendship Club we watched the testimony of Bobby Ball of Cannon and Ball tell of how he became a born-again Christian in 1986 whilst starring in pantomime in Bradford. He wasn’t happy with his life - he was drinking heavily, spending a lot of time with different women and getting into a lot of fights. Basically, he knew that he wasn't a very nice person to be around and he felt dirty.
He met with Max Wigley who was chaplain to the Alhambra at the time. Max - an active disciple sent by God to challenge Bobby and introduce him to Jesus. He told Max that that even though he was successful and financially well off, he felt empty inside. Max spoke to him, talked his worries through and passed on some reading material - Journey into Life’.
Bobby read it, prayed, and decided that this was the path for him. He realised that what Max had said to him and what he had read made sense and decided to give his life to Jesus and became a Christian. People around him at the time thought that it was a passing fad and that it would pass but Bob proved them wrong and stuck fast with his faith. To this day it is something very important to him
.
Together with Tommy Cannon, who became a Christian in 1992 they published a book called ‘Christianity for Beginners‘. Yesterday they were comedians - today they are disciples of God and have their own gospel show "An audience with..." show in churches around the country. We went to see them in when they came to Bradford
God calls all His followers to take up the challenge to be disciples and soul winners - to God there is no obstacle. We might make excuses but God can use everyone as we can see in the lives of people like David Ring and Nick Vujicic - one born with Cerebral Palsy and the other completely limbless
In 1953, in Jonesboro, Arkansas, a baby boy was born—dead. The attending physician set his little body aside and tended to his mother for eighteen minutes. That baby, was David Ring born with Cerebral Palsy. His childhhood was difficult being ridiculed by other children. Then when he was just 14, both his parents died and he was cast about from family to family with nowhere to call home. He endured constant physical pain, humiliating public ridicule and constant discouragement.
But God had a purpose for David’s life, and sent someone to help him achieve it. Through the friendship of David Wideman, a boy he met in the halls of Liberty High School, Ring found strength he didn't know he had and went on to face his demons, marry the love of his life, and start an international speaking ministry.
As a nationally known speaker since 1973, David shares his story with over 100,000 people each year at churches, conventions, schools and corporate events. He has been featured on numerous occasions on several nationally televised programs. Today David is married to a lovely wife, Karen and together they are the parents of four children, April, Ashley, Nathan and Amy Joy. They have two Grandsons, Carter and Cooper and a Granddaughter, Alexandra.
See how God used Max Wigley and David Wideman to bring the gospel of good news to Bobby Ball and David Ring - setting them off to become amazing witnesses.
I love the story of Nicholas James Vujicic born 4 December 1982 is an Australian Christian evangelist and motivational speaker yet he was born with tetra-amelia syndrome, a rare disorder characterized by the absence of arms and legs. He is one of seven known individuals who are diagnosed with the syndrome. According to his autobiography, his mother refused to see him or hold him when the nurse held him in front of her, but she and her husband eventually accepted the condition and understood it as "God's plan for their son."
When he was eight, Nick contemplated suicide and even tried to drown himself in his bathtub at age ten; his love for his parents prevented him from following through. He also stated in his music video "Something More" that God had a plan for his life and he could not bring himself to drown because of this.
Nick prayed very hard that God would give him arms and legs, and initially told God that, if his prayer remained unanswered, Nick would not praise him indefinitely. However, a key turning point in his faith came when his mother showed him a newspaper article about a man dealing with a severe disability. Vujicic realized he wasn't unique in his struggles and began to embrace his lack of limbs. After this, Nick realized his accomplishments could inspire others and became grateful for his life.
Nick gradually figured out how to live a full life without limbs, adapting many of the daily skills limbed people accomplish without thinking. Nick writes with two toes on his left foot and a special grip that slid onto his big toe. He knows how to use a computer and can type up to 45 words per minute using the "heel and toe" method. participates in golf, swimming, and even sky-diving. When he was seventeen, he started to give talks at his prayer group, and later founded his non-profit organization, Life Without Limbs.
Today he and his lovely wife have four children and he travels around speaking to hundreds at evangelistic events and through his testimony hundreds have come to faith and given their lives to God. All through the witness of his own mother. Just as Jesus called His disciples to become witnesses who would spread the good news and bring others to Christ, so too today God calls us all to do just that - to leave the past behind, be born again and live lives that glorify God who can use us to bring others into faith.
God calls us all to follow Him and live lives that will speak volumes for Him. As we have heard, there is nothing stopping us from doing just that. When God calls us He transforms us to fit the calling.
Just as Jesus called His disciples to follow Him, God still calls men and women to follow Him and taking His life as an example to build their own lifes and become Christlike - that way they can attract others to come to Christ and ask Him to change their lives.
As we read last week, Jesus proclaimed Himself to be the one called to
(1) Proclaim good news to the (Spiritually) poor.
(2) Proclaim Freedom for the prisoners - those held captive to sin
(3) Recover the sight of those blinded to the truth by satans lies.
(4) To release those oppressed because of their stance for God’s values
(5) To preach the day of the Lord’s favour and imminent return of Jesus.
Jesus did that and continued to do that through the disciples He called to come to Him. Following His return to Heaven He commissioned them to continue the work He had begun in bringing mankind back to God through repentance, forgiveness and re-birth.
In the same way, today He is still calling for men and women to repent - accept Him as their Lord and Saviour and He does that through his modern day disciples - that’s you and me. Called to be like Jesus and encourage others to come to Him by living lives that mirror the life of Jesus. The question to ask ourselves this morning is -are I living the kind of life that God called me to live as a disciplined disciples of Christ?
How many people have I influenced for Christ? - If not what are am I going to do about it as the world needs that kind of witness and Heaven depends on it.
I close with the same final words that I closed last weeks meeting with which was; That Jesus was committed to bring the Good News of Gods forgiving heart to fallen mankind - for that reason He called for disciples to share that commitment and go into all the world and share the good news with others. Today God still calls and needs people to come on board, repent their past, look to Him for their future and commit their lives to follow Him and take up the challenge of Christ to share the good news with our communities, our neighbourhood, our family and friends. Jesus gave His life for that - what is our response to that?
MM 27 January 2019
Luke 4;14 Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news about him spread through the whole countryside. He was teaching in their synagogues, and everyone praised him.
He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. He stood up to read, and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written: “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour.” Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him. He began by saying to them, “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”
Last week we shared how the Holy Spirit led Jesus into the wilderness to be tempted by satan - 40 days away from everyday life as He would have known it - a time for Jesus to get His mind and heart in tune with what God wanted Him to do for the rest of His earthly life. As I said last week, this was the normal practice for young men to prepared themselves for their lives ahead and help them put into focus their ideals and future direction.
This was a time for Jesus to be prepared and strengthened for His lifes commission which was to bring the truth to fallen mankind and offer forgiveness for their past lives and give them a hope for the future - a time for man to be reconciled to God - forgiven and given spiritual rebirth for the life ahead that God had prepared for them.
This was a time for Jesus to stand before satan and warn him what’s in store for him a kind of time to say ’Let battle commence’
Jesus - the carpenters son - Jesus the Nazarene, Jesus the Son of God who at just 30 years old is setting His face to move forward and accomplish all that His Father God had sent Him to earth to do. Here was Jesus the long awaited Messiah. He would withstand the temptations of the Devil and embarking on His life’s mission.
Coming out of the wilderness - the first thing Jesus - full of the Holy Spirit did was to go into the synagogue as He was brought up to do - but this time to stand up and read from the scriptures and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to Him and using the words of the prophet declared to the people that He was the one the prophet was speaking about. Jesus declared himself to be the fulfilment of the Old Testament prophesies ‘The Messiah’ God had declared Jesus as His beloved Son’ and now Jesus is acknowledging that by saying ‘Here I am’.
Remember how in the wilderness the evil one challenged Jesus to prove that He was the Son of God when he challenged Him ‘If you really are the Son of God‘ prove it - turn these stones into bread, - Worship me and I will give you authority over the world, - Throw yourself off the high mountain for if you really are who you say you are your God will save you from harm’.
Jesus had answered them all from scripture, Man shall not live by bread alone, Thou shalt worship and serve no one else but God who you should never put to the test.
These three elements of life are the same ones that the man of the world puts before God. Feeding his body and mind with everything but the word of God Putting the things of the world before God and spending his life reaching after fame, and wealth - questioning the true values of God whilst seeking after the things of the world.
The beauty of the answers Jesus gave show that to combat the evil one we need to know the truth of God through knowing the word of God. Jesus gained great strength in the knowledge and acceptance of the presence of the Holy Spirit - Empowered and strengthened by Him Jesus was up and ready to go.
Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news about Him spread through the whole countryside. He was teaching in their synagogues, and everyone praised Him. He went to Nazareth, where He had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day He went into the synagogue, as was His custom. He stood up to read, and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to Him.
Jesus full of the Holy Spirit went into the synagogue - the recognised church of His day - to establish from day one - His purpose and calling. The scroll of Isaiah was handed to Him and unrolling it He found the place Isaiah 6 where it was written. The Spirit of the Lord is on Me, because He has anointed Me to; proclaim good news to the poor. proclaim freedom for the prisoners, recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour.” Then He rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on Him and He began by saying to them, “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”
(a) Proclaim good news to the poor. (the poor in Spirit) To bring people back to the truth that over the years man had complicated, full of rituals that trappings of a religion that made it possible for man to feel he had been forgiven without needing to be fully repentant where knowing ‘about God’ had become a substitute for really ‘knowing Him‘. The blame was put on the leaders, the shepherds who instead of teaching the truth were starving their sheep in their care. Through the prophet Ezekiel God declared ‘Woe be to the shepherds of Israel that do feed themselves! should not the shepherds feed the flocks?’ Ezekiel 34;2 Jesus the good shepherd came to preach the good news to those who were spiritually poor.
Today we have the full gospel - mankind has no excuse. The trouble is that today there are still false shepherds who lead the sheep under their care into falsehoods. Men who claim to speak with an authority that is not of God.
Yesterday there was a call to prayer for Britain at organised by David Hathaway from Wakefield. David is the son of Pastor W G Hathaway who was Pastor of the Elim Pentecostal Church in Bradford in the 60’s. David grew up loving the Lord and was passionate in taking the good news to places like Russia - to where, at great risk to his life, he used to smuggle bibles. The call to prayer was in response to the way in which this country, which used to be a Christian Country, has fallen and is under the rule of the evil one in both politics and peoples way of life today and tragically creeping into the church.
In his last reminder about this David wrote; As you know our nation – people and Parliament are totally divided – we must pray for unity, but this must begin with us. How can a divided Church pray for God to bring unity to the nation? The last prayer of Jesus was, ‘That they (we) may be united, one.’ The situation in Britain is more serious than in the last war, but as when the King called for the 7 Days of Prayer – and God answered miraculously, so we must believe that God will answer us NOW by a miracle.
The Prayer Points for the day were these;
For our Government and the Members of our Parliament - that God will work a miracle in our Prime Minister and that God will find an answer to the whole question of Brexit
With regards the Spiritual state of mankind and the Church today prayers were made for;
Repentance and Revival to change our nation . For the Church to repent and return to Biblical standards
For our Youth and the education system which is in opposition to Biblical standards.
That God will raise up Godly people to lead us
For Israel – God blesses the nations which bless Israel!
To pray for the very things that Jesus declared when He preached from Isaiah
To proclaim Freedom for the prisoners people then were bound by tradition such as thinking that the sacrificing of animals as an offering to God for their sinfulness would atone for their sins They failed to see that man in his own strength could never attain salvation and that only by the Grace of God could a man be set free from the slavery of sin. Freedom is only possible through Jesus Christ. The atonement for sin would be paid for once and for all time by the sacrifice of Jesus. That’s why John the Baptist introduced Jesus with the words ‘See the Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world’. Freedom that has to be sought after and claimed through repentance.
Recovery of sight to the blind those who have been blinded to the truth by satans lies. Today that would be the attractions of the world that tempt man away from the things of God. Just as Jesus came not only to give sight to the spiritually blind but to also show those who thought they could see that they were in fact blind to the truth. - there are those today both in parliament and in Church who are spiritually blind.
To release the oppressed those who live in fear, feel weak and of little value to the Kingdom. The devil is cunning that he uses the success and ability of others to make people feel inadequate. Jesus uses ordinary folk, those who are willing to let Him rule in their lives realising that their own weakness can still be of value to God and allow His strength to show forth. Jesus came to set the oppressed free.
To preach the day of the Lord’s favour To herald the Kingdom to come that is not just ‘pie in the sky when you die’ but also ‘meat on your plate while you wait’. A kingdom that begins the moment we accept Jesus into our lives.
There is a real need today for the world to reject the selfish aims of mankind and get back to establishing the truth in Christ Jesus. Jesus came to give us life in all it’s fullness, lets grasp that while we can, lets live life to the glory of God and praise Him in the way we live.
Jesus is in the Temple - shared the things that Isaiah talked about by confirming that here He was - the long awaited Messiah and that only by placing our faith in Him can forgiveness be received. Jesus Christ is the way the truth and the life - the only way, the only truth and the only way to new life today and eternal life in the future.
Today there is a real need for the truth that Jesus proclaimed to be heard and accepted by the nation and the church - by you and me today. Sadly we see a world that has gone away from God - even churches who are preaching another gospel that is not of God - a world ready for the return of Jesus.
In our Bible reading we are told how following the things He shared All spoke well of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his lips. “Isn’t this Joseph’s son?” they asked. Jesus then shared that just as in the same way people rejected the things that the prophets of old told them In the same way people will reject the things that Jesus would tell them as no prophet is accepted in his hometown.
We then read that All the people in the synagogue were furious when they heard this. They got up, drove him out of the town, and took him to the brow of the hill on which the town was built, in order to throw him off the cliff. But he walked right through the crowd and went on his way.
People wouldn’t respond then and neither do they today. That’s why there was a call to prayer yesterday and the need for the church start to tell the truth - however unpopular it may be. There is a real need today for people like you and me to live the truth and proclaim it to others.
The next things we read about Jesus is the way in which He called His disciples to take up their cross and follow Him - to learn from Him, be transformed by Him, and following His death and ressurection to be indwelt by Him, empowered by the Holy Spirit to continue to share the good news with the people around so that the truth of the gospel would spread throughout the whole world. How do you and I match up to God’s expectations? Last week was our commitment Sunday - What response did you make to that?
Jesus was committed to bring the Good News of Gods forgiving heart to fallen mankind - Jesus called for disciples to share that commitment and go into all the world and share the good news with others. Today God still calls and needs people to come on board, repent their past, look to Him for their future and commit their lives to follow Him and His example in Christ to share the good news with our communities, our neighbourhood, our family and friends. Jesus gave His life for that - what is our response to that?
The world has gone so far away from God. We live in an ever increasing evil world where in mans desire for power and dominance the commands of God are being softened or even rejected. Only this last week the US government passed a resolution to allow babies to be aborted up to the day before they would have been born - that’s murder.
God must be sad as He looks at His church today where the higher powers soften the word of God in the hopes it will become more popular and acceptable to todays sinful nation.
There is a real need in the world and the church for man to recapture the truth and get back in line with all that God has in store for us before time runs out and God sends Jesus a second and final time to take the faithful to Heaven. We need to make sure we are ready and when He comes He will find us faithful to Him. He needs us to be faithful whatever the cost and He showed us that by example.
Paul writing to Timothy urged then to pray this prayer; 'I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people – for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Saviour, who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.' (1 Timothy 2:1-4) This was why David Hathaway organised the prayer gathering yesterday. Lets make it our pray
Morning Meeting 20 January 2019
Last week we continued the early life of Jesus by looking at the time when Jesus and John met as John was baptising in the river Jordan and Jesus was baptised in the Holy Spirit and declared by God to be His Son in whom He is well pleased.
This week we are going to look at what happened following the Lords baptism - the time the Spirit led Him into the desert to ne tempted by satan.
Again when we look at the four gospel writers, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John we see various insights into the event. Matthew, Mark and Luke all tell us that Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert for 40 days to be tempted by the devil. John however makes no mention of this in fact John follows the baptism by saying the next day Jesus met John the Baptist and two of the Baptists own disciples one of whom was Andrew, the brother of Peter. Andrew decides to follow Jesus and goes to tell his brother Peter that ‘we have found the Messiah’.
Of the other three gospel writers, only Matthew and Luke go into detail and tell us about the temptations and Jesus’s response to them.
Lets read then from the gospel of Luke ch 4; 1-14
Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, left the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, 2 where for forty days he was tempted by the devil. He ate nothing during those days, and at the end of them he was hungry. The devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God, tell this stone to become bread.” Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone.’ Deuteronomy 8;3
The devil led Him up to a high place and showed Him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world. And he said to Him, “I will give you all their authority and splendour; it has been given to me, and I can give it to anyone I want to. If you worship me, it will all be yours.” Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God and serve him only.’ Deuteronomy 6;13
The devil led him to Jerusalem and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down from here. For it is written: ‘He will command his angels concerning you to guard you carefully; they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’ Jesus answered, “It is said: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test. Deuteronomy 6;16
When the devil had finished all this tempting, he left him until an opportune time.
Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news about him spread through the whole countryside.
The temptations of the devil, First- stones to bread - looking to the evil one to supply your daily bread, no different from the temptations of today where man seeks to better his way of life by doing anything that will bring him financial gain.
Secondly by not only living a life where mankind looks to selfish unloving ways to make life easy for himself but also to Worship the ruler of this fallen World, the devil. The devil states this when as we read The devil led Him ( Jesus) up to a high place and showed Him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world. And he said to Him, “I will give you all their authority and splendour; it has been given to me, and I can give it to anyone I want to. If you worship me, it will all be yours.”
Today man foolishly looks to anything but God to see him through this life by being motivated by selfish aims and by so doing placing himself at risk - people putting the whole of their lives in the hands of the evil one.
Today fallen mankind is motivated by greed and selfishness. We see it all around us. In the political world - in the leadership - sadly many churches have changed their stance on biblical principals in an attempt to be more acceptable to the world.
Thirdly -put God to the test - Allowing the evil one to put any faith and trust in God they might have to the Test.
Since the creation of the world and the fall of mankind - the evil one has been - and still is - in control of fallen man - the awesome truth is that Jesus came to offer forgiveness for mans sins with the opportunity of rebirth into the family of God.
Resist the ways of the devil and although he is there until Jesus comes again - he will have no dominion over us. Not easy, knowing that because we choose to follow Christ, that we are a good target for the evil one to try to tempt us into foolish, selfish ungodly ways. Thank God we have Gods word to assure us that we can overcome the temptations of the evil one and be safe. We have the divine protection of God. The Lord’s prayer acknowledges this when Jesus taught us to pray ‘Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us and lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil - for Thine s the kingdom, the Power and the Glory’.
The Apostle John tells us in 1 John 3;18; We know that anyone born of God does not continue to sin; the one who was born of God ( Jesus) keeps him safe and the evil one cannot harm him. We know that we are children of God and that the whole world is under the control of the evil one. We also know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding so that we may know Him who is true ( God). And we are in Him who is true - even in His Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life
To this last temptaion Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God and serve him only.’ In preperation for His ministry, Jesus commits His life to the service of God - He displays His divine authority in knowing and acknowledging Gods Word.
There is a real need in the world today especially amongst Gods people for commitment to God, one another and the work He has appointed us to do which is to live Spirit filled Christlike lives in observance and obedience to the Word of God.
That was the positive stand that Jesus took when He showed His true colours to the evil one before He set off on His 3 year mission to bring forgiveness to mankind and herald the Kingdom.
Every year in the Salvation Army we are called together to re-affirm our commitment to God and the fellowship - today is our Commitment Sunday - at chance for us each one to take an honest look at ourselves and see how better we can commit our lives into the service of God in our lives and in our fellowship.
The world has changed dramatically in our own lifetime where mankind has changed from being a loving, caring, understanding community where the majority went to church on Sunday, had bibles in their homes and were conversant with the stories of Jesus to being a God neglecting community where only a few - mainly older folk - go to church on Sunday, live in Bible less homes and know more about Emmerdale and Coronation Street than they do about the life of Jesus.
We live in a society where the ‘Holydays’ that were given to celebrate Christian dates have been taken over by the state and have become Bank Holidays. WhitSunday, Pentecost is being forgotten and Hogmany celebrated - Watch out Christmas! We used to live in a Christian Country - now it’s a multi faith society where other faiths are slowly taking over.
One of our members, Michelle sent me a recording of David Pawson sermon entitiled The shrinking Church in a secular society on Facebook which says just what we are looking at this morning. He charts the decline of the church and it’s attempts over the last 40 years to bring about change. David Pawson talks about the three ‘R’s where the church started to look at bringing the church back in line with what it thought was Gods desire.
In the 70’s it started the Renewal movement, in the 80’s we saw the rise of the Restoration Church - The Abundant Life church was one of them - in the 90’s we had the start of the Revival movement. I remember them all - in fact I used to read the monthly magazine that The Bradford Life Church which in the 80’s was based in Church House on North Parade - the magazine was called ‘Restoration’ in fact I have all the copies ever produced on a CD. Lots of attempts to get back on track with God and be committed to Him and the ministry. Sadly what it did was take mainly young and active christians from established churches and bring a decline to those now older Christian denominations.
What I believe is needed today is for people like you and me to take a good honest look at our commitment - what are we committed to - the church we belong to or the Lord we serve. John the Baptist was committed to herald the coming Messiah Jesus - to make people aware of their need to repent their old ways and turn to Jesus as their Saviour and Lord.
Jesus from the very moment aged 12 when He spent time in the Temple discussing with the learned men attempting to open their minds to the truth of God - then showing man his need of repentance - of being cleansed by God filled with the Holy Spirit to empower and equip them to serve God.
Jesus in His desert experience confronted the devil and put him straight as to who He held allegiance to - God and using Scripture rebuffed the deception of satan before setting out into the real world to spread the good news not just in sermons but by living it. As the Yorkshire expressions says - ‘It’s better felt than telt’ and ‘A picture speaks more than a thousand words’
Jesus left the desert and went on to preach the truth , call His disciples and empower them to live Christlike lives as they shared the good news with the rest of the world.
Today what is needed is for the church to realise that it is more than a building, more than a denomination, more than a group of folk who attempt to simply come away from the world and recapture the mission of Jesus which is to live the good life and share the good news with others.
That’s why Jesus came and that’s why He calls us today.
Life will not be easy - the truth is that the more Christlike we become, the more we will face opposition - but the good news is that, like Jesus, we can be more than conquerors through him who called us. Romans 8;31 If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written:“For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.” Psalm 44;22
No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
It’s all about being committed to be His disciple and be prepared to live our lives in obedience to the Word - Jesus - and be committed to serve Him in whatever way He desires. Commited to Him - Committed to each other and committed to the fellowship where we have be called to serve.
In the Salvation Army full members are called to be either Soldiers or Adherants. If this is the place you feel God has called you to serve Him then maybe you need to establish your membership and make your commitment by looking at Soldiership or Adherancy.
I believe that it is no mere chance that God has brought us together and that together we can be more effective by making our commitment to God and one another by establishing that commitment by taking on the identity of a Soldier or Adherent.
If you havn’t already done so, I call you to think about this - pray about it and then make your commitment known by becoming full members of this part of the body of Christ.
Our last song is one written in 1896 by 41 years old Judson Van DeVenter who started life as an art teacher and an active layman in the Methodist Episcopal Church. He was also involved in the church's evangelistic meetings. Recognizing his talent for the ministry, friends urged him to give up teaching and become an evangelist. He was doing well as a recognised artist and wavered for five years about devoting himself to Christian ministry. Finally, he surrendered his life to Christian service, and confessed ‘For some time, I had struggled between developing my talents in the field of art and going into full-time evangelistic work. At last the pivotal hour of my life came, and I surrendered all. A new day was ushered into my life. I became an evangelist and discovered down deep in my soul a talent hitherto unknown to me. God had hidden a song in my heart, and touching a tender chord, He caused me to sing. He went on to write the text of this hymn as his own personal commitment to God. ‘All to Jesus I surrender’
Closing Hymn All to Jesus I surrender
Morning Meeting 13 January 2019
Matthew 3; 1-11 In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” This is he who was spoken of through the prophet Isaiah: “A voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.’”
John’s clothes were made of camel’s hair, and he had a leather belt around his waist. His food was locusts and wild honey. People went out to him from Jerusalem and all Judea and the whole region of the Jordan. Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River.
But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to where he was baptizing, he said to them: “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. And do not think you can say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham. The axe is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.
“I baptize you with water for repentance. But after me comes one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.
Over the last few weeks we have been looking at the birth of both John and Jesus. Very little is told us about them both in their childhood days - the first encounter with Jesus following His birth and naming in the Temple was, as we read last week, when He was aged 12 and Joseph and Mary lost Jesus and found Him in the temple talking to the teachers there.. It was there that He told them that He was about His fathers business.
Not surprisingly the same applies to His cousin John - Matthew, Mark and John reintroduce us to John by telling us that in fulfilment of the prophesies in Isaiah, John is in the wilderness, preaching about Jesus and challenging people to repent and be baptised for the forgiveness of their sins.
Matthew 3 tells us that John the Baptist was preaching in the desert of Judea saying ‘Repent for the kingdom of Heaven is near. Matthew declares that John is the one Isaiah spoke of when he said ‘ He is a voice on one calling in the desert, Prepare the way for the Lord - make straight paths for Him’. John warns them to escape the coming wrath of God - repent - live good upright lives of obedience- bearing fruit in keeping with repentance -
Matthew, Mark and Luke all share how John told the people ‘one is coming who is more powerful - whose sandals I am not fit to carry - who will baptise you with the Holy Spirit.
Here we see John doing exactly what he was born to do - preparing people to receive the Messiah that they had been waiting centuries for - Jesus. Surprisingly we are not told if John and Jesus ever met in their childhood all we know about John is that he spent time in the wilderness - which was one of the ways that young men were sent in those days - away from the distractions of the world into the solitude of the desert where they could get their lives together to prepare then for manhood. Whilst in the wilderness John obviously found his vocation to follow the calling of the Lord to prepare people to receive and accept Jesus and it was there that he began to fulfil the God appointed task of calling people to repentance in preperation to meet the coming Messiah - Jesus.
All the gospel writers tell us this in the run up to the appearance of Jesus and the beginning of his ministry which as Saviour of the World was to reveal the true identity of God to His people and bring them to repent and accept Him as their Saviour.
In Christ Jesus- the word of God became flesh - to begin His ministry people had to see that Jesus was filled with the very presence of God - that He was God incarnate.
Jesus was not just born of the flesh but born of the Spirit and John the Baptist was the one chosen to introduce Jesus to the world.
Lets look at what the last gospel writer - the disciple that Jesus loved so much -John tells us about this.
John 1; In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. That’s Jesus
Now we are introduced to John the Baptist. There was a man sent from God whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all might believe. He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light. The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.
Awesome - Jesus came to show us that if we accept Him as our Lord and Saviour - we too can be re-born and know God as our Father. As John tells us The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
(John testified concerning Him.) He cried out, saying, “This is the one I spoke about when I said, ‘He who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’”) Out of his fullness we have all received grace in place of grace already given. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is himself God and is in closest relationship with the Father, has made him known.
The people mistakenly thought John the Baptist was the Messiah they had been waiting for but he put them straight when he said, “I am not the Messiah.” They asked him, “Then who are you? Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” He answered, “No.” Finally they said, “Who are you? Give us an answer to take back to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?”
John replied in the words of Isaiah the prophet, “I am the voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way for the Lord.’Now the Pharisees who had been sent questioned him, “Why then do you baptize if you are not the Messiah, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?” “I baptize with water,” John replied, “but among you stands one you do not know. He is the one who comes after me, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie.” This all happened at Bethany on the other side of the Jordan, where John was baptizing.
As we read on we find that this is the time when the real preperation for the ministry of Jesus begins. The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! This is the one I meant when I said, ‘A man who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’ I myself did not know him, but the reason I came baptizing with water was that he might be revealed to Israel.”
The other gospel writers then relate the instance where Jesus is baptised with the Spirit. Luke 3;21 When all the people were being baptized, Jesus was baptized too. And as he was praying, heaven was opened and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.”Now Jesus himself was about thirty years old when he began his ministry
Not surprisingly, the Apostle John - who, was originally one of the disciples of John the Baptist who was an eyewitness to the baptism of Jesus adds 32 Then John ( John the Baptist) gave this testimony: “I saw the Spirit come down from heaven as a dove and remain on Him. And I myself did not know Him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, ‘The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.’ I have seen and I testify that this is God’s Chosen One.”
So there we have it. John the Baptist fulfils his appointed ministry of introducing Jesus to the world and Jesus is empowered as the Messiah following which He will be led by the Holy Spirit into the wilderness for 40 days in preperation for His lifes work.
When I look at the life and ministries of John and Jesus it brings me to look at the way in which, when God calls people today to repent of their sins and accept Jesus as their Saviour they become vehicles through whom God can call others to follow Him. Like John, we - the church - have been chosen by God to be His witnesses today to let people see the risen Christ living in each one of us. We are the body of Christ.
Like Jesus we are here to let the Love of God be seen in the way in which we live our lives. - How - by realising the awesome truth that we are born again - not of flesh but of the Spirit. In the same way that Jesus was filled with the Spirit - we too can be filled with the Holy Spirit and empowered to do the things that God wants us to do which is to live the life of the ransomed the redeemed and bring others to accept and know Him as their saviour.
Remember what Jesus told Nicodeamus John 3;3 ‘Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again. 4 ‘How can someone be born when they are old?’ Nicodemus asked. ‘Surely they cannot enter a second time into their mother’s womb to be born!’ Jesus answered, ‘Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. You should not be surprised at my saying, “You must be born again.” Kevin and I sang that song many times all over the division
If only people would realise today that repentance is only the first step and that being filled with the Holy Spirit is the next step- as Jesus said no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. Born of water - natural birth and born of the Spirit - Spiritual rebirth.
Baptism in water is seen by many as the way in which they can be washed clean of their sins and enter a new relationship with God. We in the Salvation Army kneel at the Mercy seat in repentance and receive forgiveness from God we are then consecrated under the flag as a witness to the world that we have received Christ as our Saviour.
I believe that there is more - the baptism of the Holy Spirit - sanctification - where we are blessed with the inner presence of the Holy Spirit who empowers and equips His people for service.
Remember what the disciples in Ephesus replied to Paul when he asked them ‘ Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?’ They answered, ‘No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.’ So Paul asked, ‘Then what baptism did you receive?’ ‘John’s baptism,’ they replied.
Paul said, ‘John’s baptism was a baptism of repentance. He told the people to believe in the one coming after him, that is, in Jesus.’ On hearing this, they were baptised in the name of the Lord Jesus. When Paul placed his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied. There were about twelve men in all Sadly - so many today fall short of this blessing. - the empowering of Almighty God to equip the believer to become the vehicle through whom God can minister to others.
We are privileged in that God loves us so much that He not only forgives us our sins but also blesses us with His awesome presence. If, as John says we live upright - honest and obediant lives then He will not only be with us through whatever this year holds but also fit us for Heaven.
As a young lad I was a great fan of the movies. Stars like Roy Rodgers I have since learned that Roy Rogers and his wife Dale Evans are two celebrities who love the Lord and are not afraid to let it be known.
Dale when asked how much she values Gods Word said this; ‘Every believer should be a missionary proclaiming the message of salvation. Not all of us can go to foreign lands but to those of us who remain behind should witness to those around us. Our very lives should be a living testimony to the reality and the control of Almighty God’.
When asked about the value of fellowship with others she said this ‘ Christians should never forsake fellowship amongst themselves. Where two or more are gathered together, God’s presence can be felt strongly. How wonderful it is when believers get together and talk over the things of the Lord - a joyous time indeed’.
Johnny Cash said ‘I don’t know what I would do without my Christian friends. They were there when I really needed them. They brought me truths from God’s Word, they were His instruments, His channel to me. I love them, and we have many fine times together that always begin and end with prayer’.
I have a book that shares the Christian thoughts of many well known stars, Dale Evans, Johnny Cash, Doris Day, Pat Boone and many others who share their experiences of knowing the presence of the Lord in their lives and the joy and responsibility that is theirs to make Him known to others. I love the testimonies of people like Smith Wigglesworth, Samuel Logan Brengle, Gypsy Smith and many others who share how they received the promised indwelling of the Holy Spirit and the difference that made to their lives and ministry.
I thank God that I myself know first hand what it feels like to be baptised in the Spirit when as a thirty one year old I knelt here at the mercy seat and asked God to make Himself known to me. It had taken a serious operation to show me that I didn’t really know God as He wanted me to know Him. I had just been going along with the crowds.
What happened next was to change my life completely. As I knelt there, I felt the awesome presence of the Holy Spirit and my life was filled with light - I stood up - danced all the way home. From that moment on I wanted to get to really know Jesus and seek His direction for my life.
This was in the early 70’s - was 31 and God was moving in a powerful way in His church. On one occasion I remember going to a mid-week prayer meeting at St Mathias Church in Armley Road Leeds led by Rev Harry Cooke. During the prayer time a woman stood up and spoke in tongues and I heard it all in plain English. I said to the Lord ‘not me Lord - I daren’t stand up and give the interpretation - what if I’m imagining it all’ and I sat there for what seemed a long time until another person stood and gave the interpretation. I knew then that what God had done in my life was real and that what He was doing that evening was confirming it. That was the turning point in my life.
John the Baptist had proclaimed that whilst he baptised with water - Jesus would baptise with the Holy Spirit. Then in front of John The Baptist, the Holy Spirit came upon Jesus, John testified that The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.
Jesus Himself said to Nicodeamus ‘you must be baptised with the Holy Spirit. Paul laid hands on the new Christians in Ephesus and they received the Holy Spirit. Gods word is clear that as Christians repentance and forgiveness are the first steps but we have the privilage to move on be filled with the Holy Spirit.
In these closing moments of the meeting lets just look at what Luke tells us about the close of Jesus’s ministry following His death and ressurection.
Acts 1 In my former book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach until the day he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles he had chosen. After his suffering, he presented himself to them and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God. On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. For John baptized with a water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”
Then they gathered around him and asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?” He said to them: “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority.
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight.
That happened when at the birth of the Church at Pentecost the crowds were told by Peter to repent, turn to God and as they did they were blessed with the infilling of the Holy Spirit. Following that experience, the disciples Peter and John became vehicles for the healing power of God as they ministered to the lame man.
Nothings changed - I believe that that is Gods intention for you and me today. Repent - claim Forgiveness and seek to be Christlike as you hunger after His word and move on to become like Christ and be filled with the Holy Spirit.
We’re going to sing a song written by our founder William Booth - ‘Send the Fire’
I pray that we will sing it with real meaning - asking God to send His Holy Spirit and baptise those who realise that that is what God wants for His Church. The penitent form is open and I pray that if God is moving you to reach out and claim the indwelling that you will respond and experience the blessing of new birth - born of the Spirit -this morning.