Tag: Holy Spirit

February 8th 2026: Tom Baker

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Genesis 7: A Call to a better life.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

[1] Outside the ark.

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

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

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

[2] Inside the ark.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

February 1st 2026 – Tom Baker

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Genesis 6: Dark days with a bright future

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

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

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

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

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

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

[1] Dark days.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Exhortation.

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

September 29th 2024: Bernard Lewis

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To watch this service click on the link to our YouTube channel: https://youtu.be/QdrJah7oGCc?si=l0EKm9Rs6kr4Z8hV

1 Corinthians 1:10 – 2:5 Our Unchanging Message

I want just to focus on our unchanging message. We must never compromise the truth, but there must be a willingness to be all things to all men, “but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles,” (1:23), “For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.” (2:2).

We live in a world that seems to have lost its moorings. Here in Wales we know the reality of churches closing. Some churches remain closed after Covid. Some men leave the ministry after moral collapse. It seems the foundations are being destroyed. Paul tells us to follow the example of Christ, who does not change. The gospel message does not change. Paul is confident we can go back to the Lord Jesus Christ and the truth of His word. We are not alone. He will never forsake us and will fulfil His purposes.

God’s unchanging purpose is still that lost sinners might be saved, “Where sin increased, grace abounded all the more.” (Romans 5:20b). The church exists for the glory of God and the salvation of sinners. How do we achieve our purpose? By never changing the message, showing there is a Saviour who can take the broken pieces of our lives and use them to His glory.

The unchanging pressure

 “For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom,” (1:22).

Every culture has its own form of opposing the gospel. Every generation has its own ways of saying, ‘We don’t want that! Do it this way.’ When Paul wrote to the Romans he said, ‘Don’t let the world squeeze you into its mould,’ “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” (Romans 12:2). Throughout history God’s prophets have faced the same pressures (Isaiah, Amos). Throughout history people have said, ‘Don’t rock the boat. Don’t cause a disturbance.’ Jesus Himself faced pressure. When He fed 5000 people He began to show that people’s lives had to be changed. We are told in John 6, ‘Many turned away from them.’ Jesus actually said to His disciples, ‘Will you also turn away?’ People are compromising the truth, even within conservative evangelical churches. Are you going to turn away?

People compromise the truth because of the pressure of tolerance. It is not easy. The Christian Institute remind us regularly that there is pressure to ban so-called conversion therapy. If that comes in, in effect every preacher who declares that we are sinners and fallen short of the glory of God, that we need to change our ways, that we need to repent, everyone prepared to do that faces the risk of being arrested. Why? Because it goes against the flow. Friends, it is tough. In our day and age, Christianity is no longer the mainstream. The Christian principles are no longer the undergirding principles. We are supposedly those with hate speech.

How do we respond? With the unchanging message, “but we preach Christ crucified,” (1:23), “For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.” (2:2). Paul says this is his uncompromising, unchanging commitment. He will do things God’s way. Paul knew that his responsibility was to preach the Lord Jesus Christ. The One he had persecuted was the One he was to honour. He would not go in his own strength. The message was Christ – Christ crucified, dead, buried, risen, ascended into heaven, and the Holy Spirit.

Friends, we must remind ourselves constantly that we worship God in Trinity: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The Trinity has one purpose – that God will be glorified, and sinners may be saved. God sent His Son. The Son came in obedience to the Father. The Son and the Father have sent the Spirit in order that God’s truth might go into our world. Paul was sent to preach Christ, but he was sent to preach in the power of the Spirit.

We live in a day when people are concerned to preach the word, but there is not that same emphasis in preaching through the Spirit. Without the work of the Spirit we will not understand. Paul and the other apostles knew the pressure of being told to tone it down. Obey the Lord rather than man.

“For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.” (2:2). Paul made a conscious decision. He faced this pressure. Paul loved his people, the Jews. His heart’s desire for Israel was they would be saved. He was prepared to lose his own salvation so that his own people might be saved. He knows he cannot succumb to pressure.

What is Paul committed to? “For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.” (2:2). Paul uses his words carefully. He uses the name of Jesus and the title of Christ. He calls Him Jesus because He came to save. “For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.” (John 3:17). Do you believe this? We have the solution to put this world right. This world will never be perfect until the Lord Jesus Christ returns. But every time there has been revival there has been a restoration of order within the wider culture. Jesus saves immediately, but He saves ultimately. He saves eternally. Therefore, when Paul says, ‘I’m going to preach Jesus Christ and Him crucified,’ he is saying, ‘There is a way to be saved.’

You will never find peace until you find it in the Lord Jesus Christ.

Christ is His title – the One anointed by God, set aside by God. The apostles faced pressure and the judgement the Jewish leaders wanted to out on them. They were told not to preach, but they turned around and said, “And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among menby which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12). There is no other way to be saved but through Christ. He is the one that God has appointed.

The message is not only Jesus is Saviour, the only means of salvation, but it is Jesus Christ and Him crucified. He is the substitute, the only substitute. Writing 700 years before, Isaiah could say,

“But he was pierced for our transgressions;
    he was crushed for our iniquities;
upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace,
    and with his wounds we are healed.”
(Isaiah 53:5).

My brothers and sisters in Christ, as the Holy Spirit deals with you, are there times that you feel so horribly filthy and think, ‘How can I call myself a Christian?’ Satan will use your conscience, and he will condemn you. But I want to say to you, ‘Look to the cross.’ Christ is no longer on the cross. He died and was buried. On the third day He arose. Death is conquered. The price has been paid. He ascended into heaven and is now seated at the right hand of God and continues to intercede for His people.

The letter to the Corinthians is a tragic letter. It shows us a church that was in a right mess. Paul deals with the different issues. But before he finishes his letter, as Paul draws things to a summary, he takes the Corinthians back to this glorious truth, “Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, 2 and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. 3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, 5 and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve.” (1 Corinthians 15).

The message has not changed. He lived in our place. He died for our sins. He bore our sins. He was raised. God in Trinity, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, was active in the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. This is the unchanging message. This is the message 21st century Britain needs to hear.

The people in Corinth had been born into the immorality of Corinth. Corinth had a notorious reputation. Paul lists sins that will keep us out of heaven, “ Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, 10 nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.  (1 Corinthians 6:9-10). Sin will keep us out of heaven. Sin will keep us out of the true church of the Lord Jesus Christ. Paul wrote a similar list to the Galatian church. But notice, Paul doesn’t stop there. He says, “And such were some of you.” (1 Corinthians 6:11). He is saying, ‘You were caught up in the immorality of Corinth.’ Today, people are up in the immorality of the 21st century.

Paul preaches the glorious message of the gospel. Do you understand the gospel? My sin, your sin, has been dealt with by the Lord Jesus Christ. You have been made holy, declared not guilty in the presence of God. Why? Because of the Lord Jesus Christ and Holy Spirit. When the Holy Spirit begins His work, He will often make you feel very uncomfortable, ashamed and broken. He is showing you your sin. But when you understand your sin, He will show you that it has been put on Him. He has died in your place.

In the compromise and the pressure of the 21st century, don’t compromise on this. Hold fast to it. Tell Roch, tell Haverfordwest, tell Pembrokeshire, tell the nations of the world that we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. To Him be all the glory and praise.

October 8th 2023: Steffan Jones

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2 Corinthians 9:10-15

The Bible is full of instructions about giving thanks. In the Old Testament people sometimes used stones. There were established regular feasts and festivals. Pentecost acknowledged the first fruits. Harvest is an especially important time of year. This summer there were lots of concerns about the rainfall in August and how it would affect silage. People prayed for sunny weather and we had an Indian summer. In our reality, children go to Tesco and don’t know where vegetables and fruit comes from. Also, we’re living in an increasingly secular society, where God is being squeezed out. To thank God for harvest is becoming alien.

Last summer, I had the privilege of visiting America, linked to churches in New England. Boston has a common with a significant mural as a thanksgiving to God, thanking Him for Ether and the discovery of anaesthetic, which could transform the medical world. Whilst there, I also saw the Pfizer headquarters which states, “Science will win.” 150 years ago the Boston people wanted to acknowledge God, but in those 150 years God has been forgotten and science is the answer! It is important for us, as much as possible, to be reminded of God’s goodness to us.

  1. We have a go to supplies all our needs.

“Now may He who supplies seed to the sower, and bread for food, supply and multiply the seed you have sown and increase the fruits of your righteousness.” (2 Corinthians 9:10). People give praise to the deliverer, to the farmer, to the factory worker. It is right to do so, but we need to go deeper, to the source behind the sower, behind the bread maker. We need to go to the one who provided the seed, the grain, the wheat. The most fundamental problem of our society is the lack of awareness of God, the One who provides blessings, “Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever.” (Psalm 118:1).

What is the first thing you do when you wake up in the morning? Do you stop and pause to acknowledge the God who gave you that new morning? All that we have is from the One that provides for all our needs. God deserves all the glory (Matthew 5). Stop and acknowledge the many material blessings: family, food, health, a chapel, harvest and so much more. Pray if you haven’t got those blessings, pray to the God who gives the seed. He knows what you require. Trust He will supply your daily needs. Be satisfied and content.

  • The God who enables generosity.

The context of this letter is important. The apostle is a middle-man. He is writing to the Corinthians to pave the way for a generous gift the Corinthians have pledged to the Macedonians. He establishes the principle of this in verse 11, “While you are enriched in everything for all liberality, which causes thanksgiving through us to God.” It is a reminder that the generosity you receive from others is from God also. All that you have has been given to you to help others. It is not just wealth for yourself and your own comfort. Use it to bless others.

When you receive gifts from others, don’t just thank them, thank the One who enabled them to do this. Go to the sauce. They only had the means to bless you because God gave them the means. If someone is kind to you, God has prompted that kindness. None of us has the inclination to do this as we are – we want to live lives of comfort. When anyone displays kindness, we give God the glory, whether unbelievers or believers. When unbelievers give, it is God’s common grace. When believers give, they are displaying the fruit of the Spirit. If the Lord has given to you, will you use that to bless others? When you receive, will you thank them and the One who enriched them.

  • God has given an indescribable gift.

Paul tells the Corinthians that the people of Macedonia are praying for them, “And by their prayer for you, who long for you because of the exceeding grace of God in you.” (2 Corinthians 9:14-15). As the Christians in Macedonia think about the church in Corinth, they are grateful for gifts, but more, they experienced the surpassing grace of God. You’ve known grace that surpasses all human blessings. Paul speaks of surpassing greatness, even greater than physical blessings. God is so gracious. God is so kind. The greatest act of all was God sending His Son to be the Saviour of the world. It is beyond our means to express it in words. It is a grace that transcends all human understanding.

“Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!” (2 Corinthians 9:15). What is this gift? Back in eternity the Son of God was with the Father. He was God Himself. He had divine nature Himself. He created everything. The Word of God did not consider equality something to be grasped. He laid aside it all to become a servant. The Son of God appeared as a man, to live in this world not demanding to be served, but to serve. He was obedient to sinful parents. He was obedient to the terrible dictatorship (giving to Caesar). He was tempted to be frustrated with people, but He lived a life of purity and holiness. He went to the cross, obedient to death. He died for your sin and mine, taking on the penalty of our sins so we might be loved, accepted and approved. He took the darkness of judgement upon Himself so we might have light of life.

The Spirit was sent as a gift after the resurrection. The Spirit comes into the souls of His people, awakening us. We have the gift of everlasting glory, worship and praising Him for all eternity. That’s the gift! The gift of the Son to be our Saviour, the gift of the Holy Spirit, the gift of forgiveness of sins. It is an indescribable gift. We need all of eternity to explore this gift.

Have you trusted in Jesus for your salvation and everlasting life? As we live our lives, remember we have a God who supplies all our needs. He is the one who enriches us and others to be kind. He is the one who gives surpassing grace and an indescribable gift. It’s a gift you need, a gift the village of Roch needs, a gift that Pembrokeshire and beyond needs. He offers that gift, will you receive it?

March 26th 2023: Ian Middlemist

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Joshua 1

In this passage of scripture we have a war theme. When marching to war three things are vital:

  1. There needs to be clear direction and purpose for the mission ahead. A regiment needs clarity for its purpose.
  2. To know unity, togetherness, camaraderie.
  3. We are to actually go, to make those first steps with bravery and courage.

These things often seem to be absent in church life.

  1. People appear to be proactive but they are motivated by a fear of inability that can lead to just doing something.
  2. Someone can have a clear idea in their homes and expect every one else to get it, but their vision isn’t communicated clearly to everyone.
  3. There can be such lethargy in church life. We become depressed and don’t get engaged, preferring to build more walls. It’s just disobedience. Jesus Christ said to His disciples, ‘Go!’

By the presence of the Holy Spirit all of these three things are present in this passage. As God’s people march onwards, they have the sure promise of God’s hands.

  1. God’s word and His promise.

As the Israelites stood to enter the Promised Land, they are ready, posed to march forwards. God’s main emphasis to Joshua is upon the law of God. Very early on in history of the planet, people were ready. They were a people of the Book. A spiritual reality of Christian life must be being a people of the Book. These people weren’t merely readers of the book, they were lovers of the words. They loved the writings of Moses. Without the book of the law of God, they would be lost and confused. They read and loved the book. They engaged with it.

Joshua was to have special revelations from God through the priest, “And he shall stand before Eleazar the priest, who shall inquire for him by the judgment of the Urim before the Lord. At his word they shall go out, and at his word they shall come in, both he and all the people of Israel with him, the whole congregation.”  (Numbers 27:21). Joshua was to stand before the priest, receive special communication from God and tell the people.

“This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.” (Joshua 1:8)

There are three things are in this verse. The law is to be on his mouth. He was to talk about, meditate on it and do the work of God.

  1.  He was to keep it on the mouth, speaking it, not just internalising it.
  2. He was to meditate on it day and night. We have increased as Christians in our love to grow and meditate on God’s word. We can draw deep lessons and be taught new things when we read the word. We are to absorb the word, chew over its truths – God, His person, His ways, His gospel.
  3. Do it. This word is to be living and active in our lives. Are you keeping the word on your lips, meditating on it, as if it were your life? Are you putting it into practice?
  • God’s Presence.

When he commanded Joshua to conquer the land, God said, ‘Do not be afraid.’ Joshua didn’t need to be afraid because God was going to be with him every step of the way. The command most frequently found on the Lord Jesus’ lips was ‘fear not.’ Men and women are prone to fear under the shadow of death. The Lord assured Joshua He was going to be with him.

Today, we are more and more a people who are afraid to make a stand, therefore we don’t often have fear. We hide ourselves away. We’re not afraid because we fall often or because we tried and failed. We’re afraid because we haven’t made that step and tried. If we’re going to see revival, we need to become a people who know reality, who are courageous in the midst of our fears.

The greatest gift the Lord Jesus gave the church was the Holy Spirit. The gifts of the Holy Spirit are not the most important, it’s the Holy Spirit. The pinnacle of Christian experience is the Lord Jesus Christ. “And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever,” (John 14:16).

Jesus Himself is the first comforter. The Holy Spirit is the second. Have you trusted in the Lord Jesus Christ as the first comforter? In Jesus Christ we have the help of the helpless. He will abide with you. If we’re to be involved in the battle, we need all the comfort and reassurance we can get. If we’re truly in the work, we will know this comfort and encouragement. The encouragement and strength you really need is the Holy Spirit. Comfort comes from the Latin words meaning strength.

The Holy Spirit, the paraclete, comes not to console after the battle, but to fortify us before and in the midst of the battle. He will be with us through it all. You are going to face difficulties again and again. Right now, get to appreciate, to look to and to believe that the Spirit of God is with you. Christ is sufficient. He speaks comfort. That’s the strength of the Holy Spirit.

  • Let’s go! The first steps.

Joshua is a vital book. It bridges the gap between the Torah and the history teachings section of the Old Testament. It speaks to us of God’s redemptive purposes. Moses is dead but the purposes of God are not. The Israelites spent 40 years in the wilderness of wandering with Moses.  Then Moses dies. Surely, there must have been people there wondering if God’s purposes had also died? There is temptation to think, because a strong leader has died, other purposes have died. How dejected some must have felt. The Kingdom of God isn’t dependent on such things. The purposes of God are sure, so is the strength God gives for us to move and take those first steps.

Joshua stands in a moment of transition. God says, ‘Remember my promise.’ So we need to go and believe. The purposes of God are not over – not in your personal life, not in this church, not in the global church. We have Christ’s own promises which cannot fail.

April 10th 2022: Gareth Edwards

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 “Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated, common men, they were astonished. And they recognized that they had been with Jesus.” Acts 4:13

Have you ever been astonished by someone? May be a remarkable person you have met that, at first, you didn’t recognise their talent, then you see their talent and are amazed. Throughout the New Testament, Christians bewildered and challenged those around them. Unfortunately, today Christians are easily ignored. We do not incite anything, perhaps other than apathy. What is the difference between then and now? What was it that made the New Testament Christians so distinctive that people sat up and noticed them?

The Sanhedrin, the Jewish council, observed Peter and John and arrested them after they healed a lame man. Peter takes the opportunity to preach that Jesus is the Saviour, the Messiah, and it is in His name that the man has been healed. The Sanhedrin marvel and are amazed. Peter and John were a great surprise to them. Why?

First of all, for their courage. In the face of being cross-examined by those who had crucified their Master, these two men steadfastly witnessed for Jesus. There is not the slightest sign of Peter backing down. They couldn’t be intimidated or diverted in their testimony for Jesus, even in the face of possible persecution, even in the face of potential death. What amazed the Sanhedrin was Peter and John’s total dedication for the cause of Christ. Jesus had warned of this (Matthew 10:13-36). They are not afraid. Jesus has prepared them for what they now face (John 16:2-4). They have seen the boldness and courage of their Lord as He was persecuted and now it is their turn. Although the Sanhedrin did not like it, they were impressed by Peter and John’s bold courage.

We need to be forever faithful if we are to have an impact in our day, as Peter and John and the other disciples had in their day. They turned the world upside down. The Church in our day is weak. It seeks to accommodate the world around it and not confront the evils of our age. But we are called to stand up and stand out against all that opposes the gospel. We may not be liked for what we say, but there is more likely to be respect if we are uncompromisable in our faith to the Lord Jesus Christ. People must know what we stand for and what we stand against. To stand for the Saviour and truth can be a costly exercise. We can be fearful. We need to ask the Lord for courage and boldness to stand for Christ and not to compromise the gospel message; Jesus Christ died upon the cross of Calvary that sinners might be forgiven.

Peter and John were uneducated, untrained men. The Sanhedrin were surprised at their courage because these were not trained, just simple men from Galilee. They could argue their cause. Peter’s sermon persuaded many to believe in Jesus as their Saviour. The Sanhedrin were amazed at the ability of these uneducated men to present their cause.  

People were also surprised at Jesus’ preaching and mighty works (Mark 6:2). The Lord had told His disciples they should not worry when called to speak the gospel (Matthew 10:19-20). They would have the Holy Spirit and the example of Jesus to follow. Consequently, these fishermen were able to confound the Sanhedrin. This is great encouragement. If God could use Peter and John, He can use me and you. We don’t have to be educated for us to turn the world upside down. The Lord, buy the enabling of the Holy Spirit, can use our qualifications or lack of them. Just trust in Him, follow the Saviour. We don’t have to do a course, have a theological degree, or be trained on other ways, we just have to be His followers.

Too often we rely on celebrity Christians to speak at evangelistic missions because we think someone of that nature is bound to make more of an impression. We thank God for them, but God more often than not, does not choose rich and famous. He chooses you and me. It is the one who is being spoken of, not the one who is speaking, who must be at the centre of the matter. We don’t need experts to defend the gospel. The Lord uses ordinary people with ordinary lives to accomplish His work. (1 Corinthians 1:26-27).

God does use people of standing, but not many. But He uses you and me. The way that churches often think their influence will be better is if their ministers have higher degrees. But that doesn’t impress people. What counts is a man’s spiritual stature. Doctorates are good but not the important thing. The important thing is what the Sanhedrin recognised – they recognised that Peter and John had been with Jesus. Jesus’ influence was on them. Jesus had given His disciples a wonderful example to follow and assured them of the presence of the Holy Spirit. As a consequence, Peter and John give a striking resemblance to Jesus in the way they speak and act. Now, after His ascension, they remained in fellowship with Him through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.

The power and presence of Jesus was visible in the lives of these two men. This tells us that the cutting edge of our Christian witness is unbelievers experiencing who we are as followers of Jesus. We are Christ-like in all we do. If we are to have an impact, people need to recognise we have been with Jesus. We need to be more Christ-like. When people see Christ in us, influencing all that we are and in all that we do, then they sit up and take notice. Christ-likeness comes by experiencing faithful fellowship with Him in the Word and in prayer. The Holy Spirit brings us into a deeper fellowship with the Lord. We become more and more like the Lord in character. We become more effective in His service in sharing the gospel. Spurgeon said, “There is a something in the very tone of the man who has been with Jesus which has more power to touch the heart than the most perfect oratory.” Jesus rubbing off onto people.

What did Peter and John have that so amazed the Sanhedrin? The boldness and courage of a Christ-like character. What do we need as Christians today, for people around us for their good and Christ’s glory? The same boldness and courage. So, let’s seek the fellowship of the Lord, and ask by the Holy Spirit’s enabling, to become more like Him, so people know we have been with Jesus.

February 6th 2022: Steffan Jones

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Romans 5: 1-11

When I was in Bible college, I was taught that every good preacher does three things: they state their point, then they illustrate it, then they apply it – why is this important to us, how does it apply to lives. So, you state the point, illustrate it and apply it. It seems that the apostle Paul followed this plan.  When you read Romans, Paul issues the main theological point of his letter in chapter 3:24, “we are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.” The main point of this letter is we are justified by His grace. Justified means to be declared not guilty. So, whereas before you stand condemned in the dock, facing condemnation and judgement because of your thoughts, your speech, your behaviour, and attitude to God, now you are declared not guilty. There is no condemnation, you are free. Justified means to stand in a court of law and for the judge to say, ‘Not guilty.’ We are justified freely through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. It’s a gift of God’s grace.

In chapter 4 Paul illustrates this, giving an example of someone who was justified by faith – someone who was not justified on the basis of keeping the law, that they had lived a good enough life, or that they were circumcised. His example is Abraham. Abraham was someone who was justified, who was declared not guilty, who was considered righteous, perfect in the eyes of God, before the Jewish law had been given, before the ceremonial law had been given. He was justified because God, in His grace, put His hands on him, chose him, called him and considered him righteous. The only thing Abraham had to do was accept that and to believe and trust Him in the word of this gracious and loving God.

I think Paul goes to Abraham because he’s the father of faith. He is the great example of someone who could not be saved through his own efforts or through keeping the law. It would have been impossible for him to keep the Jewish law because it hadn’t been presented or delivered to them. So, it is illustrated. Here is a real-life example of someone justified, someone declared not guilty, someone who is freed and forgiven – not because he is a great person, or that he was immensely religious. No. it is because of the grace of God. God, in His amazing love, calling and choosing. All he had to do was respond in faith.

In chapter 5 we see the application. How does it affect our lives? The headline is in chapter 5. The main line, the most important point is found in verse 1, “Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” Everyone wants peace – peace within warring families, peace when there is division between a husband and wife, peace between nations. We pray for peace in broken communities, when there is division between various groups. People want peace in their hearts. They can’t find peace within them for many reasons: Covid, fear, loneliness.

The peace in this passage of scripture speaks of a deeper peace. I believe if you have this peace, then you have the key to unlocking other types of peace. If you have peace with God, then you can be at peace with yourself. You can know peace in your heart and soul. If you have peace with God, then you can learn how to forgive others and that can lead to peace within our own relationships. I believe if there is revival, then an entire nation is affected. If thousands of people within a community are saved, then that leads to change communities as well and to greater peace. This is the underlying need for every person because it changes our lives today. Even more than that, for all eternity. To have peace with God is our deepest and greatest need.

What are the results of having peace with God? That’s what Paul looks at in the next few verses. So, we have got justification – we are declared not guilty, free ion the eyes of God. Perfect and righteous. You have peace with God. What does that mean? What are the consequences? The first thing is mentioned in verse 2 – we now have grace.

Grace. “Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God.” (Romans 5:2) We now have grace in which we stand. Because we have peace with God, we have this grace in which we stand. We think of grace at the beginning of the Christian life, that you become a Christian because of the grace of God. Someone becomes a Christian not because they are especially clever or especially religious. You become a Christian because God, in His grace, places His hands on you and calls you.

But grace is a state, a spiritual condition, in which we continue, so we continue to receive the grace of God not just on the day we become a Christian, but throughout our whole lives. There are two spiritual states: one state is to be under judgement, still in our sin. Without Jesus this is where we are. Without Jesus, God sees our sin and there is no forgiveness because we haven’t repented, we haven’t trusted in the Saviour. That is a dangerous place to be. If we were to die in our sins, without the Lord Jesus, we would face judgement.

But the other condition is to stand in grace, where we are recipients of God’s grace. If you have trusted in Jesus as your Saviour, if you have asked for forgiveness of your sins, if you have received by faith this salvation, by faith you have trusted in Jesus, you have peace with God, you can now receive the grace of God. This means to know that God wants to bless you, to know that God wants to protect you, that God loves you.

Think of all the promises God, “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?” (Matthew 6:25-26)

That is what it means to stand in grace. That this heavenly Father, who feeds the creatures and the natural world around us, values you. You receive the grace of God and so you are aware of your sinfulness. God reminds you of His grace. You feel helpless and God, in His love, reminds you of the hope you have. You are aware of your sinfulness but reminded that Jesus died for me. All of the truths come back again and again, in His grace. God, in His grace, protects us and restores us again and again. Even when we do fall and when we find ourselves in foolish situations, He forgives – because He is a God of grace. So, you are a recipient of God’s love continually.

Don’t ever think you’re outside of God’s love, or beyond God’s love. Don’t ever think that God cannot show you grace. His grace is beyond anything we can ask for or imagine. His love overflows for us. For all eternity you will stand, and your faith will not fail because God in His grace will keep you. You will stand in grace, and you will continue to stand.

Hope. We rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. There are no obstacles now. Because we are justified, because we have peace with God, because our sin has been taken away, there are no obstacles between us and God, between us and heaven. On that day of judgement, where the sheep and goats will be divided and separated, because we have peace with God, we can know that on that day we will be received into the presence of the Lord Jesus, into His everlasting, eternal kingdom. We will be with His forever in paradise. We have this eternal hope that we are safe. We will stand in a place where there will be no diseases, no death, no decay. There will be no sorrow, no sadness, no sin. All of those things will have passed away.

We will rejoice in this. Because there is no sin, there is no judgement, we will be immediately ushered into this new heaven. A paradise. But notice what Paul says here; he doesn’t just say we rejoice in the hope of glory, at the thought of going to heaven, to paradise. There is more. We rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. He knows heaven is the home of God. In heaven we will have glorified bodies. We will have glorified eyes to see Jesus as He really is. Can you imagine that? The fullness of the glory of God, seen in the person of Jesus. We will see the glory of Jesus. Because we have been justified, because we have peace with God, this is a real hope. We rejoice in hope.

“Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope,” (Romans 5:3-4). Paul acknowledges there will be suffering, but we can still rejoice because God has greater purposes for us, and we can fix our eyes on heaven. We can know that whatever we face in this world, all suffering will come to an end. One day we will see Jesus, the person you pray to, the person to delight in when reading the Scriptures.

The Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit, the third person of the Trinity, pours out God’s love into our hearts.  “God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.” (Romans 5:5). We’ve thought about the doctrine of justification (being set free, not guilty), we’ve thought about heaven, we’ve thought about God’s grace. God wants us to understand these things in our minds. He wants us to know these things are true. He also wants us to feel it, to know this in our hearts as well. The Christian faith is meant to affect not just our minds, not just our wills, but it’s to affect our emotions. He wants us to feel His love and He does this through the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is our teacher, the Holy Spirit is our instructor and guide, the Holy Spirit is the one who convicts us of our sinfulness. He moulds our consciences. The Holy Spirit pours out His love so that we know we are children of God, so that we know we are forgiven.

It is one thing to know this, it is something completely different to understand. I’m becoming more convinced that what we need to remember as people is that God loves us. We have peace with God. There are no obstacles. The Holy Spirit can live and dwell in our hearts and soul and pour out this love. Do you know today that you are loved? Do you know today that God is your Father? Are you aware that the Holy Spirit is in your soul?

When you feel that sense of darkness, or that isolation, pray for the love of God to be poured out like streams of living water into your souls.

Deliverance. “Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God.” (Romans 5:9). There is a time coming when we will all have to face the wrath of God – but because of the death of the Lord Jesus we will be safe and delivered. “For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:6-8).

Because of Jesus’ grace, because of His willingness to go to the cross, because of His obedience to God and His love for Him, He went to the cross. And so, on that day of wrath there will be nothing that we have to face; God will say ‘You are forgiven. You are considered a great and faithful servant.’ And we’ll be about to enter the presence of God.

Some Christians are still worried about that day, thinking ‘Will I be accepted?’ If you trust in the Lord Jesus, you don’t have to say, ‘I hope for the best.’ No. You can say, ‘I know I will be safe. I know that I will go to heaven. I know that I will see the glorious face of Jesus. I know that I won’t face wrath because of Jesus, because He died for me.’

All of these are blessing of being a Christian. To summarize it all – we have been reconciled with God. We are one with God. These are tremendous blessings! At the beginning of 2022, a return to normality would have been good news, to see this Omicron wave pass quickly, that we can return to spending time with loved ones and friends, to go on holidays.

But the greatest news of all is to know that if you trust in Jesus, if you have believed in Him, then you have peace with Him. God is your Father. God is on your side. You are one with Him. You belong to the family of God. That’s how you stand in grace. You are in a safe position, this secure position of someone who can receive the grace of God continually. He will restore you. He will keep you. You have a hope that one day you will be in heaven and see the glory of God in the face of Jesus forever and ever.

You can know the Holy Spirit who pours out the love of God into your heart, so that in the deepest and darkest of times you can know that God loves you. You are delivered from wrath and given life eternal. There is no greater news. There is nothing greater this morning that I could share with you, than to remind you of His profound truths. So, my prayer for you, myself and all of God’s people, and those who don’t know Him yet, that you would find this news and would rejoice in it today and forever.

October 24th 2021: Roger Thomas

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You may view this service on our YouTube channel: https://youtu.be/88omF4CHocA

2 Kings 5:1-19: The Healing of Naaman

This account happened about 850 years before the birth of Jesus Christ, during the times of the kings of Israel, with Israel in the North and Judah in the South. Naaman was commander of the army of the King of Syria (v1). Syria was to the north-east of Israel. Naaman was highly respected by the king. Why? He had defeated the enemies of Syria. But behind this military success was God. God rules over the nations.

Naaman was a mighty man of valour, strong and brave. However, at some point he caught leprosy, a serious illness, incurable at the time. With time, the body deteriorates, the flesh is eaten away.

During this time, the Syrians had gone out on raids and took captive a young girl who became a servant of Naaman’s wife. Here we see God at work, drawing Naaman into a relationship with Himself. Through these things that had happened, in God’s over-arching providence, He was drawing Naaman to Himself. In verse 3 the young girl says, “Would that my lord were with the prophet who is in Samaria! He would cure him of his leprosy.” Samaria was the northern capital of Israel. This young girl, a prisoner, shows no bitterness. There is love towards her captors. Her faith is very strong. She believes, through Elisha, Naaman could be healed from this disease. She is so gracious and confident.

Naaman’s wife shares this with Naaman, and he, in turn, shares it with the king. The king tells Naaman to go and gives him a letter to give to the king of Israel, saying, “When this letter reaches you, know that I have sent to you Naaman my servant, that you may cure him of his leprosy.” Naaman goes to Samaria, taking the letter. He goes with his chariots and servants. He also takes 340 kg of silver, 68kg of gold – a huge amount, and 10 changes of clothing. This was a substantial gift, telling us how rich Naaman was.

In Samaria, Naaman sees the king, who read the contents of the letter (v6). The response of the king was that Naaman was asking him to do the impossible. Panic set in; he is dealing with a powerful king. Notice, he doesn’t think about Elisha or about God. The prophet Elisha hears the king’s response and sends a message to him, saying, “Why have you torn your clothes? Let him come now to me, that he may know that there is a prophet in Israel.” (v8).

Naaman comes to Elisha in Samaria, the same city. Naaman, a mighty man of valour, stood at the door of Elisha’s house, a very humble house. He stood outside with chariots, servants and gifts. Instead of going out, Elisha sends a messenger (v10), telling Naaman to go and wash in the River Jordan 7 times, and he would be healed. Naaman was a very proud man; success had made him proud. He had expected to see Elisha. Instead of doing what Elisha told him to do, he travelled back to Syria, hundreds of miles away. He despises Israel and wants to wash in the rivers at home. God uses the servant (v13) who knows that because Naaman has been asked to do something so simplistic, he finds it insulting. He encourages him to do as the prophet says.

Naaman then travels to the River Jordan and dips himself 7 times. After the 7th occasion his flesh was restored, like that of a little child (v14). Not only did Naaman have physical cleansing, but he also had spiritual cleansing of his sins. The outward cleansing was pointing to a spiritual cleansing of the heart; his soul had been cleansed of its sins. How do we know? By the spiritual fruit we can see in his life (verses 15-18). He went back to Elisha and notice four things:

  1. He now has faith, “Then he returned to the man of God, he and all his company, and he came and stood before him. And he said, “Behold, I know that there is no God in all the earth but in Israel,” (v.15). He believes the God of Israel is the true and only God. That’s faith!
  2. He wants to give a gift he has brought with him to Elisha. He feels great gratitude to Elisha, “So accept now a present from your servant.” (v.15). But Elisha refuses. He presses upon Elisha to receive the gift, but Elisha continues to refuse.
  3. Naaman wants to worship God and asks Elisha for two mule loads of earth so he can build an altar in Syria to offer burnt offerings, “If not, please let there be given to your servant two mule loads of earth, for from now on your servant will not offer burnt offering or sacrifice to any god but the Lord.” (v17).
  4. Notice there is conviction of sin, “In this matter may the Lord pardon your servant: when my master goes into the house of Rimmon to worship there, leaning on my arm, and I bow myself in the house of Rimmon, when I bow myself in the house of Rimmon, the Lord pardon your servant in this matter.” (v18).

There was a great friendship between Naaman and the king. When the king went to worship Rimmon, the king would lean on him and Naaman would worship Rimmon too. Naaman says when he returns, he will bow down to Rimmon, not to worship, but in respect for the king. He asks Elisha for forgiveness for that, for God’s forgiveness. Elisha says, “Go in peace.”

We see the fruit. Naaman hasn’t just been cleansed physically, but also spiritually. Naaman has come to know God personally. Let’s apply this to ourselves. Have we each come to know God personally, the God of the Bible, the only God? Have we had a spiritual cleansing from God? Each of us needs forgiveness. Before God we are sinful. We need spiritual cleansing.

How do we have our sins washed away? There is a Jordan we need to wash in. We need to immerse ourselves in the Lord Jesus Christ. We need to believe the gospel, the Good News about Jesus Christ, the Son of God. 2,000 years ago, in order that you and I could have spiritual cleansing, God came down to Earth as a man. Jesus Christ lived a perfect life, He never sinned. He kept the commandments of God. On the cross He took all our sins upon Himself. He suffered the punishment of our sin, He suffered our hell, on the cross of Calvary. He shed His blood. He died paying that penalty. He was buried and on the third day God rose Him from the dead. That’s the Good News. That is what God did for me and you in order that we might have our sins cleansed.

But we have a responsibility – we have to believe that message. We have to believe each fact of the gospel – that Jesus is God’s Son, that He was sinless, that He kept the law, that He took our sin upon Himself, that he suffered our penalty, that He died, that he was risen from the dead. We have to believe that message.

We have to ask God to forgive us, to cleanse us, based on the work Jesus Christ did on the cross. When we believe that message, when we believe the gospel, and only then, God will forgive us our sins. God will wash our sins away through the blood of Jesus Christ. When we believe that message we become joined to Christ. We become a child of God and God comes to live in us by the Holy Spirit.  

When we believe this message God cleanses us from our sins. He comes to live in us by the Holy Spirit. We come to know God, become a child of God. The Holy Spirit changes us and makes us more Christ-like, creating fruit in us – worship, praise of God, thanksgiving, conviction of sin and repentance. We don’t want to live the ways we used to live, we want to live the way God wants us to live.

When we leave this world God, through death or when Christ returns, He will take us to be with Him in heaven and with all the saints, for eternity. Have we gone to the Jordan? Have we believed the gospel? Have we believed in Jesus Christ?

July 18th 2021: Paul Daniel

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Acts 5: 12 -42

We are sitting here, on a lovely sunny day in Roch, because two thousand years ago men and women stood and were beaten for the sake of the gospel. It is a privilege to come together, knowing that others before us took a beating so they could share the gospel, and then their sons and daughters could share the gospel, and their sons and daughters could share the gospel, and we have that beautiful privilege of meeting in freedom today.

This passage of scripture is quite challenging. I don’t know how you would respond if you were living at that time, and you were told not to go and tell people about Jesus, or you would be put into jail. What would you do?

The Book of Acts, Luke’s second volume, records for us what the early church was like. Luke’s first volume, his gospel, tells us all that Jesus did and taught. His second volume, Acts, tells us all that the risen Jesus did. So, we see here is Acts of the Apostles, or you could say, Acts of the Risen Jesus. We now look at everything Jesus did through His Spirit. He has ascended into heaven, and He sent His Holy Spirit. His Holy Spirit lives and dwells in His people and they are helping His people live for Him. When you open the book of Acts you realise that there is a small group of people who follow the Lord Jesus Christ. These are the people who turned the world upside down. You and I stand on their shoulders.

Has God’s Spirit changed? Is the Holy Spirit who helped Peter on the day of Pentecost, when he preached to thousands, changed? Has God’s mission changed, to save a people for Himself? Has Jesus Christ changed? Has the cross changed? Is the cross not the same cross that Jesus Christ bled and died on and that is the only means and way of salvation? Has anything really changed? No! Nothing has changed. When Jesus Christ ascended into heaven, the Bible says He is waiting to return. We live in the last days, waiting for Jesus Christ to return. God’s Spirit has not changed and the cross stands still as the only means of salvation. God’s mission has not changed. He desires a people for Himself, even from Roch. The Commission has not changed. God has not changed. Until Jesus returns our mission hasn’t changed – we are called to be His witnesses to the ends of the earth. Take the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ and share it with others who do not know him.

Pray drives evangelism. The apostles were doing many signs and wonders, and people were being healed. In chapter four, the apostles had already been arrested (4:29-30). They prayed and their prayer was answered. God is the same yesterday, today and forever. If you believe this and have a God-Man who intercedes for you, you can pray to Him. The apostles prayed and were able to do extraordinary things. If you think, ‘Well, I couldn’t do that,’ you would be right. But God can! Christ healed a blind man, the deaf and the lame. God can do all those things because He is God. Evangelism is driven by prayer. God is the one who opens all the doors, who gives us opportunities, the one who answers our prayers. It is ludicrous, as Christians, we don’t pray to the God of heaven, the giver of all things. Pray for an opportunity to witness for the Lord Jesus Christ.

Evangelism is about speaking life. The apostles were arrested because they were preaching and they were healing. They were doing all sorts of wonderful things. But the High Priest didn’t like it, the Sadducees didn’t like it. They arrested them (v.17). They put them in a public prison. But an angel of the Lord brought them out and said, ‘Get on with it! Go and stand in the temple court and speak to the people words of life.’ (v.19). The apostles got together (v.21). Did they have a big discussion whether they should obey the angel? No. An angel of the Lord comes and tells them what to do and they do it. They are obedient and they go. At the Ascension Jesus Christ ascended into heaven and a cloud hid Him from their sight as they were watching. Immediately two angels come down and said, ‘What are you doing looking at the sky? Why are you looking up there when you should be looking all around you and getting on with the task of evangelism?

Evangelism is about speaking life. It is so important that an angel of the Lord comes and breaks them out of prison and tells them, ‘Get on with it.’ My friends, this is not a message about purchasing some goods, what colour paint you should buy, what your homes or gardens should look like. It has got nothing to do with this. This is about the words of life. This is about life that every one of us needs, that we live in a beautiful but broken word, that sin has entered in and the wages of sin is death. We experience sin in our bodies and we get old and we creaky and things fail. Yet Jesus Christ came to deal with the problem of sin and death. The good news about the gospel is not just having your legs healed and about being able to see. There is much more than that. It is about having this new life where you have a relationship with God, where you will know Him now and forever, into eternity. We are called to go out and give the words of life. Jesus Christ is the only way. There is no other way in which men and women, boys and girls can be saved. We need to know what God is calling us to do, what is He calling us to be more urgent about in our speaking to others?

Evangelism is driven by prayer, evangelism is about speaking life, but evangelism is about what God is doing. The apostles go back into the temple courts (v.27) and once again they are brought back to the Council, questioned and told, ‘We strictly told you not to teach in this name, yet you are doing the things we told you not to do!’ And they reply, “We must obey God rather than men,” (v.29). Scripture calls us to obey the authorities. In one sense, they are obeying the authorities. They get arrested and they don’t oppose being arrested. They let themselves be arrested. There is one thing we cannot disobey and that is we must be obedient to the laws. But here they are in Acts chapter 5 saying they must obey God rather than men. Even though they are told not to speak in the name of Jesus, they say,’ No, we must obey God, because here are the words of life that people must hear, for there is no other name.’ That’s what Jesus did, isn’t it? He obeyed the will of His Father, not His own. There, in the Garden of Gethsemane, He was sweating drops of blood, knowing what He would go to, yet He did it, “Not My will but Yours.”

You and I face many dilemmas today, we are faced with complicated situations. We live in a very privileged society, in a very privileged country where there really isn’t that much dilemma about obeying God. We have freedoms, and as we have these freedoms we are not challenged, are we? There is no-one really threatening to put us in prison here in Roch. Don’t get me wrong, there might be cultural variations, there might be regional variations, there might be other variations, maybe a part of a city where it might be more difficult. But it is not about what is happening there, it’s about what is happening here. What is God calling you and me to do?

We have this word of life, and we are living in not difficult days but complex days. With God’s help, we will all know is it that God is calling us to do.

Evangelism is driven by prayer, evangelism is about speaking life, evangelism is about what God is doing in and through us. God is the one who is saving. Finally, the way we live can really help (v 38-39). The apostles are persistent, they are not giving up, they are willing to be put into prison time and time again. If it is from God, God is not going to fail. If this is from God, don’t get in the way or you will be opposing God.

My friends, as you and I live out our lives, as we go about sharing the gospel, the way we live really can help people to hear the gospel. You and I might not have a single conversation with somebody this week, but the way you live really can influence the way people listen to the gospel.

Evangelism is driven by prayer, evangelism is about speaking life, evangelism is about what God is doing in and through us as we are obedient to Him, and the way we live can really help us in our evangelising.