Christ – Page 3 – Penuel Baptist Chapel, Roch

Sunday 7th February 16 – Morning Service

Published on February 13, 2016 by Penuel Baptist RochLeave a comment

Ian-Feb16 Ian Middlemist, evangelist at Hill Park Church, Haverfordwest, took last Sunday’s service in which he preached on the final verses of Acts chapter 3. His sermon began by saying that too easily we give way to the culture around us. However, Peter says we are not to do this. Our God has a great plan – it’s about having an encounter with the risen Jesus Christ. Ian’s sermon raised three points:

Receiving Christ The Sent Christ and Restoring all things.

Christ must be received into heaven before He is sent. The author of life was killed – without Christ there is no life (Hebrews 1). He was murdered on a cross. But the wonderful truth is death could not hold Him. He is risen. Jesus then revealed Himself to His disciples. Later they saw Him ascend into heaven. Jesus told them to wait for the coming of the Holy Spirit. This was still not the end – the church grew and the name of Jesus Christ spread into the world. We are still waiting for more to come. Jesus Christ is now seated at the right hand of God. He sits. He has completed His work of Salvation. He sits as a perpetual reminder than sin has been dealt with. He sits because He is reigning. He is not simply the king of the church but He is king of the universe, the King of Kings. All authority in heaven and earth has been given to Him.

Christ sends His disciples and preachers into the world. They respond to His call to share the Gospel which is spoken with Holy Spirit authority. Peter quotes Moses (v. 22). Moses didn’t just speak about the coming of Christ, Moses was like Christ. The Israelite’s were crippled under the reign of pharaoh, not unlike the cripple at the gates. Peter draws our attention to the fact that the Lord Jesus Christ is the only one to give us hope – not Moses or anyone else. Too often we hear the voice of the community around us who want nothing to do with the future, with the second coming. They want to hear about now. Our purpose is not to reform society. Peter says it is to give the message of repentance. The people around us don’t need our help, they need the gospel. Christ has defeated death, sin and Satan. He has truly secured a victory.

Everything in history is leading up to when Jesus will be sent. The great event creation is moving towards. Is Jesus coming again – that’s the answer for this world. He will come ‘with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God.’ (1 Thessalonians 4:16). He will come to restore all things. We are waiting for Christ, for His second coming. Jesus is coming very soon!

Sunday 17th January 2016 – Morning Service

Published on January 17, 2016January 20, 2016 by Penuel Baptist RochLeave a comment

Aaron-Jan16

Our guest speaker on Sunday was Aaron Whitfield Davies of Calvary Church, Haverfordwest. He continued the study of Philippians, preaching from the first five verses of chapter 2.

He reminded us that Paul was encouraging the believers in how the Gospel had powerfully worked in their lives and how they needed to stand for the marvellous good news and ultimately how they were to live by this good news.

Paul wants us to live out the Gospel, this amazing good news about Jesus. Let our life look more and more like Jesus. Christianity, in the true Biblical way, is a Christ of knowledge, a Christ of experience and a Christ of evidence. Christianity has to be known, felt and seen. It must be experienced in our hearts. We have minds to know the truth, it must be seen. We must know the truths, experience the truths and live the truths out. Romans 12.

Jesus said people will know we are His disciples by the love we have for others, the evidence of a changed life, the evidence that has changed the sinner into a child of God. It is not easy, it’s challenging. The unity of the trinity is described here. Our God is the mystery of three persons – Father, Son and Holy Spirit. There is unity in the Godhead, a perfect love, one for another. If there wasn’t unity in the Godhead we wouldn’t have Salvation. The love is so rich, so perfect, a marvellous mystery. This is the example we follow. He is the highest, the greatest, most glorious. Because there is the glorious unity in the Godhead we need to be like-minded, of one accord, of one mind. The true church is united. As God’s people we must put aside our differences. If we do not find it easy to love someone we must ask God’s help. We are all sinners saved by Grace. The very beginning of the church came in unity, The Holy Spirit always comes in unity; unity in truth, unity in Christ.

True Christianity is the whole man. It changes us into a new creation in Christ Jesus. It is born by the Spirit of God, changed on the inside and seen as different on the outside. God changes our hearts and minds. We can’t do this ourselves.

The life of love is a miracle of new birth. God works in us (v.13). It is the veins of the church.

Jesus was love itself. He is the altogether Holy One. No-one could have lived such a pure, glorious life, full of love, unless they were God. His life outshines all. Because His life was the perfect life He was the only one who could cover our unworthy life. His righteousness is the only righteousness. Jesus was absolutely perfect.

Sunday 22nd November – Morning Serivce

Published on November 22, 2015November 29, 2015 by Penuel Baptist RochLeave a comment

Gareth Nov 2015 Last Sunday Reverend Doctor Gareth Edwards preached from 1 Peter chapter 3 verse 18. The Christians of the time knew great suffering and Peter encouraged them to think of Christ’s suffering. The Christians suffered unjustly, following in the steps of their Lord. He also suffered unjustly. Peter encouraged them to look to Jesus for hope, comfort, joy and strength. He died for the forgiveness of our sins and we will share in His Glory. The suffering of Christians can never compare to the depth of the suffering of Christ. Christ’s suffering was sufficient suffering, it was substitutionary suffering and it was successful suffering.

Sufficient Suffering:
Christ suffered once for sin. This draws a contrast with the Old Testament sacrificial system which offered daily sacrifices – for centuries blood flowed. In Passover alone a quarter of a million sheep would have been sacrificed. But Christ suffered once, one sacrifice. Once does not require any repetition; it is valid for ever. Jesus gave out His triumphant cry, “It is finished!” Hebrews 10: 11-16. Christ offered a single sacrifice for sin and sat down at the right hand of God. In His death Christ satisfied the righteousness of God. He paid in full, completely cleansing the sin of those who believe in Him. There is full atonement. His suffering was more than enough for our salvation. He purchased forgiveness for us. He alone draws us into a living relationship with our maker. Acts 4:12 It doesn’t matter how great your sin has been – Jesus’ death is sufficient enough to wash away your guilt. Don’t beat yourself up, you need to trust in Him.

Substitutionary Suffering:
1 Peter 2:24 Christ Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree. He is the righteous one, He takes our place. 2 Corinthians 5:21 Our salvation depends on two things: Jesus’ ability to pay for our sins and His willingness to pay. He demonstrated this with His voluntarily giving on the cross on our behalf. He died at the hands of men who falsely accused Him, He died for sinful men who deserved to be condemned by Him. He unjustly suffered for us who deserve eternal condemnation. Christians suffer unjustly but it is nothing compared to the suffering of Christ. His suffering was in our place. He substituted Himself for me. The penalty for our sin, which is death, has been paid by the Saviour because of His infinite love for us. We died 2000 years ago in the person of Jesus Christ. His finished work is the basis of our salvation. In His suffering Jesus took my place, my place personally. He has a personal interest in the salvation of each one of us because He has a personal love for each one of us. Do you know Him? No matter what you suffer it is nothing compared to Christ’s death. We can’t share the glory and blessings unless we take Him to be our Saviour.

Successful Suffering:
Jesus is the one who introduces us to God. Hebrews 6:19-20. He makes the way open to us to God the Father. At His death the thick veil that guarded the Holy of Holies, that symbolised that men could not have access to God, was torn from top to bottom. Christ had gone to God the Father, He made the way possible to God. He clothes us in righteousness and presents us. Hebrews 10:19-22.The Saviour’s sufferings were not in vain. Through His blood we have atonement. Jesus’ mission was an unqualified success. We have been inducted into the same fellowship with God the Father that Jesus, as the perfect God-Man, enjoys. Let us not be slow to approach Him in prayer. We are to make the most of our access to God, there is no limitation. It is open access every minute of every day because Jesus was completely successful in His sufferings. Those who trust in Jesus Christ as their Saviour will be in heaven for eternity. We are fully forgiven and have eternal fellowship with our God. Nothing can change that.