God bless America
When I first started writing this blog six years ago, with now 400 posts, with many viewings, it was with the intention of providing copies of my Sunday sermons, which previously were handwritten, for people who wanted to refresh their memory of that heard in Church. Whilst I had often been asked if there was a copy, since publishing them on the internet there have been very few responses from the United Kingdom; but I am neither disappointed nor depressed, rather pleased in fact, because over 90% have been from the United States.
This fits in with my own fondness for the Church in America with such outstanding places of worship and preachers which are so readily available for viewing on the Sky channel. I particularly like the Christian Broadcasting Network 700 Club which is on each evening here in the U.K., and the D James Kennedy Ministries from Florida. There we can rely on faithful solid bible teaching, together with people like David Jeremiah from Shadow Mountain Church in California, Ray Pritchard from Keep Believing Ministries in Elmhurst Illinois, and the legacy of Ray Stedman now sadly no longer with us but late of Peninsula Bible Church, Palo Alto, California.
How pleasing it must be for evangelicals now they have a President, and a charming Vice President, on their side rather than the previous one with his penchant for same sex marriage, transgender and abortion support.
For the many kind folk who have read my writings, I thank you and hope you will keep on doing so. I would be delighted to hear from you and would acknowledge you.
May God bless you and of course God bless America.
For Tuesday; Matthew 21 v 33/46
Saturday, 30 September 2017
Saturday, 23 September 2017
Phillippians 1 verses 1/11
Paul is writing to the Philippian Church to give encouragement and enable them to live their lives as a sort of heavenly colony amidst an unholy environment in an area we know as Macedonia. This Church was special to Paul in that this was the first Church he founded, and now he is writing to them from a prison cell.
He begins by expressing his gratitude to them and his affection for them, followed by praying their holiness would increase. Along with Timothy he gives the standard greeting of Christians at that time, grace and peace, and calls himself a servant.
Paul found joy in the Church, a theme which runs through the Letter despite the fact that it can be sometimes a heartache; which is the reality of any Church. The Church was his life as it has been mine for many years and I love the Church, and now without having the responsibilities of a parish, I have the added joy of going to so many lovely Churches.
Paul had visited Philippi some years before writing this Letter and had preached the gospel and brought many to faith in Christ Jesus. They had supported him financially and after a period had elapsed, had sent him another gift which caused this response.
We live in a far different world, but the essential doctrines of the Church are the same, which indicates that this Letter speaks clearly to us and we can learn from it what makes Christianity distinctive from other faiths.
The foundation for spiritual growth is to recognise that it is God who calls us, and spiritual progress depends on what God does. God is faithful and promises believers He will be with us until Jesus returns. Paul is confident that God is at work in their Church because He always finishes that which He creates.
There are times in a Church when you feel God at work, but this has to be recognised. Just as some people will go to a building site and see a mass of rubble, others will recognise a building under construction. We have to be conscious of God’s presence and respond.
In verses 7/8 Paul speaks of loving this Church and having it on his heart. He longs to see them and of all the Churches this was his particular one, the one he is most fond of, probably because it was his first founding Church.
I can understand his feelings. I now visit a lot of Churches, and whilst I enjoy going to all of them, there is one I love being placed at above all others. The reception I get probably appeals in a way it shouldn’t, and to be told how the people appreciate traditional Bible preaching makes all the preparation feel worthy, but most of all we believe in the same doctrines of faith.
Paul was passionate about gospel partners. There was a bond, and whilst he could have reminded them of many things, what excited him was their partnership in the gospel. There is one thing in coming to Church, and yet another to let the Church into your heart. Paul is telling us it is a whole hearted commitment to living and telling the truth; to have a 100% commitment to the work of fellowship in the family of the Church, and you give yourself fully.
Paul likened the Church to a body, when one part is hurt it is felt right through one’s system. We feel the same when a member of the Church acts in a way which is detrimental to the faith, for it rebounds on the wider Church. We have seen how one denomination behaves in a way which is contrary to Scripture and receives massive publicity, which is then attached to other more faithful Churches.
There is a call to see one another as a family related in a different way to our biological family. We may not have the same genes, but we have the same grace. We trust in Jesus, and His death on the Cross assures us we are sinners forgiven with a promise of eternal salvation.
In he final verses of this passage Paul tells them he is praying for them and for what is best for them. We should all do this for our own particular Church, and seek God’s will for us and not that of the most vociferous member.
It is difficult at this time with a shortage of preachers. A Church needs a consistent message which it cannot get if it is receiving a variety of preachers. One week there is a preacher with an evangelical message, the next week there is liable to be one with a totally different belief where the connection with Scripture is purely coincidental. This was a weakness Charles Wesley noted with an itinerant ministry and w as against it.
Paul prays for an abounding love which can overflow to others. This does not mean sentimentalism or emotionalism. And also calls for excellence in the Church. A| Church should delight at being known as place where the gospel is boldly and faithfully preached. We should aim to have the kind of life depicted by Paul, and stand out in the world as place which has something special to offer, rather than a community centre with a religious flavour. Most of all we should avoid trying to imitate society and adopt its practices; the first Christians conquered just by being Christians. Unless we observe Biblical conditions we will never experience the blessings.
My God bless you and be with you. Be at Church on Sunday
Paul is writing to the Philippian Church to give encouragement and enable them to live their lives as a sort of heavenly colony amidst an unholy environment in an area we know as Macedonia. This Church was special to Paul in that this was the first Church he founded, and now he is writing to them from a prison cell.
He begins by expressing his gratitude to them and his affection for them, followed by praying their holiness would increase. Along with Timothy he gives the standard greeting of Christians at that time, grace and peace, and calls himself a servant.
Paul found joy in the Church, a theme which runs through the Letter despite the fact that it can be sometimes a heartache; which is the reality of any Church. The Church was his life as it has been mine for many years and I love the Church, and now without having the responsibilities of a parish, I have the added joy of going to so many lovely Churches.
Paul had visited Philippi some years before writing this Letter and had preached the gospel and brought many to faith in Christ Jesus. They had supported him financially and after a period had elapsed, had sent him another gift which caused this response.
We live in a far different world, but the essential doctrines of the Church are the same, which indicates that this Letter speaks clearly to us and we can learn from it what makes Christianity distinctive from other faiths.
The foundation for spiritual growth is to recognise that it is God who calls us, and spiritual progress depends on what God does. God is faithful and promises believers He will be with us until Jesus returns. Paul is confident that God is at work in their Church because He always finishes that which He creates.
There are times in a Church when you feel God at work, but this has to be recognised. Just as some people will go to a building site and see a mass of rubble, others will recognise a building under construction. We have to be conscious of God’s presence and respond.
In verses 7/8 Paul speaks of loving this Church and having it on his heart. He longs to see them and of all the Churches this was his particular one, the one he is most fond of, probably because it was his first founding Church.
I can understand his feelings. I now visit a lot of Churches, and whilst I enjoy going to all of them, there is one I love being placed at above all others. The reception I get probably appeals in a way it shouldn’t, and to be told how the people appreciate traditional Bible preaching makes all the preparation feel worthy, but most of all we believe in the same doctrines of faith.
Paul was passionate about gospel partners. There was a bond, and whilst he could have reminded them of many things, what excited him was their partnership in the gospel. There is one thing in coming to Church, and yet another to let the Church into your heart. Paul is telling us it is a whole hearted commitment to living and telling the truth; to have a 100% commitment to the work of fellowship in the family of the Church, and you give yourself fully.
Paul likened the Church to a body, when one part is hurt it is felt right through one’s system. We feel the same when a member of the Church acts in a way which is detrimental to the faith, for it rebounds on the wider Church. We have seen how one denomination behaves in a way which is contrary to Scripture and receives massive publicity, which is then attached to other more faithful Churches.
There is a call to see one another as a family related in a different way to our biological family. We may not have the same genes, but we have the same grace. We trust in Jesus, and His death on the Cross assures us we are sinners forgiven with a promise of eternal salvation.
In he final verses of this passage Paul tells them he is praying for them and for what is best for them. We should all do this for our own particular Church, and seek God’s will for us and not that of the most vociferous member.
It is difficult at this time with a shortage of preachers. A Church needs a consistent message which it cannot get if it is receiving a variety of preachers. One week there is a preacher with an evangelical message, the next week there is liable to be one with a totally different belief where the connection with Scripture is purely coincidental. This was a weakness Charles Wesley noted with an itinerant ministry and w as against it.
Paul prays for an abounding love which can overflow to others. This does not mean sentimentalism or emotionalism. And also calls for excellence in the Church. A| Church should delight at being known as place where the gospel is boldly and faithfully preached. We should aim to have the kind of life depicted by Paul, and stand out in the world as place which has something special to offer, rather than a community centre with a religious flavour. Most of all we should avoid trying to imitate society and adopt its practices; the first Christians conquered just by being Christians. Unless we observe Biblical conditions we will never experience the blessings.
My God bless you and be with you. Be at Church on Sunday
Wednesday, 20 September 2017
There is still a growing movement to prevent free thought, speech and belief. Anyone who opposes same sex marriage has to be castigated and abused, and of course named as homophobic, which is ridiculous and inane as we are speaking solely about marriage.
A favourite television programme of mine is ‘Truths that transform’, a production of the D James Kennedy Ministries in Fort Lauderdale which I hope many Americans will follow. The programme is broadcast on a Sky channel in the UK early on Sunday morning and is hosted by the impressive and pleasant Frank Wright the CEO.
They have produced a special programme on the appalling activities of the Southern Poverty Law Centre, an organisation awash with $300 million, who pursue (mostly) Christian people and groups who do not support same sex marriage and the LGBT movement.
Without any justification they accuse Churches and people of being hate groups, and some most honourable people have been so labelled. They have far too much power and influence, once truly gained for their defence of victims of the KKK, but now that has been defeated they have turned their venom on Christians, being financially supported by big names. As a consequence of their own hate broadcasts, a man influenced by their vitriol, entered a Family Research Council building, an organisation which supports traditional marriage and shot the attendant.
In the United States freedm of speech and religious belief is protected under the 1st Amendment of he Constitution, but the ploy of the Souhern Poverty Law Centre is to label any opposition to same sex marriage as hate speech and claim it is not protected by the Constitution, in other words to silence any opposition. Bible believers who support traditional are being labelled unpleasantly.
Here in the United Kingdom, there is a concerted attack on Christians. We are not supposed to voice any traditional views just meekly accept the LGBT agenda and approve. We often cannot get police attention for criminal activity, but let anyone claim there has been homophobic language and you will get immediate attention.
In the UK we have a LGBT activist publicly accusing Christian Concern, a legal defence team, of being as bad as ISIS, just because they defend people who suffer and are harassed for having traditional Christian beliefs.
Another activist protested because a Christian speaker was invited to be interviewed on a television programme.
I recently visited a family regarding a funeral service and as matters relating to the service were quickly dealt with, I had an amicable conversation with the widow, a most charming lady, about various subjects. As one would imagine being a Minister, the conversation moved on to the Church and same sex marriage was mentioned and I answered that it was wrong and marriage was decreed by God to be between a man and a woman.
The next day I was informed by a third party that a daughter who was present, and who had not taken part in the rest of the conversation, objected to me taking the funeral service because of my belief, although it had no relevance to the funeral service. She it will be noticed did not have the manners or the courage to inform me herself.
Much of the problem in this country is due to the reckless attitude of David Cameron for pushing the legislation when there was civil union which offered all the benefits marriage can offer except in name. Such would have avoided much dispute and ill feeling.
A favourite television programme of mine is ‘Truths that transform’, a production of the D James Kennedy Ministries in Fort Lauderdale which I hope many Americans will follow. The programme is broadcast on a Sky channel in the UK early on Sunday morning and is hosted by the impressive and pleasant Frank Wright the CEO.
They have produced a special programme on the appalling activities of the Southern Poverty Law Centre, an organisation awash with $300 million, who pursue (mostly) Christian people and groups who do not support same sex marriage and the LGBT movement.
Without any justification they accuse Churches and people of being hate groups, and some most honourable people have been so labelled. They have far too much power and influence, once truly gained for their defence of victims of the KKK, but now that has been defeated they have turned their venom on Christians, being financially supported by big names. As a consequence of their own hate broadcasts, a man influenced by their vitriol, entered a Family Research Council building, an organisation which supports traditional marriage and shot the attendant.
In the United States freedm of speech and religious belief is protected under the 1st Amendment of he Constitution, but the ploy of the Souhern Poverty Law Centre is to label any opposition to same sex marriage as hate speech and claim it is not protected by the Constitution, in other words to silence any opposition. Bible believers who support traditional are being labelled unpleasantly.
Here in the United Kingdom, there is a concerted attack on Christians. We are not supposed to voice any traditional views just meekly accept the LGBT agenda and approve. We often cannot get police attention for criminal activity, but let anyone claim there has been homophobic language and you will get immediate attention.
In the UK we have a LGBT activist publicly accusing Christian Concern, a legal defence team, of being as bad as ISIS, just because they defend people who suffer and are harassed for having traditional Christian beliefs.
Another activist protested because a Christian speaker was invited to be interviewed on a television programme.
I recently visited a family regarding a funeral service and as matters relating to the service were quickly dealt with, I had an amicable conversation with the widow, a most charming lady, about various subjects. As one would imagine being a Minister, the conversation moved on to the Church and same sex marriage was mentioned and I answered that it was wrong and marriage was decreed by God to be between a man and a woman.
The next day I was informed by a third party that a daughter who was present, and who had not taken part in the rest of the conversation, objected to me taking the funeral service because of my belief, although it had no relevance to the funeral service. She it will be noticed did not have the manners or the courage to inform me herself.
Much of the problem in this country is due to the reckless attitude of David Cameron for pushing the legislation when there was civil union which offered all the benefits marriage can offer except in name. Such would have avoided much dispute and ill feeling.
Friday, 15 September 2017
The teaching of the Apostles. (Acts 2. v42)
This morning I want to take you back to the time of the first Christian Church which set a model for all time. Without any of the wonderful technological discoveries we enjoy, the gospel spread across the world.
Regrettably today’s Church has not been as faithful in following the example they gave, and in consequence has not been blessed in the way they were. However, there are Churches which are thriving and can point to the fact that they have based their worship on the teaching of the Apostles. Turn with me to Acts Chapter 1.
Prior to His ascension Jesus said to His Apostles, ‘Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ‘ teaching them to observe all that I have commanded; ’you will have power when the Holy Spirit comes on you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to all the ends of the earth. Here in the words of our Lord is the purpose for which He founded the Church.
Soon after Peter addressed crowds at Pentecost and 3,000 people turned to Christ; the Church of Christ was born. They met regularly in fellowship, accepting and forgiving each other, and were devoted to the teaching of the Apostles, who were of course taught by our Lord Himself. The people were inspired and filled with awe; are you regularly inspired and filled with awe at your services?
The Bible states that God in consequence added to their numbers. In other words, God builds the Church when He touches a person’s heart and that person responds by accepting that Jesus died for the forgiveness of their sins and he/she turns and lives and worships according to the teaching of Jesus.
The apostles taught the truth about Jesus Christ – the Gospel. They taught about the way in which he fulfilled the Old Testament Scriptures in order to bring people to salvation through His sacrificial death on the cross and His resurrection. They also taught how salvation in Jesus Christ was to be worked out in the life of the believer. They are not teaching something that they have made up in their own minds, but only things which have been revealed to them by Jesus and the Holy Spirit. Jesus had already made it clear to them that their teaching was to be consistent with His:
The church is built on the teaching of the apostles, which is nothing other than the teaching of Christ, made known through them and subsequently recorded in the New Testament. Together with Christ, the apostles and prophets form the foundation of the church:And by God’s grace we have that teaching today, it is called the New Testament.
Luke tells us a number of fascinating things about the new life that some people in Jerusalem began to enjoy. They would have been ordinary people who had visited Jerusalem on a pilgrimage from all over the Middle East, many would have been Jews, but they were 3,000 who had been touched by Peter’s word’s, and had turned as he had bid them and repented of their past life, been baptized and accepted Jesus Christ as Saviour.
The Bible states, ‘they were cut to the heart’; in other words they were deeply convicted. Throughout the ages God has opened people’s hearts and made them respond to His call to turn to Jesus. They then devoted themselves to the teaching of the Apostles.
Coming to Jesus is a two way thing; God calls, we respond, but the first action is from God who knows the secrets of our hearts and calls when He knows we are ready.
As the years went by the Apostles went all over the world teaching the truth. Our whole gospel message is based on the writings of the New Testament apostles.
What should occupy our minds is to consider if the Church is still preaching the message of the Apostles, and is it fit for the purpose Christ and His Apostles built it? That is a hard question to answer; in places yes, especially the Pentecostal Churches; but in the main denominational Churches, only to a limited extent. In order to justify that let us reflect.
The Church should be the moral conscience and voice of the nation providing spiritual disinfectant on the evils of society.
A recent Prime Minster chose to redefine the meaning of marriage to that given by God, suppressing all opposition. There has barely been a whisper from the Church to take God’s position. Indeed, leaders of the Church have openly campaigned for its acceptance.
We now have God’s created gender order being overturned with children of the tender age of six years being questioned as to whether they think they are of the proper gender. Again, rather than point out the biblical order, the Church is introducing special provision to prepare services of welcome for transgender people.
At General Synod this year, a bishop contradicted the Bible, in other words stating God was wrong, when he said something was not a sin, when the Bible unequivocally states the contrary. We should never suggest the Bible has got things wrong; we are talking about that which God directly wanted to be known. Can you imagine a Muslim cleric ever questioning the Koran?
These Church leaders are ever so anxious to write to the press about politics, climate change and food banks, but seem to have little thirst to make a stand on moral matters.
If you are not a (true) believer these things may not matter to you, indeed may seem trivial to mention, but to those who have chosen to enter a preaching ministry it is quite out of order to support, and even more so to practise.
Note also, Jesus gave strict commands on spiritual, moral, ethical and social matters, and all clergy vowed at ordination to honour the words of Scripture and banish false doctrine. Jesus said, ‘ teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you’
Since preparing this sermon I have read of the Archbishop of Nigeria's experience. He was son of a Nigerian peasant farmer who by his own efforts became a Lieutenant Colonel in the Nigerian Army, and after a conversion experience became a priest, rising to become the Archbishop of the Anglican Province of Nigeria.
Having the integrity of his faith and Office, he gave notice in a courteous letter to the Archbishop of Canterbury that he would not be attending the next gathering of Archbishops of the Anglican Churchowing to the stance taken within the communion relating to homosexuality, same sex marriage, and the blurring of gender identity.This honourable man was subject to vile comment from a Church of England priest in London and a resigned priest in the most foul explicit language.
Paul warned that there would be those who would not wish to hear sound doctrine and would seek false teachers who would say what they wanted to hear and there are plenty of them in the Church today. Never forget, the church does not belong to men (or women) it is Christ’s church and he builds it through the teaching of the men who were His Apostles.
When we hear their teaching on a regular basis, not only does our faith grow, but also our ability to defend and help others to understand, especially those most closest and dearest to us who are not yet followers of our Lord. We may not remember all we hear, but will be inspired by the power of what has been preached. We will learn to be guided by the Scriptures and will come to know more about God and His Son and how we should live according to His commands.
Paul knew it would never be an easy task; that opposition would be met, but said we do not have a spirit of timidity, be strong. We should show no fear or favour and never ever be ashamed of our faith. But that is exactly what is happening in some of our Churches, especially in the Church of England. We are bound to preach what people need to hear rather than what some might prefer.
If we are to be the witnesses for Jesus, we must first be sure we have experienced His presence, and secondly tell positively what Jesus stated and commanded. It is not enough to say we know about Him, even the devil could say that, we must have accepted Him as Saviour and believed in all He did and commanded. We cannot amend or put on an application which He obviously would not have approved.
Being a witness is something that falls to all Christians to be and it doesn’t mean theological knowledge required, or being intrusive, we can be a most effective witness by just letting it be known we attend Church, which tends to show we are followers of Christ. If the Church is to survive in any meaningful way it is down to the ordinary Church members as there is now no one on the national scene with any notable charisma.
The responsibility for teaching falls principally on the clergy, and the Bible states a preacher is given a solemn task to preach in the name of God and Jesus Christ, and will one day have to answer as to how faithfully he carried out that privilege. God demonstrated how He responds to faithful preaching by the blessing he gave in the life of Billy Graham who preached to 220 millions of people in 185 countries, with gatherings of between 30-80 thousands a time and constantly quoted what the Bible stated.
We have to tell our faith is not something someone made up. There is testimony from people alive at the time of Jesus’ life on earth, and not only from His followers but from literary men of the time, and it has been recorded. The Bible has many prophecies in the Old Testament made many years earlier which most have come true. There are so many interlinked stories none of which have been contradicted, and not even the most sophisticated computer could excel.
Our Gospel is that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures, and that he was buried, and that he was raised on the third day according to the scriptures. This which was an early Christian confession, give us the heart of the gospel and show that the resurrection is an integral part of the gospel. The reality can be verified by the Scriptures and historical evidence as the empty tomb and the eye witnesses
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.
Let me close with the words of John Wesley,
I want to know one thing, the way to heaven: how to land safe on that happy shore. God Himself has condescended to teach the way; for this very end He came from heaven. He hath written it down in a book! O give me that book! At any price, give me the Book of God! I have it: here is knowledge enough for me.
This morning I want to take you back to the time of the first Christian Church which set a model for all time. Without any of the wonderful technological discoveries we enjoy, the gospel spread across the world.
Regrettably today’s Church has not been as faithful in following the example they gave, and in consequence has not been blessed in the way they were. However, there are Churches which are thriving and can point to the fact that they have based their worship on the teaching of the Apostles. Turn with me to Acts Chapter 1.
Prior to His ascension Jesus said to His Apostles, ‘Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ‘ teaching them to observe all that I have commanded; ’you will have power when the Holy Spirit comes on you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to all the ends of the earth. Here in the words of our Lord is the purpose for which He founded the Church.
Soon after Peter addressed crowds at Pentecost and 3,000 people turned to Christ; the Church of Christ was born. They met regularly in fellowship, accepting and forgiving each other, and were devoted to the teaching of the Apostles, who were of course taught by our Lord Himself. The people were inspired and filled with awe; are you regularly inspired and filled with awe at your services?
The Bible states that God in consequence added to their numbers. In other words, God builds the Church when He touches a person’s heart and that person responds by accepting that Jesus died for the forgiveness of their sins and he/she turns and lives and worships according to the teaching of Jesus.
The apostles taught the truth about Jesus Christ – the Gospel. They taught about the way in which he fulfilled the Old Testament Scriptures in order to bring people to salvation through His sacrificial death on the cross and His resurrection. They also taught how salvation in Jesus Christ was to be worked out in the life of the believer. They are not teaching something that they have made up in their own minds, but only things which have been revealed to them by Jesus and the Holy Spirit. Jesus had already made it clear to them that their teaching was to be consistent with His:
The church is built on the teaching of the apostles, which is nothing other than the teaching of Christ, made known through them and subsequently recorded in the New Testament. Together with Christ, the apostles and prophets form the foundation of the church:And by God’s grace we have that teaching today, it is called the New Testament.
Luke tells us a number of fascinating things about the new life that some people in Jerusalem began to enjoy. They would have been ordinary people who had visited Jerusalem on a pilgrimage from all over the Middle East, many would have been Jews, but they were 3,000 who had been touched by Peter’s word’s, and had turned as he had bid them and repented of their past life, been baptized and accepted Jesus Christ as Saviour.
The Bible states, ‘they were cut to the heart’; in other words they were deeply convicted. Throughout the ages God has opened people’s hearts and made them respond to His call to turn to Jesus. They then devoted themselves to the teaching of the Apostles.
Coming to Jesus is a two way thing; God calls, we respond, but the first action is from God who knows the secrets of our hearts and calls when He knows we are ready.
As the years went by the Apostles went all over the world teaching the truth. Our whole gospel message is based on the writings of the New Testament apostles.
What should occupy our minds is to consider if the Church is still preaching the message of the Apostles, and is it fit for the purpose Christ and His Apostles built it? That is a hard question to answer; in places yes, especially the Pentecostal Churches; but in the main denominational Churches, only to a limited extent. In order to justify that let us reflect.
The Church should be the moral conscience and voice of the nation providing spiritual disinfectant on the evils of society.
A recent Prime Minster chose to redefine the meaning of marriage to that given by God, suppressing all opposition. There has barely been a whisper from the Church to take God’s position. Indeed, leaders of the Church have openly campaigned for its acceptance.
We now have God’s created gender order being overturned with children of the tender age of six years being questioned as to whether they think they are of the proper gender. Again, rather than point out the biblical order, the Church is introducing special provision to prepare services of welcome for transgender people.
At General Synod this year, a bishop contradicted the Bible, in other words stating God was wrong, when he said something was not a sin, when the Bible unequivocally states the contrary. We should never suggest the Bible has got things wrong; we are talking about that which God directly wanted to be known. Can you imagine a Muslim cleric ever questioning the Koran?
These Church leaders are ever so anxious to write to the press about politics, climate change and food banks, but seem to have little thirst to make a stand on moral matters.
If you are not a (true) believer these things may not matter to you, indeed may seem trivial to mention, but to those who have chosen to enter a preaching ministry it is quite out of order to support, and even more so to practise.
Note also, Jesus gave strict commands on spiritual, moral, ethical and social matters, and all clergy vowed at ordination to honour the words of Scripture and banish false doctrine. Jesus said, ‘ teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you’
Since preparing this sermon I have read of the Archbishop of Nigeria's experience. He was son of a Nigerian peasant farmer who by his own efforts became a Lieutenant Colonel in the Nigerian Army, and after a conversion experience became a priest, rising to become the Archbishop of the Anglican Province of Nigeria.
Having the integrity of his faith and Office, he gave notice in a courteous letter to the Archbishop of Canterbury that he would not be attending the next gathering of Archbishops of the Anglican Churchowing to the stance taken within the communion relating to homosexuality, same sex marriage, and the blurring of gender identity.This honourable man was subject to vile comment from a Church of England priest in London and a resigned priest in the most foul explicit language.
Paul warned that there would be those who would not wish to hear sound doctrine and would seek false teachers who would say what they wanted to hear and there are plenty of them in the Church today. Never forget, the church does not belong to men (or women) it is Christ’s church and he builds it through the teaching of the men who were His Apostles.
When we hear their teaching on a regular basis, not only does our faith grow, but also our ability to defend and help others to understand, especially those most closest and dearest to us who are not yet followers of our Lord. We may not remember all we hear, but will be inspired by the power of what has been preached. We will learn to be guided by the Scriptures and will come to know more about God and His Son and how we should live according to His commands.
Paul knew it would never be an easy task; that opposition would be met, but said we do not have a spirit of timidity, be strong. We should show no fear or favour and never ever be ashamed of our faith. But that is exactly what is happening in some of our Churches, especially in the Church of England. We are bound to preach what people need to hear rather than what some might prefer.
If we are to be the witnesses for Jesus, we must first be sure we have experienced His presence, and secondly tell positively what Jesus stated and commanded. It is not enough to say we know about Him, even the devil could say that, we must have accepted Him as Saviour and believed in all He did and commanded. We cannot amend or put on an application which He obviously would not have approved.
Being a witness is something that falls to all Christians to be and it doesn’t mean theological knowledge required, or being intrusive, we can be a most effective witness by just letting it be known we attend Church, which tends to show we are followers of Christ. If the Church is to survive in any meaningful way it is down to the ordinary Church members as there is now no one on the national scene with any notable charisma.
The responsibility for teaching falls principally on the clergy, and the Bible states a preacher is given a solemn task to preach in the name of God and Jesus Christ, and will one day have to answer as to how faithfully he carried out that privilege. God demonstrated how He responds to faithful preaching by the blessing he gave in the life of Billy Graham who preached to 220 millions of people in 185 countries, with gatherings of between 30-80 thousands a time and constantly quoted what the Bible stated.
We have to tell our faith is not something someone made up. There is testimony from people alive at the time of Jesus’ life on earth, and not only from His followers but from literary men of the time, and it has been recorded. The Bible has many prophecies in the Old Testament made many years earlier which most have come true. There are so many interlinked stories none of which have been contradicted, and not even the most sophisticated computer could excel.
Our Gospel is that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures, and that he was buried, and that he was raised on the third day according to the scriptures. This which was an early Christian confession, give us the heart of the gospel and show that the resurrection is an integral part of the gospel. The reality can be verified by the Scriptures and historical evidence as the empty tomb and the eye witnesses
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.
Let me close with the words of John Wesley,
I want to know one thing, the way to heaven: how to land safe on that happy shore. God Himself has condescended to teach the way; for this very end He came from heaven. He hath written it down in a book! O give me that book! At any price, give me the Book of God! I have it: here is knowledge enough for me.
Sunday, 10 September 2017
This morning I want to speak on why the Bible is so important in the life of the Church. We prayed in the Collect prayer this morning, ‘who called your Church to bear witness that you were in Christ reconciling the world to yourself, help us to proclaim the good news of your love that all who hear it may be drawn to you’.
In the Bible we read, ‘Jesus said to them, All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.’ Here in the words of our Lord is the purpose for which He founded the Church.
In v 8 of Acts, Jesus is quoted saying, ’you will have power when the Holy Spirit comes on you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to all the ends of the earth.
Peter made his stirring sermon and as a result 3,000 people responded by turning to Christ. They repented of their sins and were baptised. The Church of Christ was born.
They then met regularly in fellowship accepting and forgiving each other, and were devoted to the teaching of the Apostles, who were of course taught by our Lord Himself. The people were inspired and filled with awe; are you regularly inspired and filled with awe at your services? From that small group the gospel spread right across the ancient world.
The Bible states that God in consequence added to their numbers. In other words, God builds the Church when He touches a person’s heart and that person responds by accepting that Jesus died for the forgiveness of their sins and he/she turns and lives and worships according to the teaching of Jesus.
It has been my privilege and joy to be able to take services at a number of Churches in and around Bedford, and 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.
The official statistics suggest that only three quarters of a million people attend church regularly out of a population of 66 million. We have to accept that Jesus stated we could only expect 1 in 4 to respond to the gospel, but we would rejoice greatly to have 1 in 4.
The fact remains in places the Church is doing really well yet in the main denominations not; and in Africa and the Eastern nations it is thriving. This of course, as I have suggested many times, there is faithful bible preaching. God is just not going to bless anywhere if there is wandering away from that Word.
Unless there is a return to the Bible the Church is going to be just a small group, for the Church was built on the Bible; it was a guide to this nation, our hospitals and schools were named after biblical saints, and it gave standards and values which were revered and practised. There are many who would like to see us removed from the public arena because of the guilt it pours on their lives, without realising what would replace Christianity. Islam has a much stricter moral and social code, which is more strictly enforced. The lack of interest in the Christian faith is a matter for great concern.
There was a time, and not so long ago, when each Church would hold a Bible study class, and whilst some Churches still do, it seems to be more the exception than the rule. It is essential however that this be led by someone properly aware of bible knowledge, ideally the Vicar or Minister in charge, but this is not always possible for a variety of reasons.
The New Testament is clear that the purpose of the church is to glorify God and to take the gospel into all the world. All this is clear, but there is a question we should all ponder; is the Church now fit for purpose?
Let us consider just two phrases from the words of Jesus. ‘ teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you’ and you will be my witnesses.
There are three words we read to think about. Witness; teaching; and gospel.
A witness is a person who can testify about something seen, or about which they have positive knowledge of. If we are to be the witnesses for Jesus, we must first be sure we have experienced His presence, and secondly tell positively what Jesus stated and commanded. It is not enough to say we know about Him, even the devil could say that, we must have accepted Him as Saviour and believed in all He did and commanded. We cannot amend or put on an application which He obviously would not have approved.
Being a witness is something that falls to all Christians to be and it doesn’t mean theological knowledge required, or being intrusive, we can be a most effective witness by just letting it be known we attend Church, which tends to show we are followers of Christ. If the Church is to survive in any meaningful way it is down to the ordinary Church members as there is now no one on the national scene with any notable charisma.
The responsibility for teaching falls principally on the clergy, and the Bible states a preacher is given a solemn task to preach in the name of God and Jesus Christ, and will one day have to answer as to how faithfully he carried out that privilege. God demonstrated how He responds to faithful preaching by the blessing he gave in the life of Billy Graham who preached to 220 millions of people in 185 countries, with gatherings of between 30-80 thousands a time and constantly quoted what the Bible stated.
Paul knew it would never be an easy task; that opposition would be met, but said we do not have a spirit of timidity, be strong. We should show no fear or favour and never ever be ashamed of our faith. But that is exactly what is happening in some of our Churches, especially in the Church of England.
We have bishops openly campaigning for ways of life which are totally inconsistent with the teaching of Christ. Some are so anxious to support alternative lifestyles that they actively encourage. It was even proposed in Synod that the Bible need not be the major influence of life in the community. Jesus gave commands for moral, social, ethical, and spiritual teaching, which we ignore at our peril.
We are called to teach the Word which God gave through the forty men He chose to inspire and write the Bible in His name. Paul warned the there would be those who would not wish to hear sound doctrine and would seek only those who preached what they wanted to hear. We are bound to preach what people need to hear rather than what some might prefer.
Furthermore, we should never suggest the Bible has got things wrong; we are talking about that which God directly wanted to be known. We may not understand all that is written in the Bible, I personally don’t, but as Billy Graham once said, I must accept it in faith.
We have an added disadvantage in that we can no longer create a good foundation with children, as school assemblies, where they exist in state schools are an aberration, and have to balanced by other faiths.
Our last word is the Gospel, that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures, that he was buried, and that he was raised on the third day according to the scriptures. This which was an early Christian confession, give us the heart of the gospel and show that the resurrection is an integral part of the gospel. The reality can be verified by the Scriptures and historical evidence as the empty tomb and the eye witnesses.
We have to tell our faith is not something someone made up. There is testimony from people alive at the time of Jesus’ life on earth, and not only from His followers but from literary men of the time, and it has been recorded. The Bible has many prophecies in the Old Testament made many years earlier which most have come true. There are so many interlinked stories none of which have been contradicted, and not even the most sophisticated computer could excel.
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.
Why should there be such reluctance on the part of preachers to tell this story; why resistance to telling the full story of the Bible. The simple reason is they don’t have true faith. Jesus said not everyone does the will of my Father. There will come a time when I will say to them, I never knew you.
The words of Jesus are simple and clear. Proclaim, announce tell; be my witness. Let us always take pride in that we are followers of Jesus.
In the Bible we read, ‘Jesus said to them, All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.’ Here in the words of our Lord is the purpose for which He founded the Church.
In v 8 of Acts, Jesus is quoted saying, ’you will have power when the Holy Spirit comes on you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to all the ends of the earth.
Peter made his stirring sermon and as a result 3,000 people responded by turning to Christ. They repented of their sins and were baptised. The Church of Christ was born.
They then met regularly in fellowship accepting and forgiving each other, and were devoted to the teaching of the Apostles, who were of course taught by our Lord Himself. The people were inspired and filled with awe; are you regularly inspired and filled with awe at your services? From that small group the gospel spread right across the ancient world.
The Bible states that God in consequence added to their numbers. In other words, God builds the Church when He touches a person’s heart and that person responds by accepting that Jesus died for the forgiveness of their sins and he/she turns and lives and worships according to the teaching of Jesus.
It has been my privilege and joy to be able to take services at a number of Churches in and around Bedford, and 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.
The official statistics suggest that only three quarters of a million people attend church regularly out of a population of 66 million. We have to accept that Jesus stated we could only expect 1 in 4 to respond to the gospel, but we would rejoice greatly to have 1 in 4.
The fact remains in places the Church is doing really well yet in the main denominations not; and in Africa and the Eastern nations it is thriving. This of course, as I have suggested many times, there is faithful bible preaching. God is just not going to bless anywhere if there is wandering away from that Word.
Unless there is a return to the Bible the Church is going to be just a small group, for the Church was built on the Bible; it was a guide to this nation, our hospitals and schools were named after biblical saints, and it gave standards and values which were revered and practised. There are many who would like to see us removed from the public arena because of the guilt it pours on their lives, without realising what would replace Christianity. Islam has a much stricter moral and social code, which is more strictly enforced. The lack of interest in the Christian faith is a matter for great concern.
There was a time, and not so long ago, when each Church would hold a Bible study class, and whilst some Churches still do, it seems to be more the exception than the rule. It is essential however that this be led by someone properly aware of bible knowledge, ideally the Vicar or Minister in charge, but this is not always possible for a variety of reasons.
The New Testament is clear that the purpose of the church is to glorify God and to take the gospel into all the world. All this is clear, but there is a question we should all ponder; is the Church now fit for purpose?
Let us consider just two phrases from the words of Jesus. ‘ teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you’ and you will be my witnesses.
There are three words we read to think about. Witness; teaching; and gospel.
A witness is a person who can testify about something seen, or about which they have positive knowledge of. If we are to be the witnesses for Jesus, we must first be sure we have experienced His presence, and secondly tell positively what Jesus stated and commanded. It is not enough to say we know about Him, even the devil could say that, we must have accepted Him as Saviour and believed in all He did and commanded. We cannot amend or put on an application which He obviously would not have approved.
Being a witness is something that falls to all Christians to be and it doesn’t mean theological knowledge required, or being intrusive, we can be a most effective witness by just letting it be known we attend Church, which tends to show we are followers of Christ. If the Church is to survive in any meaningful way it is down to the ordinary Church members as there is now no one on the national scene with any notable charisma.
The responsibility for teaching falls principally on the clergy, and the Bible states a preacher is given a solemn task to preach in the name of God and Jesus Christ, and will one day have to answer as to how faithfully he carried out that privilege. God demonstrated how He responds to faithful preaching by the blessing he gave in the life of Billy Graham who preached to 220 millions of people in 185 countries, with gatherings of between 30-80 thousands a time and constantly quoted what the Bible stated.
Paul knew it would never be an easy task; that opposition would be met, but said we do not have a spirit of timidity, be strong. We should show no fear or favour and never ever be ashamed of our faith. But that is exactly what is happening in some of our Churches, especially in the Church of England.
We have bishops openly campaigning for ways of life which are totally inconsistent with the teaching of Christ. Some are so anxious to support alternative lifestyles that they actively encourage. It was even proposed in Synod that the Bible need not be the major influence of life in the community. Jesus gave commands for moral, social, ethical, and spiritual teaching, which we ignore at our peril.
We are called to teach the Word which God gave through the forty men He chose to inspire and write the Bible in His name. Paul warned the there would be those who would not wish to hear sound doctrine and would seek only those who preached what they wanted to hear. We are bound to preach what people need to hear rather than what some might prefer.
Furthermore, we should never suggest the Bible has got things wrong; we are talking about that which God directly wanted to be known. We may not understand all that is written in the Bible, I personally don’t, but as Billy Graham once said, I must accept it in faith.
We have an added disadvantage in that we can no longer create a good foundation with children, as school assemblies, where they exist in state schools are an aberration, and have to balanced by other faiths.
Our last word is the Gospel, that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures, that he was buried, and that he was raised on the third day according to the scriptures. This which was an early Christian confession, give us the heart of the gospel and show that the resurrection is an integral part of the gospel. The reality can be verified by the Scriptures and historical evidence as the empty tomb and the eye witnesses.
We have to tell our faith is not something someone made up. There is testimony from people alive at the time of Jesus’ life on earth, and not only from His followers but from literary men of the time, and it has been recorded. The Bible has many prophecies in the Old Testament made many years earlier which most have come true. There are so many interlinked stories none of which have been contradicted, and not even the most sophisticated computer could excel.
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.
Why should there be such reluctance on the part of preachers to tell this story; why resistance to telling the full story of the Bible. The simple reason is they don’t have true faith. Jesus said not everyone does the will of my Father. There will come a time when I will say to them, I never knew you.
The words of Jesus are simple and clear. Proclaim, announce tell; be my witness. Let us always take pride in that we are followers of Jesus.
Saturday, 2 September 2017
1 Thessalonians 2:13-16
It is truly a pleasure to be back here to join you in worship; I always look forward to seeing you all.
This is the first Sunday in the Methodist Church calendar when members will be returning from holidays, some with hope and anticipation for the coming year, whilst others will have regrets at the empty seats where friends no longer sit, either because they have gone to be with the Lord, or just fallen away as so many have done.
One subject which should be on all our hearts is the future of the Church. So many members have been lost over the past ten years, which should be a matter of concern for us all. As I return to Churches I notice a smaller attendance than when last there and congregations are predominantly people of older years and female.
We hear it said there are so many other distractions, yet these do not distract from other necessities of life. It is also claimed that the pressure of modern life restricts, but Muslim people face similar pressures yet manage to attend their services of worship.
We should not be dominated by numbers, but we have to be practical and realise the Church should face up to the fact it faces becoming a total irrelevance in the nation.
When Jesus said, ‘I will build my Church’ he meant he would have those people who were committed to follow Him and His teaching. A study of the Scriptures reveals that Jesus was not so much wanting quantity as quality. He said, Jesus said, ‘Ãf anyone does not take up his cross and follow me, he cannot be my disciple.’ He also condemned what He called lukewarm faith, and we can find much of that in our Churches. He taught that only 1 in 4 people could be expected to respond.
In many parts of the world the church is growing very rapidly, but in the United Kingdom attendance is falling dramatically with less than a million people attending Church regularly. This is in direct contrast to Eastern nations where there is faithful bible teaching, as opposed to here where so many want to amend and re-interpret the Bible to meet the morality of our time.. If we have any concern for the future of Christianity in this country, we need to change direction from the present way we are going.
Today I want to turn to Paul’s Letter to the Church in Thessalonica.
This Letter of Paul which we are looking at this morning is thought to be the first of his thirteen New Testament Letters, and one which is very relevant to us to-day. We can learn from this small passage what the Bible teaches us is a successful Church, and what it means to be a Christian in the purest sense.
Most of the believers at Thessalonica had come to Christ from idol-worshiping. Paul’s brief ministry resulted in a congregation made up mostly of converted Greeks, along with a few believing Jews. Such was the vibrancy of their faith that it had spread widely and people were speaking of their devotion, their past practices 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.
The enemies of the Gospel were trying to undermine Paul and his ministry, saying he was deluded and was just in it for himself. Paul defends his ministry, saying far from taking anything, he and his team brought something. Prior to arriving in Thessalonica he had suffered much being beaten and imprisoned, and had travelled 100 miles just to preach he gospel and encourage them.
He told them his message had the authority of God who had appointed and trusted him pleading that it was God who tested people’s hearts not men. He came with the purest possible motive, and rather than seek support for their visit, he provided all himself, preaching the gospel by day and working as a tent maker by night. They did not seek praise or fame and he had treated them as a nursing mother looks after the child she has born. He also treated them as a father educates and admonishes his children to show his care.
Although they were obstructed by opponents they were enduring suffering and called for all to be true to Jesus Christ.
In verses 13/16 we come to the main thrust of the passage. Paul thanks God that the Thessalonian Christians had not only welcomed God’s Word, but had taken it into their lives; they realised the power of that Word. This is the hearing of the heart.
There is a difference because it’s very possible to come to Church and listen to a sermon and dismiss what you hear. How God must weep when he sees men and women singing His praise and hearing His Word on Sunday and living in direct contrast the rest of the week. There is really only one issue at stake. We should all ponder quietly and sincerely, does my faith measure up to what God calls for in His Holy Word?
The Church was facing strong opposition, as those of us today are when trying to be to be faithful to the Word of God. The Jews hated the gospel and tried to hinder the preaching of it to the Gentiles. It is one thing to oppose oneself, but to try and dissuade others is wicked. This is one of the most serious sins man can commit against God, and it is happening now; the secularist agenda is to wipe Christianity out of the public arena. They seek every means to obstruct and find grounds to complain of offences committed by Christians
The Bible states, ‘all Scripture is inspired by God’. Paul told Timothy to go and ‘preach the Word, by which he means the whole Christian message in simple terms, that Jesus is Lord and that salvation is only obtained through Him. Paul warns Timothy not to give in to the prevailing fashions of the day, but to keep steadfast in the faith and speak boldly without anger or fear of causing offence.
A preacher has to teach what people need to hear rather than what they want to hear, and do so without fear or favour, and as long as we do strictly according to the Bible, if we do offend anyone it must be asked why they are so offended. We are not to act like a spiritual dispensary offering soothing words, but to tell what God has said.
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. It is noticeable when a Church is fully committed to accepting and living according to Scripture, it grows. This is because God chooses to bless it.
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. It is impossible to read the teaching of Jesus without hearing moral commands, standards and warning of Christians how to live in order to please God. From its earliest days the Church gave priority to the reading of scripture and every bible believing Church must give pre-eminence to the Bible in its services of worship, for it is the way to hear God speaking.
Recent cultural changes have destroyed the moral landscape to such an extent that anyone who holds views based on bible teaching on sexual ethics, one man/woman marriage, abortion, biological gender, will find them isolated. 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.
When the Church abandons the truth in an effort to accommodate society it ceases to be the Church of Jesus Christ and will be little more than a social club. It has been stated, ‘Whereas Christ turned water into wine, the visible church has succeeded in doing something more difficult; it has turned wine into water."
The purpose of coming to Church should be to join with other Christians in singing praise to God, listening to His Word, having it fearless and boldly preached so there is spiritual nourishment for the week ahead, and to join in prayer for the needs of the world and ourselves. Ideally, the Methodist form of service allows for these necessities, with its freedom to present a coherent and meaningful form of worship, rather than being bound by a fixed liturgy. I have to admit having a different preacher each week is not always helpful as each could take a different approach to Scripture and so cause confusion. A lot of people are put off by disunity, for if we in the Church cannot agree what we believe in, what is right and what is wrong, we are not a credible body to lecture to others.
In saying all of this, I point out that our heritage lies with those who believe the Bible; much has changed. I’m sure that John and Charles Wesley would hardly recognize the church today. They knew nothing about computers, or any modern technology, but one thing would please them; there are still some of us who believe the Bible as faithfully as they did.
This is why the debate over the nature of the Bible is so crucial. If the Bible is the word of God, then it is utterly and completely authoritative, and if it is faithfully preached, what the preacher states is what God has said; he is speaking for God. If the Bible is the word of God, it is utterly exclusive in its claims. It does not ask or seek for our approval, and it does not need or allow any subtraction, addition or amendment. God never asks us to correct the New Testament. The Bible stands approved as read.
I want to close this morning with the words of John Wesley. ‘I want to know one thing; the way to heaven, how to land on that happy shore. God Himself has condescended to teach the way; He hath written it down in a book. Give me that book; at any price give me that book.’
It is truly a pleasure to be back here to join you in worship; I always look forward to seeing you all.
This is the first Sunday in the Methodist Church calendar when members will be returning from holidays, some with hope and anticipation for the coming year, whilst others will have regrets at the empty seats where friends no longer sit, either because they have gone to be with the Lord, or just fallen away as so many have done.
One subject which should be on all our hearts is the future of the Church. So many members have been lost over the past ten years, which should be a matter of concern for us all. As I return to Churches I notice a smaller attendance than when last there and congregations are predominantly people of older years and female.
We hear it said there are so many other distractions, yet these do not distract from other necessities of life. It is also claimed that the pressure of modern life restricts, but Muslim people face similar pressures yet manage to attend their services of worship.
We should not be dominated by numbers, but we have to be practical and realise the Church should face up to the fact it faces becoming a total irrelevance in the nation.
When Jesus said, ‘I will build my Church’ he meant he would have those people who were committed to follow Him and His teaching. A study of the Scriptures reveals that Jesus was not so much wanting quantity as quality. He said, Jesus said, ‘Ãf anyone does not take up his cross and follow me, he cannot be my disciple.’ He also condemned what He called lukewarm faith, and we can find much of that in our Churches. He taught that only 1 in 4 people could be expected to respond.
In many parts of the world the church is growing very rapidly, but in the United Kingdom attendance is falling dramatically with less than a million people attending Church regularly. This is in direct contrast to Eastern nations where there is faithful bible teaching, as opposed to here where so many want to amend and re-interpret the Bible to meet the morality of our time.. If we have any concern for the future of Christianity in this country, we need to change direction from the present way we are going.
Today I want to turn to Paul’s Letter to the Church in Thessalonica.
This Letter of Paul which we are looking at this morning is thought to be the first of his thirteen New Testament Letters, and one which is very relevant to us to-day. We can learn from this small passage what the Bible teaches us is a successful Church, and what it means to be a Christian in the purest sense.
Most of the believers at Thessalonica had come to Christ from idol-worshiping. Paul’s brief ministry resulted in a congregation made up mostly of converted Greeks, along with a few believing Jews. Such was the vibrancy of their faith that it had spread widely and people were speaking of their devotion, their past practices 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.
The enemies of the Gospel were trying to undermine Paul and his ministry, saying he was deluded and was just in it for himself. Paul defends his ministry, saying far from taking anything, he and his team brought something. Prior to arriving in Thessalonica he had suffered much being beaten and imprisoned, and had travelled 100 miles just to preach he gospel and encourage them.
He told them his message had the authority of God who had appointed and trusted him pleading that it was God who tested people’s hearts not men. He came with the purest possible motive, and rather than seek support for their visit, he provided all himself, preaching the gospel by day and working as a tent maker by night. They did not seek praise or fame and he had treated them as a nursing mother looks after the child she has born. He also treated them as a father educates and admonishes his children to show his care.
Although they were obstructed by opponents they were enduring suffering and called for all to be true to Jesus Christ.
In verses 13/16 we come to the main thrust of the passage. Paul thanks God that the Thessalonian Christians had not only welcomed God’s Word, but had taken it into their lives; they realised the power of that Word. This is the hearing of the heart.
There is a difference because it’s very possible to come to Church and listen to a sermon and dismiss what you hear. How God must weep when he sees men and women singing His praise and hearing His Word on Sunday and living in direct contrast the rest of the week. There is really only one issue at stake. We should all ponder quietly and sincerely, does my faith measure up to what God calls for in His Holy Word?
The Church was facing strong opposition, as those of us today are when trying to be to be faithful to the Word of God. The Jews hated the gospel and tried to hinder the preaching of it to the Gentiles. It is one thing to oppose oneself, but to try and dissuade others is wicked. This is one of the most serious sins man can commit against God, and it is happening now; the secularist agenda is to wipe Christianity out of the public arena. They seek every means to obstruct and find grounds to complain of offences committed by Christians
The Bible states, ‘all Scripture is inspired by God’. Paul told Timothy to go and ‘preach the Word, by which he means the whole Christian message in simple terms, that Jesus is Lord and that salvation is only obtained through Him. Paul warns Timothy not to give in to the prevailing fashions of the day, but to keep steadfast in the faith and speak boldly without anger or fear of causing offence.
A preacher has to teach what people need to hear rather than what they want to hear, and do so without fear or favour, and as long as we do strictly according to the Bible, if we do offend anyone it must be asked why they are so offended. We are not to act like a spiritual dispensary offering soothing words, but to tell what God has said.
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. It is noticeable when a Church is fully committed to accepting and living according to Scripture, it grows. This is because God chooses to bless it.
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. It is impossible to read the teaching of Jesus without hearing moral commands, standards and warning of Christians how to live in order to please God. From its earliest days the Church gave priority to the reading of scripture and every bible believing Church must give pre-eminence to the Bible in its services of worship, for it is the way to hear God speaking.
Recent cultural changes have destroyed the moral landscape to such an extent that anyone who holds views based on bible teaching on sexual ethics, one man/woman marriage, abortion, biological gender, will find them isolated. 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.
When the Church abandons the truth in an effort to accommodate society it ceases to be the Church of Jesus Christ and will be little more than a social club. It has been stated, ‘Whereas Christ turned water into wine, the visible church has succeeded in doing something more difficult; it has turned wine into water."
The purpose of coming to Church should be to join with other Christians in singing praise to God, listening to His Word, having it fearless and boldly preached so there is spiritual nourishment for the week ahead, and to join in prayer for the needs of the world and ourselves. Ideally, the Methodist form of service allows for these necessities, with its freedom to present a coherent and meaningful form of worship, rather than being bound by a fixed liturgy. I have to admit having a different preacher each week is not always helpful as each could take a different approach to Scripture and so cause confusion. A lot of people are put off by disunity, for if we in the Church cannot agree what we believe in, what is right and what is wrong, we are not a credible body to lecture to others.
In saying all of this, I point out that our heritage lies with those who believe the Bible; much has changed. I’m sure that John and Charles Wesley would hardly recognize the church today. They knew nothing about computers, or any modern technology, but one thing would please them; there are still some of us who believe the Bible as faithfully as they did.
This is why the debate over the nature of the Bible is so crucial. If the Bible is the word of God, then it is utterly and completely authoritative, and if it is faithfully preached, what the preacher states is what God has said; he is speaking for God. If the Bible is the word of God, it is utterly exclusive in its claims. It does not ask or seek for our approval, and it does not need or allow any subtraction, addition or amendment. God never asks us to correct the New Testament. The Bible stands approved as read.
I want to close this morning with the words of John Wesley. ‘I want to know one thing; the way to heaven, how to land on that happy shore. God Himself has condescended to teach the way; He hath written it down in a book. Give me that book; at any price give me that book.’
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