Luke 14 v25/33 Counting the cost of discipleship.

In my last sermon I spoke of people who were very religious but not quite Christian; but for those who do choose to follow the Lord, it is essential that they first count the cost, for a cost there will be; but the Holy Spirit will give you the strength to face the struggle of those who oppose you.

When a person makes a decision to follow Jesus it is because God has touched their heart and led to believe that Jesus died on the Cross, so that God would forgive you from all that was wrong with your past life.

The Christian gospel is that God loves all people and wants to offer them salvation, to grant them eternal life with Jesus in heaven when their life in this world is over.

There is almost a universal belief that everyone who lives will go to heaven; if they behave well, be honest and kind, but there is no foundation for such belief. God made clear in his Word, that is the Bible, that he hates sin and cannot accept a relationship with people who are sinful.  The only way therefore that we can be acceptable to God is to be forgiven and cleansed from our sins, and for that God calls for a penalty to be imposed on those sins. We as mortal beings are not capable of paying that penalty, for to make such payment one has to be sinless; so God sent Jesus his Son, who payed that penalty for all, by dying a cruel and painful death on a Cross so we could be forgiven. God the receives all who are prepared to accept and believe Jesus was their Saviour, and his death was for their forgiveness.

This is the only way for us to be forgiven, Jesus himself states, he was the only way to God, and anyone who denied this would never be forgiven for there has never been anyone else born into this world who can save them. It was that man’s spiritual need could be met that Jesus came. Salvation cannot be found anywhere else and it is futile to look for it in anyone else or anywhere else.

When we make the decision to so accept Jesus as Saviour, we are committing ourselves to follow his teaching on the way we live our lives. The Bible lays down the way our Lord wants us to live which includes a moral and ethical way as well as a spiritual one. This means abandoning certain lifestyles, and a lot of people are not prepared to do that, they want to carry on as they have been doing.

There is a need for some people to forsake friends whose way of life they shared, and have now become unacceptable to God. Even within families, differences occur as relatives will not accept those who follow the ways of Christ. Jesus calls us to stand firm in our belief and in loyalty to him. This is what Jesus meant when he said if we follow him we have to carry a cross, and acceptance of hardship on his behalf.  Jesus told two parables to help them to understand the need to think before acting on a decision.

A man wanted to build a tower, probably a vineyard tower to enable watch to be kept over his property, but before laying the foundation it would be necessary to assess the cost involved to ensure he would be able to meet it, otherwise he wold look foolish. Then there is a story of a king who if he wanted to make war with another nation, would have to make sure his army was as great as the one he attacked.

It is a Christian’s first duty to count the cost of following Jesus, and should not take a decision lightly but reverently in respect for God.

Many people at the great evangelical Crusades were motivated to take a decision to follow Jesus by the massed choirs creating inspiring music with sound doctrine given by a preacher, and when they returned to attend the local churches where the services were not so well organised and prepared, they fell away.

If you desire to follow Jesus Christ, be sure you realise what it means, and the commitment discipleship involving hostility and sacrifice. Jesus does not make it easy, he always pointed out the cost, saying ‘anyone who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple.            ‘

The professing church is full of people who might come to church three times a year who yet claim to be Christians, they were confirmed with the 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 with trials and testings’; their peer group had no time for Christianity and soon they began to change, they had less and less interest in Christianity until they came to three services in an entire year and never thought about God between those occasions. They had failed to count the cost of coming to Christ.”

      Almost a Christian

I want to turn to a verse in Acts of the Apostles, ‘almost you persuade me to be a Christian’. (Acts 26.v28)

In Acts 26 v 28 Paul is appearing before the Roman governors after Jewish leaders had made false charges because he was preaching about Jesus. Paul appealed to one of the governors feeling he might get a favourable response, but was told, ‘you almost persuade me to be a Christian’. In effect he was saying, you got close Paul but not quite made it.

Over the past years in ministry, the most repeated words I have heard, many hundreds of times, are ‘I (or we) don’t go to church, but we are Christians’; closely followed by ‘’ ‘you don’t have to go to Church to be a Christian as long as you are a good person’. Often these phrases are said in an almost challenging way. I suppose it eases the conscience, but for someone who has no religious association or commitment to say this to a clergyman may seem to be both arrogant and impertinent.

There are many people who have sympathy for the Church and wish it well, even follow its activities, but that is as far as it goes.  The Church does ceremonial well and is useful for baptisms and weddings, and they believe that is its useful purpose.

The popular reaction is to just assume that if one is not an atheist or member of another faith, one is per se a Christian; even going to church does not in itself is enough. There is a little more to it than that.

The word Christian was originally a term of derision against the first followers of Jesus, and it is fast becoming an abusive term in this country by public officials, secularists and the judiciary, and in disdain by activists, who want to eradicate Christianity from public life.

To become a Christian there must be an encounter with Jesus Christ. People have been urged to declare themselves a Christian without being told what that entails.

The Church has been complicit in this by baptising, using language which encourages people to make false statements, and in funeral liturgy giving all and sundry assurance of an eternal life in heaven

Being born in a Christian country, to Christian parents, in a Christian home, does not make one a Christian. You cannot inherit Christianity. It is more than living up to a system of morals or ethics. Even Church attendance, however necessary and how much it is part of Christian life, does not on its own make you one.

There are quite a lot of people who attend Church for a variety of reasons.  They sing the hymns, listen to Bible reading, hear the sermon without taking a lot of notice, and far too many live lives which do not match up to Biblical teaching. We might reasonably say, ’they are almost Christian.’

,

There has to be a conscious decision made, in which one wants to invite Christ into their life. You realise you have been offending against God and now want to live a life as laid down by Jesus, and have Him come in to your life to give it new direction and be granted eternal salvation.

This means to say sorry for all things done which were displeasing to God and seek forgiveness and God will do so because the Lord Jesus Christ had paid the penalty for them on the Cross.  They would be wiped out for ever, and you can stand before God and know he has forgiven you

That deliberate decision, and subsequent commitment, may come from hearing a preacher. A lady used to visit my Church very irregularly and one day she came and after the service said, ‘whenever I come here, I feel you are getting at me’. I pointed out that as I was not aware she would be attending, it may be that someone higher than me was getting at her.

It may come reading the Bible; even if you have read something many times, one-time God will use that word to speak to you. God takes the first step by touching your heart, causing you to reject or respond to his calling, and then leads you to Jesus Christ, by whom alone you can have a relationship with God

It may come from seeing a poster with a religious message. The London City Mission posted many messages on the underground system, which spoke vividly to people. I found that posters with a catchy message on, placed on the Church notice board had an effect too.

People have on many occasions been introduced by a friend, which is why it is so important to let people know of our Churches and what they can offer. However it comes, you will know it has come. Christianity is not a vague feeling; it is something you can know and you know whether you believe it or not.

This will necessitate a change in living. You know there are certain activities which are no longer acceptable; the ways of the world are replaced by the ways of Christ. This will mean you will inevitably declare yourself to be a Christian, which will involve mockery and taunting, and mean you can’t join in any falsehoods, immorality or things unethical anymore.

It means being regular at attending Church to share fellowship with other Christians which make you and them stronger in faith and build you up to speak for God and Jesus. A commitment to bible reading, and living by that Word.

Of course, there will be temptations to face. There will be Sunday mornings when you will not feel like going out to Church and you think, ‘oh they won’t miss me at church this morning’. Never feel you won’t be missed. Whilst I am sure your fellow Church members will miss you, God will certainly miss you. Church should come before the golf club or shopping trip or whatever. It is only one hour per week for most people, and if we can’t give that, then there is certainly something very amiss in our life.

The reason there is so much unhappiness, trouble, and broken homes in the nation, is through the absence of Christian values. Children are facing a deprived life in many homes as parents do not have the time, inclination, or belief, to teach their children basic bible stories, and so many children haven’t the faintest knowledge of any character or major festivals of the Church. A lot of schools have virtually given up teaching Christianity, often in preference to other faiths.

Be ready to take a full part in Church life and enjoy the joy of coming to share worship with your fellow Christians. The Church is here to bring people to knowledge of Jesus Christ. It is not a spiritual dispensary to hand out soothing syrup, but to proclaim God’s Message as it is written.

We take the bread and wine at the table of our Lord to remember His sacrifice on the cross for us, and as we eat the bread, we remember the broken body given for us, and drink the wine to remember his blood was shed for us. And Jesus can become very close.

Jesus told there were two roads in life, one broad one narrow. The broad one is taken by many, which leads to destruction, whilst the narrow one was taken by few but led to eternal life. He spoke of two destinies, heaven or hell and said we all will face judgement. People find this too judgemental and want to put it out of mind,

The Bible tells when we stand before Jesus, we will be all alone and have to answer to him for the way we have lived and answered to his call.  Those who have found no time for him in this life cannot expect God to find time for them.

A Christian needs discipline in his/her life, for the Bible says we have to take on those who are out to make us give in. The Bible likens the relationship of Christ and a follower to that of a husband wife relationship in marriage. When a man proposes to a woman to marry him and she agrees, they remain unmarried until they promise their commitment to each other in the marriage service. They then begin their life together facing both difficulties and happiness together. So, in the Christian life it is when we declare our commitment to Christ, we become a Christian and face life with Him in all that life puts before us.

We all have to ask, ‘am I living the Christian life?’ People like to divide the world into two groups the good and bad, with ourselves of course in the good category. God is believed to judge the bad, but would not judge us. It is too easy to see people behaving worse than us, and convince ourselves we are all right. The point is, whilst some are offending worse than us, we are all offending in some way. We may not plant bombs like some do, but the tongue can be equally explosive in its own way.

Some claim they have no time for they live too busy lives, but they find time for other things; Muslims live busy lives, but always find time to attend their worshipping.

People who do helpful things are described as being real Christians, but atheists and people of other faiths do helpful acts, but would be offended to think they were being defined as Christians.

Jesus said, ‘behold I stand at the door and knock and if anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will sup with him and he with me.’ In the East inviting a person to sit and eat with you infers you are inviting that person to have a special place in your life.

If there is anyone reading this message who has not yet invited Jesus into their life, then I urge you to consider making that decision and give Him that special place in your life, He is waiting at the door for your invitation.

But let us have sincerity. Rogue traders make goods and put the stamp of a famous name on them. Rogue Christian teachers are putting God’s stamp on their own brand of Christianity, even supporting behaviour which at one time would not even be mentioned. It is total and disgraceful hypocrisy to loudly proclaim Christianity and advocate and support that which is un-Christian. 

The Bible says we have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God and so we need his forgiveness. In many people’s lives they sin not deliberately, but by carelessness or lack of concentration and God by his amazing grace is ready to forgive. But when people constantly lead a life which offends God’s Word, such is unacceptable for a Christian.

Our nation so badly needs Christian men and women who are altogether Christians, not almost ones.

                      Christian Concern.

( Each week this page will relate stories telling of spiritual abuses in this country, in which Christians have experienced some form of harassment or discrimination. In most incidents quoted, the injured party will be represented and defended by Christian Concern, a legal defence team, which is NOT supported by public funds)

It was revealed that the National Secular Society is trying to remove Christian representation in schools, despite the fact that Christians have been at the forefront of schooling and education, and places in Church schools are eagerly sought after because of their excellence.

The Society wrote to every Scottish Council asking them to place this suggestion into operation, and two have already done so and others are expected to do so. Scotland has previously supported anti Christian campaigns.

                

The Director of the LGBT campaign group in Scotland has said they will campaign until every lesbian, gay, bi sexual, and trans is accepted.  There is no sign that everyone in Scotland is willing to be forced into approving alternative sexuality; 21 per cent of Scottish are not so open minded into accepting persons of that nature. That 21% will soon find out the current defintion of tolerance and how little concern there is for freedom of thought and speech.

Libraries Unlimited boasted of its serious commitment to safety of children after a recent case in which children were banned from attending a library because they sang about God.  There does not however be much consistency for a video emerged of a man in women’s clothing teaching young children during a drag queen story in a Devon library how to twerk’. The Oxford Dictionary defines this as dancing in ‘a sexually provocative manner.’  Don’t hold your breath to see an apology or admission of bad taste.

A bus driver in Norwich was suspended after a complaint was made that he refused to drive a bus on which the route number was displayed in LGBT colours, as it offended his beliefs. The bus company meekly made an apology in addition to suspending the driver, which suggests a total betrayal of an employee.  What about the rights of the driver, and why were such colours used in the first place.

An LGBT activist who sought to have an Ulster bakery bake a cake on which was placed a call to support same sex marriage, was supported by the zealots of the Northern Ireland Equality Affairs Commission at a cost of thousands of pounds of public money through the Courts on a charge of discrimination when the bakery refused to place such a slogan on the grounds of religious beliefs,even though same sex marriage is not legal in Northern Ireland. The case was unanimously dismissed by the judges on the Supreme Court, but he is now pursuing the matter through the European Court of Human Rights, and again he will no doubt be supported by public funds whilst the bakery is being forced to pay its own costs; AND WE ARE SUPPOSED TO CALL THIS JUSTICE. Another reason to support  Brexit.

JOHN 15

It is the last night before His death and Jesus is giving instructions to stress the absolute necessity of a close relationship between Him and us. To do this He uses the illustration of a vine and its branches.

Jesus often used scenes which were from Jewish heritage. Israel is portrayed as the vineyard, and one of the glories of the Temple was the great golden vine with clusters of grapes placed in front of the Holy place. This is taken from the story of Moses receiving clusters of grapes from spies he had sent out to view the land of Canaan. 

Jesus said He was the true vine and the Jews could not claim that just because they were Jews they were a branch of the vine. It had to be understood He was the vine not the land of Israel, for only He could offer salvation and the only means of having that was to have a belief in Him. Only a personal relationship with Jesus can make a person right with God. 

The vine grew wildly but needed much attention. The vine needed much pruning and so was cut drastically for without that the vine would not produce good fruit. Jesus knew His followers were like that. Some were fruit bearing, but others were like the dead branches. In His teaching Jesus saw the Jews as the branches of the vine as did all the prophets, but the people would not accept Jesus. He also knew that one day people claiming to be Christians would hear His teaching, profess to follow Him, but in practice would not. 

The vine gets its strength and fertility from the stem, and apart from that the branch has no life of its own. Sap flows from the stem to the leaves and blossoms the fruit, and if cut off would die. 

The relationship between Jesus and the believer has to be just as close and real for we have no spiritual life, all the power comes from Him; we draw our strength from the Lord. We are assured of our salvation and our place in heaven when we remained joined to Him. The non believer may scorn and mock us for resting our faith from stories in an old Jewish book written many years ago but will one day regret such ridicule and envy our place. It has to be accepted as fact that there are many men and women professing to be Christians who are not what they claim to be. They are like branches of the vine which bear no fruit. In every Church there are people whose relationship is more make believe than real. They have been baptised, confirmed and even hold office within the Church, even are clergy ranging from the highest clerical positions to people in the pews. They may make much profession, and as we are regularly reading and hearing do not accept the authority of Scripture. 

We even find Bishops increasingly tolerant of immoral behaviour which contradicts the Bible, and who prefer to adopt the philosophy of society and say things have changed now we are in the 21st century. God was not just a God of the first century, His Word endures for all times. Well has it been said that the spirit of the age has invaded the Church, and infected it. If people wish to reject the contents of the Bible that is their choice, but will one day regret such decision. 

To have a casual relationship with Jesus is like being a non fruit bearing branch of the vine, you produce nothing and give nothing. There are many instances of a young person who leaves home and falls into bad ways, because he/she has separated from the family. As long as they are with the family they are strong and cared for but when they break away they fall. Having a relationship with Jesus provides the strength to meet the problems of life and prevents one from falling into the ways of the unjust. And you need constant attachment just like the branches of the vine. This passage shows the offer Jesus makes to help them become more worthy and better Christians. If we abide in Him and His teaching we can ask and seek an answer. Be therefore in close communion with Jesus, lean on Him, and keep His words in your mind so that they will be the guide of your life. And be in Church on Sunday.

JOHN 15

It is the last night before His death and Jesus is giving instructions to stress the absolute necessity of a close relationship between Him and us. To do this He uses the illustration of a vine and its branches.

Jesus often used scenes which were from Jewish heritage. Israel is portrayed as the vineyard, and one of the glories of the Temple was the great golden vine with clusters of grapes placed in front of the Holy place. This is taken from the story of Moses receiving clusters of grapes from spies he had sent out to view the land of Canaan. 

Jesus said He was the true vine and the Jews could not claim that just because they were Jews they were a branch of the vine. It had to be understood He was the vine not the land of Israel, for only He could offer salvation and the only means of having that was to have a belief in Him. Only a personal relationship with Jesus can make a person right with God. 

The vine grew wildly but needed much attention. The vine needed much pruning and so was cut drastically for without that the vine would not produce good fruit. Jesus knew His followers were like that. Some were fruit bearing, but others were like the dead branches. In His teaching Jesus saw the Jews as the branches of the vine as did all the prophets, but the people would not accept Jesus. He also knew that one day people claiming to be Christians would hear His teaching, profess to follow Him, but in practice would not. 

The vine gets its strength and fertility from the stem, and apart from that the branch has no life of its own. Sap flows from the stem to the leaves and blossoms the fruit, and if cut off would die. 

The relationship between Jesus and the believer has to be just as close and real for we have no spiritual life, all the power comes from Him; we draw our strength from the Lord. We are assured of our salvation and our place in heaven when we remained joined to Him. The non believer may scorn and mock us for resting our faith from stories in an old Jewish book written many years ago but will one day regret such ridicule and envy our place. It has to be accepted as fact that there are many men and women professing to be Christians who are not what they claim to be. They are like branches of the vine which bear no fruit. In every Church there are people whose relationship is more make believe than real. They have been baptised, confirmed and even hold office within the Church, even are clergy ranging from the highest clerical positions to people in the pews. They may make much profession, and as we are regularly reading and hearing do not accept the authority of Scripture. 

We even find Bishops increasingly tolerant of immoral behaviour which contradicts the Bible, and who prefer to adopt the philosophy of society and say things have changed now we are in the 21st century. God was not just a God of the first century, His Word endures for all times. Well has it been said that the spirit of the age has invaded the Church, and infected it. If people wish to reject the contents of the Bible that is their choice, but will one day regret such decision. 

To have a casual relationship with Jesus is like being a non fruit bearing branch of the vine, you produce nothing and give nothing. There are many instances of a young person who leaves home and falls into bad ways, because he/she has separated from the family. As long as they are with the family they are strong and cared for but when they break away they fall. Having a relationship with Jesus provides the strength to meet the problems of life and prevents one from falling into the ways of the unjust. And you need constant attachment just like the branches of the vine. This passage shows the offer Jesus makes to help them become more worthy and better Christians. If we abide in Him and His teaching we can ask and seek an answer. Be therefore in close communion with Jesus, lean on Him, and keep His words in your mind so that they will be the guide of your life. And be in Church on Sunday.

Matthew 5 v 38-42.

This is a well known gospel passage, and one often misunderstood in a way that our Lord never intended. When Jesus quoted the law of Moses, which spoke of an eye for an eye, He was referring to the principle of justice which called for punishment to be proportionate to the crime committed.   It was never meant to be literally observed.

When a person committed any crime they would be placed before a civil court,and if found guilty were punished according to the severity of the offence, but were not to be excessively penalised.  This gave confidence to society that punishment was no more or less than deserved.  Jesus abolished the old law of vengeance for a Christian, and wanted to advise against any tit for tat reaction.  

Jesus went on to give three examples of a Christian spirit in action.  When Jesus was giving His teaching, much of it was to uneducated Jewish people who too often were led astray by Pharisees, just as today many people not able to think rationally, are misled by slick talking politicians. This passage was a continuing part of a message in a sermon, calling for tolerance achieved through negotiation and not retaliation. 

There is a general attitude in people to retaliate, the idea being don’t get mad get even.  An example is given in the story of a lorry driver,who was dining in a roadside café when three young motor cyclists walked in. One went to the man and took some of the man’s meal, and a second took some more, whilst the third drank his tea.  The man just got up, and having paid his bill left the café.  One of the motor cyclists said to the waitress ‘not much of a man was he’.  The waitress said ‘I don’t know what kind of man he was, but he is an awful driver, he has just run over three motor cycles.’

When Jesus said do not resist evil, He was not suggesting we accept evil itself, He is trying to avoid unnecessary aggression. There are of course times when aggression is necessary, if we could never resist evil there would never be a need for an army or police force.  Indeed, Jesus Himself got angry when He found the money changers in the Temple.  Jesus then was calling on people not to stand fixedly on their rights. 

We all know people who are for ever talking about rights, forgetting in the process about responsibilities.  It is hard not to get upset about people who are so vociferous about minor infringements, when we think of the men and women who died in wars to preserve freedom for such people to moan about hurt feelings.  Even within the Church, we have people who get upset if they feel they have not been properly recognised. 

I worked with a Vicar,who had a wife who would have been an ideal prison guard, to ensure she was properly recognised.  Such people have never realised what Christianity really calls for.  Nor like other religions, do we believe in blowing up people or burning their property because of different beliefs.  Our God calls on us to show grace, and for us to be transformed into the image of Jesus; and ironically the more hatred and anger we generate, the more we hurt ourselves and our own health. 

Jesus also calls on us to give when asked.  Here again, we have to be discriminating.  I used to have people call at my Vicarage with the most heart rending tales, which never stood up to scrutiny.  When I offered food or to get them help through social services, all my offers were refused, for what they were really after was money.  One man came begging, and when I offered him money his face lit up, until I said he would get it if he mowed the lawn, and he looked at me as if I was from another planet.

This is what makes bishops look so out of touch; they are attacking the government’s welfare reforms from a stance not of this world.  The vast majority of people are tired of having to work hard, to subsidise people who will not work. The Labour party are shouting so loudly about food banks, which are increasing proportionately to their speeches. 

One chemist in Liverpool, wondered how there could be so many families with ipads and smart phones, and yet had to rely on food banks.  We have to consider need,and at the same time examine that need. We have charities pleading for money, when executives of the same, are earning more than the Prime Minister. 

I was once visiting Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, and an old lady was begging outside, and in a prime location of course.  Many caring Christians responded to this poor lady, dressed in an old battered hat, huddled in a shawl. I noticed whilst waiting, that she eventually got up and hobbled around a corner, where she quickly shed the shawl and hat and nipped into a waiting Mercedes car. 

In the last verses, we find Jesus teaching we must love our enemies.  I once saw an ornament in a little Welsh village shop with the message inscribed, ‘smile at your enemy, it will make him madder’.  This is not of course what Jesus meant.  We all liked to loved; we try to be friendly and personable, to get along with others, but there are always some you could never do so.  This is the reality of life, but Jesus tells us we must love them. 

May the Lord bless His Holy Word to us, and may His holy Name be praised. [

My first Vicar said to me, ‘Eric, in this job you will have to learn to love everybody, it doesn’t mean you have to like them’.  That may sound cynical but it is very practical.  A lady once told her Vicar it was all right for him to tell her to love her neighbour, when he didn’t have to live next to her. 

There are indeed people it is impossible to like.  I have to say however, that apart from the Vicar’s wife I mentioned, I have never had a lot of difficulty in the (now many) Churches I have served. 

Jesus teaching then is for us not to act like unbelievers. The love He spoke about was not the love people think of these days, which too often has a sexual connotation; too many people are keen to indulge in that kind of love.  Jesus was speaking of care and compassion. Sadly, some Christians are too keen to follow the ways of the world and love only those who love you. 

The constant call to Christians is to be like Jesus; it is God’s will that we do so.  Our call is to be people who manifest the nature of the God we serve.

James 2 v 1/13

Turn with me to The Epistle of James, which has always seemed to me to be a very practical Letter, from which we can take a relevant lesson. The passage this week, the first thirteen verses from Chapter 2, relate to actions of favouritism and forming quick judgements, which can be contrary to Christian teaching.
     The theme of this passage could be named as the sin of partiality. In the first seven verses James shows the fundamental incompatibility of holding faith in Christ and showing partiality against people.

     There is a story of a man appearing before a Court for jury service who asked to be excused on the grounds that he had already formed an opinion that the accused was guilty from his appearance. The judge asked how he could have done so when the accused had not been brought before the Court. When the man pointed to someone sitting in the Court the judge scowled, ‘that man is not the accused he is a barrister’.
(From my previous life I have sympathy with the juror; I often thought some lawyers were as bad as those people they were defending)
      But we all have our prejudices and for many years it was on the subject of colour. For a white girl to be seen with a black man, or vice versa, was at one time considered to be shocking, but now of course we have become more civilised and realised that it is quite wrong to judge on colour, although in some cases we have inverted prejudice against white people by other white people who want to show how perfectly politically correct they can be.  We also see people alleging prejudice when they fail to get employment or positions when their own unsuitability is the true reason. 

We are often guilty of trying to stereotype people on the basis of imagined as well as real differences and we assign certain characteristics to those people. We also judge people on appearance and it is this that James is concerned about as he opens this passage.

     There can be no partiality or prejudice in showing on the basis of status as you hold the faith. I personally feel on the basis of faith a better response is given to the Bible from among the black Churches and people, who are more prepared to accept its authority.

    

There is a scene in the movie ‘Pretty Woman’ in which Julia Roberts went into a very select shop in Beverley Hills dressed very poorly and the staff showed their disapproval of her. Later she returns with Richard Gere, a wealthy business man and the staff fall over themselves to serve. This reflects real life.
     The Bible calls on us to love one another and James points out that what can be a hindrance to doing so is prejudice and favouritism in an unfavourable way. Billy Graham on so many occasions said the problem with so many people is that their heart is not right and they suffer with a heart problem.
     As Christians in a secular world, we are like ambassadors in a foreign land; we represent our Sovereign the king of all kings, Jesus Christ, so we must act like Him. The aim of all Christians should behave in a way we think Jesus would have acted.
     James was concerned that snobbery may enter the Church and draws a comparison of a situation in which a rich man enters Church and is fussed over whilst a poor man is virtually cast aside. We see this in practice often. It always annoyed me, and still does, to look at civil services in which the first set of rows in a Church are set aside for ‘dignatories’. I accept that a Mayor or head of an authority representing that authority should be catered for at a special civil service, but for the rest, who are often pompously strutting up to be noticed when they would never otherwise go to Church, and thereby deprive others who of a place, is quite wrong.
     Pandering to one class of people is wrong, and that applies to both rich and poor; we can have inverted snobbery. The Apostle Peter learned that God has no favourites when he was called to meet Cornelius. There is unfortunately at times an eagerness to fuss over someone who thinks he is an important person, and to be influenced by social status, and this was prevalent in James’ time when a landowner would be in Church with his servants’ present. People should be welcomed as people and never because of who they are. Jesus was never a respecter of people. The whole Bible unites in condemning favouritism which gives credence to a person’s social standing
     The Church must always be a place where distinctions are not tolerated as we meet in the presence of God. It is both a tragedy and a disgrace that there are Churches were people attend and frown on others from a less advantaged background, or even because one is not part of a ‘set’.
     Abraham Lincoln once stated, ‘God must have loved the poor because He made so many of them’, and Jesus said He came to preach to the poor. Indeed, the Gospel offered so much to the poor. 
     A truly well-mannered person will respect others no matter who they are. There is the story relating to the late Queen Mother, sitting next to man at a banquet who picked up the bowl meant for finger dipping and drank from it. To avoid him being embarrassed the Queen did the same. 
     James tells that it is our duty to love one another which is the royal law for if one keeps it one becomes a king of oneself and a king among men. A fact is that if you break one part of the law you are considered to have broken the whole of the law. It is like a chain, if you break one link the chain becomes useless for it loses its power. 
     There is a practical truth which one can apply to life. A person may be a prominent person in Church life with a moral reputation and recognised as being a devout Christian, all of which appears to have been displayed by that person. But there can be one aspect of life which has been secretly guarded which could destroy that image, however small, and all that public persona would be for nothing worth.
      James ends the passage by teaching that the Christian lives a life of tolerance and concern for others, and does so not for fear of punishment but because they are trying to emulate Christ and for love of Him. There are times when we are justified in getting angry and perhaps even being aggressive, but that should be the exception and not the rule. We should be eager to forgive as well as being eager to be forgiven. 

For judgement is without mercy for those who do not forgive. In God’s law what you do to others will be done unto you in judgement day.  Mercy  is a necessity for believers and a requirement needed in dealing with the poor in the New Testament.

I want to speak this morning on words from the Collect where we prayed for God ‘to increase in us true religion’. What does that phrase mean to you?

Jesus said, ‘I will build my Church.’ And the last words he used on this earth were to his Apostles who he told ‘to go into all the worlds and make disciples, teaching them all I have commanded.’

‘do you think the Church is fit for the purpose for which our Lord created it’?

We are not making disciples or leading people to worship

We are not teaching Jesus as the ONLY Saviour of mankind?

We are not abiding by the teaching of how the life of Christians should be lived as God set out in the Bible?

We are not accepting the Bible as the complete authority for teaching?

The Church was built on the teaching of the Apostles who followed the commission of Jesus to go into the world and teach all he had commanded. We have that teaching today; it is called the New Testament. 

Remember in Acts we are told how the Church grew as the people listened to the teaching of the Apostles. This is Christianity in its purest and rawest form, true religion 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 demonstrate this in faith. We all have to consider how deep our commitment is to Jesus Christ

When you buy a new car or electrical goods, you are usually given a manual which helps you understand the product, but warns you that if you fail to observe what in that manual the maker will not do anything to help. God gave us all a manual, this is it, the Bible. We have a duty and responsibility to accept and preach its contents, the gospel message God has given us.

This is true religion which will embarrass Church leaders, especially in the Church of England, who should be speaking up for Christians in public life have instead ignored these actual theological issues, and are co-operating with the LGBT campaign to accommodate their agenda. A bishop told one of his clergy if he wanted to abide by biblical teaching on morality, there was no place for him in the Church of England

How can we expect God to bless and protect the Church when we are so disobedient to his Word,

We are bombarded these days with the demand to accept that God got it wrong and genders need to be changed to please society. In our own time we are seeing the government legitimizing all kinds of immoral behavior, challenging God’s order of mankind, with all the complications which follow.

God is the source of all truth, and the Son he sent into the world for our salvation stated he was the embodiment of all truth acting on God’s behalf.

Without God there can be no absolutes, he is the only absolute of truth, and left ourselves, we just follow the crowd.

The Church rather than being the bearer of our Lord’s command to go into all the world and teach his Word, the establishment is becoming the standard bearer for the agenda of the LGBT lobby.

The newsletters sent out by the Bishops in the Oxford Diocese and Lichfield Diocese, would be more suitable in the Pink News, as with other bishops who follow a similar line rather than perform the duties they vowed to do on oath.   The devil must be enjoying herself as she sees what is happening!

How an individual person lives is a matter entirely for them to decide and I fully agree that they should be free to do without harassment. I have two friends I meet socially and I couldn’t wish for better, and there is no animosity. I am sure they read my sermons on my internet blog, but they know I wish them well. 

But what does anger me is the malice of activists who are prepared to sink to any depths to advance their agenda and expect the rest of us should be forced into giving our full acceptance of something which is unscriptural.    

In our schools and colleges, the Bible is seen as a form of hate literature, and it would appear it does not get the treatment it should in our colleges and by the church leaders.

One of the constant themes in the preaching of Billy Graham was that the heart was the source and influence of all our actions.  Jesus said, the words you speak come from the hearts and motivate our actions, and that is what defiles a person. Out of the heart comes murder, adultery, evil thoughts, sexual immorality theft, lying and slander.

In the Church there is a widespread tendency to avoid the truth lest it displeases society

Meanwhile, the Church is falling apart as people are finding that coming to church means nothing special to them and they do not find the spiritual fulfilment they had a right to expect.  If the church cannot speak the truth, the society is truly doomed.

We all want peace in our lives in our hearts and in our homes. Jesus is the Prince of peace and we will never have peace in the world until evading the truth ceases and people are led to the teaching and commands of Jesus.

God sent Jesus into the world to tell us that God loves us and wants all to be saved, but salvation an only be obtained by a person accepting the death of Jesus was for their forgiveness.

Jesus did not go to the Cross by accident; God sent him there by design for it was God’s plan for Jesus to bring redemption for mankind.

Jesus made that profound immortal statement, ‘I am the way, the truth and the life’.

Jesus said He was the truth.  Only Jesus can claim moral perfection, which is why He can say ‘I am the truth’.

Jesus says ‘I am the life’, meaning the opposite of death.  He is the source of life and gives life to His own.

Jesus says, ‘we can only come to the Father through Him alone.  This is not generally liked as it is seen as being too restrictive, too bigoted and intolerant, and to be judgmental is not liked. Some clergy will not quote it, whilst others just will not accept it.  Frankly, I think if any man/woman does not accept this verse then they should not be allowed to preach, for they are betraying the Lord who said it, and the Church which they serve.

The Bible tells us we must contend for the truth once given to Christians.  The truth once given means the faith that which was given by the Apostles who had been taught by Jesus and which was blessed by God when the Church was first established.  Let this be the faith we adopt and believe and not that now being re-interpreted to suit modern culture.  Our faith is not something someone made up, it is historical and spiritual fact.

We have to also accept that the Church exists primarily for one purpose, to proclaim the Christian gospel.  All other activities are subsidiary. It is good and helpful to have involvement in social activities, but the primary means of bringing people to Christ is through the preaching of the gospel. If we restrict that then we have no claim to be here; people can get social amenities from many sources, they can only get the gospel from the Church.

 The Church must be distinctive and stand out as a place offering what no other place or person can offer.   

I fear there is an awful lot of false teaching being given in our Churches as clergy, and lay preachers, skirt round social and moral issues from fear of offending and thereby being labelled a bigot or having some form of the many kinds of phobias which now have been created. To be so labelled is like having a badge of honour for telling truth.

My friends, Christianity is in dire peril in this country, and is largely being sustained by the ‘black culture’’, which Is firmly faithful still to God’s teaching, and not afraid to say so. How delightful to see on television, young children in Church with their parents, singing hymns word perfect.

The Church of England is stated to be losing a thousand people a week.  Methodists are closing two churches a week in Britain, at the same time as Muslims are opening two mosques a week.

 The Bible calls for all Christians to ‘Contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to the saints’, and every word matters.  To ‘contend’ means literally to fight and defend the gospel; we are in a battle.  I see little defending. 

This faith has been ‘entrusted’ to the saints, the biblical name for Christians, and we are called to guard and protect the truth.

It was given ‘once and for all’.  It was not a temporary statement of faith, and it was not meant to be added to, amended or re-interpreted. 

This is a call to arms to every Christian.   The message of the world is that morality, which was once based on Christian principles, is now what you make it as long as you are sincere.  All the boundaries have been swept away and the spiritual moorings have been eroded. 

The Bible however is calling for all Christians to contend for the truth.  We must all be ready to stand up and be counted. This can be done by showing an example in the way we live, doing so worthily of our Lord, lives that are distinctive, standing apart from foul talk, gossip and conduct unbecoming

My friends, it is the duty of the Church to teach the gospel and not to budge from it.  We are not to be blown by every new spiritual wind so that we drift from our moorings.  We are not to be superficial believers. Hold fast to the gospel once given by the Apostles who were taught by the Master Himself.  You and I are called to contend for the truth.  Do not let anyone tell you that you do not count.  You count tremendously, so glory in what God has called you to do and be faithful to His command.   Our Lord’s last great commission was to go into all 0the world and make disciples of all nations; let us not fail Him.

Let us Christians be as proud of our faith as other faiths are of theirs, remembering there is salvation in no one else than Jesus, for there is no other name under heaven given among men, by which we can be saved.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.