As we come to the end of another year and consider the next, we should bear in mind the parlous state of the Church in many places in our land. If we are to see an improvement in the coming months, we need God on our side and perhaps it would be wise to listen to words of two great Saints of the Bible, the Apostles Peter and Paul.
Peter states, ‘Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven by which men must be saved’. Paul states ‘I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation’.
The response from many people, even within the Church is ‘you can’t say that it’s too narrow it’s discriminating and exclusive’. So many within the contemporary Church would find this objectionable.
Why are they shocked that there is only one way to be saved, Shouldn’t we be utterly and thankfully amazed that there is a way to be saved at all?
The Bible is a book all about salvation and there has never been any doubt that the only way to be saved is through Jesus Christ. He is the focus and climax of the Bible from start to finish. This has been the message from all the great evangelists.
Today, no less than in any other age, it is this intense biblical integrity that is needed. Fearless courage and conviction to stand for the truth that Jesus Christ is the only name that saves.
We will find that we will meet opposition when we declare our faith, we shouldn’t be surprised, and we should expect it. Public officials are ever anxious to erase Christianity from the public arena.
I read that more people are turning to Islam rather than Christianity because of its more decisive morality.
It is true to say that Islam is a moral religion and its clerics promote it vigorously. The Islamic faith is challenging the Western world, and whilst there is too much violent aggression in the process, we have to admit sadly and shamefully that there is generally a more ethical and moral basis in their faith than many Christians have.
They see millions and millions of abortions, and in America the previous President gave millions of dollars to an abortion clinic in America, where there was evidence suggested of very improper dealings; and in other Western nations abortion has become alternative form contraception.
They see drugs; the obsession with illicit sex; same sex (so called) marriage; the pornography and smut; the breakup of homes; young people smashing and looting and rioting; and they don’t want it in their countries.
It is also true to say Christian preachers tend to modify teaching of traditional values to appeal to contemporary thinking, and for fear of offending one of the many discrimination laws promoted equally vigorously by vociferous minorities, so falling foul of the law, which is not enforced against other faiths with the same enthusiasm as against Christian preachers.
At the present time in this country we don’t go to prison for spreading the gospel, (not yet that is) although we are getting there, as punitive legislation has led to some preachers being arrested by police for preaching biblically, with a zeal not displayed against criminals.
The last government enacted legislation which was anti-Christian, and against the beliefs and conscience of Christians, and eradicated 2000 years of Christian teaching by legislating for same sex marriage. Our present Prime Minister is for ever telling us she is a Vicar’s daughter and goes to Church every Sunday, which is glorious to hear; what a pity it doesn’t make itself manifest in her judgements; for example supporting the proposal to have children of tender years to be taught of various kinds of sexuality and encouraging children to question their gender.
'I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes, first for the Jew, then for the Gentile’. These are the words of the great Apostle Paul.
The gospel story we are called to proclaim is the good news about what God has done to rescue us from the consequences of our sin. Each of us falls short of the standard that we ought to meet, and so justice demands that we pay a price.
The problem, fundamentally, is a moral one. People like to pretend that morality is just some arbitrary set of rules made up by other people who want to control how we behave. It’s not. But God has given us the chance to be absolved from the mess we have got into, and the punishment we deserve. He has done this through the Cross.
Whilst a price has to be paid for our sins, God decided to help us by taking that punishment upon Himself. On the Cross Jesus suffered a most cruel punishment on our behalf so there is no longer any price for us to pay. But that requires us turning from our sin and putting our faith in Him and living according to the standard laid down by God in His Holy Word.
Why should anyone be ashamed to tell that story?
We may not be able or indeed desire to preach in the same way as of old, but whilst we may change our style we still have an important message to proclaim and it must not be watered down to suit modern susceptibilities.
To be ashamed infers that one is reluctant to admit to something, a desire to disassociate oneself from it. There is an ever present strong temptation to do so when there is so much theological and moral confusion; when you are dismissed as a fundamentalist for believing the Bible; when there is so much opposition; when there is encouragement to water down the gospel to make it more acceptable; when we don’t want to declare our faith in case we are sneered or laughed at.
We cannot be ashamed of the gospel. How would people hear? And how can they call on the One they have not believed in. And how can they believe in the One they have never heard. And how can they hear if no on preaches it to them.
How many Church members are embarrassed when asked if they believe? Indeed how many are ready to acknowledge they attend Church. How would we answer if asked to give our opinion on moral questions? If you are not ashamed you are ready to speak out about your faith.
The reason Paul was not ashamed and was eager to preach the gospel, was because it was the power of God for salvation, a teaching scorned by so many in the world. There is no other power known to men which can do that. All other religions have a philosophy, we have a man. No other spiritual leader can forgive, only Christ can forgive.
The Bible states ‘no one can come to the Father except through Jesus Christ’ Paul said you may be ashamed of saying these things but I am not. The Bible states ‘God did not give us a spirit of timidity’
How many preachers would be ready to stand in one of our Cathedrals and state this? How many would be allowed to? So many preachers are afraid of what people, and especially what the papers would report. But look at the praise heaped on Pope Benedict by the press for his bold and brave words when he told the politicians to stop interfering with the Christian faith, and calling for a vigorous Christian outpouring to combat the aggressive secularism pervading our society. How we miss that fearless and forthright man.
We must stand shoulder to shoulder with Peter and Paul behind the almighty power of God and the sacrifice made on our behalf by Jesus Christ, and we must proclaim Him as Lord and Saviour.
Saturday 30 December 2017
Friday 22 December 2017
Luke 1 verses 39-56
This Sunday the Church honours Mary, the mother of our Lord. In the past the Roman Catholic Church has perhaps made too much of Mary’s position whilst the Protestant Church has made too little.
The gospel passage opens with Mary, a fifteen years old virginal girl from a Jewish village, having found she was pregnant, and been told by an angel of the Holy Spirit being upon her, decided to go seventy miles to visit her elderly cousin Elizabeth, whom she had been told was also pregnant in her old age.
On arrival the two women greeted each other, and Elizabeth in a loud voice proclaims how blessed Mary was. Until that time Elizabeth thought this was just a family visit, but now she realised how unique the situation is and feels she should have been the one visiting Mary. At the same time Elizabeth felt movement of her own baby.
Elizabeth’s joy inspires Mary to fully recognise she is to be the mother of the Saviour of the world and spontaneously sings a song, which has been sung at every Evensong in Churches all over the world for centuries since, the Magnificat. The Lord God is magnified in this song of praise which is filled with Scripture.
Mary expresses her glory and rejoices in being blessed, and how gracious God has been to her in her humility. There is a significant point made by her in that she recognises she needs a Saviour, which implies she recognises that only a sinner needs a Saviour, which tends rather to negate some Roman statements about her. God therefore in His amazing grace has allowed this girl to be the mother of His Son. This reflects the words of John Newton in that wonderful hymn which he wrote, that God saves us by grace.
If this gospel message was told as a story in one of our daily newspapers, and so posted on their website, it would receive numerous scornful mocking comments, questioning as to why anyone would believe it. In fairness, if a daughter or friend came and told you she was pregnant but had not been intimate with a man, you would reasonably think she was mad or trying to cover up a moral lapse.
Such was the situation experienced by a young Jewish girl in a remote Israeli village, risking disgrace and shame and also the loss of her fiancée. It has to be accepted that the birth of Jesus was unique. God took the initiative, and Jesus was born of a virgin, such is a basic doctrine of the Church,
But such was the faith and courage of that young woman that she trusted God, and so became the most famous woman in all history, the most blessed of women.
Is it not amazing how peoples’ minds reason. Thousands say they will not believe what they cannot understand. If I should go out on to the car park of this Church and take out a little plastic box, and press a combination of 13 numbers, within seconds I would be speaking to my son in Hong Kong. Yet if I wished to speak face to face, it would take a journey of 13 hours to do so.
I can’t explain how this can happen, and I doubt there is anyone I know who could explain, we take mobile phones for granted. We watch events as they happen from across the world in a box in our homes and take it for granted. Who can explain how a brown cow, which eats green grass, produces white milk, and yellow butter, yet we eat and drink both. Why on earth if we can accept all the marvels of man, we cannot accept the miracles of God.
Mary knows that all future generations will speak of her and indeed throughout the ages she has rightfully been praised, and she has brought honour to her sex. Mary has raised being a mother to the highest of professions, although now some feminine politicians are anxious to downgrade motherhood and their sex by trying to equate women on all levels with men. In the process some women have demeaned their sex by not only copying men’s excesses, but furthering them.
When God created the world men were intended to care and provide for the family, and women to be mothers, (primarily but not exclusively)and for that role were endowed with a more tender and caring nature. Now for their own selfish purposes, politicians and social workers want to meddle with gender identities.. We are all equal under God, but are meant to have different roles in life.
The Pope has wisely state that the future of mankind is at stake when the understanding of what a family means is challenged through same sex marriage. He said ‘In the fight for the family, the very notion of what being human really means – is being called into question. He spoke of the falseness of gender theories and of the current attack on the structure of the family made up of father, mother and child.
.
Mary told of how God is merciful to those who fear Him, and we should be mindful that whilst God is a God of love and mercy, He is also a God of wrath. In that respect we should take note of Mary’s words, ‘He has brought down rulers from their thrones’. She has a profound view of God, who disputes the worldly values of status and misunderstanding of what it
means to be equal.
God chooses people who are lowly. If the Church authorities had been given the responsibility for choosing the Apostles, Christianity would have died in very short time. They would have been looking for people with degrees, and with an equal balance of men and women Apostles. (A cynic once said the Church is falling apart by degrees). This is why God chose Mary and gave her everything that He may be glorified. Mary acknowledged her humility, her ordinariness, and the high honour God had given her.
She ends her song by singing praise of how God has remained faithful to His chosen people, the Jews, by keeping His promise to Abraham. Every Jewish boy and girl would know the history of Israel and how God has blessed them.
God chooses ordinary and lowly people to do His work, so that they will remain faithful and dependent on Him and not be full of themselves and feel self important. We should each seek to find out what God wants us to do in His service.
This Sunday the Church honours Mary, the mother of our Lord. In the past the Roman Catholic Church has perhaps made too much of Mary’s position whilst the Protestant Church has made too little.
The gospel passage opens with Mary, a fifteen years old virginal girl from a Jewish village, having found she was pregnant, and been told by an angel of the Holy Spirit being upon her, decided to go seventy miles to visit her elderly cousin Elizabeth, whom she had been told was also pregnant in her old age.
On arrival the two women greeted each other, and Elizabeth in a loud voice proclaims how blessed Mary was. Until that time Elizabeth thought this was just a family visit, but now she realised how unique the situation is and feels she should have been the one visiting Mary. At the same time Elizabeth felt movement of her own baby.
Elizabeth’s joy inspires Mary to fully recognise she is to be the mother of the Saviour of the world and spontaneously sings a song, which has been sung at every Evensong in Churches all over the world for centuries since, the Magnificat. The Lord God is magnified in this song of praise which is filled with Scripture.
Mary expresses her glory and rejoices in being blessed, and how gracious God has been to her in her humility. There is a significant point made by her in that she recognises she needs a Saviour, which implies she recognises that only a sinner needs a Saviour, which tends rather to negate some Roman statements about her. God therefore in His amazing grace has allowed this girl to be the mother of His Son. This reflects the words of John Newton in that wonderful hymn which he wrote, that God saves us by grace.
If this gospel message was told as a story in one of our daily newspapers, and so posted on their website, it would receive numerous scornful mocking comments, questioning as to why anyone would believe it. In fairness, if a daughter or friend came and told you she was pregnant but had not been intimate with a man, you would reasonably think she was mad or trying to cover up a moral lapse.
Such was the situation experienced by a young Jewish girl in a remote Israeli village, risking disgrace and shame and also the loss of her fiancée. It has to be accepted that the birth of Jesus was unique. God took the initiative, and Jesus was born of a virgin, such is a basic doctrine of the Church,
But such was the faith and courage of that young woman that she trusted God, and so became the most famous woman in all history, the most blessed of women.
Is it not amazing how peoples’ minds reason. Thousands say they will not believe what they cannot understand. If I should go out on to the car park of this Church and take out a little plastic box, and press a combination of 13 numbers, within seconds I would be speaking to my son in Hong Kong. Yet if I wished to speak face to face, it would take a journey of 13 hours to do so.
I can’t explain how this can happen, and I doubt there is anyone I know who could explain, we take mobile phones for granted. We watch events as they happen from across the world in a box in our homes and take it for granted. Who can explain how a brown cow, which eats green grass, produces white milk, and yellow butter, yet we eat and drink both. Why on earth if we can accept all the marvels of man, we cannot accept the miracles of God.
Mary knows that all future generations will speak of her and indeed throughout the ages she has rightfully been praised, and she has brought honour to her sex. Mary has raised being a mother to the highest of professions, although now some feminine politicians are anxious to downgrade motherhood and their sex by trying to equate women on all levels with men. In the process some women have demeaned their sex by not only copying men’s excesses, but furthering them.
When God created the world men were intended to care and provide for the family, and women to be mothers, (primarily but not exclusively)and for that role were endowed with a more tender and caring nature. Now for their own selfish purposes, politicians and social workers want to meddle with gender identities.. We are all equal under God, but are meant to have different roles in life.
The Pope has wisely state that the future of mankind is at stake when the understanding of what a family means is challenged through same sex marriage. He said ‘In the fight for the family, the very notion of what being human really means – is being called into question. He spoke of the falseness of gender theories and of the current attack on the structure of the family made up of father, mother and child.
.
Mary told of how God is merciful to those who fear Him, and we should be mindful that whilst God is a God of love and mercy, He is also a God of wrath. In that respect we should take note of Mary’s words, ‘He has brought down rulers from their thrones’. She has a profound view of God, who disputes the worldly values of status and misunderstanding of what it
means to be equal.
God chooses people who are lowly. If the Church authorities had been given the responsibility for choosing the Apostles, Christianity would have died in very short time. They would have been looking for people with degrees, and with an equal balance of men and women Apostles. (A cynic once said the Church is falling apart by degrees). This is why God chose Mary and gave her everything that He may be glorified. Mary acknowledged her humility, her ordinariness, and the high honour God had given her.
She ends her song by singing praise of how God has remained faithful to His chosen people, the Jews, by keeping His promise to Abraham. Every Jewish boy and girl would know the history of Israel and how God has blessed them.
God chooses ordinary and lowly people to do His work, so that they will remain faithful and dependent on Him and not be full of themselves and feel self important. We should each seek to find out what God wants us to do in His service.
Tuesday 19 December 2017
The Bible states, God is Light. Jesus was the Son of God who came into the world and shone light upon who ever He touched. We as the followers of Jesus must continue to shed His light.
But we live in a world where there is much darkness, and under darkness there is evil, which comes to attack us in many different ways. A most insidious way is that which is being perpetrated against the Christian faith by people who have infiltrated public services such as education, the judiciary, and public bodies, and who try to silence us from expressing our faith and are trying to force Christianity into the four walls of the Church..
I have extracted details of three cases published by Christian Concern, a Christian Legal Defence team who represent Christians who have been the victims of injustice because of their Christian belief.
This was from an article written by Andrea Williams, who is the Chief Executive Officer, and the most prominent Christian speaker and defender of the faith in this country, who is regularly called upon by press, radio and television because of the clear and faithful manner in which our faith is explained.
I am a proud supporter and I urge you to consider supporting this team of lawyers who perform such loyal service to our Lord, and who have saved brothers and sisters in Christ from legal penalties. They are defending your freedom. The address to send donations is given at the end of this post
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
'The light shines in the darkness'
Speaking of Jesus, John writes: “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it” (John 1:5). This is the first advent. We await the Second Advent, when Jesus returns to fully establish his kingdom. You and I live in-between these two appearances of Jesus. The darkness remains – for now. (See sermon on 2 Peter 3, on ericroyden.com 10/12/17)
In the meantime you and I are to bear witness to Jesus, the light. So will you join us this Christmas in bearing witness to the light?
I’d like to briefly tell you about three legal cases where there is shining light in the darkness. As you read, please consider giving a Christmas donation to Christian Concern a legal Christian defence team who are nobly fighting in the Courts for the right of Christians to express their faith.
Such a gift is priceless in terms of the hope that it brings to a nation that desperately needs the light of Christ.
You’ll be particularly interested in the first case if you have children or grandchildren in school
Witnessing to Christ in schools'
Nigel and Sally Rowe love Jesus and are bringing up their children to know him. They were concerned when one of their sons came home and told them that one of his classmates – a boy – was now sometimes coming to school dressed as a girl.
They spoke to the school, which said it couldn’t do anything about it. Nigel and Sally followed this up with a letter. Nothing could have prepared them for the response.
The school warned them that the “inability to believe that a transgender person is actually a ‘real’ female or male” was “transphobic behaviour”. In other words, if the Rowes’ six-year-old son wouldn’t believe that a boy might really be a girl, he could be guilty of bullying. Do you see the darkness here?
These ideas are based on a lie that gender is ‘fluid’. This opposes the truth that God made us “male and female” (Gen 1:27).
Nigel and Sally explain: “We could so easily have felt alone, and isolated…but we have not been alone. God has provided help and support through the Christian Legal Centre.”
Will you stand with Nigel and Sally as they bear witness to Jesus? A gift of £20, £50 or whatever you can afford will help Nigel and Sally in the next stage of their challenge in 2018.
'Witnessing to Christ in the courts'
I'm sure you'll remember Richard Page. Richard served as a magistrate and as a non-executive director for an NHS Trust. But that came to an end when he expressed his biblical belief about parents and children.
Richard explains: “My Christian faith informs me that children flourish best in a loving home with a married mum and dad. My 20 years of experience in mental health service also leads me to the same conclusion.”
During an adoption case, he shared this view with his colleagues, and said that he couldn’t agree that it was in a ‘child’s best interests’ to be placed with a same-sex couple. He was reported, and investigated by an advisory panel.
His case was referred to the Lord Chancellor and Lord Chief Justice. They reprimanded Richard and sent him for ‘equality’ training. Later, Richard spoke to the BBC about what had happened. He was again investigated. And then the Lord Chancellor and Lord Chief Justice dismissed him as a magistrate.
Next, Richard was suspended from his role as an NHS non-executive director, and then blocked from returning to the role. Do you see what’s happened?
Richard has acted as a witness to the light by upholding God’s good pattern for families. And yet he’s the one portrayed as living in darkness.
How can we allow this to go unchallenged? We must keep bearing witness to the light in the area of marriage and family.
Thanks to support, Christian Concern have been helping Richard to challenge what has happened to him. In the New Year, Richard will be helped as he returns to court.
We’re also continuing to support someone else who testified to the light.
'Witnessing to Christ in the workplace'
I’m sure you can relate to Victoria Wasteney. Like every Christian who loves Jesus, she longs for others to come to know him too.
That’s why, when a colleague began asking her questions about her faith, Victoria gladly began to explain the gospel.
The colleague, from a Muslim background, seemed interested.
So Victoria kept answering her questions and invited her to church events.
She also gave her a Christian book that she thought would be helpful.
But when the colleague told her NHS bosses about what had been going on, Victoria’s employers launched an investigation.
Victoria was suspended for nine months
A panel found Victoria ‘guilty’ of three ‘offences’: inviting her colleague to church-related events, praying with her (with consent), and giving her a Christian book. Victoria was given a written warning.
You can again see what’s happening: the darkness opposes someone who bears witness to the light. John’s words: “…the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light…” (John 3:19).
We aren’t anxious, because we know that the darkness won’t overcome the light. Support will allow help to keep standing with Victoria in the new year and give her all the legal support she needs as her case moves to the next stage in 2018.
If you want the light to shine in the darkness, please consider making a Christmas gift today.
As we prepare for 2018, any gifts will enable Christian Concern
to stand with Nigel, Sally, Richard, Victoria and many other Christians who are opposed for testifying to the light.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Christian Concern address is
70 Wimpole Street
London W1 BG 8AX
But we live in a world where there is much darkness, and under darkness there is evil, which comes to attack us in many different ways. A most insidious way is that which is being perpetrated against the Christian faith by people who have infiltrated public services such as education, the judiciary, and public bodies, and who try to silence us from expressing our faith and are trying to force Christianity into the four walls of the Church..
I have extracted details of three cases published by Christian Concern, a Christian Legal Defence team who represent Christians who have been the victims of injustice because of their Christian belief.
This was from an article written by Andrea Williams, who is the Chief Executive Officer, and the most prominent Christian speaker and defender of the faith in this country, who is regularly called upon by press, radio and television because of the clear and faithful manner in which our faith is explained.
I am a proud supporter and I urge you to consider supporting this team of lawyers who perform such loyal service to our Lord, and who have saved brothers and sisters in Christ from legal penalties. They are defending your freedom. The address to send donations is given at the end of this post
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
'The light shines in the darkness'
Speaking of Jesus, John writes: “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it” (John 1:5). This is the first advent. We await the Second Advent, when Jesus returns to fully establish his kingdom. You and I live in-between these two appearances of Jesus. The darkness remains – for now. (See sermon on 2 Peter 3, on ericroyden.com 10/12/17)
In the meantime you and I are to bear witness to Jesus, the light. So will you join us this Christmas in bearing witness to the light?
I’d like to briefly tell you about three legal cases where there is shining light in the darkness. As you read, please consider giving a Christmas donation to Christian Concern a legal Christian defence team who are nobly fighting in the Courts for the right of Christians to express their faith.
Such a gift is priceless in terms of the hope that it brings to a nation that desperately needs the light of Christ.
You’ll be particularly interested in the first case if you have children or grandchildren in school
Witnessing to Christ in schools'
Nigel and Sally Rowe love Jesus and are bringing up their children to know him. They were concerned when one of their sons came home and told them that one of his classmates – a boy – was now sometimes coming to school dressed as a girl.
They spoke to the school, which said it couldn’t do anything about it. Nigel and Sally followed this up with a letter. Nothing could have prepared them for the response.
The school warned them that the “inability to believe that a transgender person is actually a ‘real’ female or male” was “transphobic behaviour”. In other words, if the Rowes’ six-year-old son wouldn’t believe that a boy might really be a girl, he could be guilty of bullying. Do you see the darkness here?
These ideas are based on a lie that gender is ‘fluid’. This opposes the truth that God made us “male and female” (Gen 1:27).
Nigel and Sally explain: “We could so easily have felt alone, and isolated…but we have not been alone. God has provided help and support through the Christian Legal Centre.”
Will you stand with Nigel and Sally as they bear witness to Jesus? A gift of £20, £50 or whatever you can afford will help Nigel and Sally in the next stage of their challenge in 2018.
'Witnessing to Christ in the courts'
I'm sure you'll remember Richard Page. Richard served as a magistrate and as a non-executive director for an NHS Trust. But that came to an end when he expressed his biblical belief about parents and children.
Richard explains: “My Christian faith informs me that children flourish best in a loving home with a married mum and dad. My 20 years of experience in mental health service also leads me to the same conclusion.”
During an adoption case, he shared this view with his colleagues, and said that he couldn’t agree that it was in a ‘child’s best interests’ to be placed with a same-sex couple. He was reported, and investigated by an advisory panel.
His case was referred to the Lord Chancellor and Lord Chief Justice. They reprimanded Richard and sent him for ‘equality’ training. Later, Richard spoke to the BBC about what had happened. He was again investigated. And then the Lord Chancellor and Lord Chief Justice dismissed him as a magistrate.
Next, Richard was suspended from his role as an NHS non-executive director, and then blocked from returning to the role. Do you see what’s happened?
Richard has acted as a witness to the light by upholding God’s good pattern for families. And yet he’s the one portrayed as living in darkness.
How can we allow this to go unchallenged? We must keep bearing witness to the light in the area of marriage and family.
Thanks to support, Christian Concern have been helping Richard to challenge what has happened to him. In the New Year, Richard will be helped as he returns to court.
We’re also continuing to support someone else who testified to the light.
'Witnessing to Christ in the workplace'
I’m sure you can relate to Victoria Wasteney. Like every Christian who loves Jesus, she longs for others to come to know him too.
That’s why, when a colleague began asking her questions about her faith, Victoria gladly began to explain the gospel.
The colleague, from a Muslim background, seemed interested.
So Victoria kept answering her questions and invited her to church events.
She also gave her a Christian book that she thought would be helpful.
But when the colleague told her NHS bosses about what had been going on, Victoria’s employers launched an investigation.
Victoria was suspended for nine months
A panel found Victoria ‘guilty’ of three ‘offences’: inviting her colleague to church-related events, praying with her (with consent), and giving her a Christian book. Victoria was given a written warning.
You can again see what’s happening: the darkness opposes someone who bears witness to the light. John’s words: “…the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light…” (John 3:19).
We aren’t anxious, because we know that the darkness won’t overcome the light. Support will allow help to keep standing with Victoria in the new year and give her all the legal support she needs as her case moves to the next stage in 2018.
If you want the light to shine in the darkness, please consider making a Christmas gift today.
As we prepare for 2018, any gifts will enable Christian Concern
to stand with Nigel, Sally, Richard, Victoria and many other Christians who are opposed for testifying to the light.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Christian Concern address is
70 Wimpole Street
London W1 BG 8AX
Saturday 16 December 2017
Sunday next is the 3rd Sunday of Advent, and the theme is on John the Baptist. We do in fact honour John on the 24thJune, and on that day in Spain, which is still largely a Catholic country, they do so in style with ceremonial processions through the streets. John was a very special character in the Bible, being described by Jesus as ‘a prophet greater than any born of woman.’
A period of 400 years elapsed between the Old and New Testaments and John acted as a bridge between the prophecies of the Old Testament and the coming of the Messiah. God chose John to prepare the people for the coming of Jesus. John attracted huge crowds to see and hear him; they came from all directions, North and South, East and West. They came from all levels of society
John was bold and fearless preacher giving a message of confession and repentance, and did so in the most direct way accusing them of being a brood of vipers, and told them there was a wrath to come. He was not one to seek popularity and attacked hypocrisy. Most preachers would rejoice in being able to emulate his appeal, although they would hesitate to use the language he used in today’s atmosphere, where the least criticism raises accusations of phobia or bigotry.
The Church now needs Ministers like that who will give sound doctrinal teaching, not flinching from doing so and will not fear of what people might say. Jesus said, ‘woe unto you when men speak well of you’.
John spoke of God’s judgement and hell, which is now considered to be offensive. I attended a meeting where there was stated to be a famous mural, which was supposed to show sinners being chased into hell. I commented to several other Ministers that I could not understand it as it was faded somewhat. One answered that it was outdated as ‘we don’t preach about hell now’. When I said well I do, I received looks of horror as if I had landed from a strange plant. But we should acknowledge that when Jesus spoke about heaven, He invariably spoke of the alternative, hell. People would rather have smooth comforting words I accept, but a Minister’s duty is to say what should be heard instead of what people want to hear. People will never take notice until they are afraid of the consequences, and if we are silent we are betraying our calling.
Because of his successful appeal to people a delegation of priests was sent out to find out if he was acting in an orthodox manner. The Jews believed, and were proud of the fact, that they were God’s chosen people and He would one day send a Messiah who would be a great national leader who would lead them to world conquest. It was also believed that prior to the Messiah coming Elijah the great Old Testament prophet would come back to herald the Messiah’s coming.
The priests wanted to see who John actually was. When John spoke of baptism it was not the meaningless kind that is sometimes practised in churches today. Baptism was a symbol of admittance into the Christian faith, taken by someone who had come to need a personal Saviour in the person of Jesus Christ, who they would take into their hearts and lives and live according to His teaching.
John wasn’t concerned with numbers or adding to some Church roll, he wanted genuine commitments. The Bible is clear in all four gospels that the Christian life involved repentance and the following of a new way of life. If we analyse our lives we will find there are things we have said and done and sincerely wish we hadn’t, but there is nothing we can now do except pray that God will forgive us, and that others will accept our flaws.
The place where John ministered was way out in the wilderness a bleak and desolate place, living off the land, getting his clothing from wild camel and food from whatever grew there. There is a wilderness in many people’s hearts.
John calls us to a new life in Jesus Christ and it was with such a desire that people sought out John. Jesus can come to us in very different ways. It may be through a poster we noticed, which is why we need well thought out poster displays which will catch people’s eyes and strike them, and they ought to be relevant. Thousands have been led to Christ through reading posters placed on the London tube system by the London Christian Mission. Other people have been influenced by the words of a preacher, but the most telling witness is that of other Christians drawing in others by their way of life.
It is possible to become so engaged in religious activity dressing ourselves with religion without changing our hearts. Church attendance is essential and proper, but words without practice are of no merit. We Christians need to be more aggressive about our faith and be prepared to act and rebel as other faiths do when bloated bureaucrats try to stifle expression. We have to display in our manner of living we are Christians, and that extends throughout the whole week and not just on Sunday. Confession has to mean repentance and an honest intention not to go on committing. It is sheer hypocrisy to say sorry and then continue doing what we know is improper.
We are now approaching Christmas and the secularisation of it is almost complete, which is why all who hold the Christian faith dear must be prepared to support Christian worship. Advent is a time when we come out of the wilderness and be inspired by the ministry of John the Baptist.
A period of 400 years elapsed between the Old and New Testaments and John acted as a bridge between the prophecies of the Old Testament and the coming of the Messiah. God chose John to prepare the people for the coming of Jesus. John attracted huge crowds to see and hear him; they came from all directions, North and South, East and West. They came from all levels of society
John was bold and fearless preacher giving a message of confession and repentance, and did so in the most direct way accusing them of being a brood of vipers, and told them there was a wrath to come. He was not one to seek popularity and attacked hypocrisy. Most preachers would rejoice in being able to emulate his appeal, although they would hesitate to use the language he used in today’s atmosphere, where the least criticism raises accusations of phobia or bigotry.
The Church now needs Ministers like that who will give sound doctrinal teaching, not flinching from doing so and will not fear of what people might say. Jesus said, ‘woe unto you when men speak well of you’.
John spoke of God’s judgement and hell, which is now considered to be offensive. I attended a meeting where there was stated to be a famous mural, which was supposed to show sinners being chased into hell. I commented to several other Ministers that I could not understand it as it was faded somewhat. One answered that it was outdated as ‘we don’t preach about hell now’. When I said well I do, I received looks of horror as if I had landed from a strange plant. But we should acknowledge that when Jesus spoke about heaven, He invariably spoke of the alternative, hell. People would rather have smooth comforting words I accept, but a Minister’s duty is to say what should be heard instead of what people want to hear. People will never take notice until they are afraid of the consequences, and if we are silent we are betraying our calling.
Because of his successful appeal to people a delegation of priests was sent out to find out if he was acting in an orthodox manner. The Jews believed, and were proud of the fact, that they were God’s chosen people and He would one day send a Messiah who would be a great national leader who would lead them to world conquest. It was also believed that prior to the Messiah coming Elijah the great Old Testament prophet would come back to herald the Messiah’s coming.
The priests wanted to see who John actually was. When John spoke of baptism it was not the meaningless kind that is sometimes practised in churches today. Baptism was a symbol of admittance into the Christian faith, taken by someone who had come to need a personal Saviour in the person of Jesus Christ, who they would take into their hearts and lives and live according to His teaching.
John wasn’t concerned with numbers or adding to some Church roll, he wanted genuine commitments. The Bible is clear in all four gospels that the Christian life involved repentance and the following of a new way of life. If we analyse our lives we will find there are things we have said and done and sincerely wish we hadn’t, but there is nothing we can now do except pray that God will forgive us, and that others will accept our flaws.
The place where John ministered was way out in the wilderness a bleak and desolate place, living off the land, getting his clothing from wild camel and food from whatever grew there. There is a wilderness in many people’s hearts.
John calls us to a new life in Jesus Christ and it was with such a desire that people sought out John. Jesus can come to us in very different ways. It may be through a poster we noticed, which is why we need well thought out poster displays which will catch people’s eyes and strike them, and they ought to be relevant. Thousands have been led to Christ through reading posters placed on the London tube system by the London Christian Mission. Other people have been influenced by the words of a preacher, but the most telling witness is that of other Christians drawing in others by their way of life.
It is possible to become so engaged in religious activity dressing ourselves with religion without changing our hearts. Church attendance is essential and proper, but words without practice are of no merit. We Christians need to be more aggressive about our faith and be prepared to act and rebel as other faiths do when bloated bureaucrats try to stifle expression. We have to display in our manner of living we are Christians, and that extends throughout the whole week and not just on Sunday. Confession has to mean repentance and an honest intention not to go on committing. It is sheer hypocrisy to say sorry and then continue doing what we know is improper.
We are now approaching Christmas and the secularisation of it is almost complete, which is why all who hold the Christian faith dear must be prepared to support Christian worship. Advent is a time when we come out of the wilderness and be inspired by the ministry of John the Baptist.
Sunday 10 December 2017
Turn with me to Peter’s 2nd Letter in chapter 3 reading verses 3/14.
The Bible states, during the ‘last days’ there will be a time when scoffers will be present who will mock God, saying he is dead, we can’t find him anywhere, and they will scoff at any talk of judgment or the return of our Lord’.
When the Bible mentions last days, as it does numerous times,
it is referring to the days between the day of Pentecost and the time of our Lord’s return.
Many Bible scholars think we are in that period now and they may well be right. The Bible lists terrible events which will come before the final end, and whilst these have in some way been seemingly applicable to past years, they seem to be most applicable now. When we look carefully at them we can claim they are very much relating to our time.
By the word ‘scoff’, it is meant treating with contempt and the
number of scoffers, and the intensity of their scoffing, will increase in the last days. It is suggested that the reason for this is because they walk after their own lusts; in other words, they follow their own evil desires.
Such scoffing was also being done by false teachers who had infiltrated the Church even then, and they wanted to please the people of the day. When biblical Christianity didn’t fit in with their preferences they thought Christianity should change. Often people express doubt
due to moral overtones, in that they don’t want the constraints of true Christianity
We have many scoffers today who do not believe that Jesus Christ is coming back again. The Bible distinctly declares that Christ is coming back again, that His kingdom will be established, and that the prayer which our Lord prayed will be answered some day.
They reckoned that God was asleep as things had been the same since the world was created and God had not shown His presence. They forgot that it was God who commanded the heavens to be brought forth, earth from the waters, and was One who kept His Word.
They forgot too that God at one time was disgusted by people in the world and destroyed it by means of the flood. He also indicated that a time will come when the heavens and earth will be destroyed again, but not by water but by fire.
Jesus said, ‘as it was in the days of Noah, so it will be when the Son of Man comes back’. If you read the story of Noah in Genesis you will find it was a time when people began to travel; knowledge was increasing; people began to develop weapons and musical instruments; and there was an emphasis on sex. And Jesus said when such things happened of that nature in the future the end would be near.
Think of the amount of travelling we do now by land, sea and air. People holiday all across the world whereas once Blackpool was a long way off. Bible literacy is at an all time low and immorality at an all time high. Sex is used to advertise and sell almost all products on television.
It was also a time of violence and lawlessness. Look at the terrifying events and occurrences that are happening in the world today; the threat of nuclear war by the psychopathic leader in North Korea, who wants to take on the mighty United States; the seekers of world domination in Iran. The acts of terrorism which arte proliferating in Western nations by people who have chosen to live here.
As in the days of |Noah, people in this country have fallen away from true faith. The Bible states people will not wish to listen to sound doctrine and will seek churches where they will hear what they want to hear, and this is truly happening.
God recognised Noah as a man of faith who could be trusted. He told him to go into the desert and build a huge boat and Noah trusted God. You can imagine the humour this must have caused a man building a big boat in he middle of the desert, all because He believed God wanted him to do so. If that was today you would have every television crew in the world going off to film the event.
The Bible teaches that towards the end of the age it will be a time of peril, war, lawlessness immorality so great God will be forced to intervene as He did at the time of Noah
The bible consistently promises Jesus Christ will come back to earth, but this time He will not like the first time, a little baby born in poor surroundings, He will come as King of Kings and Lord of Lords in triumph to judge, and we will all have to answer and account to Him for how we lived in response to His teaching. When He does come there will be no notice. He will just appear like a thief in the night.
Peter said do not forget for the Lord a day is like a thousand years. The Lord is not slow in keeping His promise, He was not forgetting or being indifferent as He is long suffering and still giving people the chance to repent and accept Jesus as Lord so they will not perish, He does not want anyone to be unsaved.
People say I can’t believe God would send anyone to hell, and that is right, but people make their own choice by ignoring His call.
Verse 11 states, since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? Peter calls on all God’s people to live holy and Godly lives and avoid sinning until the day of the Lord comes. Peter calls on Christians to be holy in conduct and godliness, and to make every effort, to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with God. Live in a way which if you met the Lord now, you would not feel ashamed.
Having studied the words of Scripture together with their meaning, we have to consider how they relate to us in our lives.
Jesus gave commands to His Apostles and told them to teach all He commanded; we have this laid out for us in the New Testament, and anyone who acts in a manner which is conflict with such teaching is offending the Lord Himself. Holiness is God’s activity, and we have to respond.
Recently I was told by a young lady who I would have thought to be highly intelligent and of sound mind, that people should see the Bible as a valueless book from 2000 years ago. I was shocked as I thought if this was typical of the younger generation, we need earnestly pray and say God help us.
The reliability of the Bible is beyond question and been attested by eminent writers if the day and has many of its prophecies fulfilled and we some now taking place.
In recent years we have seen biblical prophecy fulfilled by the return of the Jews to their homeland 70 years ago; the establishment of the Jewish States 50 years ago; the naming of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel in the last week by President Trump. I know much uproar at this latest development has been caused, but this is so much hot air for the Palestinians can still have a rightful place in Jerusalem; they have not been excluded, as Christians have not.
There are good grounds for God to judge the sinful world now. The Islamic faith is challenging the Western world, and whilst there is too much violent aggression in the process, we have to admit sadly and shamefully that there is generally a more ethical and moral basis in their faith than many Christians have.
They see millions and millions of abortions, with an American President Obama who gave millions of dollars to an abortion clinic in America, where there was evidence suggested of very improper dealings; and in other Western nations abortion has become alternative form contraception.
They see drugs; the obsession with illicit sex; same sex (so called) marriage; the pornography and smut; the breakup of homes; young people smashing and looting and rioting; and they don’t want it in their countries.
Mankind is in rebellion against God. Our very natures have been twisted and perverted by sin, but most of our leaders are deliberately ignoring the wrath of God hanging over us. Biblical literacy is at an all-time low, and immorality at an all-time high; that suggests there is some co-relation.
In the face of this our churches have remained silent on all the moral issues, terrified of offending people who do not and never will have any concern for us. The Church of England, which as the established Church, should be giving a lead and speaking out against the abandonment of all absolutes, has in some cases joined in and embraced ways of life specifically opposed by the Bible.
The Archbishop of Canterbury recently revealed he could not describe sin! When asked if he thought ‘gay sex’ was a sin he is quoted as saying he was unable to answer. This was quite inexcusable. Sin can be simply defined as being anything which offends God’s Word as has been written down for us in the Bible.
I am reminded when I read that, of the difference there was between the Archbishop and a pastor in the United States who when asked the very same question, replied, ‘I am not here as a pastor to give an opinion, I am here to tell what the Bible says and if the Bible says it is wrong then I say it is wrong, but it doesn’t mean I love you less’.
We have Bishops actually contradicting the Bible, and preachers fearful of saying anything which goes against the politically correct mania, our churches are infiltrated by those who in effect are scoffing at traditional Bible teaching.
I am told people want ton hear happy sermons to make the feel better; of clergy who take lessons on how to tell jokes in sermons; if they want to be comedians they should go for a stage career instead. Jesus was never afraid to speak without fear or favour, and had two effects on people; He either saved them or turned them away
We allow our bible to be mocked; our speech to be restricted; Christians made to act against their conscience, all of which are not enforced on other faiths
Jesus said we need to be prepared, ‘prepare to meet your God’
We do this by being certain we have accepted that Jesus died for our forgiveness, and we received Him as Saviour. There are so many people who sincerely believe if they have been honest, kind and helpful to others they have accomplished all that is needed for a heavenly passport. In many ways the Church has encouraged, but certainly not discouraged such thinking, for fear of upsetting people.
I was amused by a news item about people being called snowflakes, a term I understand applied to people who take offence to anything from against their liberal beliefs. A group of such named people complained it made them feel depressed to be so called. (You just couldn’t make it up)
But preachers are not commissioned to say soothing words and tell people just what they want to hear, we are to tell what they need to hear for their salvation. This means we accept Christ by faith and believe, and we live a disciplined life under the guidance of His teaching
I pray that under the Lord’s guidance you will always hear sound biblical doctrine, but from much experience I have doubts this will always be the case.
The Bible states, during the ‘last days’ there will be a time when scoffers will be present who will mock God, saying he is dead, we can’t find him anywhere, and they will scoff at any talk of judgment or the return of our Lord’.
When the Bible mentions last days, as it does numerous times,
it is referring to the days between the day of Pentecost and the time of our Lord’s return.
Many Bible scholars think we are in that period now and they may well be right. The Bible lists terrible events which will come before the final end, and whilst these have in some way been seemingly applicable to past years, they seem to be most applicable now. When we look carefully at them we can claim they are very much relating to our time.
By the word ‘scoff’, it is meant treating with contempt and the
number of scoffers, and the intensity of their scoffing, will increase in the last days. It is suggested that the reason for this is because they walk after their own lusts; in other words, they follow their own evil desires.
Such scoffing was also being done by false teachers who had infiltrated the Church even then, and they wanted to please the people of the day. When biblical Christianity didn’t fit in with their preferences they thought Christianity should change. Often people express doubt
due to moral overtones, in that they don’t want the constraints of true Christianity
We have many scoffers today who do not believe that Jesus Christ is coming back again. The Bible distinctly declares that Christ is coming back again, that His kingdom will be established, and that the prayer which our Lord prayed will be answered some day.
They reckoned that God was asleep as things had been the same since the world was created and God had not shown His presence. They forgot that it was God who commanded the heavens to be brought forth, earth from the waters, and was One who kept His Word.
They forgot too that God at one time was disgusted by people in the world and destroyed it by means of the flood. He also indicated that a time will come when the heavens and earth will be destroyed again, but not by water but by fire.
Jesus said, ‘as it was in the days of Noah, so it will be when the Son of Man comes back’. If you read the story of Noah in Genesis you will find it was a time when people began to travel; knowledge was increasing; people began to develop weapons and musical instruments; and there was an emphasis on sex. And Jesus said when such things happened of that nature in the future the end would be near.
Think of the amount of travelling we do now by land, sea and air. People holiday all across the world whereas once Blackpool was a long way off. Bible literacy is at an all time low and immorality at an all time high. Sex is used to advertise and sell almost all products on television.
It was also a time of violence and lawlessness. Look at the terrifying events and occurrences that are happening in the world today; the threat of nuclear war by the psychopathic leader in North Korea, who wants to take on the mighty United States; the seekers of world domination in Iran. The acts of terrorism which arte proliferating in Western nations by people who have chosen to live here.
As in the days of |Noah, people in this country have fallen away from true faith. The Bible states people will not wish to listen to sound doctrine and will seek churches where they will hear what they want to hear, and this is truly happening.
God recognised Noah as a man of faith who could be trusted. He told him to go into the desert and build a huge boat and Noah trusted God. You can imagine the humour this must have caused a man building a big boat in he middle of the desert, all because He believed God wanted him to do so. If that was today you would have every television crew in the world going off to film the event.
The Bible teaches that towards the end of the age it will be a time of peril, war, lawlessness immorality so great God will be forced to intervene as He did at the time of Noah
The bible consistently promises Jesus Christ will come back to earth, but this time He will not like the first time, a little baby born in poor surroundings, He will come as King of Kings and Lord of Lords in triumph to judge, and we will all have to answer and account to Him for how we lived in response to His teaching. When He does come there will be no notice. He will just appear like a thief in the night.
Peter said do not forget for the Lord a day is like a thousand years. The Lord is not slow in keeping His promise, He was not forgetting or being indifferent as He is long suffering and still giving people the chance to repent and accept Jesus as Lord so they will not perish, He does not want anyone to be unsaved.
People say I can’t believe God would send anyone to hell, and that is right, but people make their own choice by ignoring His call.
Verse 11 states, since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? Peter calls on all God’s people to live holy and Godly lives and avoid sinning until the day of the Lord comes. Peter calls on Christians to be holy in conduct and godliness, and to make every effort, to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with God. Live in a way which if you met the Lord now, you would not feel ashamed.
Having studied the words of Scripture together with their meaning, we have to consider how they relate to us in our lives.
Jesus gave commands to His Apostles and told them to teach all He commanded; we have this laid out for us in the New Testament, and anyone who acts in a manner which is conflict with such teaching is offending the Lord Himself. Holiness is God’s activity, and we have to respond.
Recently I was told by a young lady who I would have thought to be highly intelligent and of sound mind, that people should see the Bible as a valueless book from 2000 years ago. I was shocked as I thought if this was typical of the younger generation, we need earnestly pray and say God help us.
The reliability of the Bible is beyond question and been attested by eminent writers if the day and has many of its prophecies fulfilled and we some now taking place.
In recent years we have seen biblical prophecy fulfilled by the return of the Jews to their homeland 70 years ago; the establishment of the Jewish States 50 years ago; the naming of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel in the last week by President Trump. I know much uproar at this latest development has been caused, but this is so much hot air for the Palestinians can still have a rightful place in Jerusalem; they have not been excluded, as Christians have not.
There are good grounds for God to judge the sinful world now. The Islamic faith is challenging the Western world, and whilst there is too much violent aggression in the process, we have to admit sadly and shamefully that there is generally a more ethical and moral basis in their faith than many Christians have.
They see millions and millions of abortions, with an American President Obama who gave millions of dollars to an abortion clinic in America, where there was evidence suggested of very improper dealings; and in other Western nations abortion has become alternative form contraception.
They see drugs; the obsession with illicit sex; same sex (so called) marriage; the pornography and smut; the breakup of homes; young people smashing and looting and rioting; and they don’t want it in their countries.
Mankind is in rebellion against God. Our very natures have been twisted and perverted by sin, but most of our leaders are deliberately ignoring the wrath of God hanging over us. Biblical literacy is at an all-time low, and immorality at an all-time high; that suggests there is some co-relation.
In the face of this our churches have remained silent on all the moral issues, terrified of offending people who do not and never will have any concern for us. The Church of England, which as the established Church, should be giving a lead and speaking out against the abandonment of all absolutes, has in some cases joined in and embraced ways of life specifically opposed by the Bible.
The Archbishop of Canterbury recently revealed he could not describe sin! When asked if he thought ‘gay sex’ was a sin he is quoted as saying he was unable to answer. This was quite inexcusable. Sin can be simply defined as being anything which offends God’s Word as has been written down for us in the Bible.
I am reminded when I read that, of the difference there was between the Archbishop and a pastor in the United States who when asked the very same question, replied, ‘I am not here as a pastor to give an opinion, I am here to tell what the Bible says and if the Bible says it is wrong then I say it is wrong, but it doesn’t mean I love you less’.
We have Bishops actually contradicting the Bible, and preachers fearful of saying anything which goes against the politically correct mania, our churches are infiltrated by those who in effect are scoffing at traditional Bible teaching.
I am told people want ton hear happy sermons to make the feel better; of clergy who take lessons on how to tell jokes in sermons; if they want to be comedians they should go for a stage career instead. Jesus was never afraid to speak without fear or favour, and had two effects on people; He either saved them or turned them away
We allow our bible to be mocked; our speech to be restricted; Christians made to act against their conscience, all of which are not enforced on other faiths
Jesus said we need to be prepared, ‘prepare to meet your God’
We do this by being certain we have accepted that Jesus died for our forgiveness, and we received Him as Saviour. There are so many people who sincerely believe if they have been honest, kind and helpful to others they have accomplished all that is needed for a heavenly passport. In many ways the Church has encouraged, but certainly not discouraged such thinking, for fear of upsetting people.
I was amused by a news item about people being called snowflakes, a term I understand applied to people who take offence to anything from against their liberal beliefs. A group of such named people complained it made them feel depressed to be so called. (You just couldn’t make it up)
But preachers are not commissioned to say soothing words and tell people just what they want to hear, we are to tell what they need to hear for their salvation. This means we accept Christ by faith and believe, and we live a disciplined life under the guidance of His teaching
I pray that under the Lord’s guidance you will always hear sound biblical doctrine, but from much experience I have doubts this will always be the case.
Tuesday 5 December 2017
‘why the bible is important’.
Today bible literacy is at an all time low whilst immorality is at an all time high. Normal thinking people may see there is some co-relationship with such a situation.
I fear for the future of the Church in this country, we really do face a fearful future. Within the Church we find incredibly, men and women in ministry, some in high Office, who openly discredit and cause others to defy Scripture, deliberately challenging Scripture which they once vowed to uphold, and now seemingly have no feelings of betrayal and deceit.
I repeat here for anyone who missed the news in a previous recent post one such case.
Kelvin Holdsworth, Provost of St Mary’s Cathedral in Glasgow, who is homosexual and listed 35 in a line of LGBT activists, in a ‘gay’ blog made the sinister and tasteless suggestion that England should pray for the four years old Prince George, who will one day become King, to grow up and find love with a fine young gentleman. He believes this would make the Church accept same sex marriage, and comes after all the publicity of Prince Harry marrying a woman.
The Archbishop of Canterbury prevaricated when speaking this week
(not unusual) when he wrote, ‘churches must learn to live in a in which families are no longer led only by married couples. He threw his support that different forms of family can provide a stable home. He obviously has never accepted the reports of numerous surveys by independent sources that only marriages between man and woman provide stable homes, and only recently a research found children of married couples do better in schools, better health and avoid drugs and crime.
Andrea Williams, a member of Synod stated, ‘there is an opportunity for the Church to stand up for marriage and not surrender to popular culture. Given the struggles and unhappiness faced by millions of children who are the main victims of the sexual revolution in Britain it is a great shame that the Archbishop chose to over-state acceptance of same-sex marriage to such a startling degree instead.
I am sure Andrea will appreciate the Archbishop seems unable to have any positive opinion on moral issues. He recently could not define sin; he could have done wiser by appointing Andrea Williams to be his spokeswoman and in consequence would have seen the Church grow in influence..
With such fragile ministries we face a generation with little if any interest in Church, God, Bible, traditional morality. This was brought home to me forcibly during a conversation with a young woman who I had great respect for her general intelligence and sense of mind, yet she expressed opinions on morality and the Bible that one would usually find coming from a person of limited intelligence and bigotry.
She considered the Bible to be a valueless book of foolishness from 2000 years ago. This is actually wrong, it is less than 2000 years and much of the New Testament has been corroborated by eminent writers of those times.
If this is typical I thought, of modern man and woman truly we may say ‘God help us’. It is more concerning coming from a woman as women are the more spiritual and religious.
Looking equally realistically millions of people through the age have found comfort and truth in the Scriptures, and many brilliant minds of both men and women have left home and country to take the Bible to sparse regions. Quite recently Russian Christians travelled to the barren lands of Mongolia, miles from other places just to help people become Christian. Many of us have foregone careers where we could have earned far more financially, in order to serve Jesus Christ, and been happier and enjoyed life doing so.
Let us also acknowledge the Bible was a basis for nations to create a legal framework; societies which prevented countries from chaos and instead were able to become stable.
We live in an evil world where there does not seem to be any limit to which people are prepared to go to cheat, lie, and be corrupt, even to the highest level of public service. Added to this is the widespread breakdown of family life, crime (despite the massaging of figures) and crudeness of life, lack of honour and integrity, moral and social problems, a time when there are no absolutes all is relative.
Some people will not want to hear that we are called to live our lives worthily according to the Bible’s teaching; they take the attitude that ideas have now been changed by society, and all the old morals and social ethics can be laid aside as long as you just accept the theory; this is not God’s idea however. The Bible was not just written for yesteryear.
What hope then is there for the future of Christianity? This depends on how the Church at large, ordained and lay responds; our services in many cases need to be upgraded. Like much of our national life, we our constricted by political correctness and are frightened that if we are too faithful to the Bible we will upset some minority faction, so we modify our words.
Commissions in trying to attract new members, introduce novelty services. We have tried different ways using clowns, animals, Messy Church, café Church, and other diversions, which whilst useful, they only survive as a one off, and more relevantly, fail to achieve regular attendances. Time now both logically and spiritually to try teaching
sound biblical doctrine; getting back to the Bible.
We have to accept that if you state you believe in the full authority of the Bible you will find many will oppose you, and even those close to you will challenge you, perhaps within your own family. You will be called narrow minded, bigoted or of having some kind of phobia.
The time may come when those of us who stand firmly on the Bible will be frozen out, and attempts will be made to silence us.
All Christians at this perilous time need to think of what we can offer to God. To paraphrase a famous saying, ‘think not what God can do for me, but what can I do for God’.
Today bible literacy is at an all time low whilst immorality is at an all time high. Normal thinking people may see there is some co-relationship with such a situation.
I fear for the future of the Church in this country, we really do face a fearful future. Within the Church we find incredibly, men and women in ministry, some in high Office, who openly discredit and cause others to defy Scripture, deliberately challenging Scripture which they once vowed to uphold, and now seemingly have no feelings of betrayal and deceit.
I repeat here for anyone who missed the news in a previous recent post one such case.
Kelvin Holdsworth, Provost of St Mary’s Cathedral in Glasgow, who is homosexual and listed 35 in a line of LGBT activists, in a ‘gay’ blog made the sinister and tasteless suggestion that England should pray for the four years old Prince George, who will one day become King, to grow up and find love with a fine young gentleman. He believes this would make the Church accept same sex marriage, and comes after all the publicity of Prince Harry marrying a woman.
The Archbishop of Canterbury prevaricated when speaking this week
(not unusual) when he wrote, ‘churches must learn to live in a in which families are no longer led only by married couples. He threw his support that different forms of family can provide a stable home. He obviously has never accepted the reports of numerous surveys by independent sources that only marriages between man and woman provide stable homes, and only recently a research found children of married couples do better in schools, better health and avoid drugs and crime.
Andrea Williams, a member of Synod stated, ‘there is an opportunity for the Church to stand up for marriage and not surrender to popular culture. Given the struggles and unhappiness faced by millions of children who are the main victims of the sexual revolution in Britain it is a great shame that the Archbishop chose to over-state acceptance of same-sex marriage to such a startling degree instead.
I am sure Andrea will appreciate the Archbishop seems unable to have any positive opinion on moral issues. He recently could not define sin; he could have done wiser by appointing Andrea Williams to be his spokeswoman and in consequence would have seen the Church grow in influence..
With such fragile ministries we face a generation with little if any interest in Church, God, Bible, traditional morality. This was brought home to me forcibly during a conversation with a young woman who I had great respect for her general intelligence and sense of mind, yet she expressed opinions on morality and the Bible that one would usually find coming from a person of limited intelligence and bigotry.
She considered the Bible to be a valueless book of foolishness from 2000 years ago. This is actually wrong, it is less than 2000 years and much of the New Testament has been corroborated by eminent writers of those times.
If this is typical I thought, of modern man and woman truly we may say ‘God help us’. It is more concerning coming from a woman as women are the more spiritual and religious.
Looking equally realistically millions of people through the age have found comfort and truth in the Scriptures, and many brilliant minds of both men and women have left home and country to take the Bible to sparse regions. Quite recently Russian Christians travelled to the barren lands of Mongolia, miles from other places just to help people become Christian. Many of us have foregone careers where we could have earned far more financially, in order to serve Jesus Christ, and been happier and enjoyed life doing so.
Let us also acknowledge the Bible was a basis for nations to create a legal framework; societies which prevented countries from chaos and instead were able to become stable.
We live in an evil world where there does not seem to be any limit to which people are prepared to go to cheat, lie, and be corrupt, even to the highest level of public service. Added to this is the widespread breakdown of family life, crime (despite the massaging of figures) and crudeness of life, lack of honour and integrity, moral and social problems, a time when there are no absolutes all is relative.
Some people will not want to hear that we are called to live our lives worthily according to the Bible’s teaching; they take the attitude that ideas have now been changed by society, and all the old morals and social ethics can be laid aside as long as you just accept the theory; this is not God’s idea however. The Bible was not just written for yesteryear.
What hope then is there for the future of Christianity? This depends on how the Church at large, ordained and lay responds; our services in many cases need to be upgraded. Like much of our national life, we our constricted by political correctness and are frightened that if we are too faithful to the Bible we will upset some minority faction, so we modify our words.
Commissions in trying to attract new members, introduce novelty services. We have tried different ways using clowns, animals, Messy Church, café Church, and other diversions, which whilst useful, they only survive as a one off, and more relevantly, fail to achieve regular attendances. Time now both logically and spiritually to try teaching
sound biblical doctrine; getting back to the Bible.
We have to accept that if you state you believe in the full authority of the Bible you will find many will oppose you, and even those close to you will challenge you, perhaps within your own family. You will be called narrow minded, bigoted or of having some kind of phobia.
The time may come when those of us who stand firmly on the Bible will be frozen out, and attempts will be made to silence us.
All Christians at this perilous time need to think of what we can offer to God. To paraphrase a famous saying, ‘think not what God can do for me, but what can I do for God’.
Saturday 2 December 2017
Matthew 24
Today is Advent Sunday and for many Churches it is the start of the Church’s year. For all Christians it is a time when we think about the return of our Lord, although for so many people, they have not recognised His first coming. This is a very serious and important subject and should not be treated lightly. The teachings of the Bible are not acceptable to many folk within the Church, but they are quite clear. Let us look at them together this morning.
The Bible tells us that God will one day bring an end to this world. 380 times in the New Testament the return of Jesus is mentioned, and the whole Bible promises His return.
We are called to live by the teachings of Jesus, and are warned there will be people who mock the faith. They will do so in order to justify the sinful way in which they live.
People also scoff at any talk of Jesus returning or the suggestion of judgement, stating God will not intervene and asking why He hasn’t done so. They forget that one day to us is like a thousand years to God, who is giving time for more people to be saved.
They forget too, if they ever knew, that God did once destroy the earth and is saving up fire for when judgement comes. This will be without warning, leaving no place or time for hiding. The Bible calls for Christians to live pure and holy lives to avoid punishment that awaits the ungodly.
When we turn to the gospel passage we find Jesus had been talking to His Apostles on the Mount of Olives, who asked Him what the signs are of His coming back at the end of the age. Jesus answered there would be wars and rumours of wars, nations would fight nations--- there would be famines, ----earthquakes----Christians would be persecuted ----people would turn away from the faith. ----there would be false teaching---evil--wickedness.
You don’t hear much preaching on this subject, the Church tends to avoid it. The Church is remarkably quiet about anything which is likely to upset people’s tranquillity; there is reluctance in a politically correct obsessed society to suggest judgement or guilt. But we are thinking here about the climax of world history, a point where any national psychopathic leader could, by pressing a button, unleash nuclear destruction on an unimaginable scale. So we may be nearer to the end than many think or want to believe. One has only to think of the psychopath in North Korea who thinks he can take on the might of the United States.
It is true that such signs have been prevalent in each generation but they increase in their likelihood as time goes by. If you look at present world events, there are grounds for concern. Wars and terrorism are occurring all over our world.
A situation of utmost gravity exists in the Middle East where Iran wants to wipe Israel off the map, and world leaders seem to be deluded into thinking they can trust Iran, whereas Israel is more ready to face reality. They in turn are ready to attack Iran, and bearing in mind that the Bible prophesises the world will end in Jerusalem, we should all be concerned. The Bible states God will protect His ancient chosen people.
We see famines in Africa, earthquakes and typhoons of unprecedented strength, with one island which rarely has rain having had large parts destroyed by storms.
False teaching aplenty is given in our Churches, to justify and make acceptable modern moral behaviour. Christians are being forced out of Middle Eastern lands, where arson and murder reign against them, and they are treated barbarically. Jesus says all these kinds of things will happen in the last days, that are before His return.
Jesus stated that only God knows when that time will be. He compared life in the days of Noah to those relating to what will be happening when He returns to earth.
You remember the story of Noah. A lot of people laugh and scoff at it, but archaeologists say there is plenty of evidence that a flood did exist at one time over a certain portion of the world, the portion that Noah lived in. The Bible says that God looked upon civilization, and He saw the wickedness of men.
Jesus said as it was then, so it will be in the day of the coming of the Son of man. There are several things said about that day. First, it was a world in which marriage and home were abused. People were obsessed with sex. Emphasis was on immorality. Look at our world today; we are living in the same way as in the days of Noah. We see the same conditions today. Pick up a newspaper.
The Telegraph and Mail newspapers often feature religious articles on their websites and a lot of comments are made in response which are quite vitriolic; not just disagreement, but open hatred of religion. People do not like to hear their way of living is seen to be immoral by others. They want to live their lives without reference to God or biblical values.
One journalist wrote an article in response to a speech by the ex Archbishop of Canterbury, who had suggested the Church faced extinction. He stated the Church could not expect younger people (especially) to reject same sex relationships, or couples sleeping together outside of marriage, or the doctrines of the Church such as a Virgin Birth and resurrection, which SOME churches still do preach. He was in fact implying that the Church should drastically change its stance on such issues, although I think many within the Church have done so in thought and practice.
At the next meeting of the General Synod of the Church of England, a whole host of members have called for same sex marriage to be debated, some already calling for it to be approved and calling for the LGBT lobby to be con gratulated.
The Church of England has adopted a policy which states clergy should not engage in same sex marriage, yet in the Liverpool Diocese it is openly practised, seemingly with the Bishop’s approval. Other bishops openly campaign for same sex marriage, without any disciplinary action being taken.
Noah tried to warn his fellowmen of coming judgement, but there was a sceptical unbelieving and casual unconcern. The more Noah preached the more they laughed at him. God said man was too evil, so He was going to make it rain for forty days and destroy the earth. But God saw Noah was a good man of moral integrity who worshipped God faithfully.
God told Noah how to build a ship, and when Noah did so everybody laughed at this crazy guy building a ship out in the desert. Today you would have television crews from around the world taking pictures. But then the rains came and how they must have wished they had listened to Noah
This is how it will be before Jesus returns to an unbelieving world which will be living as they choose. People laugh at this story and at today’s gospel; they call it a myth and fairy tale, but they will find out one day.
When Jesus returns, just as the flood brought sudden judgement His return will do the same. People will be caught unawares as they will be unprepared through rejecting Christian teaching. The world will be separated even between families and friends as Jesus taught. The Bible is clear – there was a beginning and there will be an end, when Christ comes again.
Jesus stated two people will be together, one will be taken to be with Him, the other will be left. A person who has accepted Jesus, who died on the Cross as their Saviour, will be safe on Judgement day. A person who has not will be let behind. There will be no chance to make a decision then, we have to be ready beforehand and decide we want to accept Him now. The Bible states, ‘now is the day of salvation.’ God has given everybody a chance to decide and choose. These are Jesus’ words, not mine.
This is a very serious truth to consider, for the Bible teaches that the consequences are drastic, some will be saved for eternal life and the rest will be lost. However much we might like to conclude there is a different ending, the Bible leaves us with no doubt.
The last verses of our passage call on us to be ready, and we are expected to spread the gospel message, particularly to our families and friends, for we will never have warning. The Bible states now is the time of God’s favour, now is the day of salvation
There is a grossly mistaken notion that as long as one is honest and a nice person one is assured of heaven. That is not what the Bible teaches. Many people who are atheists are honest and nice people. There has to be a personal commitment to Jesus. The Bible states, ‘salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved’. Jesus said, ‘no one comes to the Father except through me’. The Church has not always given sound teaching on this; indeed there are those who do not accept those words.
Whilst it may be comforting to believe that we can all get to heaven regardless of one’s beliefs, and we like to please our fellow men and women, it is quite cruel to mislead if it is not true. It is like telling a blind person standing on the footwalk of a busy road it is safe for him to cross when ready. Others say if you just follow your conscience you’ll be fine, but consciences become dulled and hardened. We need to be prepared just as any responsible householder will take care of their property against theft, for burglars do not give notice of their coming.
This is why it is so important for each person to make his/her own decision whether to follow Jesus in His teaching, commands and demands He makes on us.
You see the Bible is all about commitment. We are reminded of the superficiality of commitment in our own time. Less than 10% of people think God worthy of one hour per week to visit a Church. Yet if you were to ask people their religion, the vast majority would reply C of E and seriously consider they were Christians. They would be mortally offended if you suggested otherwise. Very few people seem it necessary to think of Jesus, even less to do anything about it.
Some Christians have sincerely gone to extremes to prepare for Jesus’ return. Jesus never called us to do anything more than to be faithful in all that we do and always to thing to the best of our ability and be ready to greet Him either here on earth or in heaven.
Today is Advent Sunday and for many Churches it is the start of the Church’s year. For all Christians it is a time when we think about the return of our Lord, although for so many people, they have not recognised His first coming. This is a very serious and important subject and should not be treated lightly. The teachings of the Bible are not acceptable to many folk within the Church, but they are quite clear. Let us look at them together this morning.
The Bible tells us that God will one day bring an end to this world. 380 times in the New Testament the return of Jesus is mentioned, and the whole Bible promises His return.
We are called to live by the teachings of Jesus, and are warned there will be people who mock the faith. They will do so in order to justify the sinful way in which they live.
People also scoff at any talk of Jesus returning or the suggestion of judgement, stating God will not intervene and asking why He hasn’t done so. They forget that one day to us is like a thousand years to God, who is giving time for more people to be saved.
They forget too, if they ever knew, that God did once destroy the earth and is saving up fire for when judgement comes. This will be without warning, leaving no place or time for hiding. The Bible calls for Christians to live pure and holy lives to avoid punishment that awaits the ungodly.
When we turn to the gospel passage we find Jesus had been talking to His Apostles on the Mount of Olives, who asked Him what the signs are of His coming back at the end of the age. Jesus answered there would be wars and rumours of wars, nations would fight nations--- there would be famines, ----earthquakes----Christians would be persecuted ----people would turn away from the faith. ----there would be false teaching---evil--wickedness.
You don’t hear much preaching on this subject, the Church tends to avoid it. The Church is remarkably quiet about anything which is likely to upset people’s tranquillity; there is reluctance in a politically correct obsessed society to suggest judgement or guilt. But we are thinking here about the climax of world history, a point where any national psychopathic leader could, by pressing a button, unleash nuclear destruction on an unimaginable scale. So we may be nearer to the end than many think or want to believe. One has only to think of the psychopath in North Korea who thinks he can take on the might of the United States.
It is true that such signs have been prevalent in each generation but they increase in their likelihood as time goes by. If you look at present world events, there are grounds for concern. Wars and terrorism are occurring all over our world.
A situation of utmost gravity exists in the Middle East where Iran wants to wipe Israel off the map, and world leaders seem to be deluded into thinking they can trust Iran, whereas Israel is more ready to face reality. They in turn are ready to attack Iran, and bearing in mind that the Bible prophesises the world will end in Jerusalem, we should all be concerned. The Bible states God will protect His ancient chosen people.
We see famines in Africa, earthquakes and typhoons of unprecedented strength, with one island which rarely has rain having had large parts destroyed by storms.
False teaching aplenty is given in our Churches, to justify and make acceptable modern moral behaviour. Christians are being forced out of Middle Eastern lands, where arson and murder reign against them, and they are treated barbarically. Jesus says all these kinds of things will happen in the last days, that are before His return.
Jesus stated that only God knows when that time will be. He compared life in the days of Noah to those relating to what will be happening when He returns to earth.
You remember the story of Noah. A lot of people laugh and scoff at it, but archaeologists say there is plenty of evidence that a flood did exist at one time over a certain portion of the world, the portion that Noah lived in. The Bible says that God looked upon civilization, and He saw the wickedness of men.
Jesus said as it was then, so it will be in the day of the coming of the Son of man. There are several things said about that day. First, it was a world in which marriage and home were abused. People were obsessed with sex. Emphasis was on immorality. Look at our world today; we are living in the same way as in the days of Noah. We see the same conditions today. Pick up a newspaper.
The Telegraph and Mail newspapers often feature religious articles on their websites and a lot of comments are made in response which are quite vitriolic; not just disagreement, but open hatred of religion. People do not like to hear their way of living is seen to be immoral by others. They want to live their lives without reference to God or biblical values.
One journalist wrote an article in response to a speech by the ex Archbishop of Canterbury, who had suggested the Church faced extinction. He stated the Church could not expect younger people (especially) to reject same sex relationships, or couples sleeping together outside of marriage, or the doctrines of the Church such as a Virgin Birth and resurrection, which SOME churches still do preach. He was in fact implying that the Church should drastically change its stance on such issues, although I think many within the Church have done so in thought and practice.
At the next meeting of the General Synod of the Church of England, a whole host of members have called for same sex marriage to be debated, some already calling for it to be approved and calling for the LGBT lobby to be con gratulated.
The Church of England has adopted a policy which states clergy should not engage in same sex marriage, yet in the Liverpool Diocese it is openly practised, seemingly with the Bishop’s approval. Other bishops openly campaign for same sex marriage, without any disciplinary action being taken.
Noah tried to warn his fellowmen of coming judgement, but there was a sceptical unbelieving and casual unconcern. The more Noah preached the more they laughed at him. God said man was too evil, so He was going to make it rain for forty days and destroy the earth. But God saw Noah was a good man of moral integrity who worshipped God faithfully.
God told Noah how to build a ship, and when Noah did so everybody laughed at this crazy guy building a ship out in the desert. Today you would have television crews from around the world taking pictures. But then the rains came and how they must have wished they had listened to Noah
This is how it will be before Jesus returns to an unbelieving world which will be living as they choose. People laugh at this story and at today’s gospel; they call it a myth and fairy tale, but they will find out one day.
When Jesus returns, just as the flood brought sudden judgement His return will do the same. People will be caught unawares as they will be unprepared through rejecting Christian teaching. The world will be separated even between families and friends as Jesus taught. The Bible is clear – there was a beginning and there will be an end, when Christ comes again.
Jesus stated two people will be together, one will be taken to be with Him, the other will be left. A person who has accepted Jesus, who died on the Cross as their Saviour, will be safe on Judgement day. A person who has not will be let behind. There will be no chance to make a decision then, we have to be ready beforehand and decide we want to accept Him now. The Bible states, ‘now is the day of salvation.’ God has given everybody a chance to decide and choose. These are Jesus’ words, not mine.
This is a very serious truth to consider, for the Bible teaches that the consequences are drastic, some will be saved for eternal life and the rest will be lost. However much we might like to conclude there is a different ending, the Bible leaves us with no doubt.
The last verses of our passage call on us to be ready, and we are expected to spread the gospel message, particularly to our families and friends, for we will never have warning. The Bible states now is the time of God’s favour, now is the day of salvation
There is a grossly mistaken notion that as long as one is honest and a nice person one is assured of heaven. That is not what the Bible teaches. Many people who are atheists are honest and nice people. There has to be a personal commitment to Jesus. The Bible states, ‘salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved’. Jesus said, ‘no one comes to the Father except through me’. The Church has not always given sound teaching on this; indeed there are those who do not accept those words.
Whilst it may be comforting to believe that we can all get to heaven regardless of one’s beliefs, and we like to please our fellow men and women, it is quite cruel to mislead if it is not true. It is like telling a blind person standing on the footwalk of a busy road it is safe for him to cross when ready. Others say if you just follow your conscience you’ll be fine, but consciences become dulled and hardened. We need to be prepared just as any responsible householder will take care of their property against theft, for burglars do not give notice of their coming.
This is why it is so important for each person to make his/her own decision whether to follow Jesus in His teaching, commands and demands He makes on us.
You see the Bible is all about commitment. We are reminded of the superficiality of commitment in our own time. Less than 10% of people think God worthy of one hour per week to visit a Church. Yet if you were to ask people their religion, the vast majority would reply C of E and seriously consider they were Christians. They would be mortally offended if you suggested otherwise. Very few people seem it necessary to think of Jesus, even less to do anything about it.
Some Christians have sincerely gone to extremes to prepare for Jesus’ return. Jesus never called us to do anything more than to be faithful in all that we do and always to thing to the best of our ability and be ready to greet Him either here on earth or in heaven.
Friday 1 December 2017
You will readily understand why we are having a hard time keeping members within the Anglican Community in the United Kingdom and at the same time the attendances are haemorrhaging when you read the following (true as hard as it is to believe) story
Kelvin Holdsworth, Provost of St Mary’s Cathedral in Glasgow, who is homosexual and listed 35 in a line of LGBT activists, in a ‘gay’ blog made the sinister and tasteless suggestion that England should pray for the four years old Prince George, who will one day become King, to grow up and find love with a fine young gentleman. He believes this would make the Church accept same sex marriage, and comes after all the publicity of Prince Harry marrying a woman.
England should pray for the four years old Prince Georg
His comments about the four-year-old, who is third in line to the throne, were met with outrage by fellow Christians – who condemned them. The director of the Church Society has commented, ‘to co-opt the Royal children to service a narrow sexual agenda seems particularly tasteless and, I should add, bizarrely illogical on his own grounds.
The director of Anglican pressure group Reform, said it was clear Holdsworth would ‘use any means to achieve his aim’ of seeing same-sex marriage in church. It is disappointing that he feels it necessary to bring a four-year-old prince into the argument’.
Of course Holdsworth has indicated his unsuitability for even holding the office of priest let alone Provost, due to his outrageous behaviour.
In addition to this discourteous outburst, during the Epiphany service this year, the Quran was read from the lectern, including "the Islamic teaching that Jesus is not the son of God and should not be worshipped. It was suspected Holdsworth knew in advance this was likely to be stated, and he declined to answer the allegation at the time. Yet when complaints were made to the Primus of the Scottish Episcopal Church, he declined to make any condemnation.
If such similar controversial conduct was made in secular business the perpetrator would be instantly dismissed, but when it occurs on the Lord’s business, anything is allowed to go on.
Next time one of your friends mocks the Church, understand their disillusionement.
Kelvin Holdsworth, Provost of St Mary’s Cathedral in Glasgow, who is homosexual and listed 35 in a line of LGBT activists, in a ‘gay’ blog made the sinister and tasteless suggestion that England should pray for the four years old Prince George, who will one day become King, to grow up and find love with a fine young gentleman. He believes this would make the Church accept same sex marriage, and comes after all the publicity of Prince Harry marrying a woman.
England should pray for the four years old Prince Georg
His comments about the four-year-old, who is third in line to the throne, were met with outrage by fellow Christians – who condemned them. The director of the Church Society has commented, ‘to co-opt the Royal children to service a narrow sexual agenda seems particularly tasteless and, I should add, bizarrely illogical on his own grounds.
The director of Anglican pressure group Reform, said it was clear Holdsworth would ‘use any means to achieve his aim’ of seeing same-sex marriage in church. It is disappointing that he feels it necessary to bring a four-year-old prince into the argument’.
Of course Holdsworth has indicated his unsuitability for even holding the office of priest let alone Provost, due to his outrageous behaviour.
In addition to this discourteous outburst, during the Epiphany service this year, the Quran was read from the lectern, including "the Islamic teaching that Jesus is not the son of God and should not be worshipped. It was suspected Holdsworth knew in advance this was likely to be stated, and he declined to answer the allegation at the time. Yet when complaints were made to the Primus of the Scottish Episcopal Church, he declined to make any condemnation.
If such similar controversial conduct was made in secular business the perpetrator would be instantly dismissed, but when it occurs on the Lord’s business, anything is allowed to go on.
Next time one of your friends mocks the Church, understand their disillusionement.
Wednesday 29 November 2017
What a crazy mixed up world we live in.
See previous post where a 25 years old male can sleep in the same room, use same toilets and changing rooms as young girl guides just when he thinks he would like to be a girl.
Now a stupid woman PR Consultant, (what can you expect) wants the story of Sleeping beauty stopped at her daughter’s school because it shows a prince kissing a young girl on the cheek.
Other children’s books are being removed in libraries here in the
U.K and U.S.A as the stories may be harmful to children.
I wonder how many children over the decades have been harmed (if any) compared as to how many children have been abused as a consequence of this politically correct madness
See previous post where a 25 years old male can sleep in the same room, use same toilets and changing rooms as young girl guides just when he thinks he would like to be a girl.
Now a stupid woman PR Consultant, (what can you expect) wants the story of Sleeping beauty stopped at her daughter’s school because it shows a prince kissing a young girl on the cheek.
Other children’s books are being removed in libraries here in the
U.K and U.S.A as the stories may be harmful to children.
I wonder how many children over the decades have been harmed (if any) compared as to how many children have been abused as a consequence of this politically correct madness
Tuesday 28 November 2017
If you have turned to this post I beg you to read the story which follows. It is hard for many of us to believe this could have come to pass in the United Kingdom, especially when it has been approved and embraced by a (so called) Conservative government. It just reveals how facile Theresa May is when she boasts of being a Vicar’s daughter and regular Church attender.
I thought after a run of weak Prime Ministers having a woman leader might be an improvement, especially when the last and first woman leader was such an outstanding leader who made Britain an influential power on the world stage.
Just to assure you, this really is a true story. (read on)
Girl guiding UK will allow biological males to share showers, toilets, changing rooms and overnight accommodation with its female members as a result of its transgender policy.
The age groups within the movement suggest that a 25-year-old man could share facilities with girls as young as 15.
LEADERS OF GUIDING GROUPS HAVE ALSO BEEN ADVISED NOT TO WARN PARENTS WHEN THEIR DAUGHTER WILL BE ASKED TO SHARE FACILITIES WITH BOYS OR MEN.
Women, and men who identify as women, are allowed to join Girl guiding up to the age of 25. Men who say they are women are also able to become leaders of Guide groups, known as Brown Owls.
As a result, these guidelines mean that teenage girls could be put in danger by being forced to share personal facilities and accommodation with sexually mature men.
Organisations such as the Girl Guides are reacting to the guidance of senior Government figures who want to use children in their campaign to promote acceptance of transgender lifestyles.
Prime Minister Theresa May has committed the Government to allowing people to change gender without a medical reason, REMOVING
PROTECTIONS AGAINST THOSE WHO ACT IN BAD FAITH.
MRS MAY HAS ALSO PLEDGED TO USE COMPULSORY RELATIONSHIPS EDUCATION IN ENGLISH PRIMARY SCHOOLS TO ENSURE LGBT ISSUES ARE TAUGHT WELL TO CHILDREN BETWEEN FIVE AND ELEVEN YEARS OLD.
Controversially, parents of Guides as young as five would not automatically be told if their daughter was sharing facilities with a boy who thinks that they are the wrong gender
Education not indoctrination
Education Secretary and Equalities Minister Justine Greening, who is in a same sex relationship with an LGBT activist, will oversee both the demedicalisation of transgenderism and promotion of LGBT relationships, including same-sex marriage, in schools.
Neither of these policies were in the last Conservative Party manifesto.
Catholic Bishops have urged the Secretary of State to refocus and deliver on her manifesto promises in respect of the admissions cap in education.
Last night critics warned that allowing transgender Guides, particularly those in their teens, to share accommodation and personal facilities on trips posed a threat to the safety and privacy of girls.
David Davies, Conservative MP for Monmouth in South Wales, said: ‘If transgender girls who are physically male are going to be sharing facilities, it’s going to make some girls threatened and uncomfortable and the Guides shouldn’t be doing that.’
Left-wing feminist campaigner Julie Bindel added: ‘This is not a moral panic. The concern that I and many feminists have about boys invading bedrooms, tents and showers, is that disproportionately the victims of sexual violence are girls and women, and overwhelmingly, the perpetrators are boys and men. 'This signifies the end to girl-only space and the safety of girls in single-sex organisations.’
Girlguiding chiefs have told leaders who traditionally say grace before meals at camps to leave out references to God for fear of upsetting non-Christians or atheists.
Official advice on the organisation’s website also said that the singing of songs with ‘faith-based lyrics’ around the camp fire should be banned.
Set up in 1910, the charity has no official link with any religion but its values have been widely seen as broadly Christian, and many of its leaders are Christians who hold meetings in church halls.
Critics reacted with fury to the advice, with one former Guide leader saying it would have ‘devastated’ the Christian founders of the movement, Lord Baden-Powell and his wife Olave.
General Synod member Alison Ruoff said: ‘I was a Guide leader and if we had a day-long hike and we were eating, we would always have grace.
‘The idea of dropping it is an absolute nonsense, absolutely appalling.
‘The Guides are being very foolish in trying to whitewash Christianity, and they must not.’
Girlguiding, formerly the Girl Guides Association, said ‘it may be traditional’ to say or sing grace – the prayers that Christians
use to thank God for food and drink – but added: ‘Consider how this might make members who are from a different faith – or have no faith – feel.’
It suggested that leaders who wanted to say something before a community meal should ‘try to think of a statement that doesn’t make reference to any particular god or faith’.
On singing, the guidance added: ‘Some songs may have faith-based lyrics. Would it be possible to change the words to songs?’
Girlguiding’s chief executive Julie Bentley said the organisation has ‘always been open to girls of all faiths or none,’ and that the organisation had updated its guidance on saying grace and using songs as part of the changes it had made to its pledge.
Last year, girls who responded to a survey run by Girl guiding stressed how important it was to have a girl-only safe space. But under its overhauled regime, the advice to Guide leaders is that girl-only spaces should now be open to transgender members.
Saturday 25 November 2017
Whose side is the Church on—Jesus or the world? Luke 14 v.25/34
By the term ‘Church’, I mean the entire membership at all levels in all denominations.
This may at first seem a ridiculous and pointless question, but I ask all who hear or read, (for it is in a fuller version on the internet) to think of your own belief, faith, and most importantly consider your response.
Whenever Jesus preached He had two effects on His listeners, they were either saved or offended and stopped listening. If I should inadvertently offend anyone I ask you to consider why you are offended; is it because something said makes your conscience feel guilty or makes you feel uncomfortable because it is being pointed out you are doing something you should not be?
It has been my privilege and joy to be able to take services at a large number of Churches in and around Bedford, but few have congregations above 30. When I revisit some time later, I notice it is smaller. Some of course will have gone to be with the Lord, but other just have fallen away, perhaps disheartened by what they are not hearing. We should be asking why? How many are followed up to find the cause of leaving; that may be able to help us do better. Remember the parable of the lost sheep, and how heaven rejoices when one sinner returns to follow Christ.
In our gospel passage, Jesus said we have to give Him first consideration in life, even above family. He used the word ‘hate’ our dearest, but in the understanding of that time this meant loving less. He had not intention of us hating our own family; that would have been against all else He had preached.
An example of what He was getting is what happens very often in families where a parent does not want their child to become a Christian, or even a bit religious. Husbands and wives are vulnerable too, as a lot of men object to their wives spending time at Church. One wonderful lady in a past Church of mine had a husband who worked on an oil rig and was away for long periods, but he found she was attending Church regularly and told her she had a choice, him or the Church. From her position she chose him to preserve the marriage and think of the children; she had such a personality many were influenced by her.
Much Christian work has been stifled because children say they want Sundays for other things - sport, parties - so whole families are kept away from Christian services. But of course we rationalise it - we don't want to make Christianity too hard otherwise it might put them off, so we have to make it convenient. But that's not what Jesus says here.
Jesus expects us to put Him before all else. This does not mean living a sort of monastic life, but it does mean we may have to change some ways of our life. He does however give us a choice, if you follow me He said.
Jesus said, ‘Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple.’ This is the demand to put Christ before self. To carry a cross was a public statement that the one was to die.
Jesus was calling on His followers to die to their own indulgence and follow the way of life He had laid down,
which will inevitably mean going against the tide of society’s culture; not engaging in any activity which is contrary to Holy Scripture.
Modern man/woman want to challenge this and point out it is the 21st century and they have the right to join that culture, but Jesus said unless you follow all that I taught you "cannot be my disciple." Jesus is not willing to enter into a debate He wants to take your life mind, body and soul.
When you give your life to Christ, you change your way of living. You cannot live the same old life. You cannot go on living for the world. You cannot go on letting materialism and secularism control your thinking and your way of living. You now live for Christ. You now live in the fellowship of the church. He does however give us a choice, if you follow me
Today the Church is very ready and willing to accommodate the modern attitude and change the gospel message. The problem with that is you try to appeal to a generation and indulge them when there is little chance of a seismic change of mind, and in the process lose, as we are doing, the more established older generation. People to day are not prepared to deny the temptations we face; it means you really do become non conformist
If however we look at the Pentecostal Churches, especially those led by lack pastors, and even evangelical churches in the main denominations, there is massive support from all age ranges. We don’t need to change the Bible and adopt gimmicks which offer small returns, just get back to the Bible
We must strive to tell how Jesus can make such a difference in a person’s life, having a divine presence in all our hours of need and worry.
Jesus said, ‘I will build my Church’, and on the day of Pentecost it was born. The foundation of the Church was the teaching of the Apostles who of course were taught by our Lord Himself.
Twelve men who revolutionised the world having committed their lives to Jesus with whom they had lived, seen die, and come back to life.
So if we can truly claim to be an Apostolic Church, we must teach all that commanded that Jesus commanded, social, moral, and spiritual. In other words, the pure Christian gospel
We tell how God took a young Jewish girl and caused her to conceive by the power of the Hoy Spirit; that when this child became man He performed miraculous deeds and eventually gave His life by a cruel death on a Cross, in order that God would forgive people of their sins: that three days later would rise from the dead as a sign that one day all who believe in Him and accept Him as Saviour, would live eventually with Him in heaven.
Only Christianity has a Cross at the centre of its faith. Only Jesus suffered an horrific death on the Cross, a death made for criminals who were made to parade through the streets with a crown on his head beaten 39 times with a leather belt fitted with metal studs to cut the skin, stripped of clothes and nailed through His hands and feet on the cross, and all for the sake of paying the penalty for the sins you and I commit.
He could have refused to go there, but went willingly so we could be forgiven and put back in to a relationship with God and made us fit for heaven, where we will live on day with Him. God said this is what man has shown and done to my Son; this is what I have done, and showed by raising Him to life again.
The gospel is the power of God leading to salvation for all who believe. This means more than just believing there is a God, the devil accepts that. It is not enough to just hear and say you believe, it demands a response. God wants all people to turn to Him. This means some sacrifices have to be made by us, not a lot to ask when you consider the sacrifice Jesus made for us.
If you read the Church of England’s report of General Synod you could be forgiven for thinking you were reading a secular document. Bishops suggesting we override the bible; make accommodation for all kinds of morality.
There is now an obsession for changing gender and the Church is willing to adapt services to accommodate people. God said ‘I knew you from the womb’ ,He would therefore know whether a boy or girl so why are we joining in this mad obsession to change gender even involving children of five It is utter madness and irresponsibility.
In the latter verses Jesus was stressing the need to think of the consequences of following Him and used two analogies of a builder who starts to build a house without thinking if he has the means to finish it. Or of a king going to war without assessing if he has the resources to meet the enemy he is attacking.
So with a Christian there is the need to count the cost. Christ said, ‘If you are going to follow me, you have to go back and take your stand with me no matter what it costs.’ They may laugh, they may sneer, they may not understand. You may stand out like a sore thumb. But you absolutely refuse to cheat, to lie, be immoral, even if it costs you your life.
You get up on a Sunday morning, and the weather is bad, you don’t feel full of vigour, so you decide you will miss church. If it were a football game, or similar activity, it doesn’t matter how it rains or snows, you would be right there. But let a little bad weather come up, and coming to Church is too much.
In the Christian life you have to discipline yourself. We are to discipline our minds so that we keep our minds on Christ, and Christ is first in our thinking.
Jesus never sought quantity, He chose quality, and it is more profitable to have a faithful reliable few than many who are totally indifferent to the call and demands of our Lord and whose hearts are not full of love for God.
The Lord doesn’t ask his hearers to make some vague decision, about some vague kind of discipleship following a vaguely known Master. He does not plead with them to come; he commands them, It is going to be a life changing and costly decision to follow him. It will mean taking up your cross each day; this why we must count the cost first.
Tolerance can become counter productive. We’ve been reaching out to others for years now We need to go back to being selective, exclusive and mysterious, which will call people to wonder; that is the only way we can once again become desirable; that is the only way great loves stories are born. We don’t want part-time believers. The church may attract when it has fancy services where free meals are served and receive a tenuous popularity, what we seek is absolute love and total devotion to God and a continuous presence.
There are too many nominalists who feel they may come to church a few times a year and can claim to be Christians, they were confirmed with a bishop’s hands on their heads, they were baptized by an impeccably orthodox preacher, they joined a lively church and attended more often than that. All seemed good for a while, but then troubles came, their friends had no time for Christianity and soon they gave up. They had failed to count the cost of coming to Christ. Take myself and I will be ever, only, all for Thee.
This is why a person must count the cost before committing themselves or will end up totally disillusioned.
By the term ‘Church’, I mean the entire membership at all levels in all denominations.
This may at first seem a ridiculous and pointless question, but I ask all who hear or read, (for it is in a fuller version on the internet) to think of your own belief, faith, and most importantly consider your response.
Whenever Jesus preached He had two effects on His listeners, they were either saved or offended and stopped listening. If I should inadvertently offend anyone I ask you to consider why you are offended; is it because something said makes your conscience feel guilty or makes you feel uncomfortable because it is being pointed out you are doing something you should not be?
It has been my privilege and joy to be able to take services at a large number of Churches in and around Bedford, but few have congregations above 30. When I revisit some time later, I notice it is smaller. Some of course will have gone to be with the Lord, but other just have fallen away, perhaps disheartened by what they are not hearing. We should be asking why? How many are followed up to find the cause of leaving; that may be able to help us do better. Remember the parable of the lost sheep, and how heaven rejoices when one sinner returns to follow Christ.
In our gospel passage, Jesus said we have to give Him first consideration in life, even above family. He used the word ‘hate’ our dearest, but in the understanding of that time this meant loving less. He had not intention of us hating our own family; that would have been against all else He had preached.
An example of what He was getting is what happens very often in families where a parent does not want their child to become a Christian, or even a bit religious. Husbands and wives are vulnerable too, as a lot of men object to their wives spending time at Church. One wonderful lady in a past Church of mine had a husband who worked on an oil rig and was away for long periods, but he found she was attending Church regularly and told her she had a choice, him or the Church. From her position she chose him to preserve the marriage and think of the children; she had such a personality many were influenced by her.
Much Christian work has been stifled because children say they want Sundays for other things - sport, parties - so whole families are kept away from Christian services. But of course we rationalise it - we don't want to make Christianity too hard otherwise it might put them off, so we have to make it convenient. But that's not what Jesus says here.
Jesus expects us to put Him before all else. This does not mean living a sort of monastic life, but it does mean we may have to change some ways of our life. He does however give us a choice, if you follow me He said.
Jesus said, ‘Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple.’ This is the demand to put Christ before self. To carry a cross was a public statement that the one was to die.
Jesus was calling on His followers to die to their own indulgence and follow the way of life He had laid down,
which will inevitably mean going against the tide of society’s culture; not engaging in any activity which is contrary to Holy Scripture.
Modern man/woman want to challenge this and point out it is the 21st century and they have the right to join that culture, but Jesus said unless you follow all that I taught you "cannot be my disciple." Jesus is not willing to enter into a debate He wants to take your life mind, body and soul.
When you give your life to Christ, you change your way of living. You cannot live the same old life. You cannot go on living for the world. You cannot go on letting materialism and secularism control your thinking and your way of living. You now live for Christ. You now live in the fellowship of the church. He does however give us a choice, if you follow me
Today the Church is very ready and willing to accommodate the modern attitude and change the gospel message. The problem with that is you try to appeal to a generation and indulge them when there is little chance of a seismic change of mind, and in the process lose, as we are doing, the more established older generation. People to day are not prepared to deny the temptations we face; it means you really do become non conformist
If however we look at the Pentecostal Churches, especially those led by lack pastors, and even evangelical churches in the main denominations, there is massive support from all age ranges. We don’t need to change the Bible and adopt gimmicks which offer small returns, just get back to the Bible
We must strive to tell how Jesus can make such a difference in a person’s life, having a divine presence in all our hours of need and worry.
Jesus said, ‘I will build my Church’, and on the day of Pentecost it was born. The foundation of the Church was the teaching of the Apostles who of course were taught by our Lord Himself.
Twelve men who revolutionised the world having committed their lives to Jesus with whom they had lived, seen die, and come back to life.
So if we can truly claim to be an Apostolic Church, we must teach all that commanded that Jesus commanded, social, moral, and spiritual. In other words, the pure Christian gospel
We tell how God took a young Jewish girl and caused her to conceive by the power of the Hoy Spirit; that when this child became man He performed miraculous deeds and eventually gave His life by a cruel death on a Cross, in order that God would forgive people of their sins: that three days later would rise from the dead as a sign that one day all who believe in Him and accept Him as Saviour, would live eventually with Him in heaven.
Only Christianity has a Cross at the centre of its faith. Only Jesus suffered an horrific death on the Cross, a death made for criminals who were made to parade through the streets with a crown on his head beaten 39 times with a leather belt fitted with metal studs to cut the skin, stripped of clothes and nailed through His hands and feet on the cross, and all for the sake of paying the penalty for the sins you and I commit.
He could have refused to go there, but went willingly so we could be forgiven and put back in to a relationship with God and made us fit for heaven, where we will live on day with Him. God said this is what man has shown and done to my Son; this is what I have done, and showed by raising Him to life again.
The gospel is the power of God leading to salvation for all who believe. This means more than just believing there is a God, the devil accepts that. It is not enough to just hear and say you believe, it demands a response. God wants all people to turn to Him. This means some sacrifices have to be made by us, not a lot to ask when you consider the sacrifice Jesus made for us.
If you read the Church of England’s report of General Synod you could be forgiven for thinking you were reading a secular document. Bishops suggesting we override the bible; make accommodation for all kinds of morality.
There is now an obsession for changing gender and the Church is willing to adapt services to accommodate people. God said ‘I knew you from the womb’ ,He would therefore know whether a boy or girl so why are we joining in this mad obsession to change gender even involving children of five It is utter madness and irresponsibility.
In the latter verses Jesus was stressing the need to think of the consequences of following Him and used two analogies of a builder who starts to build a house without thinking if he has the means to finish it. Or of a king going to war without assessing if he has the resources to meet the enemy he is attacking.
So with a Christian there is the need to count the cost. Christ said, ‘If you are going to follow me, you have to go back and take your stand with me no matter what it costs.’ They may laugh, they may sneer, they may not understand. You may stand out like a sore thumb. But you absolutely refuse to cheat, to lie, be immoral, even if it costs you your life.
You get up on a Sunday morning, and the weather is bad, you don’t feel full of vigour, so you decide you will miss church. If it were a football game, or similar activity, it doesn’t matter how it rains or snows, you would be right there. But let a little bad weather come up, and coming to Church is too much.
In the Christian life you have to discipline yourself. We are to discipline our minds so that we keep our minds on Christ, and Christ is first in our thinking.
Jesus never sought quantity, He chose quality, and it is more profitable to have a faithful reliable few than many who are totally indifferent to the call and demands of our Lord and whose hearts are not full of love for God.
The Lord doesn’t ask his hearers to make some vague decision, about some vague kind of discipleship following a vaguely known Master. He does not plead with them to come; he commands them, It is going to be a life changing and costly decision to follow him. It will mean taking up your cross each day; this why we must count the cost first.
Tolerance can become counter productive. We’ve been reaching out to others for years now We need to go back to being selective, exclusive and mysterious, which will call people to wonder; that is the only way we can once again become desirable; that is the only way great loves stories are born. We don’t want part-time believers. The church may attract when it has fancy services where free meals are served and receive a tenuous popularity, what we seek is absolute love and total devotion to God and a continuous presence.
There are too many nominalists who feel they may come to church a few times a year and can claim to be Christians, they were confirmed with a bishop’s hands on their heads, they were baptized by an impeccably orthodox preacher, they joined a lively church and attended more often than that. All seemed good for a while, but then troubles came, their friends had no time for Christianity and soon they gave up. They had failed to count the cost of coming to Christ. Take myself and I will be ever, only, all for Thee.
This is why a person must count the cost before committing themselves or will end up totally disillusioned.
Saturday 18 November 2017
1 THESSALONIANS 4 V 13 TO 5/V11
I want you to turn with me to Paul’s 1st Letter to the Thessalonian Church, which is the set Epistle for this Sunday.
In this 4th Chapter, Paul answers a question most people have asked at some time of their life, more so as they get older. What happens to me when I die? Here, Paul is responding to that problem which is disturbing this young Church. Paul had established this Church and most of the members had come from worshipping idols, but had become committed and devoted Christians.
Paul had only three weeks with them before he was driven out of the city by opposing Jews, so had not had time to fully explain as much as he would have liked. They had been told about the death of Jesus and His resurrection, and how He would one day return and claim all His believers, but they were afraid that some of their members would die before Jesus returned and so miss being with Him in heaven.
In this passage before us, Paul deals with this important doctrine of the Church, one which is mentioned 300 times in the New Testament. Whilst it is a vitally important message which non believers should hear, it is also very desirable that Christians should hear and be reminded of, and reassured what the gospel states concerning our eternal future.
Paul begins by saying he does not wish us to be unaware of what happens to those who have fallen asleep. Here he is referring to Christians as asleep to make the point that they will awake from the grave when Christ returns. Paul states whilst we may grieve when we lose someone dear, which is in fact what Jesus did when His friend Lazarus died, we are not like unbelievers who have no future hope.
When the Bible speaks of ‘hope’, it is not the vague meaning we might have when we say I hope you have a good day; it is something more positive. Christians do have the belief and expectation that whilst there is parting, there will be reunion with those we have lost for a while.
We have been considering our future so far as believers; what can we say to unbelievers.I have been using the word ‘Christians’ in the biblical sense. Most people would like to call themselves Christians if they are not atheists or members of another faith; that is not how the Bible sees it.
A Christian in the truest sense is someone who believes Jesus died on the Cross, and rose again. His death was the price He paid that our sins may be forgiven so that our relationship with God can be restored. His risen state is to assure us that we too will rise with Him, provided we accept Him as Lord and Saviour, and commit ourselves to live as God has shown us how, that is to be in the words of the Bible.
So if unbelievers have no hope, what is the consequence? People scoff at talk of the return of Christ and of a Day of Judgement. Such talk becomes the butt of their jokes and is dismissed out of hand. Later in our passage Paul states they will suffer wrath because they will have rejected the only means of escape for any of us, and that is Jesus.
This is a sombre warning for us all and should make us concerned for those members of our families who have rejected Christ. It should make us want to do all we can to persuade them to turn with us to a Saving Lord.
The Bible is very clear that there will be a Day of Judgement, a day of accountability, a day when all the books will be opened, a day when all the wrongs will be righted, a day when justice will be done.
Jesus always made two distinctions. He spoke of tares and wheat; of sheep and goats in today’s gospel reading; of two roads, one leading to eternal life and the other to destruction. He spoke of heaven and hell in equal measure.
For many people today hell is a forbidden word in the religious sense. I was at a clergy meeting and at the Church there was a mural which had faded and when I asked why it had not been restored I was told by a fellow Minister that it depicted sinners being consigned to hell and he added, but we don’t preach about hell now do we. I answered that I did and he looked at me with complete horror. But Jesus did too; you can read His words in this book.
Jesus used different terms in which to describe hell, but simply it means just being separated eternally from God. It is strange that whilst people dispute any notion of hell as ridiculous they use the word constantly for all kinds of things and in all situations.
One of the great questions that people have to the Christian faith is, how can a loving God send people to hell. It is not that God does or wants to send anyone to hell; it is rather people choose that course by ignoring God and all He stands for. It may be something you have felt, you can’t understand how the Bible can teach that there is such a place.
The Bible teaches quite clearly that there will be a final Day of Judgement, a final day when we will be held accountable, and Jesus left us with a clear message of the alternatives.
In verse 15, Paul mentions having had a word from the Lord, something which the Lord revealed to him personally, so we may be assured that what Paul is telling us can be relied upon. Those who die are in conscious fellowship with Christ in the first stage, and will rise with Christ with new bodies when He returns.
I have never been to Hong Kong, but my son can tell me about it, because he has lived there. There is only one person who has died, experienced life after death, and is able to tell us about it, and that is Jesus. What he says we can rely on. He speaks the truth. Paul is one of the chosen spokesmen for the risen and ascended Christ.
After a funeral service people offer words of comfort to the bereaved; Paul is saying here we should do so, but as Christians, not in the same way, we can comfort one another with the assurance of a further meeting with the deceased. Of course we will grieve when those we love die and were separated from them, for now. But the nature of our grieving can and should be rather different from the hopeless grief of unbelieving people.
Having set out the future Paul then answers the question of when this will happen by pointing out that God in His wisdom does not reveal this. Therefore there will be no time for preparation .He says it will be like a thief who comes in the night unannounced, or like a woman delivering a baby; both events come on suddenly and can be painful.
When Jesus returns it will be just the same, His coming will be sudden and painful for those not having believed in Him. It will be like the householder who gets burgled and has no insurance; he was intending to get cover but just didn’t get around to doing so. Families will be divided with one taken and one left, some destined to be with Him others not. Paul is not trying to frighten or threaten, he is actually reassuring believers who may be feeling insecure.
Paul talks about light and darkness with believers being children of light; we don’t live recklessly as unbelievers do, but we stay sober and awake. He uses the metaphor of being drunk and fallen asleep referring to unbelievers living in a dark world.
Drawing upon the Old Testament where the Lord is portrayed as a warrior wearing armour, so the Christian puts on the breastplate of faith and love and the helmet of salvation.
I realise this passage is one which can be a message which disturbs, and even distresses, but the doctrine
of judgement is one of the basic and fundamental doctrines of the Church and is put in the Bible to help and save us; it helps to explain some of the seeming unfairness in the world.
If there was no doctrine of judgement, it would mean that we live in an unfair world, one in which the evil and guilty would have prospered, where there would be no distinction between goodness by the countless millions who served the Lord faithfully, often in much hardship, and the barbarism of men like Hitler and others like him. Heaven and hell are clear demonstrations that God is a just God.
The passage ends with words of encouragement. The Christian Church is a community of mutual comfort and Paul is urging them to give one another help in their anxieties with the fundamental truths of the gospel, that the Jesus who is coming again is the very same person who died and rose again.
The supreme result of the death and resurrection of Jesus is to bring us into a personal union with Him, one which neither death, nor bereavement, nor judgement can ever destroy.
So let us be comforted by these words; and let us try to bring to know Christ those nearest and dearest to us who have yet to find Him. We must let it be known no one is beyond redemption, and God will receive all who turn to Him who accept that Jesus died for them and their forgiveness.
I want you to turn with me to Paul’s 1st Letter to the Thessalonian Church, which is the set Epistle for this Sunday.
In this 4th Chapter, Paul answers a question most people have asked at some time of their life, more so as they get older. What happens to me when I die? Here, Paul is responding to that problem which is disturbing this young Church. Paul had established this Church and most of the members had come from worshipping idols, but had become committed and devoted Christians.
Paul had only three weeks with them before he was driven out of the city by opposing Jews, so had not had time to fully explain as much as he would have liked. They had been told about the death of Jesus and His resurrection, and how He would one day return and claim all His believers, but they were afraid that some of their members would die before Jesus returned and so miss being with Him in heaven.
In this passage before us, Paul deals with this important doctrine of the Church, one which is mentioned 300 times in the New Testament. Whilst it is a vitally important message which non believers should hear, it is also very desirable that Christians should hear and be reminded of, and reassured what the gospel states concerning our eternal future.
Paul begins by saying he does not wish us to be unaware of what happens to those who have fallen asleep. Here he is referring to Christians as asleep to make the point that they will awake from the grave when Christ returns. Paul states whilst we may grieve when we lose someone dear, which is in fact what Jesus did when His friend Lazarus died, we are not like unbelievers who have no future hope.
When the Bible speaks of ‘hope’, it is not the vague meaning we might have when we say I hope you have a good day; it is something more positive. Christians do have the belief and expectation that whilst there is parting, there will be reunion with those we have lost for a while.
We have been considering our future so far as believers; what can we say to unbelievers.I have been using the word ‘Christians’ in the biblical sense. Most people would like to call themselves Christians if they are not atheists or members of another faith; that is not how the Bible sees it.
A Christian in the truest sense is someone who believes Jesus died on the Cross, and rose again. His death was the price He paid that our sins may be forgiven so that our relationship with God can be restored. His risen state is to assure us that we too will rise with Him, provided we accept Him as Lord and Saviour, and commit ourselves to live as God has shown us how, that is to be in the words of the Bible.
So if unbelievers have no hope, what is the consequence? People scoff at talk of the return of Christ and of a Day of Judgement. Such talk becomes the butt of their jokes and is dismissed out of hand. Later in our passage Paul states they will suffer wrath because they will have rejected the only means of escape for any of us, and that is Jesus.
This is a sombre warning for us all and should make us concerned for those members of our families who have rejected Christ. It should make us want to do all we can to persuade them to turn with us to a Saving Lord.
The Bible is very clear that there will be a Day of Judgement, a day of accountability, a day when all the books will be opened, a day when all the wrongs will be righted, a day when justice will be done.
Jesus always made two distinctions. He spoke of tares and wheat; of sheep and goats in today’s gospel reading; of two roads, one leading to eternal life and the other to destruction. He spoke of heaven and hell in equal measure.
For many people today hell is a forbidden word in the religious sense. I was at a clergy meeting and at the Church there was a mural which had faded and when I asked why it had not been restored I was told by a fellow Minister that it depicted sinners being consigned to hell and he added, but we don’t preach about hell now do we. I answered that I did and he looked at me with complete horror. But Jesus did too; you can read His words in this book.
Jesus used different terms in which to describe hell, but simply it means just being separated eternally from God. It is strange that whilst people dispute any notion of hell as ridiculous they use the word constantly for all kinds of things and in all situations.
One of the great questions that people have to the Christian faith is, how can a loving God send people to hell. It is not that God does or wants to send anyone to hell; it is rather people choose that course by ignoring God and all He stands for. It may be something you have felt, you can’t understand how the Bible can teach that there is such a place.
The Bible teaches quite clearly that there will be a final Day of Judgement, a final day when we will be held accountable, and Jesus left us with a clear message of the alternatives.
In verse 15, Paul mentions having had a word from the Lord, something which the Lord revealed to him personally, so we may be assured that what Paul is telling us can be relied upon. Those who die are in conscious fellowship with Christ in the first stage, and will rise with Christ with new bodies when He returns.
I have never been to Hong Kong, but my son can tell me about it, because he has lived there. There is only one person who has died, experienced life after death, and is able to tell us about it, and that is Jesus. What he says we can rely on. He speaks the truth. Paul is one of the chosen spokesmen for the risen and ascended Christ.
After a funeral service people offer words of comfort to the bereaved; Paul is saying here we should do so, but as Christians, not in the same way, we can comfort one another with the assurance of a further meeting with the deceased. Of course we will grieve when those we love die and were separated from them, for now. But the nature of our grieving can and should be rather different from the hopeless grief of unbelieving people.
Having set out the future Paul then answers the question of when this will happen by pointing out that God in His wisdom does not reveal this. Therefore there will be no time for preparation .He says it will be like a thief who comes in the night unannounced, or like a woman delivering a baby; both events come on suddenly and can be painful.
When Jesus returns it will be just the same, His coming will be sudden and painful for those not having believed in Him. It will be like the householder who gets burgled and has no insurance; he was intending to get cover but just didn’t get around to doing so. Families will be divided with one taken and one left, some destined to be with Him others not. Paul is not trying to frighten or threaten, he is actually reassuring believers who may be feeling insecure.
Paul talks about light and darkness with believers being children of light; we don’t live recklessly as unbelievers do, but we stay sober and awake. He uses the metaphor of being drunk and fallen asleep referring to unbelievers living in a dark world.
Drawing upon the Old Testament where the Lord is portrayed as a warrior wearing armour, so the Christian puts on the breastplate of faith and love and the helmet of salvation.
I realise this passage is one which can be a message which disturbs, and even distresses, but the doctrine
of judgement is one of the basic and fundamental doctrines of the Church and is put in the Bible to help and save us; it helps to explain some of the seeming unfairness in the world.
If there was no doctrine of judgement, it would mean that we live in an unfair world, one in which the evil and guilty would have prospered, where there would be no distinction between goodness by the countless millions who served the Lord faithfully, often in much hardship, and the barbarism of men like Hitler and others like him. Heaven and hell are clear demonstrations that God is a just God.
The passage ends with words of encouragement. The Christian Church is a community of mutual comfort and Paul is urging them to give one another help in their anxieties with the fundamental truths of the gospel, that the Jesus who is coming again is the very same person who died and rose again.
The supreme result of the death and resurrection of Jesus is to bring us into a personal union with Him, one which neither death, nor bereavement, nor judgement can ever destroy.
So let us be comforted by these words; and let us try to bring to know Christ those nearest and dearest to us who have yet to find Him. We must let it be known no one is beyond redemption, and God will receive all who turn to Him who accept that Jesus died for them and their forgiveness.
Wednesday 15 November 2017
Transgender issues come before education in Oxford School
A respected Christian maths teacher at a school in Oxfordshire is facing discipline for 'misgendering' a student.
Joshua Sutcliffe, from Oxford, began working at the school in September 2015 and currently teaches children aged 11-18. He has achieved excellent results, with his Key Stage 3 students outperforming every parallel class.
But on November 2, a complaint was made that Joshua referred to a pupil as a 'girl', rather than the desired boy.
Although born as a girl, the pupil had self-declared as ‘male’. Joshua had not been given any formal instruction on how to refer to the pupil. An investigation began immediately, during which Joshua was prevented from teaching and forced to spend all his time ‘in isolation’ in the staff room. He is now suspended, pending a further investigation
Andrea Williams, chief executive of the Christian Legal Centre which is supporting Joshua said:
“This case is one of a flood of cases we are encountering where teachers are finding themselves silenced or punished if they refuse to fall in line with the current transgender fad.
“We all know how much we change during our teenage years. It is vital that during those years we help our children to live in the biological sex they were born rather than encouraging them to change ‘gender’. If we encourage them to change gender it is not kind and compassionate; it is cruel.
“What we need is a culture in our schools which gives emotional support to children through puberty without encouraging them to make life-long decisions against their natural born biological sex.
"If we collude in the transgender delusion we do not serve our children well, we harm them.”
Following the week-long investigation, the school found that Joshua ‘misgendered’ the pupil, ‘demonstrating discriminatory behaviours’ and ‘[contravened] the school’s equality policy’. The school recommended dealing with the matter of ‘misconduct’ under the disciplinary policy.
Since the pupil started at the school, Joshua has tried to balance his sincerely held Christian belief that biological sex is God-given and defined at birth, with the need to treat sensitively the pupil. He avoided the use of gender-specific pronouns, and instead referred to the pupil by the pupil’s chosen name. Joshua admits saying “Well done girls” when he addressed a group of students including the pupil in question. The pupil became irate at this and Joshua sought to defuse the situation and apologised.
Whilst working at the school, Joshua also began running a successful Bible club, which was attended by over 100 pupils before being shut down by the school 18 months after its inception. He was initially told by the Headteacher that the Bible club could not run without a register and a curriculum. Yet, after producing the required documents, the Head still insisted on cancelling the club. During this time, the school’s LGBTI club, mindfulness club, and Qigong club continued running without a register or curriculum.
Following a grievance meeting initiated by a deputy headteacher, it was found that the Bible club could continue running but only when the school was satisfied that it could be run in such a way that upheld the school’s policies. Determined to comply with the conditions and have the club reinstated, Joshua made numerous attempts over the following five weeks to follow instructions to reinstate the Bible club to be run in a way which upheld the school’s policies. After ignoring the issue over this period, the Head agreed to a meeting where the issues would be discussed.
A respected Christian maths teacher at a school in Oxfordshire is facing discipline for 'misgendering' a student.
Joshua Sutcliffe, from Oxford, began working at the school in September 2015 and currently teaches children aged 11-18. He has achieved excellent results, with his Key Stage 3 students outperforming every parallel class.
But on November 2, a complaint was made that Joshua referred to a pupil as a 'girl', rather than the desired boy.
Although born as a girl, the pupil had self-declared as ‘male’. Joshua had not been given any formal instruction on how to refer to the pupil. An investigation began immediately, during which Joshua was prevented from teaching and forced to spend all his time ‘in isolation’ in the staff room. He is now suspended, pending a further investigation
Andrea Williams, chief executive of the Christian Legal Centre which is supporting Joshua said:
“This case is one of a flood of cases we are encountering where teachers are finding themselves silenced or punished if they refuse to fall in line with the current transgender fad.
“We all know how much we change during our teenage years. It is vital that during those years we help our children to live in the biological sex they were born rather than encouraging them to change ‘gender’. If we encourage them to change gender it is not kind and compassionate; it is cruel.
“What we need is a culture in our schools which gives emotional support to children through puberty without encouraging them to make life-long decisions against their natural born biological sex.
"If we collude in the transgender delusion we do not serve our children well, we harm them.”
Following the week-long investigation, the school found that Joshua ‘misgendered’ the pupil, ‘demonstrating discriminatory behaviours’ and ‘[contravened] the school’s equality policy’. The school recommended dealing with the matter of ‘misconduct’ under the disciplinary policy.
Since the pupil started at the school, Joshua has tried to balance his sincerely held Christian belief that biological sex is God-given and defined at birth, with the need to treat sensitively the pupil. He avoided the use of gender-specific pronouns, and instead referred to the pupil by the pupil’s chosen name. Joshua admits saying “Well done girls” when he addressed a group of students including the pupil in question. The pupil became irate at this and Joshua sought to defuse the situation and apologised.
Whilst working at the school, Joshua also began running a successful Bible club, which was attended by over 100 pupils before being shut down by the school 18 months after its inception. He was initially told by the Headteacher that the Bible club could not run without a register and a curriculum. Yet, after producing the required documents, the Head still insisted on cancelling the club. During this time, the school’s LGBTI club, mindfulness club, and Qigong club continued running without a register or curriculum.
Following a grievance meeting initiated by a deputy headteacher, it was found that the Bible club could continue running but only when the school was satisfied that it could be run in such a way that upheld the school’s policies. Determined to comply with the conditions and have the club reinstated, Joshua made numerous attempts over the following five weeks to follow instructions to reinstate the Bible club to be run in a way which upheld the school’s policies. After ignoring the issue over this period, the Head agreed to a meeting where the issues would be discussed.
Friday 10 November 2017
! THESSALONIANS 4 V 13 TO 5/V11
I want you to turn with me to Paul’s 1st Letter to the Thessalonian Church, which is the set Epistle for this Sunday.
In this 4th Chapter, Paul answers a question most people have asked at some time of their life, more so as they get older. What happens to me when I die? Here, Paul is responding to that problem which is disturbing this young Church.
Paul had established this Church and most of the members had come from worshipping idols, but had become committed and devoted Christians. Paul had only three weeks with them before he was driven out of the city by opposing Jews, so had not had time to fully explain as much as he would have liked. They had been told about the death of Jesus and His resurrection, and how He would one day return and claim all His believers, but they were afraid that some of their members would die before Jesus returned and so miss being with Him in heaven.
In this passage before us, Paul deals with this important doctrine of the Church, one which is mentioned 300 times in the New Testament. Whilst it is a vitally important message which non believers should hear, it is also very desirable that Christians should hear and be reminded of, and reassured what the gospel states concerning our eternal future.
Paul begins by saying he does not wish us to be unaware of what happens to those who have fallen asleep. Here he is referring to Christians as asleep to make the point that they will awake from the grave when Christ returns. Paul states whilst we may grieve when we lose someone dear, which is in fact what Jesus did when His friend Lazarus died, we are not like unbelievers who have no future hope.
When the Bible speaks of ‘hope’, it is not the vague meaning we might have when we say I hope you have a good day; it is something more positive. Christians do have the belief and expectation that whilst there is parting, there will be reunion with those we have lost for a while.
We have been considering our future so far as believers; what can we say to unbelievers.
I have been using the word ‘Christians’ in the biblical sense. Most people would like to call themselves Christians if they are not atheists or members of another faith; that is not how the Bible sees it. A Christian in the truest sense is someone who believes Jesus died on the Cross, and rose again. His death was the price He paid that our sins may be forgiven so that our relationship with God can be restored. His risen state is to assure us that we too will rise with Him, provided we accept Him as Lord and Saviour, and commit ourselves to live as God has shown us how, that is to be in the words of the Bible.
So if unbelievers have no hope, what is the consequence? People scoff at talk of the return of Christ and of a Day of Judgement. Such talk becomes the butt of their jokes and is dismissed out of hand. Later in our passage Paul states they will suffer wrath because they will have rejected the only means of escape for any of us, and that is Jesus. This is a sombre warning for us all and should make us concerned for those members of our families who have rejected Christ. It should make us want to do all we can to persuade them to turn with us to a Saving Lord.
The Bible is very clear that there will be a Day of Judgement, a day of accountability, a day when all the books will be opened, a day when all the wrongs will be righted, a day when justice will be done.
Jesus always made two distinctions. He spoke of tares and wheat; of sheep and goats in today’s gospel reading; of two roads, one leading to eternal life and the other to destruction. He spoke of heaven and hell in equal measure.
For many people today hell is a forbidden word in the religious sense. I was at a clergy meeting and at the Church there was a mural which had faded and when I asked why it had not been restored I was told by a fellow Minister that it depicted sinners being consigned to hell and he added, but we don’t preach about hell now do we. I answered that I did and he looked at me with complete horror. But Jesus did too; you can read His words in this book.
Jesus used different terms in which to describe hell, but simply it means just being separated eternally from God. It is strange that whilst people dispute any notion of hell as ridiculous they use the word constantly for all kinds of things and in all situations.
One of the great questions that people have to the Christian faith is, how can a loving God send people to hell. It is not that God does or wants to send anyone to hell; it is rather people choose that course by ignoring God and all He stands for. It may be something you have felt, you can’t understand how the Bible can teach that there is such a place.
The Bible teaches quite clearly that there will be a final Day of Judgement, a final day when we will be held accountable, and Jesus left us with a clear message of the alternatives.
In verse 15, Paul mentions having had a word from the Lord, something which the Lord revealed to him personally, so we may be assured that what Paul is telling us can be relied upon. Those who die are in conscious fellowship with Christ in the first stage, and will rise with Christ with new bodies when He returns.
I have never been to Hong Kong, but my son can tell me about it, because he has lived there. There is only one person who has died, experienced life after death, and is able to tell us about it, and that is Jesus. What he says we can rely on. He speaks the truth. Paul is one of the chosen spokesmen for the risen and ascended Christ.
After a funeral service people offer words of comfort to the bereaved; Paul is saying here we should do so, but as Christians, not in the same way, we can comfort one another with the assurance of a further meeting with the deceased. Of course we will grieve when those we love die and were separated from them, for now. But the nature of our grieving can and should be rather different from the hopeless grief of unbelieving people.
Having set out the future Paul then answers the question of when this will happen by pointing out that God in His wisdom does not reveal this. Therefore there will be no time for preparation .He says it will be like a thief who comes in the night unannounced, or like a woman delivering a baby; both events come on suddenly and can be painful.
When Jesus returns it will be just the same, His coming will be sudden and painful for those not having believed in Him. It will be like the householder who gets burgled and has no insurance; he was intending to get cover but just didn’t get around to doing so. Families will be divided with one taken and one left, some destined to be with Him others not. Paul is not trying to frighten or threaten, he is actually reassuring believers who may be feeling insecure.
Paul talks about light and darkness with believers being children of light; we don’t live recklessly as unbelievers do, but we stay sober and awake. He uses the metaphor of being drunk and fallen asleep referring to unbelievers living in a dark world.
Drawing upon the Old Testament where the Lord is portrayed as a warrior wearing armour, so the Christian puts on the breastplate of faith and love and the helmet of salvation.
I realise this passage is one which can be a message which disturbs, and even distresses, but the doctrine
of judgement is one of the basic and fundamental doctrines of the Church and is put in the Bible to help and save us; it helps to explain some of the seeming unfairness in the world.
If there was no doctrine of judgement, it would mean that we live in an unfair world, one in which the evil and guilty would have prospered, where there would be no distinction between goodness by the countless millions who served the Lord faithfully, often in much hardship, and the barbarism of men like Hitler and others like him. Heaven and hell are clear demonstrations that God is a just God.
The passage ends with words of encouragement. The Christian Church is a community of mutual comfort and Paul is urging them to give one another help in their anxieties with the fundamental truths of the gospel, that the Jesus who is coming again is the very same person who died and rose again.
The supreme result of the death and resurrection of Jesus is to bring us into a personal union with Him, one which neither death, nor bereavement, nor judgement can ever destroy.
So let us be comforted by these words; and let us try to bring to know Christ those nearest and dearest to us who have yet to find Him. We must let it be known no one is beyond redemption, and God will receive all who turn to Him who accept that Jesus died for them and their forgiveness.
I want you to turn with me to Paul’s 1st Letter to the Thessalonian Church, which is the set Epistle for this Sunday.
In this 4th Chapter, Paul answers a question most people have asked at some time of their life, more so as they get older. What happens to me when I die? Here, Paul is responding to that problem which is disturbing this young Church.
Paul had established this Church and most of the members had come from worshipping idols, but had become committed and devoted Christians. Paul had only three weeks with them before he was driven out of the city by opposing Jews, so had not had time to fully explain as much as he would have liked. They had been told about the death of Jesus and His resurrection, and how He would one day return and claim all His believers, but they were afraid that some of their members would die before Jesus returned and so miss being with Him in heaven.
In this passage before us, Paul deals with this important doctrine of the Church, one which is mentioned 300 times in the New Testament. Whilst it is a vitally important message which non believers should hear, it is also very desirable that Christians should hear and be reminded of, and reassured what the gospel states concerning our eternal future.
Paul begins by saying he does not wish us to be unaware of what happens to those who have fallen asleep. Here he is referring to Christians as asleep to make the point that they will awake from the grave when Christ returns. Paul states whilst we may grieve when we lose someone dear, which is in fact what Jesus did when His friend Lazarus died, we are not like unbelievers who have no future hope.
When the Bible speaks of ‘hope’, it is not the vague meaning we might have when we say I hope you have a good day; it is something more positive. Christians do have the belief and expectation that whilst there is parting, there will be reunion with those we have lost for a while.
We have been considering our future so far as believers; what can we say to unbelievers.
I have been using the word ‘Christians’ in the biblical sense. Most people would like to call themselves Christians if they are not atheists or members of another faith; that is not how the Bible sees it. A Christian in the truest sense is someone who believes Jesus died on the Cross, and rose again. His death was the price He paid that our sins may be forgiven so that our relationship with God can be restored. His risen state is to assure us that we too will rise with Him, provided we accept Him as Lord and Saviour, and commit ourselves to live as God has shown us how, that is to be in the words of the Bible.
So if unbelievers have no hope, what is the consequence? People scoff at talk of the return of Christ and of a Day of Judgement. Such talk becomes the butt of their jokes and is dismissed out of hand. Later in our passage Paul states they will suffer wrath because they will have rejected the only means of escape for any of us, and that is Jesus. This is a sombre warning for us all and should make us concerned for those members of our families who have rejected Christ. It should make us want to do all we can to persuade them to turn with us to a Saving Lord.
The Bible is very clear that there will be a Day of Judgement, a day of accountability, a day when all the books will be opened, a day when all the wrongs will be righted, a day when justice will be done.
Jesus always made two distinctions. He spoke of tares and wheat; of sheep and goats in today’s gospel reading; of two roads, one leading to eternal life and the other to destruction. He spoke of heaven and hell in equal measure.
For many people today hell is a forbidden word in the religious sense. I was at a clergy meeting and at the Church there was a mural which had faded and when I asked why it had not been restored I was told by a fellow Minister that it depicted sinners being consigned to hell and he added, but we don’t preach about hell now do we. I answered that I did and he looked at me with complete horror. But Jesus did too; you can read His words in this book.
Jesus used different terms in which to describe hell, but simply it means just being separated eternally from God. It is strange that whilst people dispute any notion of hell as ridiculous they use the word constantly for all kinds of things and in all situations.
One of the great questions that people have to the Christian faith is, how can a loving God send people to hell. It is not that God does or wants to send anyone to hell; it is rather people choose that course by ignoring God and all He stands for. It may be something you have felt, you can’t understand how the Bible can teach that there is such a place.
The Bible teaches quite clearly that there will be a final Day of Judgement, a final day when we will be held accountable, and Jesus left us with a clear message of the alternatives.
In verse 15, Paul mentions having had a word from the Lord, something which the Lord revealed to him personally, so we may be assured that what Paul is telling us can be relied upon. Those who die are in conscious fellowship with Christ in the first stage, and will rise with Christ with new bodies when He returns.
I have never been to Hong Kong, but my son can tell me about it, because he has lived there. There is only one person who has died, experienced life after death, and is able to tell us about it, and that is Jesus. What he says we can rely on. He speaks the truth. Paul is one of the chosen spokesmen for the risen and ascended Christ.
After a funeral service people offer words of comfort to the bereaved; Paul is saying here we should do so, but as Christians, not in the same way, we can comfort one another with the assurance of a further meeting with the deceased. Of course we will grieve when those we love die and were separated from them, for now. But the nature of our grieving can and should be rather different from the hopeless grief of unbelieving people.
Having set out the future Paul then answers the question of when this will happen by pointing out that God in His wisdom does not reveal this. Therefore there will be no time for preparation .He says it will be like a thief who comes in the night unannounced, or like a woman delivering a baby; both events come on suddenly and can be painful.
When Jesus returns it will be just the same, His coming will be sudden and painful for those not having believed in Him. It will be like the householder who gets burgled and has no insurance; he was intending to get cover but just didn’t get around to doing so. Families will be divided with one taken and one left, some destined to be with Him others not. Paul is not trying to frighten or threaten, he is actually reassuring believers who may be feeling insecure.
Paul talks about light and darkness with believers being children of light; we don’t live recklessly as unbelievers do, but we stay sober and awake. He uses the metaphor of being drunk and fallen asleep referring to unbelievers living in a dark world.
Drawing upon the Old Testament where the Lord is portrayed as a warrior wearing armour, so the Christian puts on the breastplate of faith and love and the helmet of salvation.
I realise this passage is one which can be a message which disturbs, and even distresses, but the doctrine
of judgement is one of the basic and fundamental doctrines of the Church and is put in the Bible to help and save us; it helps to explain some of the seeming unfairness in the world.
If there was no doctrine of judgement, it would mean that we live in an unfair world, one in which the evil and guilty would have prospered, where there would be no distinction between goodness by the countless millions who served the Lord faithfully, often in much hardship, and the barbarism of men like Hitler and others like him. Heaven and hell are clear demonstrations that God is a just God.
The passage ends with words of encouragement. The Christian Church is a community of mutual comfort and Paul is urging them to give one another help in their anxieties with the fundamental truths of the gospel, that the Jesus who is coming again is the very same person who died and rose again.
The supreme result of the death and resurrection of Jesus is to bring us into a personal union with Him, one which neither death, nor bereavement, nor judgement can ever destroy.
So let us be comforted by these words; and let us try to bring to know Christ those nearest and dearest to us who have yet to find Him. We must let it be known no one is beyond redemption, and God will receive all who turn to Him who accept that Jesus died for them and their forgiveness.
Sunday 5 November 2017
1Thessalonians 2 v 1 ff
Paul had been on a mission with Silas and Timothy and chose to visit Thessalonica. This was a proud capital city of Macedonia with a large population, a fine harbour, and was a busy trade centre, strategically situated on the main highway between East and West across Europe.
The three missionaries preached in the Synagogue for three weeks and converted a number of people, mostly Greeks but also Jews. Instigated by Jewish opponents, rioters attacked supporters of Paul, causing Paul Silas and Timothy to have to leave the city. Timothy was later sent back by Paul to review things and found the Christians were responding well, causing Paul to write two Letters to the Thessalonians Christians, of which this is the first one
Turning to the Epistle, in verses ¾ Paul is positively stating that they preached the gospel as those approved by God, and as those committed in speaking in order not to please their human audience but to please God, and God did approve of their inner motives and integrity.
This morning I want to consider what makes for a true Christian. If we follow the teaching of the Bible, that is what we will achieve.
1 Thessalonians is one of the oldest books in the New Testament. Scholars date it at approximately 50-51 A.D., meaning that it was written only 18 years after Jesus’ life and death. As such it is one of the earliest pictures we have of the Christian church in the very beginning. This, together with other Scripture, tells us why Christianity spread so far and fast, without all the modern means of communication we have, and why the Church was so successful.
Most people would think of a successful Church as one which had a large congregation, well financed, perhaps in a big building, but that could be a complete misconception. Here was a Church which started off with people new into the faith, but such was their commitment and enthusiasm, it made others want to join them.
Such was the vibrancy of their faith that it had spread widely and people were speaking of their devotion, their past practises were behind them. The result here was that the believers shared the good news widely through the area, telling what God had done for them. The friends of those believers began to ask questions about what had happened to make such a change in those believers’ lives.
Paul commended them for the main element of a Christian life, faith love and hope. For a faith that works, a love which labours and a hope which endures. Faith is not merely belief, it is something that changes you, making you turn from what is wrong to that which is right; love which causes you to work for the gospel; and hope which makes you steadfast in the faith and enable to endure. This is the whole Christian life, which begins in faith, continues in love, and culminates in the hope of eternal life.
There is a story of a farming village which was desperate for rain to fall. They decided to have a prayer meeting to pray for rain and one young woman went to the meeting carrying an umbrella. That is faith.
So we may think of a successful Church as one where there is commitment, enthusiasm, and the teaching is that of that given by the Apostles, passed down to us in the New Testament.
This is Christianity in its purest and rawest form, stripped of centuries of man influenced additions and ritual, which transformed the ancient world. This is how it was in the beginning. This is what makes a successful Church. It is not a religious club united by common interest; it is a people chosen by God, receiving power through Jesus Christ, who demonstrates this in faith. We all have to consider how deep our commitment is to Jesus Christ
God does not choose large Cathedrals to perform His plans, nor pick rich influential people. He chose a humble Jewish village girl to bear the Saviour of the world. None of the Apostles had a degree between them, they were ordinary working men. God acts when people respond to His Son. It can be in the smallest of Churches; God acts when people turn to Him
Now let us consider what we mean when we say a person is a Christian, in the Biblical sense.
For most people a Christian is someone who is not of another faith, or is an atheist; that is not the Bible’s definition. A Christian is someone who is a fully devoted follower of Jesus. You are not born a Christian nor are you a Christian simply because you were born into a Christian family, or in a Christian country. The heart itself must be changed so that you become a follower of the Lord.
In order for a person to be converted two things must happen first—something from God’s side and then something from the human side; but God’s side must always come first.
Paul wrote, ‘our gospel came to you not simply with words, but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and with deep conviction’. The Word was preached with the power of the Holy Spirit.
People come to know Jesus by various means when the Holy Spirit touches them. The most effective way is through preaching, although there are other ways such as someone close telling them of their own faith, or by a message on a poster, the London City Mission touched many by their message posters on the London underground, but the majority come to know the Lord by preaching
When the Word is based on Bible preaching in the power of the Holy Spirit, it produces deep conviction in the hearts of the hearers and people become convicted of their sin and their need for a Saviour, and accept Jesus as that Saviour who died on the Cross that they be forgiven of all sin.
A Christian is someone who responds to the gospel message.
I had a lady who attended my Church infrequently and one day she said to me I always feel you are getting at me when I come. I told her that as I could never foretell when she would come, and as I prepared my sermons in advance, it may be someone higher than me was getting to her. God does use men to speak on his behalf.
It is quite interesting to watch the different reactions. Most people are listening intently whilst others look as if they wished it was all over. The reason is that some are willing to have an open heart and let God speak to them, which He does through the preacher. This explains why some members of a family are Christians and others are not.
Jesus always warned that following Him would be costly and involve suffering. Such may be the mild kind of mockery or losing friends. It may lead to suspension from work or similar penalty when there is a government which does not want any opposition to its legislation, as we have seen in our own country. On the other had it may mean violence, imprisonment or even murder, in non Christian lands as we read of in Nigeria, Pakistan, Egypt or other Middle Eastern lands.
These Thessalonian believers faced suffering having come to Christ from idol worship, in a culture which did not appreciate Christianity, but such was their faith and devotion that they triumphed and the Christian faith spread far and wide around them.
Paul who had suffered much in the gospel cause called on them to follow his example and be imitators of him, which they did. Many of us are inspired by people who leave a great impression upon us, and whilst we may not match up to their brilliance, we can benefit by following a similar path, and it is good to do so. A lot of young people imitate footballers or pop stars with dreams of becoming the X factor, neither of which materialise nor do them any good.
We all owe it as a duty and a privilege to be able to do something in the cause of evangelism in however small a way. This can be done by simply letting friends know you attend Church, ordering your life in a way which clearly demonstrates you are a Christian, and you don’t have to go to the other end of the earth to do so.
Remember Jesus told one man to go to his own town and tell what the Lord had done for him. We just start living for Christ in our daily lives to show others what a difference he makes. Having responded to Gods’ Word you live it on a daily basis and others will notice. Robert Louis Stevenson once said he lived opposite two Salvation Army people and it changed his life.
A Christian is a person who’s changed life changes others, because of a commitment to be like Jesus and to follow him wherever he heads.
You have to come tp Church with ears and mind open so God can enter your heart, and strive for the fruits of the Spirit, namely love, joy kindness peace and gentleness, faithfulness and self control. I have seen too many who have the opposite characters and do not reflect any credit on the Church.
So let us pray that we will always hear sound doctrine preached, and pray for the Holy Spirit to be upon us, and then we must depend on the Lord to give people the grace to respond with saving faith, and so that we may be true Christians worshipping in a successful Church.
Paul had been on a mission with Silas and Timothy and chose to visit Thessalonica. This was a proud capital city of Macedonia with a large population, a fine harbour, and was a busy trade centre, strategically situated on the main highway between East and West across Europe.
The three missionaries preached in the Synagogue for three weeks and converted a number of people, mostly Greeks but also Jews. Instigated by Jewish opponents, rioters attacked supporters of Paul, causing Paul Silas and Timothy to have to leave the city. Timothy was later sent back by Paul to review things and found the Christians were responding well, causing Paul to write two Letters to the Thessalonians Christians, of which this is the first one
Turning to the Epistle, in verses ¾ Paul is positively stating that they preached the gospel as those approved by God, and as those committed in speaking in order not to please their human audience but to please God, and God did approve of their inner motives and integrity.
This morning I want to consider what makes for a true Christian. If we follow the teaching of the Bible, that is what we will achieve.
1 Thessalonians is one of the oldest books in the New Testament. Scholars date it at approximately 50-51 A.D., meaning that it was written only 18 years after Jesus’ life and death. As such it is one of the earliest pictures we have of the Christian church in the very beginning. This, together with other Scripture, tells us why Christianity spread so far and fast, without all the modern means of communication we have, and why the Church was so successful.
Most people would think of a successful Church as one which had a large congregation, well financed, perhaps in a big building, but that could be a complete misconception. Here was a Church which started off with people new into the faith, but such was their commitment and enthusiasm, it made others want to join them.
Such was the vibrancy of their faith that it had spread widely and people were speaking of their devotion, their past practises were behind them. The result here was that the believers shared the good news widely through the area, telling what God had done for them. The friends of those believers began to ask questions about what had happened to make such a change in those believers’ lives.
Paul commended them for the main element of a Christian life, faith love and hope. For a faith that works, a love which labours and a hope which endures. Faith is not merely belief, it is something that changes you, making you turn from what is wrong to that which is right; love which causes you to work for the gospel; and hope which makes you steadfast in the faith and enable to endure. This is the whole Christian life, which begins in faith, continues in love, and culminates in the hope of eternal life.
There is a story of a farming village which was desperate for rain to fall. They decided to have a prayer meeting to pray for rain and one young woman went to the meeting carrying an umbrella. That is faith.
So we may think of a successful Church as one where there is commitment, enthusiasm, and the teaching is that of that given by the Apostles, passed down to us in the New Testament.
This is Christianity in its purest and rawest form, stripped of centuries of man influenced additions and ritual, which transformed the ancient world. This is how it was in the beginning. This is what makes a successful Church. It is not a religious club united by common interest; it is a people chosen by God, receiving power through Jesus Christ, who demonstrates this in faith. We all have to consider how deep our commitment is to Jesus Christ
God does not choose large Cathedrals to perform His plans, nor pick rich influential people. He chose a humble Jewish village girl to bear the Saviour of the world. None of the Apostles had a degree between them, they were ordinary working men. God acts when people respond to His Son. It can be in the smallest of Churches; God acts when people turn to Him
Now let us consider what we mean when we say a person is a Christian, in the Biblical sense.
For most people a Christian is someone who is not of another faith, or is an atheist; that is not the Bible’s definition. A Christian is someone who is a fully devoted follower of Jesus. You are not born a Christian nor are you a Christian simply because you were born into a Christian family, or in a Christian country. The heart itself must be changed so that you become a follower of the Lord.
In order for a person to be converted two things must happen first—something from God’s side and then something from the human side; but God’s side must always come first.
Paul wrote, ‘our gospel came to you not simply with words, but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and with deep conviction’. The Word was preached with the power of the Holy Spirit.
People come to know Jesus by various means when the Holy Spirit touches them. The most effective way is through preaching, although there are other ways such as someone close telling them of their own faith, or by a message on a poster, the London City Mission touched many by their message posters on the London underground, but the majority come to know the Lord by preaching
When the Word is based on Bible preaching in the power of the Holy Spirit, it produces deep conviction in the hearts of the hearers and people become convicted of their sin and their need for a Saviour, and accept Jesus as that Saviour who died on the Cross that they be forgiven of all sin.
A Christian is someone who responds to the gospel message.
I had a lady who attended my Church infrequently and one day she said to me I always feel you are getting at me when I come. I told her that as I could never foretell when she would come, and as I prepared my sermons in advance, it may be someone higher than me was getting to her. God does use men to speak on his behalf.
It is quite interesting to watch the different reactions. Most people are listening intently whilst others look as if they wished it was all over. The reason is that some are willing to have an open heart and let God speak to them, which He does through the preacher. This explains why some members of a family are Christians and others are not.
Jesus always warned that following Him would be costly and involve suffering. Such may be the mild kind of mockery or losing friends. It may lead to suspension from work or similar penalty when there is a government which does not want any opposition to its legislation, as we have seen in our own country. On the other had it may mean violence, imprisonment or even murder, in non Christian lands as we read of in Nigeria, Pakistan, Egypt or other Middle Eastern lands.
These Thessalonian believers faced suffering having come to Christ from idol worship, in a culture which did not appreciate Christianity, but such was their faith and devotion that they triumphed and the Christian faith spread far and wide around them.
Paul who had suffered much in the gospel cause called on them to follow his example and be imitators of him, which they did. Many of us are inspired by people who leave a great impression upon us, and whilst we may not match up to their brilliance, we can benefit by following a similar path, and it is good to do so. A lot of young people imitate footballers or pop stars with dreams of becoming the X factor, neither of which materialise nor do them any good.
We all owe it as a duty and a privilege to be able to do something in the cause of evangelism in however small a way. This can be done by simply letting friends know you attend Church, ordering your life in a way which clearly demonstrates you are a Christian, and you don’t have to go to the other end of the earth to do so.
Remember Jesus told one man to go to his own town and tell what the Lord had done for him. We just start living for Christ in our daily lives to show others what a difference he makes. Having responded to Gods’ Word you live it on a daily basis and others will notice. Robert Louis Stevenson once said he lived opposite two Salvation Army people and it changed his life.
A Christian is a person who’s changed life changes others, because of a commitment to be like Jesus and to follow him wherever he heads.
You have to come tp Church with ears and mind open so God can enter your heart, and strive for the fruits of the Spirit, namely love, joy kindness peace and gentleness, faithfulness and self control. I have seen too many who have the opposite characters and do not reflect any credit on the Church.
So let us pray that we will always hear sound doctrine preached, and pray for the Holy Spirit to be upon us, and then we must depend on the Lord to give people the grace to respond with saving faith, and so that we may be true Christians worshipping in a successful Church.
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