Author: Penuel Baptist Roch

February 8th 2026: Tom Baker

Published on by Penuel Baptist RochLeave a comment

Genesis 7: A Call to a better life.

To watch this service, please click on the link to our YouTube channel:
https://youtu.be/T2PIOUuplTY?si=KriiPfn2wKbNS1bj

In Genesis 6 we saw that the days in which Noah lived were dark days but they had a bright future. This is the same for us. We live in dark days but there is a bright future too. Society in Noah’s day was sinful in many ways that permeated throughout the culture. And the same is true today. The choices people make are everywhere apart from any thought of God, whether it be in personal life or in professional life or even in leadership. And yet in the midst of the days when Noah lived there was a bright future, for whilst the world was amidst death and destruction, violence and corruption, Noah found favour with God and walked with Him. What the world offered was boring really, for it all ended in death, corruption, and violence. But in stark contrast Noah, whose name means ‘rest,’ had peace with God and received from Him life. In the world there was no hope. But with Noah we see a hope built upon the revelation that he received from God.

            Now in Genesis 7 we have effectively a call to enter into a better life. In the world there was nothing but death, destruction, corruption and violence, but in Noah we find one commissioned to build the ark. In Genesis 7:1 we find the call to go into the ark, and we have the same situation today. All around us is corruption, violence, death and destruction but the Lord calls us to enter into the ‘ark’ (which is Christ).

            Note here the great patience of God. There was darkness and degradation all around from the sin that pervaded the world, but the Lord had made a way for salvation in the ark. In Noah and the ark the Lord spared creation and brings it through judgment, for whilst all was to be destroyed, those within the ark would be safe. In Genesis 7:4 we find that the Lord waited for a period of seven days before sending the forty days and nights of rain. Seven is the number of completion or perfection. The Lord gave a perfect time of waiting in patience so that people could heed the call. This was a week of grace. Judgment is coming but not yet, there is still time, and so God displays His perfect patience that none may object.

            There is also a sense of urgency here in this chapter. You must get into the ark. But even though the perfect patience of God waits, yet none come to the ark save Noah and his family. Noah was “a preacher of righteousness” (2Peter 2:5) calling out to people that judgment was coming, but still none came. The people of that age seemed to have had a real deep and settled commitment to staying in the darkness. The Lord Jesus declared this truth about the time when He appeared:

And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. (John 3:19).

But the same was true in Noah’s day, and the same is true in our time as well. Psalm 1:1 speaks of this downward progression in darkness. Fallen man first walks in “the counsel of the ungodly,” and then he “stands in the path of sinners,” before finally he “sits in the seat of the scornful” (Psalm 1:1). People get comfortable in their sins. They associate with others who reinforce their comfort zones. And so no one paid any attention to Noah or to God’s word. Is this the same today? Are people comfortable in their sinful lifestyles? We pause and reflect how great a salvation we have that the Lord brings many up out of the pit of sin and death! The Lord is so patient! He has waited since the dawn of time before bringing the just judgment we deserve. And at the very centre of history He demonstrated both the need for this judgment and the way of rescue and redemption, for Christ bore our sin in full on Calvary. This displayed the need for judgment against all sin and the means by which we may be reconciled! We must get into the ark (i.e. Christ). Just as the ark bore the full brunt of the waters of judgment from beneath and from above so too did Christ bear judgment for sin both from the Father and the world of men.

            In the brief time we have left this morning I want to look at what life was like outside the ark and contrast this with life inside the ark.

[1] Outside the ark.

            The picture outside the ark is one characterised by death and destruction. The world was a violent and corrupt place. But the judgment that is about to fall meant that all living flesh were to die. Everything that had life was to be snuffed out and all of creation was to be ripped apart. In our world today life without Christ is a life of decay, disaster, disease and death. Lives are failing, crumbling, and ultimately end in death. The passage we have read leaves us with no uncertainty about what life outside the ark was like. There is utter devastation. Every form of life was blotted out and wiped from the face of the earth. All the high and highest mountains were overspread with water to a depth of 15 cubits (about 22 or 23 feet). All flesh died, whether it be birds, creeping things, livestock and cattle, or men, women, and children. No life would survive. We might think of terrible disasters that occur in the world from time to time such as earthquakes, tsunamis, and so on. But even those these are terrible yet still some may survive, or at least certain areas are left unaffected. But with this flood there is no escape whatsoever. Outside the ark meant total devastation, destruction, and death. The same is true for the coming judgment. For those who are not in Christ will face the judgment of fire which will bring complete and utter destruction.

            Now this devastation is all as a result of the ‘normal’ way of human wickedness and sin. Sin and rebellion against God always leads to death. As a society we are not as liberated and free as we might like to think. We might think that we can choose our path and do what we will but at the end we all face death and then judgement (Hebrews 9:27). We learn from this passage the true nature of sin and rebellion and what it brings. Let us always remember this, that sinfulness leads to death. I remember visiting a man who was struggling in sin. He said to me ‘the problem is that sin is so lovely and appealing.’ But when we see the outcome of a life of sin, i.e. destruction and death, it will give us pause for reflection. We must look to the cross of Christ. And if we do we shall see what sin does to a person – utter devastation. When sin seems so appealing, bring to mind this truth that sin leads to utter devastation and death.

            Notice here that the Holy Spirit has selected language to show that sinfulness (violence and corruption of the world in Noah’s day) is effectively undoing creation. God created the world in seven days and all was good. Here we find that after seven days following the wickedness of sin there would be the flood of judgement so that creation would be broken up and destroyed. The firmament of Genesis 1 which was made to separate the waters above from those below has been undone as-it-were so that destruction and death ensues. Why? Well all of this characterises life outside the ark. This is what happens when people engage in sin and rebellion.

[2] Inside the ark.

            What do we find on entering the ark? We find life – real life. This is always the outcome of God’s call to us, to bring us to life (John 10:10). This thought becomes obvious when we look at what Noah and his family entered into. It was a floating zoo. But not like some of the zoos we might go to where you walk around and struggle to see any wildlife because they are all hidden away or camouflaged in the woods and thickets all around. Here the picture is more like the children’s picture books of the ark where all the animals are stuffed together and crammed into a small space. Or think of those pick-n-mix tubs you get. Children cram as many sweets into the tub as they can get in! The ark was a ‘box full of life.’ it was bursting with life, all kinds of life. So the call to Noah was to get into life.

            But what is the ark really? Well essentially it is nearness to God. Outside the ark is a fleeing from God and a running into sin and rebellion. But inside the ark it is a getting closer to God. Note that in Genesis 7:2 we read of seven of each of the clean animals were to be brought in. In the popular mind it is only two-by-two, but here we see seven of each of the clean animals are brought in. Why is this? Well there were two-by-two for the purpose of procreation. But there were seven for the purpose of sacrifice. The two-by-two reinforces the idea of the ark being a place of life, for recreation is implied since two animals (male and female) will give rise to many more! But the seven clean animals speaks of sacrifice. Remember that the number seven speaks of completion or perfection, so here is pictured the perfect sacrifice, i.e. the sacrifice of Christ at Calvary.

            But there is also another theme which comes across when we look at the ark. It is the place of life, of new life.. It is the place where the perfect sacrifice is to be found, but it is also in many ways a floating church – the assembly of those who believe and who have heard the call of the Lord. Noah is a type of Adam. He was given dominion over the animal kingdom to bring them into the ark. How this was done is surely a wonder! There are clear connections here with thoughts we get in Genesis 1, so that we are meant to think of this as a new start. Inside the ark speaks of a new creation. It all happens after the seven days of God’s perfect patience and it shows forth a box of life. The eighth day is shorthand for new beginnings in Scripture. But what is the eighth day really? It is the first day of a new week, and so also speaks to us of the resurrection of Christ who rose again on that first day! Everything is to be made new through this one man’s action. Everything is to be raised again from destruction and death to life.

            Yet another feature of this ark is safety. Note that Genesis 7:16 tells us that the Lord shut them in. How was the door to be closed? The Lord does this and He makes them all safe inside the ark. Since the Lord is outside at this point it is as though He is saying ‘don’t worry Noah, I will shut the door and make you safe inside, and I will bear the brunt of the storm outside.’ Noah and his family were now shut inside and dwelt in a place of safety. They were not yet in the new world. This would not be until a year and ten days time. But they were safe. Do you sometimes think ‘I wish I was in the new heavens and earth!’ Maybe Noah longed for this too as he sat inside. But you are no less secure now than you will be in glory. Noah was as safe in the ark as he would be in the new world. In Genesis 7:18 we read that the ark “floated” on the waters. Those outside suffered destruction and death but the ark was carried along by the waters. It was safe from the storms and turbulence felt by those outside. In Genesis 7:23 we find only one person named (Noah) who survived. But then we read “and those who were with him” were safe and alive. Christ alone is the only one who comes through the judgment. He suffered the full wrath of God for sin and He triumphed! But wonder of wonders, “and those who were with Him” are brought through to safety too. It is those who are “in” Christ who will be saved and see the shores of the new heavens and the new earth.

            We do live in dark days just as Noah did. But everything will be fine for there is a bright future. Judgement is coming, but praise God He has commissioned an ark for our salvation. That ark is Christ Jesus the Lord. But we must get into the ark. Outside lies destruction and death. Inside is life! Lamech called his son ‘Noah’ in the hope that he would bring rest. He did in a way, but all of this points us to the only One who brings true rest, Jesus Christ the Lord who declares:

28 Come to Me, all you who labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For My yoke is easy and My burden is light. (Matthew 11:28-30).

He calls all those burdened and wearied by sin and rebellion to come to Him for perfect rest. We must come into the ark, Christ!

February 1st 2026 – Tom Baker

Published on by Penuel Baptist RochLeave a comment

Genesis 6: Dark days with a bright future

To watch this service please click on the link to our YouTube channel:
https://youtu.be/D16P6biBpWE?si=8uUbVx1mOYfvFJ1l

The book of Genesis is essentially a large family tree with breaks in between revealing the history of certain individuals. Genesis 5 begins with a genealogy that stems from Seth, a son of Adam, and then reaches down to Noah, the son of Lamech, so that in Genesis 6 we have the beginning of Noah’s account. We are going to look at Genesis 6 specifically and will concentrate on two features: the darkness of the days, and the bright future shown within these dark days.

But before we begin let me give you an illustration of what I think is going on here. Recently we went to the aquarium in Bristol. And among the many exhibits there were on display, I was particularly struck by the Mexican blind cave fish. It is only small and pretty drab in appearance being mainly translucent. It has no eyes, only eye sockets. It lives in the cave in darkness and has no concept of light or of colour. If you were able to talk to this Mexican blind cave fish you could not really tell them about what you know because it is all outside of their experience. To such a creature, colour and light are meaningless. The Mexican blind cave fish lives within its own dark world and speaking to it about the world outside the cave would be meaningless to it. Unless they were given eyes to see!

Now this picture is something like what we observe within society in the days of Noah. The people of that age thought they had everything they wanted. They could go after forbidden fruit with freedom. They believed themselves to be enlightened. They were thoroughly independent and indulgent. But in truth as the Lord recounts here in Genesis 6 they were in darkness, in chaos, and without God in the world. They despised God, for they ignored Him and what He had to say. He did not fit into their view of life. Now such was true also of the days of Moses, although not in exactly the same details. The mention of giants and men of renown occurs not just here but in the early history of Israel under Moses and beyond. Obviously, these are not the same groups because the flood destroyed the old world. But it is clear that the outcome or fruit of such sinful and God-hating ways is demonstrated by the giant offspring of the pairing between the “sons of God” and the “daughters of men” (Genesis 6:2,4). Now at the time of Jesus the Lord stated clearly that when He would be about to return, the world would be in very much the same way as found in these days of Noah (Matthew 24:37,38). Nothing has changed. Mankind born in sin if left without restraint will always descend into degradation and wickedness. Modern man here in out country thinks of himself as so enlightened and free, and yet is bent on the pursuit of godless wickedness.

Clearly our passage teaches that judgment is about to come and will not delay, for the flood is coming as promised. We live after this time, after the time when the Lord promised never to flood this world again, but judgement by fire is coming as promised (2Peter 3:10f). We are in the same situation as Noah. We live in a sin-sick world bent on running away from God, and judgment is about to come.

Now the great purpose of this passage in Genesis 6 is to call people to life. That is the whole point of God’s revelation to Noah, the provision of an ark within which salvation may be secured. In the book of Genesis we see at least four origins. We see the origin of the world, the origin of man, the origin of sin, and the origin of God’s chosen people and their salvation. In short the Bible is like the story of a messed-up family. It is something like the Jeremy Kyle show where all the dirty laundry of life is aired for all to see. What is the human family like? We are all Adam’s descendants and so born in sin. And yet into this dysfunctional family is born the Lord Jesus Christ, the Saviour of the world. He was born without sin, of course, but he was truly flesh of our flesh and bone of our bone. How wonderful that in the midst of sin and rebellion we get the promise of One who will crush the serpent’s head (Genesis 3:15)! And so within Genesis we also see one family set aside through whom would come the promised Seed (Genesis 12:7). And out of this promise all the families of the earth would be blessed (Genesis 12:3). Scripture always guides our focus to the Lord Jesus Christ. Whereas man was given dominion over the earth but sinned and so earned death, which we see clearly in Genesis 5 where we read repeatedly “and he died,” the Lord Jesus – the promised Seed – has come to bring life by His death. As far as man is concerned his contribution is sin out of which flows death. After Adam and Eve sinned we not only see the promise of Genesis 3:15, but the provision by the Lord of garments (slain animals whose blood was shed) to make covering for sin. And then we read of Cain’s shedding the blood of his brother and the outcome of Cain’s descendants, the pride and wickedness of Lamech of Cain. The blood of Abel cried out from the ground against Cain but the blood of Christ speaks of  “better things” (Hebrews 12:24). The promise of hope and of light can be seen in such things as the early part of Genesis 5 where there is a recollection of creation placed there in the hope of new beginning. Then also we read of Enoch walking with God which recalls the days before Genesis 3 and the fall suggestive of the possibility of being right with the Lord. So we have here in Genesis 6 an account of the reality of sin and its dreadful effects, but also of the promise of hope and life once more. Whilst there will always be darkness, there is too the promise of light shining in that darkness, a promise of a bright future.

[1] Dark days.

            Genesis 6:5 is stark. The Lord saw that man on earth was extremely wicked. The sentences are laboured. The wickedness of mankind was “great,” all the purposes and inner thoughts of mankind’s heart was exclusively wicked (“only evil” i.e. no good), and it was so “continually.”  Now this is the first time that we read of God looking at creation since Genesis 1. In Genesis 1 we read that He “saw” and that it was “good,” and “very good.” But now here in Genesis 6:5 the Lord “saw” something very different indeed. He saw that it was deeply, desperately, depressingly evil and wicked. How so? How had this come to be?

            Well, the answer to this question is that man had rejected God and had therefore gone his own way, but the outcome of such an action is always on a downward trend or spiral. I do not want us to be distracted about whom the “sons of God” and the “daughters of men” may be here. This discussion will be for another time. Whichever view you take the problem really is a spiritual one. The key point to note here is that these ‘men’ (or fallen angels or demon possessed men), “saw” the women they desired, they saw that such were desirous to them, and so they “took” of any they wanted. Such language at once reminds us of Eve’s deception by the serpent:

So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate.  (Genesis 3:6a).

Boundaries have been crossed here. Eve should not have listened to the serpent. (Adam was culpable too as he should have told his wife to come away). In Genesis 6 boundaries have been crossed. Whatever our view of these two depictions of men and women may be, there is a choice being made here which is opposite to the good and the consequences are dire. Just as Eve listened to the serpent, there is a spiritual wickedness operating in Genesis 6. These people of Noah’s day were trying to engage in the spiritual realm in wickedness. How do we know this? Well listen to the Lord’s first word to the world of that time: “My Spirit shall not strive with man forever” (Genesis 6:3). The Lord was remonstrating with mankind not to do what they were doing.

            But how did the Lord view all of this intense wickedness? In Genesis 6:6 we read that “the Lord was sorry” for having made man on earth and that “He was grieved in His heart.” The Lord who made all good was now grieving on account of man’s terrible state and condition. Do we not see the Lord Jesus expressing similar depths of emotion over sin and wickedness (Matthew 23:37)? Now it is also evident that the Lord was going to bring judgment to bear upon this wicked world. But let us remember that He does not do it as a dispassionate judge who has no personal interest in those whom He rightly judges. IS this not a warning to us? Yes we must preach that judgment is coming, but do we do so out of a deep sense of compassion for those to whom we witness? We must proclaim this grief of God over sin and evil. He is grieved so much that He sent His One and Only Son to bear the judgment! Notice too how grieved He feels about the sin and evil. The only solution is to wash it all away (Genesis 6:17). Mankind had corrupted himself to the point that the only solution was to destroy him completely. The Lord saw the depth of mankind’s corruption and evil and said ‘this cannot be.’ And so He destroyed the corruption by the waters of the flood.

            But notice too the great patience of God. He does not react to things like we do but is long suffering and patient towards mankind (2Peter 3:9). Every sin committed deserved bucket loads of the water of judgment but these have come after a long time of patient waiting for man to heed Him and turn from His wickedness.

[2] The hope and promise of a bright future in dark days.

            God shines light into the darkest places. Is this not what we see when He created the world in the first place? The darkness of initial creation (Genesis 1:2) was not evil nor chaos, but simply the starting point that God had made from which He constructed our world. He made all in the beginning but such were the raw materials (unformed and not yet filled), and then His first act was to create light. This is our God. He brings light into the darkness. And there are always two responses to that. To many the light exposes their darkness and because they love their darkness they recoil. To others the light illuminates their sight to see the truth about themselves and what the Lord is bringing and they are drawn toward it in faith. Scripture is full of this idea of two peoples and two ways. We see it in the position of the line of Cain to Lamech placed beside the line of Seth to Noah. But there are many other illustrations of this division in humanity into the righteous (who are so only by faith) and the wicked.

            Look at how the Holy Spirit puts it in our text. We read about the Lord’s intention to destroy all on account of wickedness in Genesis 6:7, and this was because He was “sorry” that He had made man. And then in Genesis 6:8 we read those wonderful words “but Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord.” Hebrews 11:7 tells us that it was “by faith” that Noah was enabled to do all that God commanded him. So Noah by faith in God and all that He had revealed received the grace of God and so he “found grace.” Grace is a gift. It is not something we earn. God is gracious. Praise His name! And Noah was enabled by faith to find this grace.

            Noah’s father, Lamech thought it might be through his son that the promised Seed would come. And so he called his son “Noah” because this name means ‘rest,’ for he hoped that “this one will comfort us concerning our work and the toil of our hands, because of the ground which the Lord has cursed” (Genesis 5:29). It is through the grace of God that Noah listened to what the Lord had said to the whole world (Genesis 6:3,7) and was thence “divinely warned” to seek God for more and was thence “moved with godly fear” (Hebrews 11:7).

            In Genesis 6:9 we read more about Noah. He is described as a “just man, perfect in his generations,” and he is referred to as one who “walked with God.” Noah, and Noah alone is described in such a way. Obviously as a man born of Adam Noah is so by faith as we have said. But the way in which the Holy Spirit has centred our thoughts upon this one man (who was just and blameless) serves to point us towards the truly Righteous One, the Lord Jesus Christ. Noah walked with God just as Enoch had done, but Christ was One with the Father and did all that the Father willed. And so at the end of Genesis 6 we discover that “Noah did; according to all that God commanded him, so he did” (Genesis 6:22). This is set in such a way to remind us that Christ did all that the Father asked of Him so that He could cry out on the cross “it is finished” (John 17:4; 19:30). Now Noah appears in the Genesis account as a type of person that we have not been presented with before. And so in some ways he is presented to us as a new Adam, and in such a way he serves as a pointer to the true second and last Adam Jesus Christ (1Corinthians 15:45,47).

            In Genesis 6:18 we have the first mention of the word “covenant” in Scripture (although this is not the first mention of the idea of covenant which we see in Genesis 2:17). But notice also that this is God’s covenant (“My covenant”). At this point Noah is told that He will go into the ark, for this is the provision of God’s covenant. But, although his family also enter the ark and so benefit too, only Noah is described as a “just man.” We are not told about what his family believed at all. But in the account of Genesis 6 it is pointedly clear that Noah stands alone as a “just man.” In this we are pointed again to the Lord Jesus Christ. He alone is righteous and by His one righteous act many are saved. Noah’s family are saved as-it-were on Noah’s coat-tails. We too hang onto Christ and are included in His sacrificial death. And so our entrance into the ark Christ by faith is only on account of the righteousness work of the Lord Jesus. Notice too that this covenant of God’s was already in existence because here we read that He will “establish it” and not ‘make it’ as in other cases (Exodus 24:8; 34:27; Deuteronomy 4:32; 5:2). This is the covenant of grace. There was nothing for Noah and his family to do except hear the Lord call them to come in. This covenant was made in eternity. The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit in eternity determined to save a people. The Father initiated this covenant, the Son carried it out, and the Spirit applies it to those who would believe.

            The answer to the world’s corruption is complete destruction by the waters of the flood (genesis 6:17). But the answer to the coming destruction (deserved as it was) is the ark (Genesis 6:14)! The ark was a box which was much larger in length than breadth or height. Noah was given precise instructions as to its construction. They were to go into the ark, Noah, his family, and all creatures whom the Lord would call, and inside there would be safety. Outside there will be nothing but destruction, but inside all is safe. There would be trials and difficulties inside the ark, of course. They would hear the rain and feel the effects as they were jostled about, and they were inside with many animals and one another. But they were safe from the outer destruction which was borne by the ark. Note too that all of life was crammed into this giant box. The Lord said that one of the purposes of His coming was to bring life in all its abundance, and in this ark we see the presence of the abundance of life that He has made (John 10:10).

Exhortation.

            I leave you with a few words of exhortation. Judgment is surely coming. Just as in Noah’s day the wickedness of the earth could only be blotted out by the judgment of God, so too in our day when wickedness abounds and is on the increase, such is ripe for judgment by fire. If we do not see that judgment is coming we are burying our heads in the sand. I am not talking about climate change and such disasters as the world may be overly concerned about. I am talking of the heavens and the earth (the universe) being destroyed and remade into a new heavens and a new earth. This is far more serious because it involves personal judgement for sin. All will be held to account, life to those who trust in Jesus and all he has done, and eternal death to those who reject Him and all that he has done. So get into the ark, which is Christ. It might not appear that judgement is close at hand, but then the rain did not fall until Noah and his family were safely shut in the ark. The Lord has made this incredible way of getting out of the coming judgment. The Lord calls all who are weary and who are labouring under sin to come to Him to receive rest (Matthew 11:28-30). So get into the ark! Come to Christ who alone brings rest.

January 25th 2026: Paul Daniel

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Luke 10: 25-37 The Parable of the Good Samaritan (brief summary).

To watch this service please click on the link to our YouTube channel:
https://youtu.be/Xn3JGgkmGcY?si=vMm_kPhB5985x0B5

Have you ever acted without thinking, not realising what the consequences were? Luke’s gospel is all about making us aware of the danger we could be facing, whether we are for God or against Him. There are 2 reactions to Jesus – follow Him or go against Him. There are only 2 possible reactions to the gospel – for it or against it.

In the Parable of the Good Samaritan we see an expert stood up to test Jesus, asking, “What must I do to inherit eternal life?” When Jesus responded by asking him what was written in the law, the expert answered correctly saying, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbour as yourself.”  Jesus says to the man he had the right answer and to do exactly this.

 But then the expert is not happy and questions who his neighbour is. This parable is for people who might try to justify themselves. Who is the person trying to justify themselves, who knows the answer but doesn’t want to engage with it. Christians have times when they try to justify why they don’t want to hear the word of God.

In this parable we see that theology alone is not enough. “What must I do to inherit eternal life?” This is a wonderful question. The correct answer is given. Deeds do not save you but they are evidence of your faith. Faith and deeds go hand in hand.

How do we connect with people? Do we just have words? We see in the gospel of Mark, Jesus came not only to tell people about the Kingdom of God but He also demonstrated the Kingdom of God – showing love, compassion. Are you being a neighbour? Is it possible that so many people walk by Christianity and walk by churches because we have narrowed the gospel, that we don’t care?

Excuses reveal our hearts. The man who was beaten was left for dead. A priest and Levite, who you would expect to love God and their neighbour, walk by. The Samaritan shows compassion. Here is love that is costly and risky. That’s what it’s like to love your neighbour. Sometimes, we talk about what others do. We should address what we are doing. Sometimes we say we love God but we forgot to love our neighbour because there are people we do not get on with.

Eternal life is the next step, the next destination. We’re only here by the grace of Jesus. Discipleship is about learning. What has God told me I need to put into practice? When was the last time, as Christians, we changed something in our life and in our routine, for eternal reasons? When we make excuses, are we trying to justify ourselves? Why don’t we want to listen to Jesus?

This parable reminds us the Samaritan came, saw, had compassion and he lavished his love. Not just on that day, but the next day and in future. God’s love has no limits. There is no-one who is not invited. God’s love has no limits. If God can turn you around, He can bring about the salvation of many others that you think cannot be saved. Don’t be a stumbling block, don’t make it more difficult for others to know Christ.

January 18th 2026: John Funnell

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“Give us day by day our daily bread.” (Luke 11:3).

To watch this service, please click on the link to our YouTube channel:
https://youtu.be/1SIXK2a3rU4?si=jwivMjTmWCuCTcig

This verse comes from the prayer that the Lord have us. It is a prayer from an eternity of fellowship within the God-head.

Each word in this prayer has been chosen specifically and derives from God Himself who delivers it to us. The timing of these words is also significant. It comes after acknowledging that God is Father and in recognising where He is (heaven), and it also comes after the declaration that His will is paramount (Luke 11:2). Only after these important things do we get this attention to our daily needs.

            As a first lesson then, always put God first. When you come to prayer, give attention to the worship of God and remember who He is and what He has done before making any supplications. Joy in the Christian life only comes when we know Him truly through saving faith. The knowledge of God (truly) necessarily leads to the worship of God, for to know Him is to love Him. We worship God for whom He is and not just for what He gives us. To live truly, is to live for God. Job declared: “I have treasured the words of His mouth More than my necessary food” (Job 23:12). When we are absorbed with love for God, food no longer has prime place. When the Lord Jesus was urged to take something to eat by the disciples after He had spoken to the woman of Samaria at the well, He declared: “I have food to eat of which you do not know,” and then when the disciples were puzzled about this, Jesus went on and said: “My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to finish His work” (John 4:32-34). When a young man falls in love with a girl he can barely eat! So, Christians can only be happy if God is first in their lives.

Bread. The small things of life.

            The Greek word for bread actually means the basic essentials of life, not just bread. In some cultures that do not use bread as a basic staple in their diet they may well have some other word suggested in this text. The point is that the request is for the basic essentials of life. We are speaking of ‘needs’ here and not ‘luxuries.’ Now this reminds us instantly of how God works. He blesses us through the small things in life. Take for example the wonderful miracle of gathering in the manna as recorded in Exodus 16:14f. The Israelites were told to gather this manna that settled on the ground each day for their needs. They were explicitly told not to gather a surplus and hoard this for the next day because it would go rotten (Exodus 16:16,19). But some ignored the instruction and out of greed gathered more than they needed.

Consider also the story of the widow who had a small jar of oil left in the house as recorded in 2 Kings 4:2f.  Elisha the prophet told her to gather lots of vessels and to pour the oil from the jar into the vessels. The Lord blessed this widow from a small jar of oil. Out of the lord’s provision she was enabled to pay off her debts and have what she needed. Or think also of Gideon who had 32,000 men in his army but faced 135,000 men in the opposing force (Gideon 7). Gideon thought ‘we cannot do this,’ ‘we are outnumbered.’ What did the Lord do? He made Gideon whittle down his army to just 300 men!

            And then consider the fact that in Bethlehem long ago there was a weak baby boy lying helpless and in need in a manger, utterly reliant upon his teenage mother. How could this work out? And yet this baby boy was none other than Immanuel, God with us, and He broke the curse of sin though His sacrificial death at Calvary.

Bread. Our daily need.

            God loves to bless people in the small things. We think we need all sorts of things in life but what we really need is this baby boy and this mighty Saviour whom to the world looks weak and impotent as He lay dying on the cross, but to us He is life! Now the Lord loves to bless not only in the small things but also even in the impossible things too. In Luke 16:10 we hear from the Saviour: “He who is faithful in what is least is faithful also in much; and he who is unjust in what is least is unjust also in much” (Luke 16:10). If we had an abundance, we could easily be led astray by our own greed and sin. Those who seek riches are those who “fall into temptation and a snare,” because “the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil” and some who have gone this way have “strayed from the faith in their greediness,” (1Timothy 6:9,10). A covetous or greedy man has no inheritance in the kingdom of God (Ephesians 5:5). James points out that Christians sometimes “ask amiss” in their seeking for pleasure and the things of this world (James 4:3,4). Thankfully, the Lord mercifully withholds some things we seek for. So, we should ask for our needs and avoid greed. Our joy does not come from what we have, although He is a wonderful giver, but it comes from knowing Him.

            We ask for our daily bread but know too that the Lord loves to give! We have abundant testimony to this in Scripture. For example, the Psalmist exhorts us to delight in the Lord:

3 Trust in the Lord, and do good; dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness. 4 Delight yourself also in the Lord, and He shall give you the desires of your heart. (Psalm 37:4,5).

When we delight in the Lord we find that he will also give us the desires of His heart because our hearts will be in tune with His. James also speaks to us of the goodness of God in giving wisdom:

16 Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren. 17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning. (James 1:16,17).

How easily we can be deceived by the world’s trinkets! The Lord delights to give wisdom to the lowly and humble, to such as have true faith (Proverbs 2:6,7). What an incredible God who demonstrates His love to us in the giving of His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, “in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” (Romans 5:8; Colossians 2:3). If we are overrun with difficulties God gives grace (Ephesians 2:8). If we face times of conflict or anger against us, God gives peace (John 14:27). In those times when we have had enough and want to run away He gives us a new start, a new beginning, a new creation (2Corinthians 5:17). When we are weak, alone, and without strength, He gives us His strength (Philippians 4:13). When we are lost and without hope, the Lord gives us hope (Romans 15:13).

Bread. Communion in fellowship.

            To end our message note that the statement we are looking at is: “give us ..” not “give me ..” We are commanded to walk and live in a community with other brothers and sisters in the faith. Our plea for daily bread is a corporate one. As the body of Christ we seek the Lord for all our daily needs, and we do this together in fellowship with one another. Christ, in His infinite wisdom, calls us to make requests in community. The Lord Jesus is not a vending machine. We are not simply to ask and receive blessings and then go off on our own way. We are a family. The world will come to know that we are Christ’s disciples if we truly love one another (John 13:35). Our gathering together draws our focus upon the Lord and not upon our own self-indulgences. We seek what he wants and desires and not what we want.

January 11th 2026: Phil Meiring

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“And who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?” Esther 4.14

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The book of Esther is a remarkable story of God’s care for His people even though the name of God does not appear at all. Perhaps one key verse comes at that moment when Mordecai tells Esther that she must intervene (4:14).

We are in the Persian empire some 400 years before the coming of Christ. It was an empire that stretched across some 3,000 miles from India right across to Egypt. Esther was queen at this point in time. Despite her being an orphan Jew, and so among the minority in the empire, she had risen to the dizzy heights of the land. She was a very attractive woman both inside and in appearance. But none in the empire knew here national identity. She was a Jew. She is a ‘secret believer’ brought up by her godly uncle Mordecai.

At the start of this chapter we discover that dreadful news was afoot – there was a plan afoot to exterminate all God’s people across the whole Persian Empire. The man behind this plot was Haman, a nasty piece of work. When Mordecai heard what had been decreed, he tore his clothes (Esther 4:1). Haman had risen to power and he was a great enemy to the Jews. He had a massive ego for he wanted all those around him to worship and adore him, but Mordecai would not play along, for he worshipped God alone. So Haman came to detest the Jews with a vitriolic hatred, so planned to have them all exterminated. He was so determined in this plan that he even offered to foot the bill himself. Now he was also quite superstitious because he determined the day for this massacre by casting lots (Esther 3:7).

            The question which arises as we outline the background here is: what would God have us to do? How do we fit into this story? There are at least three things I believe that God wants us to see:

  • He wants us to see Jesus in this text (4:12-14a).
  • He would have us leave our comfort zones.
  • He would have us use our royal position to bless others.

[1] Seeing Jesus in the text.

            Whenever we come to the Old Testament we must always ask: where is Jesus? This is something the Lord taught the disciples to do after His resurrection. Now the problem is that God’s name is not once mentioned in Esther. So how can we observe the Lord Jesus here? However, even though the name of God is absent, we discover that God is clearly present everywhere in the book at every twist and turn. In the Old Testament the Lord Jesus appears in various guises, as a type, or a shadow, or in theophany, or in example, or by way of prophecy, or in seed form or through lineage. But where is He in Esther?

            To answer this first note that the entire empire stretched (as we have said) from Egypt all the way through to India. Spread throughout this vast empire there were Jews in various countries or districts of Persia. There were those in the land of Israel (although still under command of Persia), and there were those who had been scattered centuries before in the north of Assyria and in the suburbs of Babylon. And there were those too who had been taken down to Egypt when Jeremiah was taken there after the fall of Jerusalem. Genesis speaks of the “Seed” of the woman who would come and bring relief, rest, and salvation. But this wicked Haman had determined to destroy the Jews once and for all throughout the entire empire. What would happen then to the promise? Mordecai said to Esther, “If you remain completely silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish” (Esther 4:14a). So, we see the Lord Jesus in ‘Seed’ form. He would come from somewhere among the Jews who were currently spread across Persia. But if Haman’s plan succeeded then the promise would fail. But Mordecai is convinced that if Esther failed deliverance would most assuredly come from elsewhere. So, this statement of Mordecai’s shows us Christ in ‘Seed’ form. He is hidden from view, but He is in the background in this statement made by Esther’s uncle. The promise will not fail. The “Seed” of the woman will surely come.

            Think too of Herod’s massacre of the innocents. He sought to eliminate Christ whom he thought was a rival earthly king, but his determination could never succeed. Haman did not realise that he was part of a much bigger plot engineered by Satan to stop the coming of the promised Seed. Remember that people had by this time returned to Israel and had rebuilt the temple, and, if Haman’s plan had succeeded then the line of promise would fail. So, if Esther did not seize the opportunity given to her the promised Seed might fail! And yet Mordecai is convinced that even if Esther did not act, then still deliverance and rescue would come from elsewhere because the “Seed” of the woman was most definitely coming at some time.

            It has often been noted that the book of Esther displays the great providence of God. God is active in His world preserving his interests and directing all things to His desired ending. Haman lived in a world of chance or fortune. He cast lots to determine what he thought would be the best most opportune time to carry out his wicked plan. But Esther and Mordecai lived under the providence of God. Which world are you living in?

[2] He would have us leave our ‘comfort zones.’

            It is very easy to get comfortable isn’t it in modern times? By being comfortable we mean settled and unperturbed by the moves of God’s providence. Being comfortable really has to do with self determination. We like our settled niches and places of rest. Now in truth our comfort and our rest is in Christ. The joy of the Lord is our strength and we know rest and peace only in Christ and through His great sacrifice. So we must always be aware of the danger of becoming settled into ‘comfort zones’ which are those of our own making or which we have been accustomed to over time. What is required is an awareness and a watchfulness to be ready to act and follow the Lord whenever He calls, for our true rest and strength is not in this world of things but in Christ Jesus.

            Mordecai tells Esther that she has been placed in her position just for this time so that something could be done to thwart the enemy (“Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” (Esther 4:14b)). Had she become comfortable being Queen of Persia? Mordecai realised that the providence of God had brought Esther to such a position that could be vital. Mordecai was calling upon Esther to no longer be a ‘secret believer’ and to show her true identity. The Lord wants us to be seen and to be seen as His light, for we are the light of the world. This call to Esther is nothing less than her granting her cooperation in His great plan for saving the people and of protecting the promised Seed.

            Now God seems to like to work in such a way as this. He could, of course, have done things in a very different way. He could have thwarted Haman immediately, after all the Lord is the One who gives and takes life, for He is Creator. Instead, God chooses to use people in situations as we read of in Esther chapter 4. Here we are being taught that obedience is the road to blessing. This is not salvation by works, for even though we do not have faith outlined clearly in this passage, Esther must heed the word of Mordecai and in faith trust that what he suggests will lead to their deliverance.

            What about Esther? She was being asked to leave her comfort zone. Mordecai told her that she should plead for mercy before the king: “command her to go in to the king to make supplication to him and plead before him for her people” (Esther 4:8). This is all well and good but there was a great problem. None were permitted to go into the presence of the king without prior permission (4:11).

Esther had not been summoned for a month. If she presented herself to the king now he could quite easily have her put to death. So, what was she to do? Mordecai made the situation plain. He “commanded” her because this was desperately needed. Esther was being asked to put her life on the line for the benefit of God’s people. Is this not like our Saviour? Esther was at the top of her ‘career,’ and she was (presumably) comfortable and set for life – but what now? She was asked to lay her life on the line and to leave her comfort zone. Is this not what the Lord asks of us too? We are commanded to take up our cross and to be dead to this world, following in the footsteps and paths of our Lord and Saviour. Are we prepared to honour God and do exactly what He says even if it means death? Think of the many persecuted brothers and sisters who are being slaughtered today simply because they stand up and identify themselves with Christ.

            Esther makes what can only be described as a confession of faith. After calling upon Mordecai and the Jews of Shushan to a fast she states her mission to go to the king even though it is “against the law” and she declares “if I perish, I perish” (Esther 4:16). Think of what she is saying here. What would happen to her if she were to die? Think too of the three Hebrews in the fiery furnace for not worshipping the statute that Nebuchadnezzar had made (Daniel 3). These men would not bow down to the image and trusted God even if they were to perish in the flames. We are taught in the New Testament by none other than the Lord Jesus Himself that to be a disciple of Christ we must bear the cross (a sentence of death): “and whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple” (Luke 14:27).

            Mordecai has said to Esther: ‘you must stand up and take a stand here.’ Now the Lord Jesus has never asked us to do anything that He Himself has not done before hand. The only thing Christ did not need to do was to repent of sin, for He had none. But the Lord Jesus in His incarnation stepped out of the comfort zone of heaven and humbled Himself. He had glorious and united fellowship with the father and the Spirit and yet he left that eternal place of bliss to take on human flesh and go to the cross. The moment He stepped out of heaven and assumed human form, He did so forever. Such commitment, for He is still God and yet is now also always human too. The commitments we may have to make are but for a time period, but the Son of God committed Himself to us forever. He was away from His true ‘home’ for thirty three years and became a humble servant and then what? He died! What do we leave to follow God?

[3] He would have us use our royal position to bless others.

            Esther’s rise to fame was a true ‘rags to riches’ story. As a true believer Esther was beautiful both inside and out. She was reliant upon God. She was the first lady of the empire. But all of this nature, status and position was granted to her by God. Everything we have too is given to us by God. Our very lives, our circumstances, our talents, our families and so on – all are gifts to us from God. Just like Esther, we are a ‘rags to riches’ story because we have been taken out of the “power of darkness” and we have been made as kings and priests unto God in “the kingdom of the Son of His love” (Colossians 1:13). We have been given tremendous privilege. We are royalty (1Peter 2:9)! We are part of God’s royal family. Now in such a position we have all the resources of God behind us. These are not at our beck and call of course for God knows how to order things and give in the wisest of ways. We are priests unto the Lord but not as Christ who was is High Priest who mediates for us, but we are to be a channel of blessing to others. The priests functioned as those who brought blessings to the people. Now we have received of the Lord freely and so we ought thence to give to others in the same manner – freely (Matthew 10:8). We each have talents and gifts both natural and supernatural. But these are given for the extension of the kingdom (Luke 14:25f). We are to forsake all and give up all in pursuit of Christ and the things He has freely given are now His for use as He sees fit. What of our house, our car, our time, our talents, our abilities and so on? Do we use these for self-advancement? Or do we use these as the Lord directs, to bless, and to help, and to glorify the Lord Jesus? Esther had royal position and now she uses this for the purpose of saving her fellow Jews and thus to extend and preserve the kingdom.

January 2026

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In recent months, in the absence of written sermon summaries, we have been posting YouTube links to our services. Unfortunately, these have been removed. We apologise for this. You may still watch our weekly services once they have been uploaded to YouTube (they are not live streamed). Please click on the following link to do this:

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October 12th 2025: Ian Jones

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Reading: Joshua 2.
Text: Hebrews 11:31.

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Introduction.

            The story of Rahab’s salvation is set within the context of the Lord’s conquest of Canaan led by Joshua. In Joshua chapter 2 we find two spies are sent out into Jericho. We should remember that many years before this, twelve spies were sent out to spy Canaan by Moses. Why did Joshua need to spend out more spies? He probably had all the intelligence he needed from the more comprehensive exploration done by the twelve spies under Moses. It seems to me that the main point of Joshua chapter two is to show us the salvation of Rahab, the Jerichoite prostitute. We are reminded of Jesus’ visit to see the woman of Samaria at Jacob’s well in John chapter four. He was determined to go north through that region in order to meet with her, rather than go the normal way which would have avoided travelling through Samaritan lands. It is very likely therefore, that the Holy Spirit wants us to know that the reason for the two spies trip to Jericho was (in the main) to effect the salvation of Rahab.

            God had been at work in Rahab’s life. Consider what she confesses, how she helped the spies, and her desire for her family to be saved. Now we shall consider as our text the commentary on Joshua chapter two which we find in Hebrews 11:31.

By faith the harlot Rahab did not perish with those who did not believe, when she had received the spies with peace.

The writer of the letter to the Hebrews wants his readers, (Jewish Christians), to see Rahab’s faith in the midst of great difficulties. See here a woman whose nation and peoples faced imminent death and destruction, but Rahab’s faith saved her! In many ways we too are in the same boat. Jericho was about to be destroyed, but the whole world awaits the coming judgment of God when Christ returns. And here we see Rahab trusting in God. Her faith is very visible. It is not merely an intellectual agreement but something living and active. Now Jericho is the first city that would fall in Canaan, and given what we read of in the opening chapter we might have expected that such would be the focus of chapter two. But what we see instead is the mercy of God! There is no doubt that Jericho deserved God’s judgment, but before we see that we are presented with this historical tale which speaks of God’s grace and mercy! The Lord says in Ezekiel that He has “no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live” (Ezekiel 33:11). And then what is even more remarkable is the object of the Lord’s mercy. Whom would we think of rescuing from such a place about to be destroyed? One with great intellect? Or one who shows great promise for the future? Or maybe one who is greatly wealthy or able to make money? Or perhaps someone who might seem to deserve rescuing? A noble or one of royal birth? What we find though is that it is a prostitute (“harlot”) who is rescued. Oh the mercy of God! None is too much of a sinner that cannot be rescued! But are we willing? Are we like Rahab who had heard about Israel and God and was prepared to go against her own folk and trust in the God who judges sin?

            As a youngster I remember that children’s chorus: ‘wide, wide as the ocean.’

Wide, wide as the ocean, high as the heaven above
Deep, deep as the deepest sea is my Saviour’s love
I, though so unworthy, still am a child of His care
For His Word teaches me that His love reaches me everywhere!

The Lord’s love reaches into everywhere, even into the city doomed to destruction! Why did the Lord save me? Of all the people He could have saved – but I need to remember that there is no depth and no height that He could not reach to. Amazing grace that saved a wretch like me! Salvation is of grace and by no means something we can drum up by self effort or earn. Rahab’s saving faith separated her from the rest who were doomed to destruction.

            Let us look at four features of Rahab’s faith.

[1] By faith.

            Everyone in Jericho knew about Israel’s crossing of the Red Sea, and of the defeat of the two Amorite kings across the other side of the Jordan. Look at what she declares speaking on behalf of all the people of Jericho:

For we have heard how the Lord dried up the water of the Red Sea for you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to the two kings of the Amorites who were on the other side of the Jordan, Sihon and Og, whom you utterly destroyed. (Joshua 2:10).

She also testified to the great terror and fear that the people felt.

I know that the Lord has given you the land, that the terror of you has fallen on us, and that all the inhabitants of the land are faint hearted because of you. … And as soon as we heard these things, our hearts melted; neither did there remain any more courage in anyone because of you. (Joshua 2:9,11).

Now Rahab believed and had faith in the God of Israel, whereas all the rest of Jericho did not. Perhaps the others in Jericho thought that the Israelites were never likely to be able to cross the Jordan, or perhaps they thought that the walls of Jericho were impregnable, or maybe they thought they had an unbeatable army? But Rahab had true faith. How do we know that she had true faith? Look at which she personally declares:

I know that the Lord has given you the land … for the Lord your God, He is God in heaven above and on earth beneath. (Joshua 2:9,11).

Rahab heard the same news that everyone in Jericho had heard, but the difference between her and the rest was that she believed in the God of the Israelites and the rest did not. Rahab asks the spies for some “true token” that will bring salvation to her and to her family (Joshua 2:12). Rahab knew that Jericho was doomed, but she displays faith in God. Consider the thief on the cross who asked the Lord Jesus to remember him when the Lord came into His kingdom. And the Lord replied: “today you will be with Me in Paradise” (Luke 23:43). Now even today, whoever hears the Lord’s word (as Rahab did) will receive everlasting life (John 3:16,36).

[2] Rahab’s faith is self denying faith.

            Rahab dared to risk her whole life. If it had been found out that she had been hiding the spies, there is no doubt that she (and her own family) would have been executed. The Amorites were a wicked people. James points out that Rahab’s faith is observed by the works that she did:

Likewise, was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out another way? (Joshua 2:25).

Maybe we might think that Rahab should have been loyal to the people of Jericho? But these were a wicked people, and Rahab was prepared to give her loyalty to Israel and Israel’s God. She hid the spies, and she sent the king away on a wild goose chase! Her faith is demonstrated by her actions. Moses forsook the pleasures of Egypt because he saw “Him who is invisible” (i.e. The Lord) (Hebrews 11:24-27). Rahab was not moved by fear of the people or by the king of Jericho. She demonstrated her faith in her actions in keeping the spies safe so that they would return.

[3] Rahab’s faith is a sympathising faith.

            We also see how Rahab was not just concerned for herself, for she asks for mercy for her whole family too:

12 Now therefore, I beg you, swear to me by the Lord, since I have shown you kindness, that you also will show kindness to my father’s house, and give me a true token, 13 and spare my father, my mother, my brothers, my sisters, and all that they have, and deliver our lives from death. (Joshua 2:12,13).

Do we not also want our families to share in the salvation we know? When the Lord opened our eyes and showed us the truth, was it not so wonderful that we wanted our nearest and dearest to come to know it all too? Where true faith is seen, that is, where a person has been brought to true faith, there is also a desire within such a saved person that others might know the same joy of salvation. It is impossible to see the true value of salvation without also wanting others to share in what you have come to know. The gospel accounts show that the Lord Jesus had amazing compassion. Are we not like Him?

            There was no guarantee that any would be safe outside Rahab’s house where the red cord was placed. If they remained within Rahab’s house then they would be safe and their blood would be the responsibility of the Israelites. But if they stepped outside their blood was on their own heads. This meant that each member of the family must come into Rahab’s house. Go out and you face judgment, come in and your life is secure. It was the responsibility of each member of Rahab’s family to come into the house where the scarlet cord was found. That scarlet cord represents the blood of the Saviour. In the Exodus the Israelites had to daub the blood of  lamb on the lintels and doorposts of their doors to escape the judgment from the angel that was passing over. Are we looking to the shed blood of Christ?

[4] Rahab’s faith is a sanctifying faith.

            Scripture refers to Rahab as a harlot. But she was not going to continue in such a profession. Her faith was that which also led to her sanctification. Rahab was given special privilege among Israel after being rescued (Joshua 6:25). And then wonderfully we discover that Rahab becomes mother to Boaz, who married Ruth the Moabitess, from whom came Obed, then Jesse, and then David. Boaz was a godly man as the record in Ruth shows. Where did he gain such godliness? Surely, he would have learned from his mother Rahab who was saved out of Jericho? Rahab features in the genealogy of the Lord Jesus (Matthew 1:5). Rahab, a Gentile prostitute, by faith in the Lord,f comes to feature as an ancestor of the Lord Jesus! How great is our God!

October 5th 2025: Peace Choi

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Genesis 2:15-17, 3:1-7.

to view this service, please click on the following link:
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Introduction.

Genesis 1:1 declares to us that God created all things in the beginning and Genesis 1:31 tells us that everything He created was very good. But in Genesis 3 we have a catastrophe. This is probably the darkest time in earth history. For in Genesis 3 we are informed about our first parents Adam and Eve and their disobedience and rebellion against God. The Lord had given them just one command not to eat of one tree in the garden warning them that if they did then they would surely die (Genesis 2:17), but they disobeyed God and as a result the whole world was placed under a curse. Adam and Eve were expelled and banished from the garden of Eden, and their relationship with God was broken. This same pattern is repeated in all of mankind. We are sinners because of what Adam did in the garden, but we all disobey God from our own choice too. None can pass the blame. Eve may have blamed the serpent and Adam may have blamed Eve, but both were culpable, and both sinned by themselves. But just as Adam and Eve disobeyed the command of the Lord so too do all mankind. Consider three examples in the Old Testament.

King Saul disobeyed the Lord.

            Think of the first king Saul. He was told to go out and destroy the Amalekites. But he failed to do this even though he was commanded by the Lord. Saul rather made up his own mind to save the animals and bring the king of Amalek to a position of humility. But the Lord wanted Amalek wholly destroyed. The Lord knows what is best and right in all situations. So we can only assume that like Sodom and Gomorrah there was no means by which the Amalekites could be turned around. But Saul chose his own means and way to deal with them. When Samuel the prophet heard the sheep and the cattle coming by he asked why Saul had saved these, to which Saul replied so that they could offered in sacrifice to the Lord. (1Samuel 15:14,15). Samuel had already been told by the Lord that Saul had not followed Him in His commands, but now after a brief interaction between the two, Samuel gives the Lord’s reply to Saul’s disobedience:

22 So Samuel said: “has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed than the fat of rams. 23 For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, He also has rejected you from being king.” (1Samuel 15:22,23).

Note here that rebellion is no better and just as bad as “the sin of witchcraft,” and stubbornness is like idolatry. So when we disobey God’s word this is rebellion against God.

King Solomon disobeyed the Lord.

            Sometimes we make excuses. Sometimes we think that the commands of the Lord do not apply in our case. Perhaps we may think that our poor upbringing or the harsh life we have had to live excuses us from obedience to God’s commands. This, I believe, is what Solomon did. He thought that he could marry many foreign wives. Perhaps these were engaged in to make alliances with other peoples? Now the Lord had told the Israelites that they were not to intermarry with foreign women, and He told them the reason for this, for it would draw them away from faith in the Lord to serve other gods and incur the wrath of God (Deuteronomy 7:3,4). But Solomon ignored this command and (presumably) thought he was fine to do so because he was wise and he was king. But that was not true. The record of 1Kings is clear:

Solomon did evil in the sight of the Lord, and did not fully follow the Lord, as did his father David.  (1Kings 11:6).

I wonder, do we make similar excuses as Solomon? They may not be so grand and obvious as the sin of Solomon, but do we excuse certain sins or certain wrong attitudes?

Israel disobeyed the Lord.

            What also of the twelve spies sent to survey the land prior to Israel’s entrance? There were only two good reports, for ten of the spies brought back a bad report which lacked faith and simply spewed forth the fear of man. The Israelites ended up in a very sorrowful state bemoaning their lot and longing to return to Egypt where they had cucumbers (Numbers 11:5)! So they called for a leader to lead them back to Egypt (Numbers 14:4). The people poured scorn and showed utter contempt for the Lord’s command to go in and possess the land of Canaan.

Disobedience to God’s word is rebellion, arrogance, and shows contempt.

            In our disobedience to God’s word, we are showing rebellion, acting arrogantly, and displaying contempt for what God has said. How can we expect God to look on us with blessing if we treat God’s word in such a way? Do we want things to be good and better in life? Satan rejoices if we talk about God’s word but fail to obey it. He loves it when all we do is talk but are not keen to change our lives to follow His ways. Disobedience to God’s word is a serious affair. Never take it lightly. We are not only to listen to the word of God, but we are to be doers of it also (James 1:22). Remember that disobedience to God’s word leads to separation from God in relationship and to a catastrophe. The wages of sin is always death. Sin destroys and brings havoc in its wake. We ought to be dead serious about our obedience to the word of God.

Jesus Christ the obedient Son.

            The Lord shows His desire for our obedience in and through the Lord Jesus Christ, who lived a perfectly, righteous, sinless, life, and who could say:

My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me. (John 4:34).

I do not seek My own will but the will of the Father who sent Me. (John 5:30).

For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me. (John 6:38).

I always do those things that please Him. (John 8:29).

Our Lord and Saviour lived as man ought to live, wholly pleasing the Father. Now Christ declared to His disciples that His Father had commissioned Him to lay down His life and to take it up again (John 10:17,18). The death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus is the only means by which salvation could be brought to mankind. The Lord Jesus gave up His life and took it up again in accordance with the will of the Father, so that people could be saved. Jesus fully obeyed His Father. He obeyed God even to the point of death. In the garden at Gethsemane He prayed with tears and sweat of blood that the cup might be removed but ended His prayers with those incredible words “not My will but ours be done” (Luke 22:42).

What should God’s people be like?

            Matthew 12:46-50, Mark 3:31-35, and Luke 8:19,20 all speak about the characteristics of those who are truly of the Lord’s household and family. Those who are truly of the Lord’s family are those who having heard the word of God, go on to do the will of the Father (Matthew 12:50; Mark 3:35; Luke 8:21). So Jesus considered obedience to God’s will from His word as characteristic of those who are part of the true family of God. The Lord Jesus went on to say: “If you love Me, keep My commandments ” (John 14:15). To those who take hold of what God has revealed and seeks to do what he has been asked, the Lord Jesus declared that these are the ones who love Him, and then He goes on to say that “he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him” (John 14:21). Do we love the Lord? Yes! Do we always do what He asks? Not always. How many times do we fail to keep His commands?

The grace of God!

            Now in order to obey the Lord, to do His will, to carry out His commands we need grace! We need His strength. We cannot do this by ourselves. There are two sides to the one coin of faith. On the one side we have our love to God. And on the other we have our obedience to the Lord. We cannot really have love for God if we fail to obey what He commands. To love God is to obey Him. And so we need His grace and His strength. If we say that we love the Lord but chose which commands to obey and which to ignore or pass over, we are in very dangerous waters. Disobedience to God is detestable in His sight. This is because all He says and commands is good and it is the best. The opposite is always bad, evil, and not good. We cannot make excuses when we come up against commands we do not like. Faith cannot be separated from obedience. True faith in the Lord contains within it obedience to what He says (Romans 1:5). The Israelites of old heard the gospel but failed to heed what they heard (Hebrews 4:2). They failed to act in faith upon what they heard.

            Take the problem of anxiety. The Lord calls us not to fear many times and He says for us not to be anxious. We ought not to be anxious at all. But we are often. What should we do? Remember when the disciples were in the violent storm on the Sea of Galilee and the Lord rebuked them for their anxieties saying “Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?” (Mark 4:40). Well, of course, this incident was brought about to show the disciples’ hearts and the Lord was leading and teaching them about their little faith. When we come up with anxious thoughts we must run to the Lord for His help (Psalm 94:19).

            We understand that we must obey all that the Lord commands, and we see the Lord Jesus doing this completely with perfection. But then we run into a dilemma. We simply cannot do what He asks of us. We ought to do what He asks, and we know that what He asks is always right, but we simply cannot do it – at least not for any sustained length of time. What should we do? As we cannot put God’s word into practice by our own strength and will, we must use the strength that the Lord supplies! We must therefore pray to God for His help. This is why the Lord Jesus came! He did not simply come to die and pay for all our sins. (He did that and such is wonderful of course). He came also to live the life we could not live and He gave that to us too! We live by His strength, and by His righteousness. We can truly say: “for me to live is Christ” (Philippians 1:21). So when we sit under the word of God we ought to pray: ‘Lord increase my faith, empower me to obey what you speak to me.’ Remember too that God wants us to put into practice His word more than we want to do it. Therefore pray for grace and strength to follow His will.

September 26th 2025 – Harvest Service: Norman Gilbert

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Ruth

At this harvest time I was reminded of the book of Ruth which has harvest at its centre. I have recently preached a series of sermons on Ruth but tonight I want to look briefly at the whole book. In it we see both the providence of God and the story of redemption. We also see a story of romance. But not one of sentimentality, rather one of true godly love.

The book of Ruth is set in the context of the Judges (Ruth 1:1). This was a terrible time in Israel’s long history. It was a time of trouble and departure from God only reversed on occasion by the Spirit’s grace. We shall consider this book using three headings:

[1] A poor decision.

[2] God’s provision.

[3] God’s promises.

[1] A poor decision.

            Not all harvests are great. Times of famine and poor harvest were seen as the judgement of God. Of course, the outcome of a harvest is not in the hands of man. The rain and the sun are governed by the Lord. But man must do his part, of course. He must plough and till. He must root out weeds and stones. He must sow and water. But ultimately the fruit of harvest is all because of God’s grace. Now at this time in Israel there was “a famine in the land” (Ruth 1:1). We are not told why there was this famine. In other Scriptures we are told. For example, in the time of Ahab Elijah was called upon by the Lord to announce a famine on the land (1Kings 17:1). This was undoubtedly on account of the wickedness of Ahab and Jezebel at that time.

            Now Elimelech made a very poor decision (Ruth 1:1,2). He decided that on account of the famine in Israel he would take his family to Moab. We all have to make decisions in life, but Elimelech’s decision was a poor one. He was leaving the land of promise to go to a land of people who hated Israel, who were often enemies of God, and whose ways were not of the Lord – they were a pagan people. Perhaps Elimelech thought that the ‘grass was greener’ in Moab? Elimelech’s name means ‘God is King’ but he seems to have forgotten this. He ought to have known enough of God and His ways to cause him to stop and rethink this course of action.

            Remember that the Lord is always sovereign. He overrules in our mistakes. So Elimelech took his wife and his two sons to dwell in Moab. Consider the consequences of this action. Whom would his two sons marry? There were only pagan girls in Moab. They would no longer enjoy an Israelite God-given environment but one which did not follow God. And then in the course of time Elimelech died leaving his wife Naomi as a widow but still with her two sons Mahlon and Chilion. What was Naomi to do? Well, it appears that her two sons gained Moabite wives and they dwelt there for about ten years (Ruth 1:3,4). Maybe things will work out?

            But then we learn that both the sons die, and Naomi is left a widow with two Moabite daughters-in-law who were also widows (Ruth 1:5). Three widows in distress. There was no welfare state. What a turn around in fortunes! From an Ephramite family of four living in Bethlehem, we come to a woman with two Moabite daughters-in-law destitute in Moab. It was at this point in her life in Moab that Naomi hears that “the Lord had visited His people by giving them bread” (Ruth 1:6). So she takes her two daughters-in-law and sets off to return to Bethlehem where she was from. On the way she stops and warns both of her daughters-in-law that there would be no hope for them (Ruth 1:8-10). Could she provide more sons for them as husbands (Ruth 1:11-13)? The idea is preposterous. Now after some tears we find that Orpah decides to go back to Moab but Ruth is determined to continue on with Naomi (Ruth 1:14-17). We need to remember that Israelite culture was very different from Moabite ways. So Ruth’s determination is something rather special. She pleads with Naomi not to send her back, she states that she will go wherever Naomi went, and she will lodge wherever Naomi was to lodge. This is nothing other than a wholesale giving up of her Moabite life for a life with her Israelite mother-in-law. She continues saying that Naomi’s people will now be her people, and that Naomi’s God will also be hers. Where Naomi was to die and to be buried, there too would Ruth die and be buried (Ruth 1:16,17). Such a series of statements amounts to a true confession of faith in the God of Israel. Ruth here makes a big decision and it is the right one!

            As the two arrive in Bethlehem people recognise Naomi and there is some excitement but there is some sadness too. The people say: “Is this Naomi” (Ruth 1:19)? The rhetorical question has the thought of disbelief. She does not appear the same as when she went. The name ‘Naomi’ means ‘pleasant,’ but Naomi does not want to be known by that name anymore. She wants people to call her “Mara” because, she declaims “the Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me” (Ruth 1:20). she then adds that she “went out full,” but that the Lord has now brought her home again but “empty” adding that the Lord had “testified” against her, and had “afflicted” her (Ruth 1:21). The truth is that she only went out full in the sense of earthly blessings, but now she has been reduced and made low and she is back in the land of promise where the Lord will bring blessing. It looks bleak form her perspective but she does not yet know what God will do! Naomi and Ruth are two destitute widows. They have returned empty. What should they do? There was no social security nor welfare state. Ah but there was God and there was God’s man.

[2] God’s provision.

            When thinks look the bleakest the Lord is always there. Jewish law provided for the poor in a wonderful way that other nations knew nothing about. There was this rule of ‘gleaning.’ Farmers and growers of crops were to harvest with an eye out for the poor. In this day and age every square inch of a field is harvested and all of the grain is hovered up by machines. But in these ancient days when the harvest was gathered by the hands of men it was always possible for parts to be missed, and for grain or fruit to be left behind. The law stated that they were not to “wholly reap the corners” of the field and they were not to “gather the gleanings” of the harvest (those bits that were missed) (Leviticus 19:9), for these left-overs were to be for the poor and for the stranger (Leviticus 19:10).

            The Christian message is truly glorious. We can see in this account the wonderful providence and provision of God. It so happened that Naomi and Ruth returned “at the beginning of barley harvest” (Ruth 1:22). The doctrine of God’s providence is a wonderful thing for believers to hold. Creation is not simply time and chance as modern people believe, for God is Creator and Sustainer. All things are under His control. The sun, rain, wind, and the harvest are all His. Our times are in His hand and He knows His business of leading and guiding best. The Lord provides everything we need (2Peter 1:3). he brings the things we need across our path. Nothing happens by chance. All is according to God’s good will (Romans 8:28). There is a reason for things turning out the way they do, for with God things don’t just happen. We often only see the hand of God guiding when we look back at the events of life.

            And so it just so happened that when Ruth asks to go and glean in the fields to provide for their needs, the very field she enters belongs to a man called ‘Boaz’ (Ruth 2:2,3). This man was a kinsman of Naomi. Was this chance? By no means! All things are in the hands of God. He promised to keep them and here they are gleaning in the field of a relative who is described for us as “a man of great wealth,” and “of the family of Elimelech” and so a near kinsman (Ruth 2:1). Now Boaz was a true man of God (Ruth 2:4). When Boaz sees Ruth it seems clear that he has an ‘eye’ for her (Ruth 2:5-9). He tells his men to give her respect and to aid her in her gleaning (Ruth 2:9,14,15).This whole account in Ruth 2 is one of great wonder and joy. A young woman who had no real hope and was so poor that she is reduced to gleaning for the left-overs is now being given honour and privileges. She even gets to have a meal with the regular workers and can drink the drinks provided for Boaz’s men (Ruth 2:9,14).

            Now verse 12 is key: “the Lord repay your work, and a full reward be given you by the Lord God of Israel, under whose wings you have come for refuge.” Boaz acknowledges Ruth’s faith. Throughout this account in Ruth chapter 2 we see the hand of God’s providence. God is in control. She did not go anywhere else but stayed in the fields of this relative who was a true man of the Lord. We see also that a kinsman could act as a ‘redeemer’ buying back the land that was originally theirs provided in the land of Israel by lot. We can read about this right of redemption in Leviticus 25:25f. The land could not be sold permanently and when a person became poor they had the right and chance to redeem or buy back what they had lost. This was a great thing of grace and mercy, and it points forward to the Lord Jesus Christ who is our ‘Kinsman Redeemer.’

[3] God’s promises.

            At the end of the harvest there was still a job to be done. The seed must be separated from the husks or the chaff. This was known as ‘winnowing.’ The grain was hoisted up into the air by a winnowing fork and the wind allowed to blow through the hoisted material. The wind would catch the light husks and chaff and blow them away, whilst the heavier grain would fall back down to the ground. It was also a time of much rejoicing and merriment.

            At the end of the harvest when the winnowing was taking place, Naomi tells Ruth to do something rather strange and wonderful (Ruth 3:1-4). Ruth is told to go to the winnowing house where Boaz was busy and to present herself to him as a prospective wife! Ruth is told to make herself ready as only a woman knows how with her “best garment” on and all spruced up to boot (Ruth 3:3). She must not make herself known to Boaz, but find out where he was going to sleep (Ruth 3:3). Then, when he is asleep she was to go to his place and lie down at his feet having uncovered them (Ruth 3:4). Now Ruth is quick to obey (Ruth 3:5,6). After Boaz had had his fill of good food and drink he went to sleep by some grain and Ruth went to lie at his feet (Ruth 3:7). In the night Boaz awakes and sees a woman at his feet and on asking discovers that it is Ruth (Ruth 3:8,9). When asked Ruth declares her intentions saying: “I am Ruth, your maidservant. Take your maidservant under your wing, for you are a close relative” (Ruth 3:9). This was a proposal! She was asking to be Boaz’s bride. Boaz’s reply is truly wonderful and fully agrees to this plan (Ruth 3:10,11). However, there was another kinsman who was closer in relation than Boaz so he must first be consulted for he could redeem them first (Ruth 3:12). We discover something of Boaz’s appreciation of Ruth here. She is blessed of the Lord on account of her kindness to Boaz in not going after the younger men (Ruth 3:10). Boaz informs Ruth that everyone was aware that she was “a virtuous woman” (Ruth 3:11). We also see Boaz’s faith here (Ruth 3:13). Boaz is about to take things into his own hands and Ruth will be redeemed. It is just at this point we do not know whether this will be by Boaz or by the closer relative.

            And so Ruth lays at Boaz’s feet until the morning and before anyone gets up she returned to Naomi and told her all that Boaz had done for her. Boaz had given her some provisions too to ensure that she would not return “empty-handed” (Ruth 3:14-17). Here we observe the kindness and faith of this man of God. Boaz immediately sets about the task of redemption. Before he can redeem Ruth he must first meet up with the closer relative, and it just so happened that this man was walking by the gate as Boaz was there to bring his case!

Again, we have the wonderful providential provision of God. Boaz goes to the gate to start proceedings (for the gate was where the rulers and elders met to make decisions), and then “Behold, the close relative … came by” (Ruth 4:1). How marvellous is our God!

            Now Boaz tells this man that he could redeem the piece of land that once belonged to Elimelech (Ruth 4:3,4). He mentions also that if he does not want to redeem it then Boaz would. Presented this way the offer seems like a great deal, so the close relative says that he will indeed redeem the land (Ruth 4:4). And then Boaz adds something which gives the closer relative pause for thought. He states that when he redeems the land he must also take Ruth as wife to perpetuate Elimelech’s name in Israel. Hearing this the close relative changes his mind, and it appears that he is concerned that his inheritance will be affected by Ruth and Naomi’s presence. So, the close relative gives Boaz what he has hoped for – the chance to redeem the land and take Ruth for his wife. The deal is then legally ratified before witnesses (Ruth 4:6-10).

            In all of these events we are meant also to see Christ Jesus as our Kinsman Redeemer. At this point we are shown that through Ruth will come first Obed and from him Jesse who was the father of David. In David we see the promise of the Christ. All of this story occurs in Bethlehem, where Christ Jesus was eventually to be born. Matthew records this genealogy we have in Ruth 4:18-22 as an important link in the chain which gives us Christ born of the virgin Mary. Some twelve centuries will need to pass by before we reach the Lord Jesus, but in this short story we see much of the grace and glory of the gospel. Christ is the one who redeems us from our sins and lost estate. We have seen not only that God overrules in the affairs of people in a wonderful way, and that He is also showing us how it will be that he will save us from our sins. In Ruth and her story of redemption by Boaz we can see the great goodness of the Lord’s redemption of lost sinners. She was a Moabitess, and so despised by Israel. But she came to faith in God and was given a lot more than she ever bargained for!

            There is coming a greater harvest one day. May we be among those whom the great Kinsman Redeemer has chosen as His wife!

September 21st 2025: Jeremy Bailey

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Isaiah 42:1-17

           The first word in our text is “behold.” It comes the idea of gazing intently upon someone or something. This is essentially the main point of the passage and of our message today. Do you remember when you were first saved and entered into the way of Christ? You could not get enough of this wonderful Jesus! Before you conversion you never gave Him a thought, but now you love Him and you begin to love what He loves. You love the brethren and the church, then you begin to develop a great love for the Bible.

            But then there is this great difficulty. The Bible is made up of 66 different books and some of them, like Isaiah, are quite long. Maybe as a young believer you started with the New Testament. I was encouraged to read Mark’s gospel to start with. It’s all about Jesus. Its quite short. It is dynamic with things happening straight away or immediately. The other gospels gather attention next because they too are about Jesus. Then we look at the letters which explain things concerning Jesus and the gospel. This is a message for and to all of the world not just to a single nation (Israel). Even if we are unsure about the teaching of Revelation at least we come to know the certainty of Christ coming back once more.

            What about the Old Testament? To many it is just ‘old’ and so not so important as the New Testament. But we do know differently don’t we? All Scripture is God-breathed and God has spoken through the prophets o old. Isaiah is made up of 66 chapters and in a way it is a mini Bible. There are some difficult and tough parts, but it is all about Jesus too! We learn this from what Jesus said to the disciples after the resurrection (see Luke 24:26,27,44-46). Whilst the New Testament announces the arrival of Jesus Christ and concerns His appearing, ministry, and the implications of all He did, the Old Testament prepares the way and continually points towards the first advent of Christ. There is much in the Old Testament which describes both the Person and the work of Christ. In Isaiah we have a number of ‘Servant Songs’ of which our passage is one example. And in it we get a glimpse of the nature and work of the prophesied Messiah.

            Now in our text we see three wonderful pictures of Christ. First, He is a great King. Before Isaiah 6 we have a series of sermons from the prophet, but then in chapter 6 we are hear of the death of king Uzziah. Wonderfully, it was at this very point in time that Isaiah “saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lifted up” (Isaiah 6:1). When a monarch dies there is a great period of uncertainty. How will the successor to the throne act? What will their reign be like? Isaiah might have thought that the next king would not be as good as Uzziah? But Isaiah is given this vision of a King who would never die and is way above all others. The apostle John quoted from Isaiah and identified this One whom the prophet saw with the Lord Jesus (John 12:37-41).  Second, from Isaiah 35 to 55 the focus is upon the coming One as “the Servant of the Lord.” Chapter 42 begins with the Father speaking of His Son. Our Lord and Saviour did not come to rule as an earthly king but came as a servant and to give His life as a ransom for many (Matthew 20:28; Mark10:45). Third, in the last section, from chapter 56 up to chapter 66, we see the promised Messiah depicted as the One who conquers.

            In our passage we have Christ as the “Servant of the Lord.” How can we be sure that this is a picture of the Lord Jesus? After healing a man with a withered hand on the sabbath, the Pharisees wanted to destroy Him (Matthew 12:13,14). And when Jesus knew of their plots He withdrew from that place but continued to heal many warning them not to make Him known, and then Matthew comments that Christ’s actions were prophesied of by Isaiah quoting our passage of Isaiah 42 (Matthew 12:15-21). So Jesus Christ is clearly “the Servant of the Lord” as depicted in Isaiah.

            I want to draw from Isaiah 42 three themes in relation to this “Servant of the Lord.”

[1] The Servant of the Lord and His commission.

            God the Father invites us to consider, or to “behold,” this delightful One known as “the Servant of the Lord.” We are to think deeply, to gaze intently, and to meditate thoughtfully on this dear One. Now God has many servants at His disposal. There are the angels, for example, who do His will (Psalm 104:4). There are His people called to various tasks. But the work of saving people form their sins and disaster was so special and intricate a task, that He was never going to trust it to men nor to angels. Men, of course, were discounted because of being sinners. Angels are mightily powerful but only His Son could do this vital task. Salvation is of such importance that only the Son of God was called upon to carry out this mission. ?

            Do you struggle with difficulties? Are you depressed and set about with anxious thoughts? Are you suffering grave temptations that are difficult in your life at this time? Our great problem is that we focus on the problem. We look to ourselves, our condition, our troubles, when all we really need to do is to “behold” the Lord’s Servant,Jesus Christ.

            There is a tiny village chapel like Penuel near to Colchester in Essex. It is sited on a high hill near to a road called ‘artillery street.’ In 1850 there sat a young man in the pews by the name of Charles Haddon Spurgeon. He couldn’t get to his normal place of worship due to the snow, so he ended up in this little chapel. The man due to speak was taken ill, and so one of the church members got up to preach. His text was:

Look to Me, and be saved, all you ends of the earth! For I am God, and there is no other. (Isaiah 45:22).

The man speaking was not particularly gifted but he pressed his text earnestly upon the congregation and even pointed directly to Spurgeon saying ‘young man you look particularly miserable, look to Christ.’ It was at this point that Spurgeon came to faith in the Lord, merely by looking with intent at the Saviour. As an aside there was a young man in our church called ‘Jonathan’ who had Down’s Syndrome. The young people used to leave after the third hymn for their youth teaching and as he was leaving he looked back at us in the congregation and said ‘cheer up!’ Sometimes Christians can look and appear so dour!

            In the New Testament we see the Lord Jesus calling Nicodemus to do what the Israelites did in the wilderness when they were plagued by snakes. Do you remember that incident? It is recorded in Numbers 21:7-9. The people had sinned and were plagued by snakes. After praying the Lord told Moses to make a bronze pole with a snake on it. The people were told to look to the pole and they would be healed. The Lord Jesus made reference to this and transferred the focus to Himself:

14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 15 that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:14,15).

Look to Jesus! The Father sent the Son and upholds the Saviour who died for sins. The Holy Spirit honours the Saviour and convicts sinners of their need applying all that the Lord Jesus gained to those who look to Him. This is a work of the blessed trinity, Father, Son,and Holy Spirit. Have you looked to the Saviour?

[2] How the Servant of the Lord carried out His task.

            The Lord Jesus Christ carried out His wonderful work of salvation with modesty and with gentleness. He did not shout out in the street (Isaiah 42:2). The Lord was not given to raising His voice, except briefly in regard to the Pharisees upon whom He pronounced several woes (Matthew 23). For the vast majority of His life He lived quietly as a carpenter in Galilee. When He began His ministry there was no fanfare or trumpeting, and there was marketing or publication. He simply went and preached the good news. He was especially gentle in His dealings and interactions with people. He was no ‘pushover,’ but He was never belligerent nor bombastic, demanding to be heard. He understood the people and their need. He did not ‘pull His punches,’ and always spoke the truth. To the woman of Samaria He pointed out her condition in sin, but He was always gentle leading people to see the truth and their need of Him. Matthew 11:28-30 records how He issued a general call for all who were burdened and laden down to come to Him. In Isaiah 42:3 we read these beautiful words:

A bruised reed He will not break, and smoking flax He will not quench; He will bring forth justice for truth. (Isaiah 42:3).

You often see reeds by the riverside bent over after a violent storm and rain. It is a simple matter to just break the bent reed as you pass by on your walk. Naturally the reeds are not easy to break due to the fibrous nature and structure. But if the reed is bent over by some violent force it becomes a lot easier to break off. We do not use candles very often but when they get down to the very bottom and the wick is sputtering and barely glowing it is a simple thing to lick your fingers and snuff the dying embers out. Now these two illustrations are pictures of fallen human beings. We can barely stand up among the forces that buffet us,and there are but the dying embers of life left. Hebrew is a very different language to English. The negative is put here to imply the opposite positive. In saying that this Servant of the Lord will not break a bruised reed and will not quench a smoking flax, the Lord is really saying that He would restore structure and bring back to life. The Lord will cup His hand around the smouldering wick and will gently blow upon it to fan the flames back to life! The Lord knows us. He knows our frame. He knows we are weak and frail. He knows we sometimes are clinging to life. Well He is gentle and incredibly loving! What-is-more, he is our Creator and knows what to do!

[3] The people to whom the Servant of the Lord came.

            Those who are not yet saved are bruised and smouldering. But even the saved are still bruised and still struggle with life ‘going out’ like a smouldering wick. We are works in progress. Our justification is secured, but we are in need of sanctification and ongoing repair. We mentioned Spurgeon’s conversion a moment ago. He was very miserable as a teenager and needed to hear the Lord’s call. He was, it seems, a very religious person, but he needed to be bruised before he came to faith. Mankind is very proud. If all is going well and there are no problems in view then what need does he have of God? He may be very successful in career, in family, in relationships and so on, so what need is there of God? He has great need, of course, but he is unaware of it and does not see his need. The Lord allows us to be bruised by the world, by our sin, and even by Satan’s misdemeanours. He does this to bring us to see our lost and hopeless condition. We are bruised and in need of repair. Think too of the prodigal son (Luke 15). He had to be brought to a point when he came to his senses and saw his desperately low condition, before he returned to his father. Man is bruised so that he can be led back to the Lord.

            Now even as Christians we are sometimes bruised and sometimes become like a smouldering wick. But why is this? It is so that we would value Christ even more. It is so that our hold of the things of this world will become lighter. It is so that we might become more holy, more like Christ, and more alive! See how the ‘giants of faith’ in Scripture were sometimes bruised. Peter was bruised by the Lord and made to see his over confidence in himself. David was bruised too. He was made to see the wickedness of his actions and brought to deep and sorrowful confession (see Psalm 38 and Psalm 51). Paul too was bruised. He had his ‘thorn in the flesh’ which the Lord would not remove to keep the apostle humble and trusting. Those whom Jesus has saved may be bruised at times, and this in order for them to gaze deeper into the Lord’s face. Even little children are forgetful of their parents until they fall and graze their knees. But them as they pour out their tears they look into the face of their mum or dad in hope that all will be made better. How much more will a bruised saint gaze into the face of Jesus who died for them? Remember this above all else. We have a Saviour who was “wounded for our transgressions,” and who was “bruised for iniquities,” (Isaiah 53:5). His bruising was for our salvation. Our bruising is for His glory and to make us more like Him.