Tag: gospel

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.

January 12th 2025: Phil Meiring

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Facing our Giants

“Then all this assembly shall know that the Lord does not save with sword and spear; for the battle is the Lord’s, and He will give you into our hands.”
1 Samuel 17:47

Every Christian is at war. We are seeking the extension of his Kingdom on earth in a hostile environment. If today you do not feel this may be so, it may be because you have not yet enlisted in the armed forces of Jesus, or you have gone AWOL (absent without leave). The gospel is very much about war and peace.

The victorious battles within the Old Testament are there for two reasons. One reason is to teach the art of Christian warfare, and the second reason is to point us to the greatest battle of all time, that was won by Jesus at the cross. Both these aspects are here in the David – Goliath narrative. Is there a Goliath standing in front of you at this present time? That seemingly and surmountable obstacle threatening your spiritual life and most importantly the honour and glory of God.

  1. Get to know your enemy (verses 1-11).

An important rule of war is to fight it on your own terms. That was not happening here. God’s people had been duped into thinking that the battle was all about Goliath (v8). As a consequence, God’s people are dismayed and terrified (v11). Disobedience had led to paralysis. The enemy was dictating the terms. God’s people had forgotten that ‘The battle is the Lord’s.’

The enemy had presented a ferocious gladiator of immense proportions: 9 foot tall, standing in scale chest armour weighing in at 57 kilogrammes. He had the full kit: sword, javelin and spear. His PPE was impressive. He even had a lackey to carry his shield.

What was the deal? Let’s make it a one-to-one, and in that way we can save a lot of bloodshed (v9). One death, not many. This is how the devil often comes to the Christian. Jesus made it clear that to be his disciple is to put your life on the line. There is no death-free path to victory. There must be a cross before a crown (Luke 14:33).

Isn’t it comforting to know that every battle we face ‘Is the Lord’s’ and he is the General who loves his serving men and women. We don’t need to fear his plans. We have a daily prayer, “Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.”

  • Get to know your Lord.

From where does the mindset come from that causes a young man without any military experience to ask the question of his elders, “Who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should defy the armies of the living God?” (v26). This was “A man after God’s own heart.” (1 Samuel 13:14). David could see the battle from God’s perspective.

Where was David’s military academy? Where did he get a heart like that? It was the place that his brothers disparagingly described in v.28 with, “A few sheep in the desert.” Let’s visit that desert and see what was happening there.

a) David was feasting on the Word of God (the law and the prophets) and prayerfully worshipping his God. He would be singing his praises with his harp. Battles are won in the solitary place, alone with God in prayer. Mark’s gospel tells us how essential prayer was to the battles that Jesus faced, “Very early in the morning while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.” Where was the final battle to face the cross won? Was it not in the garden of Gethsemane?

b) David was proving God. God was part of his daily work. David’s skills on the battlefield didn’t just come out of the blue. He was learning to trust God in his daily work and be a good shepherd, “The Lord who delivered me from the paw of the lion and the paw off the bear” (v37). David learned to fight effectively using his sling and staff to rescue sheep. He was faithful in the small things.

c) David was waiting on God’s timing for his promotion. The solitary place kept him humble. He had been anointed (1 Samuel 16:13). He had the Spirit of the Lord. He had power to serve but he humbly waited upon Gods say-so. God wanted a humble shepherd to front his deliverance. David knew what it was to keep in step with the Spirit and not run ahead.

3) Get to know great David’s Greater Son.

“So David triumphed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone.” (v50). God fights and rescues his people in unusual ways e.g. Joshua, Gideon. God’s strategy to rescue humanity comes across to many people as extremely odd. But therein lies the wisdom and beauty of the gospel. The wisdom of the cross was God’s wisest ever act.

Remember, Jesus walks the pages of the Old Testament. He is there in many different guises, in lineage, prophecy, pre-incarnate appearances and types (pre-figuring). This story is clearly a type of Christ’s battle with its one-to-one encounter. David, the ‘anointed one,’ goes out alone on behalf of his people. He goes out as a good shepherd, scorned by his brothers into “the valley of the shadow of death.” He runs towards the enemy and puts his life on the line. Can you see the glorious New Testament picture of Jesus emerging? This was the young man who, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, was enabled to see into the far distance to “great David’s Greater Son” (Jame Montgomery). His prophetic utterances right there in the lyrics of his songs. Did you realise this, David co-authored the hymn book and prayer book of Jesus?

For each one of us there can be various different Goliath’s throughout life. But there is one we will face one day and his name is Death (the last enemy). Death is a truly menacing giant looming large over all of us. And what is it that makes Death so menacing? Because death is not the end for anyone. For anyone who is not safe in Jesus, death has a nasty sting in its tail. It is not a peaceful release for those outside of Christ but an eternal death.

But here is the good news. Jesus thrashed death at the cross by taking the punishment we deserve onto himself. God punished Jesus instead of you and I. He took the hit and satisfied divine justice. His resurrection proved that he did indeed strike a death blow to Death itself. William Williams Pantycelyn puts it like this, “Death of death, and Hell’s destruction.”

Jesus was able to say these words to his recently bereaved friends, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies.” (John 11:25).

Do you realise that Jesus not only took our penalty at the cross from his father, but he had to fight a lonely battle to get to that cross. He truly went onto the field alone. He had the religious elite to contend with, Satan around the corner, and the unbelief of the common folk like you and I. Jesus didn’t only suffer at the cross, he suffered throughout his life.

But this is the most poignant bit. David had God with him all the way through the clash with Goliath and he didn’t get killed. But with Jesus there came a point when he, “suffered and died alone,” in the darkness. He cried out using the first line of David’s song, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Psalm 22). Theologically, we have to stand back, stand in awe and recognise that there was in the darkness a profound distress within the Godhead that we will never understand, all because Jesus was counted the sinner instead of you and I.

Are you able to accept right now that Jesus so loved you that he was prepared to go out onto the field alone, face the cross and gain you peace with God?

If you today, are prepared to crossover from the enemy lines to God’s side and rest in what he did on your behalf, you can know today, “Death of death, and Hell’s destruction.” What is more, God will help you take on all your other Goliath’s as well.

November 11th 2024: Ian Middlemist

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November 10th 2024: Ian Middlemist

1 John 4:7-21
God is love (v.8, 16). Two great statements that changed the world. Our world needs a change, communities need change, I need a change. It is estimated that more than 100,000000 love songs have been recorded. It is the predominant topic of the music and art world. Most pop music is on a sexual relationship. Between 1960 and 2010, 67.3 lyrics from the top 40 songs refer to relationships and love, including sexual relationships. Love has become a very confusing subject. Our society has a very poor understanding of love.

God is the great definition of love. God is love. It is very profound. These 3 little words ought to fill your heart with fresh hope today. We need to start here if we are to experience anything of real love and how to do it. It must begin with God. ‘God is love’ does not mean ‘love is God.’

“Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.” (v.7-8). God’s love is personal. In John’s great letter, he writes in a wonderful and purposeful way about the love of God. It is a love letter. The mission is love. God is the one who is loved and worshipped. It is the appropriate response to His love. We love Him the more and more we get to know Him. Our hearts get bigger and fuller with a love for Him. We also love Him the more and more He is denied and the more false teaching that is given out. We respond with a holy anger, for example to false teaching in the media, with ‘I love you because you are being so hated.’

It is a false teaching that God is everything. He is not the air that we breathe, this light bulb, this church. He is everywhere, ever present, but He is not the universe. This influences many religions. He is not an object. It is a denial of God and the love of God. The world is full of 3D rich colour. You can see and touch it. God is not some moving object, collection of atoms, some blob. He is not 2D or 3D. He is love. He is glorious. We should be filled with colour. We can know God. He is love, a person who loves.

God love is not just for the masses, for y’all! He loves you and cares about you because His love is personal. He communicates to you, He calls you to Himself. He cares about you. He knows your every need.

God’s love is unique. It is the standard, the pinnacle, the number one. It is where we should go. Other statements in the New Testament tell us of God. God is love is a statement. It tells us something but not everything. Jesus tells the Samaritan woman God is a Spirit. In 1 John 1:5 we read God is light. Light portrays He is a God of knowledge and wisdom, of undiluted beauty and purity. God is holy. He is a consuming fire (Hebrews 12:29).

God is a God of wrath. Love and wrath are not contrary, they are not opposing. Love and holiness are not contradictory. He loves what is defiled. There is no tension in God. God is love. All He does is love. God’s love is a holy love. It is not blind, blind to the sin. Nor is God’s love indulgent. His love acts perfectly. Our love does not. God’s holiness and justice is loving when He punishes sin.

God love is unique in that it is eternal. His love was fixed before the foundation of the world on sinners like you. Before we were looked upon, God loved. He loved you. His love is eternal.

God’s love is free. He loves you because He wants to. He sent His Son to suffer, bleed and die, to experience the wrath of God. That is unique. We tend to love or not love on a whim. That’s not the case with God’s love. God’s love is unique. God’s love is free. It is not dependent on how He is feeling. God’s love is unique in that it is unchangeable. It does not grow through time. It is new for us as we delve into this vast ocean of His love. God’s love is unique. God’s love is personal.

Go to love is central. It is necessary, central for us, “In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. 10 In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.” (v 9-10). God’s love for us has been manifested through the life and death of Jesus. Love can be seen as a verb; it requires action. God is love – that is who He is. God is going to continue loving.

Love must be demonstrated through behaviour. You need to show it. That is where we need a lot of work. We need to preach the gospel – not watering it down, not watering down the wrath of God. Jesus helps people. The gospel is the love of God. It saves sinners from the wrath of God. Don’t just talk about love and compassion. We need to demonstrate it.

Sending Jesus into the world to take upon God’s wrath for all our sin, which would otherwise condemn us to hell, was not a spontaneous decision. It wasn’t a random act of kindness. Jesus’s death wasn’t the result of Jewish hatred. It was the result of a loving God. Jesus chose the nails to demonstrate His love. We need Jesus to save us from the judgement. Our loving God has done that.

John is not speaking of natural love, of marriage. It does not take long before a married couple realise their love has limits. John says there is more. We need to draw from the fountain of divine love and then we can love others as God intends.

Let us turn to the cross of Jesus again. Firstly, we need to love Him. Then we love others. Sin turns us in on ourselves, makes us selfish. But the cross turns us out of ourselves to think about others. It is possible to attend church, prayer meetings and read our bibles but not know the love of God. God loves us. We are nothing but sinners. The beauty of the gospel is His love is personal, unique, pervading, proven. May the Lord direct your heart to His love.

October 27th 2024: Andrew Bowden

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“And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ 31 The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbour as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” Mark 12:30-31.

Our Lord encounters a barrage of questions from the religious establishment. Many are trite, trivial and show shear arrogance and impertinence of men questioning the second person of the Trinity. They have such a sceptical approach. The Bible begins with God questioning man and woman. Adam is asked, ‘Where are you in all this mess?’ There is nothing trivial about the question. We read the Lord will come to seek and save the lost. Christ will be the central figure in the answer, opening up the way in His sacrificial death. That is the gospel. He came to deal decisively with sin.

The second question is to Eve, ‘What is this you have done? Don’t you realise the ramifications?’ The answer from God is what He will do on the cross and Christ will say, “It is finished.”

In the setting here in Mark’s gospel There is formality and hypocrisy before all questions. They lost the essence of the law, which is love. There is a stark contrast of them being so hard-hearted and Jesus reaching out to all. We see grace personified in Jesus. The very one God raised up to be the mediator, in His very demeanour, is so approachable, tender and compassionate. Incredible!

A lawyer steps forward and says to Jesus, ‘Which is the greatest commandment?’ It is like saying, ‘Which of your children do you love the most?’ Jesus comes to the very heart of the law – love is the essence. “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.” We are looking at our love towards God and how we should love God. The word ‘love’ covers so many things. It is a love, first of all, which is personal – ‘love your God.’

The gospel is not about ritual and ceremony, rules, regulations and robes. The gospel is about a loving, living, dynamic relationship with God. God has made us and created us to respond to stimuli: a sunset, a meadow of spring flowers, crashing waves on a shore. We respond to beauty with awe. The whole earth is full of the glory of God. God is behind it all. If the dawn chorus only happened once a year, no one would go to bed! Yet the human heart does not respond to God with all, wonder and love. Yet we know we are made for something more. We are made to know God in a personal way. We should respond to Calvary and the cross. John 3:16. The love of God towards us, is demonstrated in a way which will stand for all eternity as a thing of wonder.

The response on our part is to take God at His word, (Isaac Watts, ‘When I Survey the wondrous cross). We should have a personal response of love and appreciation, where we love God above all. This is the first and greatest of all the commands, with all the intensity of our being. Is there anything greater than love? (1 Corinthians 13).

Love is not legalistic. Marriage can deteriorate to something functional, having all the passion of yesterday morning’s cornflakes! Remember when you first came to know the Lord, when the Lord’s day came round you came with joyful zeal. You had a passion for prayer, excitement of sharing everything with God. But the passion evaporates, There is no real fire. You have lost your first love. Where has it gone? Where is the love? “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.” We are to love with the entirety of our being because God has loved us, given His all for us. The only fitting response is our all – our talent, our time, our gifts, our resources – all used for His glory. Use everything to the glory of God and please Him above all else.

Paul addresses losing heart. The heart is all; it is where your deepest thinking goes on. The Christian life is not something imposed upon us. It is not outward but inward. Work out your salvation. It is God who is at work in you. When something is from the heart it is the driving force. How can anything material satisfy when there is a spiritual appetite for God and His word? Every breath we take is to make known the wonder of His Saviour. I praise my Maker while I have breath.

Live for Him. Breathe for Him with all your mind. Do you realise how heavenly a gift your mind is? Tozer writes, ‘There is an inner beauty in truth and a deliciousness in truth and she invites you, she beckons you into an enchanted world.’

We are so blessed with literature. There is so much available to us. We need to serve the lord with all our mind. Sing psalms and hymns which stretch us and our minds.

Love has another dimension. It is not just something that is vertical, it is horizontal. We are meant to be channels, conduits of the love of God, shown towards others. How can someone who has known such grace not, in turn, be gracious? How can somebody who has known such pardoning, such mercy, not in turn be merciful? How can someone who has come to adore the wonder and kindness of God not be good and kind in relating to others?

If we really love God we are meant to show the love of God. In the early church a people emerged who were wholesome, clean, attractive, principled and pure. That is what impacted the life of the early church. There was a spirit of love, compassion and grace.

July 14th 2024: Ben Christofides

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Matthew 22

We are in wedding season. A wedding is a wonderful event with a huge amount of planning. It is an honour to be invited. The parable we read of in Matthew chapter 22 is a scene of a wedding banquet. Wedding banquets in Jesus’ day were even more spectacular than Meg and Jonathan’s wedding! There is a similar account of this parable in Luke chapter 14.

In this parable Jesus is speaking the week in between His triumphant entry into Jerusalem and His crucifixion. Jesus is showing religious people how very privileged they are and what they must do with these privileges is crucial. Jesus is showing then and now that your religion will count for nothing, your response to Him is everything.

In Matthew chapter 22 the end verses are unique to this occasion. On first reading, you may be wondering why this ending is included. I am convinced that verses 11 to 13 are the key part to this parable in this context. Jesus wanted us to know the destiny of our eternal soul depends on the way we are dressed – not physically but spiritual clothing.

1.Rejecting the gospel is incredibly serious.

 Many people will reject invitation of the gospel. In Jesus’ time, invitations were sent out long before a wedding. Nearer the date, a second invitation was sent out. April the 29th 2011 William and Kate got married. What an honour it would have been to have been invited. What could be more important than attending a royal wedding? Here, the king is putting on the party of all parties. The first invitation has gone out. Now has come the time to call them in (v.3). For hundreds of years the first invitation has been going out throughout the Old Testament, God telling His people. People wanted to be part of the Kingdom. Now comes the second invitation – but responses to the invite are met with indifference. They refused to come to a royal wedding feast!

Notice the patience of the king; He sends out more servants (v.4). He goes further and explains how incredible the banquet will be. It is all ready. Please come. We see a mixture of responses: some have no time for a feast (v5), others show indifference which turns to hatred (v6). God is so patient.

How many times have you heard the gospel? How many times has the invitation gone out and you still haven’t accepted, making excuses? It is possible you have become antagonistic and say, ‘How dare anyone tell me I’m a sinner!’ God wants you to be at the wedding feast. He wants to forgive your sin, to bring you into a living relationship with him through the Lord Jesus Christ, to have eternity in heaven.

Eventually, the King’s patience runs out (v7-8). Time is up. The King’s invitation won’t be sent out again. The implication for us is clear – do not play fast and loose with the gospel. Don’t assume you will have another opportunity to respond. Each time you respond to the invitation with excuses, one day you will reject the invitation for the last time, “Or he says,

“In a favourable time I listened to you,
    and in a day of salvation I have helped you.”

Behold, now is the favourable time; behold, now is the day of salvation.”  (2 Corinthians 6:2). Now is the day of salvation.

2. The gospel invitation is wide and the banquet will be filled.

The king in this parable is relentless to bring in guests to his wedding feast. So is God in His pursuit of lost souls (v9). For the Jewish audience listening to Jesus at this time, it is clear others will be brought in if you don’t accept the invitation. The invitation will go out to the Gentiles.

The invitation has come to the Gentiles, it has come to Wales, “And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” (Matthew 28:18-19).

What is that great news for us today? The message of the gospel is for you and for me (Acts 10:34). God is not interested in your background, your family heritage, age or social standing. The gospel is open to all. God is interested in only one thing – your response to His Son.

We need to be encouraged in our evangelism (v10). Are we discouraged by the apathy that exists in our society to the gospel? Can we really expect people to respond positively to the Lord Jesus Christ? The first 6 verses remind us not to be surprised when people reject the gospel. But verses 10-11 give us encouragement. Get rid of preconceived ideas who is likely to respond.

The wedding feast will not begin until it is full. Jesus Christ won’t return until the last sinner has been saved. We need to invite people while we still can. The King has prepared the feast. All is ready. What are we doing? The sinner must be ready and willing. Heaven will be full to the brim – an everlasting wedding banquet, all praising and worshipping the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. The gospel is no less powerful than it has ever been. God is on the throne. We need to tell and invite people.

3. Entry is for those wearing the clothes that He provided.

This is a wonderful encouragement but a sober warning as well. Who will be at the banquet? We might think we know, but there will be some surprises (v11-13). In this parable there is a man without wedding clothes who is thrown out. What is going on? In the culture Jesus was speaking to the king wouldn’t just invite guests, he would also have provided garments for the wedding guests. The king would provide everything. Here, the king notices a man who’s come in his own garments – he doesn’t want the King’s garments. What arrogance. He is thrown out into the darkness.

There is an awesome invite coming, a wide invitation. But if you think you were going in your own clothes, think again. We are filthy. God’s standard for perfection is perfection. Not a single sin. We don’t even come close. The whole Bible is all about Jesus. Throughout the Old Testament God told his people he would make a way for sin to be dealt with.

As we hear about the wonderful place of heaven, we think we would like to be there. But the message of the gospel is Jesus Christ met the standard we failed to meet. There is not a single stain on him. He is innocent of any charge. Then He was put to death on a cross. He bears the punishment of all our sin. He puts on all the filthy garments and dies the death we deserve. He rose again, defeating death. Why? So that by trusting in Him you might be clothed in His righteousness so you can have a garment for the wedding banquet.

“I will greatly rejoice in the Lord;
    my soul shall exult in my God,
for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation;
    he has covered me with the robe of righteousness,
as a bridegroom decks himself like a priest with a beautiful headdress,
    and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.”

 (Isaiah 61:10).

Are you clothed in the righteousness of Jesus or are you hoping to get into heaven in your own clothes – through church attendance, chapel clothes? It is possible to deceive others here on earth – attending church, being a deacon or an elder, giving the impression of being a Christian but not trusting in the Saviour. Look at someone’s testimony, backed up by the life they live. The end of the parable reminds us there will be no deception on that final day.

Friends, listen. My intention is for all of us to come and marvel afresh at our own unworthiness. God has provided all that you need. Whether you have never trusted in Christ before, known Him for many years, or deceiving people, the answer is the same, “or in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. 27 For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.” (Galatians 3:26-27).

Are you clothed in Jesus Christ this morning? A wonderful feast lies ahead. Don’t reject the invitation. Come to Jesus Christ for forgiveness of sins. If you have already received that, share, rejoice in the beauty of it.

July 7th 2024: Andy Christofides

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Romans 1:1-17: Personal Evangelism

Personal evangelism – making Christ known, the good news, the gospel. Paul uses the word ‘gospel’ 4 times in this passage. It is burning on his heart. The physical light he experienced gave spiritual light. ‘Euangelion’ is the Greek word which means ‘good message.’ Is there a better message than this! There is only one thing the world needs to hear – the gospel. Every word is inspired, but the gospel is the distilled essence; it’s not church government, loads of worship, what you wear – it is all about Jesus Christ and how you can be saved. Tell me, what do you believe?

Paul can write to the church at Corinth, “For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures.” (1 Corinthians 15:3). What is of the first importance to the church, to us as Christians?

Isaiah chapter 53 is the glorious technical height of the Old Testament. There are many things we think and believe, but what does an unbeliever need to know? Christ died for our sins, was buried and raised on the third day according to the scriptures. Jesus died for me. We need to confess and profess.

Who is Christ? Why is his death important to me? Maybe you have an unbelieving friend or relative on their deathbed. What are you going to say? John 3:16, John 14:6? Open up the Bible and explain.

Evangelism is making the good message known, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.” (Romans 1:16). ‘Dunamis’ is the Greek word for power. Nobel calls it dynamite. It is spiritual dynamite. Dynamite by itself is quite harmless. It needs something to set it off. The gospel is just words – apart from God. The gospel is detonated by the power of the Holy Spirit. It is the dynamite of God. It is not my dynamite. Tell it as it is.

Whose task is it to evangelise Pembrokeshire? People tend to think it is the church’s job. It is not; It is your job and my job. It is the task of each and every one of us. People say there are not many conversions and that it is the pastor’s fault. It is not. It is your fault, it is my fault. We have the dynamite. What are we doing with it? Are we laying the dynamite? It is no good praying for people if you are not speaking to people. Your job is to be a dynamite layer. You need to say something! We need to be faithful, but the consequences are left to God. We need to be obedient, to trust and obey, to lay the dynamite.

You may get to the position where you employ a church evangelist or a church worker, then sit back and say, ‘We don’t need to do that because we are employing a worker.’ Nonsense! It’s your job. It’s my job. If people aren’t being saved, why? You may take yourself off to another church. Why would you do that? Stay and declare and show gospel and the love of the Lord Jesus Christ.

People may say, ‘My children are not being saved in this church.’ It is not the youth leader’s job to save your children, it’s not the Sunday School teacher’s task. It’s your task to evangelise your children, first and foremost. I hope you can then trust them to Sunday School teachers, but that should supplement what is happening in the home.

When Paul write to the church in Ephesus he speaks about the gifts that Christ has poured out, “And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers.” (Ephesians 4:11), to equip the Saints for works of ministry. A pastor’s task is to feed the sheep so that they may be equipped to pastor and minister to others.

 The evangelist’s task is to equip the saints to be evangelists. Roger Carswell asks, ‘What must I do to be asked the question, ‘What must I do to be saved?’ We are all involved in this mighty work of making the gospel known. We have a task. It is limited in its time; it is only when we are here on earth.

What is the primary function of a local church? Some say we are here to worship God. Worship will not stop when you die, it will be perfected. There is no evangelism in heaven or in hell. Evangelism is our here and now go to point. We are called to make disciples of all nations. Evangelism is the keystone of the church. It only happens here on earth, not when we are dead.

“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” (Acts 1:8). The people were called to be witness in Jerusalem – where they were. Begin where you are – but don’t finish there. God’s plan was always for the nations (Acts 8). Because of what happens in Acts 7, the gospel eventually reaches Roch, “Now those who were scattered went about preaching the word.” (Acts 8:4).

Wherever the scattered believers went, they preached the Word. They were ordinary believers, like you and me, sharing and announcing the good news.

Personal evangelism is your task and mine. How do we go about it? It drives us to our knees. We are here to worship but our primary function is to be a witness to Him. Our task is to share this message with others. We are to live the life that backs up the gospel. Don’t be grumpy Christians. Why are we where we are? To be a witness, to live for him. Why am I here?

Jesus, the Name high over all,
in hell or earth or sky;
angels and mortals prostrate fall,
and devils fear and fly.
Jesus, the Name to sinners dear,
the Name to sinners giv’n;
it scatters all their guilty fear,
it turns their hell to heav’n.

Charles Wesley

You may say you can’t be a Wesley or a Billy Graham, but you and I can be an Albert MacMaken. On 1st November 1934, Albert MacMaken invited his 16-year-old friend to an evangelistic tent crusade led by Mordecai Ham. After a few nights on that evangelistic campaign, Billy Graham was converted – because he had been invited by Albert MacMaken, under the preaching of Mordecai Ham. I may not be a Billy Graham but I can be an Albert MacMaken.

Let me take you back a little but further. Edward Kimbell was a Sunday School teacher. In his Sunday School class was a young lad who showed no interest in the gospel, but Edward Kimbell prayed for this young man. He left the Sunday Scholl class unconverted and got a job in a shoe shop. Edward Kimbell still prayed for him and bought his shoes in that shoe shop and continued to witness and speak to DL Moody. DL Moody was converted.

Under DL Moody’s preaching in one crusade, there was a man you probably haven’t heard of – but he was a famous evangelist called Wilber Chapman. Wilber Chapman was converted under the preaching of DL Moody.

In a campaign led by Wilber Chapman, Mordecai Ham was converted. In a crusade led by Mordecai Ham, Billy Graham was converted.

As I preach in many churches, I ask was anybody here converted under Billy Graham. I wouldn’t be surprised if there was someone here this morning, or if someone here this morning knows of someone converted under Billy Graham. The story of Billy Graham goes all the way back to a faithful Sunday School teacher, Edward Kimbell, who continued to pray for DL Moody, even though he showed no real interest.

We can’t all be a Billy Graham, DL Moody or John Wesley, but we can be an Albert MacMaken.

Personal evangelism is something we’re all called to.

March 10th 2024: Adrian Brake

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Luke 7:11-23 Jesus offers salvation before He brings judgement.

In verses 11-15 Luke records perhaps what was Jesus’ most remarkable miracle up to that point – raising a man to life. Since the creation of the world, approximately 4,000 years earlier, very few people had been raised from the dead. Nobody had been raised from the dead for 900 years. This was truly an extraordinary event. Nobody who was in that day would ever have been able to forget what they had seen. People could never have imagined in their wildest dream such a thing would happen. They had seen Jesus give sight to the blind, hearing to the deaf, speech to the mute, mobility to the paralysed, liberty to the demon-possessed. But to give life to the dead was something else altogether.

Those who had been raised in church are so familiar with the gospels, miracles no longer stun us as they should. “Then He came and touched the open coffin, and those who carried him stood still. And He said, “Young man, I say to you, arise.” (Luke 7:14-15). Astonishing!

How could those who were privileged to be present keep quiet? Today, people would be tweeting within minutes and having selfies with the dead man. There was no social media then, but word of mouth was very effective in getting the news out. Therefore, it spread like wildfire throughout Judea and the surrounding regions. “And this report about Him went throughout all Judea and all the surrounding region.” (Luke 7:17).

“Then the disciples of John reported to him concerning all these things.” (v.18). Luke focuses on one man in particular, a man who had already been quite prominent in the gospel – John the Baptist – who was more than 150 miles away. How did he hear about the news? The disciples of John reported it to him. Disciples were people who followed you, recognised you as a prophet of God. John was recognised by many as a prophet. Israel hadn’t had a profit for 400 years.

How to John respond to what he had been told about Jesus? It’s perplexed him. He had a burning question. John was unsettled; he couldn’t rest until the question was answered. There was only one person who could answer this question, “And John, calling two of his disciples to him, sent them to Jesus, saying, “Are You the Coming One, or do we look for another?” (v.19). Why couldn’t John ask Jesus himself? Because John was in prison on the instructions of Herod Antipas. John had reprimanded Herod Antipas for his behaviour. Now Herod wanted to kill John but couldn’t because John was popular, and Herod Antipas didn’t want an uprising. John aas in lockdown but he was able to send messengers to Jesus to ask, “Are You the Coming One, or do we look for another?” (v.19).

The ’Coming One.’ God had told His people centuries before that He would send them a King, one who would deliver them from all enemies and bring blessings. He would set up a Kingdom that would never end. John the Baptist had come and said the prophecies were about to be fulfilled. John had said that He is coming, Jesus of Nazareth.

Yet, John, who had preached this to the people, now seems to have doubts and wants confirmation that Jesus is the Coming One. It is strange. John had been so sure. He had baptised Jesus. When Jesus came out of the water, John saw with his very own eyes the Holy Spirit descend on Jesus. He had told people, ‘This is the Messiah.’ (John 1:34). Yet here, John is unsure. This is the most important thing in all the earth – who is the Messiah, the one God gives as our saviour?

Why is John now uncertain? Some people say it is John’s disciples who have doubts, not John, who tells them to go and ask Jesus for themselves. But in verse 22, when Jesus answers the question, He tells the disciples to ‘Go and tell John the things you have seen.’ It is John who is uncertain.

In verse 24 the messengers come with a message from John. It is John who is second-guessing himself. Why is he uncertain?  It is understandable in Christian life to be uncertain. Have you ever felt as though, even though God is always with us, He seems far away? We can doubt and be uncertain. We should follow John’s advice and go to Jesus. Take our doubts to Jesus. Jesus doesn’t rebuke John, He ministers to him. We take our doubts to Jesus. Take them to the Lord. You’ll be welcomed and He will help.

In Luke chapter 3 we read of John the Baptist preaching. John the Baptist said the work of the Messiah would be, “Then he said to the multitudes that came out to be baptized by him, “Brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?” (Luke 3:7). John had never had PR training! Verse 9 continues, “And even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. Therefore every tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.” In verse 17 we read, “His winnowing fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clean out His threshing floor, and gather the wheat into His barn; but the chaff He will burn with unquenchable fire.”

The Messiah has come to cut down the trees that don’t bear fruit, and to throw the chaff into the fire. He has come to administer God’s wrath on enemies, to punish sin. He is come to bring devastating judgement upon sinners. It is about to happen now (v.9). The axe isn’t on the shelf – it’s already at the root. The winnowing fan is not on the shelf but in His hands. This is a clear message. John had had the message from God but it was also referenced in the Old Testament (Malachi 4).

When the Messiah comes there will be a devastating judgement for sinners. Then, John gets to hear Jesus is doing anything but judgement. Instead, He is healing the sick, raising the dead. John is expecting God’s wrath to be unleashed, yet Jesus is lavishing God’s love. This Saviour is bringing nothing but salvation. This is why John asks the question. Jesus answers with actions, “And that very hour He cured many of infirmities, afflictions, and evil spirits; and to many blind He gave sight.” (Luke 7:21). More healings! Then Jesus says, ‘There’s your answer.’ Jesus is saying, ‘Yes, I am the Messiah, the Coming One. The proof is what I am doing.’

John had got half the story, not all of it. When the Messiah comes He will unleash God’s wrath  on the ungodly.  But what John did not understand was that the Messiah would come twice. It is when Christ comes back that He will unleash devastating judgement. John had got the timing wrong. Jesus brought grace and salvation and healings (Isaiah 35). Before Christ brings judgement, He comes to offer salvation. Jesus is saying, ‘Now is the time for grace, now is the time for the offering of salvation.’ Now is the time for the first part of Old Testament prophecy to be fulfilled Later, the other part will come to pass.

One day there will be judgement. But God is so gracious, God is so merciful, that He holds back. He could do it now, but He holds back because He is patient with sinners. Now is the day of mercy, now is the day of salvation. “Jesus answered and said to them, “Go and tell John the things you have seen and heard: that the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, the poor have the gospel preached to them.” (v.22).

The chief characteristic of the Lord’s ministry is the poor will have the gospel preached to them. Jesus has come to warn people of what is to come. He offers salvation.

God is a merciful, patient God. He hates sin and those who do not repent will be punished with everlasting destruction. But God does not delight in wrath. He has a compassionate heart. Have we got the heart of God for sinners? Have we got compassion for the lost? Are we concerned for sinners?

We are working against the clock. We are still in the day of grace. But John was right. The day of judgement is coming. We don’t know when that will be. We have to seize the time and do what we can. Every day that passes is a day closer to judgement. There is no time to waste.

For those who do not know Christ, there is a warning. Now there is a welcome, but that won’t always be the case. Seek the Lord whilst He may be found. There is a time limitation on God’s offer of mercy. In 2 Corinthians, Paul says, ‘Now is the day of salvation.’ We must come. God’s patience does not last forever. We need to act. Christ is the Messiah, Jesus is the saviour, Jesus is the one who can save you. Come to Him while you may.

July 23rd 2023: Ben Christofides

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Acts 7:54 – 8:8 The Stoning of Stephen

In this portion of scripture we have two fairly seismic events in the life of the early church. The book of Acts is all about how the gospel spread after the resurrection and ascension of the Lord Jesus Christ. Although it is called the book of Acts a better title might be the Acts of Jesus Christ through the apostles. This morning we’re going to look at the death of the first Christian martyr, Stephen.


What is it like to live as a Christian in 21st century Britain? The trend is one of increasing hostility to Biblical truths we hold dear. Some Christians in other countries have much more persecution than Christians here. How are we to live in light of persecution? Should we conform to the increasingly secular society around us? In Matthew chapter 10, Jesus made it clear to the disciples that following Him would bring persecution. Persecution is not something that should take us by surprise. God uses it to advance the gospel. Ultimately, persecution is used to bring joy out of the darkest situations.

  1. Persecution will come.

All of God’s dealings with His people point to and are fulfilled in Jesus. Stephen speaks with such incredible clarity. His experience almost matches what we read in Matthew 10:17-18, “Beware of men, for they will deliver you over to courts and flog you in their synagogues, 18 and you will be dragged before governors and kings for my sake, to bear witness before them and the Gentiles.” Stephen wasn’t taken by surprise, he was prepared. Even so, it was a hugely toxic environment; people were accusing him of blaspheming before the courts.

Will we face persecution? Yes. In those moments, we don’t need to worry what to say, “When they deliver you over, do not be anxious how you are to speak or what you are to say, for what you are to say will be given to you in that hour.” (Matthew 10:19). Wonderful! What a great comfort for all of us.

Stephen reaffirms Jesus was indeed the Messiah. This was too much for the rulers. His fate is sealed. Stephen stood for Christ, despite the opposition. Now he is going to be killed for it. Has he been deserted by his Saviour and God? Not at all. “So everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven.” (Matthew 10:32). Here is Stephen, who has more than acknowledged Jesus, stood before the Sanhedrin, and is now going to be stoned. What now?

“But he, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God.” (Acts 7:55). Stephen saw heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God. Jesus is there, but what is He doing? He is not sitting at the right hand of God, He is standing. Why? Thomas Goodwin writes, “The heart of Christ is so inclined towards His people that it causes Him to stand up when He sees their affliction.” Christ cannot love you more than He already does.

Clearly aware of his Saviour’s love, Stephen prayed, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” And when he had said this, he fell asleep.” (Acts 7:60b). This reminds us of the words of the Lord Jesus Christ himself on the cross. (Luke 23).

Jesus met with Stephen in his persecution. This was an honour for Stephen. The apostle Paul said, “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.” (Philippians 1:21). Stephen’s death was surely firmly in his mind when he penned those words.

Is suffering for Christ something you consider to be an honour? You are safe in Jesus. When facing intense trials, when times get tough, how sure are you? Are we prepared to suffer? In our own strength, there is very little we can bear. God doesn’t promise to limit our sufferings. He offers something far greater. He promises to climb into our sufferings with us, to be with us in it. Luke, who wrote these words, does not focus on Stephen, but on Stephen’s role in the advance of the gospel.

  • Persecution will appear to have the upper hand.

“Then they cast him out of the city and stoned him. And the witnesses laid down their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul.” (Acts 7:58). Those who witnessed the stoning of Stephen laid their clothes at the feet of Saul, who approved of Stephen’s killing (Acts 8:1). Saul had a brutal campaign against the followers of Christ. It included intense suffering and death, to completely wipe out the name of Jesus Christ. It appears he is doing a pretty good job! It results in the early church being scattered. It looks like the persecute have succeeded. Saul began to destroy the church. It is dark. It is bleak.

Remember, we have a God who specialises in bringing light into darkness. Chapter 8 onwards marks a significant shift. The death of Stephen and the subsequent scattering of the early church, far from being the beginning of the end, is actually God’s plan for spreading the gospel to the rest of the world. God is on the throne. “Now those who were scattered went about preaching the word.” (Acts 8:4). Wow! The persecutors, without realising it, are playing a pivotal role in the advance of the gospel. Who will be at the forefront of spearheading the gospel? None other than the one hoping to stamp it out – Saul!

Places where we have seen the church growing most rapidly in recent years, such as China and Iran, have suffered great persecution, but this often ushers in great blessing. The devil is clearly not learning his lesson. God is on the throne and is building His church.

Whatever persecution you face, God uses it for His glory. He wants you to trust Him and remain faithful to Him. Who have you written off who you think cannot be saved? Let’s not limit our awesome God. God is able to bring light from darkness. He promises He will never leave you.

  • The gospel of Jesus Christ will always bring rejoicing.

“So there was much joy in that city.” (Acts 8:8). How can murder bring about great joy? The verses we have read give up a wonderful microcosm of how God brings light into the most intense darkness. There was great sadness at the death of Stephen. Godly men buried Stephen and mourned deeply for him. Persecution is not pleasant, but God always remains sovereign.

The source of joy is found in Acts 8:4-7, “Now those who were scattered went about preaching the word. 5Philip went down to the city of Samaria and proclaimed to them the Christ. 6 And the crowds with one accord paid attention to what was being said by Philip, when they heard him and saw the signs that he did. 7 For unclean spirits, crying out with a loud voice, came out of many who had them, and many who were paralyzed or lame were healed.” The Word of God goes out with great power, accompanied with great signs and wonders. Philip proclaims Jesus as the Messiah. People see Jesus is the Saviour they need. God takes the murder of Stephen to be a source of joy.

Can you think of another time when God uses an unjust death and takes it as a catalyst for a source of joy? Yes, the cross of Calvary. The Son of God suffered the righteous for the unrighteous. We have a God who is able to reach into darkness and bring light. The darkest event to ever occur in this world became the brightest light. God can take your darkness and bring light. Look at the cross.

How is it joy can be experienced here in Roch? How, in 2023, can you know real joy? There is only one way that there will be great rejoicing in Roch; this is through the spread of the gospel, by people coming to know the forgiveness of their sins through the Lord Jesus Christ. It is by people knowing their only hope is removing their gaze on worldly things and fixing their eyes on the Lord Jesus Christ. To be in a place of rejoicing here in Roch, you have to know Jesus. You need Jesus, nothing else.

Who is going to tell the people of Roch, your neighbours, your colleagues? In Acts chapter 8 it is the scattered Christians. Today, it’s Christians here. That’s the task. I am really encouraged to see what the Lord is doing here in Penuel. Can I encourage you to press on? The church is the only hope for a lost community. As we look to the coming weeks and the coming months ahead, until Jesus returns, oh to echo the words of the apostle Paul, “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.” (Romans 8:18).

Persecution will come. God is on the throne. He can use our sufferings to advance the gospel. Let us preach the word wherever we go, whatever the cost.

June 4th 2023: James Sibley

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Numbers 21: 4-9
John 3: 1-21

When I went to America for a trip I notice lot of similar things but also things which were different. When driving, there are big billboards on the sides of the roads. Usually these are of two types – either advertisements for injury lawyers or ones with verses of the Bible. Often the verse is John 3:16, a glorious verse and probably the most well-known verse in the Bible. I’m not going to focus on this verse, instead I am going to focus on the truth of verse 14, “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up.”

“And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up.” John 3:14.

The teaching that Jesus gives refers back to the Old Testament story (Numbers 21:4-9), back to the people of Israel as they journeyed through the wilderness after God delivered them out of slavery in Egypt. The Lord was guiding His people through the wilderness, but they sinned. They grumbled and grew impatient. It gets to the point where we have a drastic response from the Lord – death and judgement. He has promised He will deliver them, so why this judgement?

We see the severity of the people’s sin; they reject Moses and his leadership and they reject God and His leadership. The people’s complaints weren’t justified. Yes, the people were having trying times, but their complaints were unjustified. They were dissatisfied with God’s provision and with God’s promises.

As the snakes came into the camp and death came in, the Lord was bringing His justice into the situation, as they rebelled against perfect judgement. This happened so they might seek repentance and mercy. God told Moses He was slow to anger and that’s what we see in this passage, “And the people came to Moses and said, “We have sinned, for we have spoken against the Lord and against you. Pray to the Lord, that he take away the serpents from us.” (Numbers 21:7). The people see they have sinned and asked for the snakes to be taken away.

What happens next is interesting. God tells Moses what He is going to do. He doesn’t take away the snakes. What He does instead is even better than that. Sometimes, we make plans but they don’t go as expected, but they turn out even better. There is a lesson here for us, for what we pray. Often our prayers aren’t answered directly or how we’d like, but He works all things for the good for those who are called according to his purpose. We need hearts of faith when things are difficult.

It would have been easy for the Israelites to think that God had abandoned them, as the snakes stayed. The Lord leaves the snakes for a while but makes a way for those who have sinned to simply look and be saved. Moses, following God’s instructions, makes a bronze snake.

In John’s gospel, we see Jesus takes this story as he has a conversation with Nicodemus as He explains that someone needs to be born again to see what He’s done. Jesus says to Nicodemus they people need to be born again from above. Jesus begins to show Nicodemus that every person in this world is dead to sin (Ephesians 2). They need to have spiritual eyes to see and hearts to believe, to be regenerated. To see and believe what? To see what Jesus has done and what He has promised.

Seeing and believing are two things which are integral to these passages. Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so Jesus must be lifted up. Centuries later, King Hezekiah had to destroy this snake as people were worshipping it. Those who did not look clearly had not recognised their sin. Where are we? Have we come to the point where we say we have sinned? There is hope, there are promises: forgiveness and eternal life can be found in Him, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16). We come to Him in faith, turning from our sins and looking to Jesus.

The application. Regeneration is essential. We should see repentance in our life. Repentance is a turning away from sin and turning towards Jesus. There should be grieving over sin which leads to turning to Jesus.

   “Turn to me and be saved,
    all the ends of the earth!
    For I am God, and there is no other.”
         Isaiah 45:22

Faith is believing in Jesus, who He is and what he has done and continues to do. It is a resting in and receiving of Jesus and all that he promises. We believe in Him, rest in Him and He brings forgiveness. How can Jesus bring us forgiveness and eternal life? God brings judgement on people with snakes. It is a picture of the Fall (Genesis 3). It is connected to Satan. The serpents come into the camp. Many were struck were stuck by them and died, until the people repented. Death was then defeated for a time. Jesus says this is a picture, a sign of the truth He brings in His life, death and resurrection. On the cross Jesus removed the power of sin, Satan and death for all who believe in Him.

We might wonder why God told Moses to make a snake and lift it up. Why not a Lamb or other animal? It is because that is what it takes to break the curse. The curse has to be entered into to be broken. Jesus submitted Himself to death. He took the curse of sin and death upon Himself. He became sin and death for us so that we might live, “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree”— 14 so that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promised Spirit through faith.” (Galatians 3:13-14).

“For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” (2 Corinthians 5:21). Jesus’ cross is at the centre of all things. It is life-giving.

Jesus uses the language ‘lifted up’ in this passage, yet He is talking about His harrowing death. Why is it glorious? As He died in twisted agony, He achieved eternal life for all who believe. Eternal life is knowing Jesus, “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.” (John 1:14). We see God and His glory in Jesus, even on the cross. As we look to Him, there we see life. The cross reveals His glory because it highlights His holiness and justice. It highlights His love and mercy.

Remember what Jesus did on the cross. He became a curse for us, He offered Himself for us. Remember what He gave. Himself. Not just then but for all life. We can enjoy the sweetness of a relationship with Him. That’s the gospel.

June 12th 2022: Adrian Brake

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Philippians 1: 12-14

Nowhere, in all its 66 books, does the Bible ever say that when someone becomes a Christian all their problems disappear. Quite the opposite.  The apostle Paul warns that it is through many tribulations that we must enter the Kingdom of God. Jesus said to the disciples, “In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33b). Jesus Christ was a ‘man of sorrows.’ If we are His disciples and follow Him and walk in His footsteps, we too will be people of sorrows. Paul says Christ suffered and was glorified. He says we shall reign with Christ and be glorified with Him if we also suffer with Him.

We live in a fallen world, a world that groans under the curse. On day, God will remove all that but for now we are impacted by the effect of the Fall. But, whilst also giving us a helpful does of reality saying there is suffering for the people of God in this world, the suffering anyone of God experiences, the Bible also gives us things to help to anchor us. Our troubles have a shelf-life; they are the troubles of this world and will not follow us into the world to come.

The Bible assures us God is in control, even of His people’s sufferings. God will not abandon us to our sufferings. He is present with us. He has purposes in people’s sufferings. God redeems the suffering of His people for a glorious purpose. God, through suffering, works to bring about great and precious fruits.

You have a painful experience of one kind or another, in ways which we cannot understand at the time. But we live by faith in God’s promises and God brings out of that painful experience something that is for the individual’s own benefit.

But I want to bring to you something perhaps we don’t often think about – God uses an individual believer’s painful experiences to benefit somebody else. He uses suffering and the anguish that we go through, to bless and to profit another person, to bring them to faith in our Saviour. Our suffering in this world can create gospel opportunities that wouldn’t be there otherwise. Our painful experiences can actually be used and be instrumental, in God’s hands, in people’s conversions. Do you want to be an evangelist? Perhaps, even a difficult experience may make you one.

Philippians chapter 1 is an example of a trial with an evangelistic purpose.

“I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel, so that it has become known throughout the whole imperial guard and to all the rest that my imprisonment is for Christ. And most of the brothers, having become confident in the Lord by my imprisonment, are much more bold to speak the word without fear.” (Philippians 1:12-14).

Paul says, ‘I want you to know brother, the things which have happened to me, happened for the furtherance of the gospel. What happened to Paul? He is speaking of the opposition he had encountered in his ministry, and the suffering that that had brought upon him.

Interestingly, in 2 Corinthians 12, Paul catalogues for the believers there, everything he had suffered, simply for being a servant of Christ. One thing he mentions here, and in Philippians, he was imprisoned, in confinement. When Paul wrote this letter he was under house arrest, confined, unable to leave because of his preaching the gospel. He refused to deviate from his task of declaring Jesus to be the Messiah, the Saviour of sinners.

Paul was confined, in a home. He would have been guarded 24/7 by Roman soldiers. Not just any Roman soldiers, the palace guard, who were amongst Caesar’s premier soldiers, the elite. This gives an indication of how much of a threat Paul was regarded in the world of his day. He had the top men guarding him, really tough men. It is possible he was actually chained to them, or that may be a metaphor to speak of his confinement.

The Philippians have heard of this. Paul had a good relationship with this church. He was involved in planting that church (Acts 16). He had maintained a good relationship with them. That comes out in the opening verses of the chapter (verses 3, 4 & 7).

He evokes God as a witness, “For God is my witness, how greatly I long for you all with the affection of Jesus Christ.” (Philippians 1:8). Paul had a close relationship with this church, “Therefore, my beloved and longed-for brethren, my joy and crown, so stand fast in the Lord, beloved.” (Philippians 4:1). He loved them deeply. Why? He had fellowship with them in the gospel, “for your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now,” (Philippians 1:5). He saw in the Philippians a passion for Jesus Christ. He was drawn to them. Don’t you feel that when you see people with a passion Christ? You want fellowship with them. These were people who had come to know, love and serve Jesus Christ.

He speaks in verse 7 that they themselves may have suffered for the gospel. They were dear to him, and he was dear to them. They had supported his itinerant ministry. When most other churches had left him to his own devices, the Philippian church had invested in Paul, showing how serious they were about the gospel. Despite being poor believers materially, they supported and provided for him.

They had head Paul was in a serious condition, confined whilst he awaits a verdict about his future, will he live of will he die, will he be executed or set free? He is in a very difficult position. The Philippians have sent to Paul a man to help, Epaphroditus, later mentioned in the book, “Yet I considered it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother, fellow worker, and fellow soldier, but your messenger and the one who ministered to my need,” (Philippians 2:25). He has a gift from the Philippians. No doubt, Epaphroditus came not only with a gift and prayer, but also to find out more to give news back to the Philippians, to inform their prayer, “But I want you to know, brethren, that the things which happened to me have actually turned out for the furtherance of the gospel,” (Philippians 1:12).

Paul says it has been a major step forward for the work of God. They might have thought it was a disaster; the gospel had benefitted immensely from Paul’s travels. Having seen Paul’s fruitfulness in planting churches and encouraging people, all of a sudden Paul can’t get out to preach in the market place and the synagogue. He is stuck in this accommodation, under house arrest. Surely, the work of the gospel was being curtailed. Were the enemies of the gospel succeeding? But Paul says, ‘If only you knew! In ways which you couldn’t have anticipated, God has turned the table on His enemies.’

In verses 13 and 14 Paul explains two ways in which his confinement under house arrest has been beneficial to the gospel, how it has created opportunities for people to hear and know Christ, which would not have happened otherwise.

Firstly, “So that it has become evident to the whole palace guard, and to all the rest, that my chains are in Christ,” (Philippians 1:13). The people guarding Paul, and others, have come to hear that he is there because of his testimony to Jesus Christ. There were 6 hour shift patterns for the guards, so Paul saw many soldiers in a 24 hour period. As they were with him, he talked to them of Jesus Christ. He preached the gospel to the palace guard and to all the rest. It seemed these soldiers had spoken to other people. The soldiers were passing the message on. “All the saints greet you, but especially those who are of Caesar’s household.” (Philippians 4:22).  Paul gives greetings to the Christians in Philippi, but especially to those of Caesar’s household. It would seem people in Caesar’s household had come to faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. It would appear that it was Paul’s confinement that was instrumental in this.

Caesar’s household would never turn up at the synagogue or the market place to hear Paul preach. So, what does God do? He takes Paul and puts him in their midst. He puts Paul in Caesar’s household – in confinement with access to those prison guards. Paul had a ‘captive audience!’ Comically really. They thought he was captive, but they were captive because they had to be there and they had to listen to what Paul way saying. Paul had a captive audience in the Roman army, in the palace guard, who then spreads it. If Paul was going to get the gospel message to Caesar’s household, it would only happen by him becoming their prisoner. Paul would never have had the opportunity to witness to them, to declare Christ, in any other way. Paul’s confinement was by God’s sovereign appointment. By God’s sovereign appointing, Paul gets this opportunity to witness into the heart of the enemy. It would have been a difficult experience, but it was a trial with an evangelistic purpose.

This was one way in which Paul had a difficult experience which turned out to benefit others and to create gospel opportunities. It gave him access to places he wouldn’t have had access to otherwise.

Secondly, Paul writes, “And most of the brothers, having become confident in the Lord by my imprisonment, are much more bold to speak the word without fear.” (Philippians 1:14). Paul was in Rome, under house arrest. There was already a church in Rome, but it seems there was much timidity, and they were intimidated into silence. But Paul says, through his confinement, something wonderful has happened; they have become confident by his chains. His imprisonment had made them much more confident and much more bold to speak the word of God without fear. How would that have happened? They would have seen the way God was upholding the apostle Paul. Under house arrest, Paul couldn’t leave, but he could have people coming to him. Some of these brethren, no doubt, would have come in to speak to Paul and pray with him. They would have seen in Paul, Jesus Christ upholding him, Paul knowing the peace of God that passes all understanding, guarding his heart and mind. They would have seen it was not easy serving Christ, but they would have seen in Paul, God’s protecting hand. They knew that if God was going to be with them like He was with Paul, then they too could speak the word boldly, without fear. Through Paul’s suffering, people would have seen in him the power of God – not for great miracles but through him being sustained. Previously, the church was not doing its job because of fear. Now, the church was emboldened and empowered. The gospel is now being spread in Rome.

They could have thought, how is the gospel going to get in greater power to Rome? Many might have thought the answer would have been to invite Paul to speak in the synagogue and in the market place, invite him to address people there. But no. God sits Paul in one room, for people to find him there. How is the gospel going to get out that way? Well, Paul will get access to people in that place he wouldn’t get access to otherwise, and the emboldened church, though seeing what has happened, will get the gospel out. Through Paul’s difficult experience, gospel opportunities were created.

There’s a very important statement Paul makes, “And see, now I go bound in the spirit to Jerusalem, not knowing the things that will happen to me there,” (Acts 20:22). Paul’s final words to Ephesus. At a later date, the Spirit has told Paul he will suffer. He then says, “But none of these things move me; nor do I count my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.” (Acts 20:24). Paul was single-minded. He had a ministry given to him by the Lord – to tell others the good news of sins forgiven by Jesus Christ. He is prepared to lay down his life for that. He knew there was trouble ahead. But he knew he had a commission. He didn’t cling to his life. Paul would literally be a living sacrifice. He offered himself a living sacrifice to God.

Being fruitful in our witness to the Lord will inevitably bring pain and heartache. Sometimes, God leads us into difficult experiences to create gospel opportunities. For example, in one sense it’s sobering and in another sense it’s thrilling, to think that God is at work through everything. Could it be that, perhaps, at some point the Lord will take us into hospital with a serious illness? It would be very painful and difficult. Or it could be a loved one in hospital with a serious illness, which would be very painful and difficult. But in that hospital are other patients and medical staff, who would never think of darkening the doors of the church. Patients and medical staff who, if a tract came through their door, would throw it straight in the bin. But God has a magnificent purpose, to take a person and bring them into the Kingdom. But how on earth are they going to come under the gospel if they will not come to a church? Or they will not receive literature, or come to a church fun day or anything like that? How are they to get the gospel? Could it be through a believer going into the same ward as them? Or a believer being one of their patients? Or through a believer going in visiting and having opportunity with other patients and medical staff? A difficult experience, creating a gospel opportunity. The Lord, in redeeming that painful experience, brings about the birth of a brother and sister into the family of God.

The story of Romanian evangelical priest Richard Wurmbrand is a stirring one. Boy, did he suffer. But boy, was he fruitful! Who knows, in time to come, the way things are going in our nation, we might find ourselves in prison for the cause of Christ, and gain access in that way, into places we wouldn’t have had otherwise?

Through the difficult experiences of Paul, and of us, people see the truth of God displayed. They see a reality, not just words spoken on a Sunday. They see the reality of God in a person’s life, in a believer’s life, as they suffer. They see not just sorrow and pain, but peace, anchored and sustained by the keeping power of God. People say, ‘I don’t understand it. I see other people suffering with the same condition, but there’s something different about you, in the way that you are able to go through this.’ It can make people sit up and think. Perhaps the Lord will use it. A gospel opportunity.

In the first three centuries there was great persecution brought upon the church of the Lord Jesus Christ in the Roman Empire. Many believers were martyred in horrendous ways. But there are documented examples of people who attended the executions, the burnings and giving to the lions, who were utterly amazed at the grace God gave believers as they went through that. And some of those watching, actually came to faith in Christ because of it, who were then themselves executed.

Who knows that God may use our lives in that way, sending difficult experiences so that we become a stage for God to demonstrate His power, even in people’s suffering, that it may turn other people’s hearts? Our challenge is this – and it is very much something we work towards – can we really say, to any measure with Paul, ‘Take my life.’ Or are we, ‘No, Lord. I’d love to be a witness for you, I’d love to be involved in evangelism, telling others about Jesus, but not through a difficult experience that will be a gospel opportunity, out of which will come a new brother and sister in the family of God.’

Are we willing, in light of what God has done for us, to offer ourselves to Him in that way? Did not Jesus give His life so that we might come to know Him? Christ suffered incredibly for our salvation. We are to practice Christ-like selflessness and sacrifice for the good of one another. Difficult experiences are part and parcel. We can’t escape them. But isn’t it good to think how the Lord can redeem them?

May God help us in these days and give us our Christ-like perspective. We are here for Him, for the work of the gospel. May we give our lives, whatever happens, in His service.