EPHESIANS 4 V 1-16

 

The significance of this passage, is that it is not preached as much as it should. It is however, the listed Epistle for the coming Sunday services.

There is too readiness to teach falsehoods, by saying many religions lead to eternal life; nor can we say there is more than one God. No other religion can save.

Paul is writing to the Church in Ephesus, on a subject that is uppermost in his life.

He had been made an Apostle by Jesus, a title he honored, for the purpose of taking the gospel to the Gentiles, and whilst he was doing this, he still felt deeply to his own people the Jews. He dealt with the situation by bringing the Gentiles and Jews into a united Church, based on a unity of the truths of the gospel.

N v1 he writes that he had been imprisoned just for the sake of preaching for the Lord. His words had power, for he saw a unified Church as essential. Christians had to live lives of holiness and unity.

In v2, he mentions that there had to be humility, a word considered distasteful in that pagan world. The life of the Church was one in which there was gentleness. Patience, peace, and love, in every Christian life.

In v3 peace is to bring reconciliation and love. Which create a bond and unites believers in Christ.

V4 refers to one Spirit. A human body has a spirit that makes all parts work together, and he Church is enlivened by the Holy Spirit, which enlivens Christians to eternal life. One hope means Christians do not have separate hopes, but are called together to eternal life and enjoy forever God in resurrection glory.

verse 5, one faith is the doctrinal truths which Christians confess are.. The Son of God is the Lord Jesus Christ,  other faiths deny God had a son, but not only is Jesus the Son of God, sinners can only be saved through Christ, who is the only way to God. People can only be saved from hell by the person and work of Christ. If Christ is rejected, there is no other way of salvation.

The Bible states one God, one Lord Jesus Christ,  one gospel, one means of escaping hell. The Bible also states, you shall not follow any claim, there are no other gods. To state otherwise will anger God, and come under His wrath. The doctrine of one Lord, one faith and one Spirit, one God, constitute a Trinitarian formula.

There is only one baptism. Christians have not all agreed about the mode of baptizing, but the term one baptism refers to the agreed belief of the baptisms of believers. This takes place when a sinner repents, makes a confession of faith publicly, and receives the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Verse 6 uses the term over- all and in all, telling God is omnipotent. Thus the Christian Church is one body wherever its separate congregations may be found throughout the world.

I was once in a group of Christians in Mombasa Kenya, which is the doorway to many other countries of Africa. The city has a harbor, and as liners arrived from America and Europe, we would meet missionaries prior to them journeying away, and we could share faith and experiences with them, only because we were in the same heavenly family. No other  group or organization can compare with this.

verses 7/10, Paul describes the gifts from the ascended Christ .

In v7 There is mentioned grace. There are no levels of grace, but refers to an Office in the Church requires a calling, and serving in a responsible manner with personal respect.

In v8. The one who ascends is the triumphant Lord in His resurrection to be the head of the Church, and the gifts were given by Jesus which were obtained when He triumphed over captives.

V9 the lower regions are the earth. In the incarnation Christ descended from the highest heavens to lowest of regions, where He was buried, but rose again to defeat death, and 40 days later was seated in the highest heaven at the right side of the Father.

V10 Christ is the supreme head of the Church who fills all things with His glory, power and the sovereign prerogative to dispense gifts to His people.

In verse 11/13 there is a picture of the organization and administration of the early Church, and there is a list of Office bearers.  There were three kinds; the ones where authority spread across the whole Church by the Apostles; another kind, the evangelists, were confined to one place, but were enabled to go wherever the Spirit moved them. There were prophets, who foretold the will of God, who wanted to give a message from the Holy Spirit. This caused them to go from Church to other Churches, proclaiming the Word of God, but before long they had vanished. As time passed, the local Church grew to have its own Minister. Local Ministers became the accepted practice.

V 14 we see immaturity in the truths of Chistian doctrine, makes the Church like gullible children tossed helplessly by the waves and wind of cunning deceitful false teaching.

V15. The truth must not be used to bludgeon people into acceptance and obedience, but must always be presented kindly. The truth leads people to maturity which is defined here as growing up to Christ, who as head leads, directs, and guides the body.

V16. Paul continues the body metaphor to describe the Church’s maturity. Every believer is viewed as a unit to play a crucial part in the growth, but there is no growth Paul states without love, and every act of love in the name of Christ is valued and remembered by him as each part is working properly

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In consideration of this message, we need to consider how close the Church comes to following to accepting the teaching. We find it soon departs from it.

There is the constant departure from the teaching of the Bible, which is becoming a common practice.

When someone is entering a fellowship or society, they are committing themselves to abide by the way of that gathering and the aims, Credit or discredit is the consequence of how they act. Paul sets down the kind of life that he expects from Church members.

The passage that you have just read, or heard, clearly reveals the view of Paul and we can imagine the horror he would suffer if he had to pass judgement on the Church in some Western countries.

A Church which is not built on a sure foundation, and/or is not governed according to the Word of God, the supreme authority of the Church, will be divided. There should be in every member’s mind, lay and ordained, especially by clergy in positions of leadership, a clear allegiance to Scripture.  Every effort has to be made to avoid division; all parts acting as one. This means no changing of biblical doctrine.

If drastic action is not taken soon, the Church in England will fall apart as Minsters will face two parts of their Church arguing against each other, causing the Minister  to upset those he has opposed. This is deeply frustrating, as a division has been caused when the bishops acted directly and unequivocally against the Bible, for no good purpose, but merely to appease society.  People and clergy are leaving the Church as a result. Paul states this is acting like gullible children.

Baptism is the gateway to the Church. In the early Church it was adult baptism after repentance and public confession of faith.  In time, the Church allowed children of practicing Christian parents to be baptized, but as in all cases when people deviate from a situation, it has become extended to all children irrespective of age, and with non-believing parents, who make vows and give promises which all now they have no intention of keeping.

In every Church there are people who need to be curtailed. Paul speaks of trickery by people, and uses a word meaning manipulates.  There are those who by clever arguments lure people away from true faith.  It is one of the characteristics of the age that people talk about religion more than perhaps before the present day and who are against God and the Church.  they interpret the Bible with fancy terms to justify immoral social behavior.

The only thing which can keep the individual Christian solid in the faith is a faithful exposition of the Word of God leading to a close relationship with Jesus

The only way a person can gain salvation, is through Jesus who is the only way to God.

The Bible, as we have seen, has a factual history, and so contains the truth of the mind of  the one God, and records the death of Jesus on the Cross to enable us to be forgiven and made righteous; only Christianity offers forgiveness for sin.

There cannot be justification for multi-faith worship, for other faiths do not recognize the divinity of Jesus, and specify that they believe God had no son. Churches have been sharing services with Muslim believers, and we must respect their right to worship as they believe, and in some respect they have a strict moral code, which is superior to other faiths. Islamic clergy have criticized the saying of Muslim prayers in Christian Churches, and it is wrong for clergy trying to make some form of attention. It is unwelcome for both Churches to join in worship as we worship through Christ, and Islam has every right to pursue its own way.  

We see in these verses, how the Church is deviating from the true gospel. There is one baptism, but the Church allows a second baptism when a person transitions from one sex and claims to be a new person when there is the same body.

 

This is the message of the Letter. There is one God-the Father; one Lord-Jesus Christ-; one body-the Church; one true faith-Christianity; one Savior-Jesus  Christ; one gospel-the Bible; one Spirit-the Holy Spirit; one baptism, one hope-of eternal life.

 

May God bless His Word to our hearts. May His Holy Name be glorified

  ‘As for me and my household, we will serve the Lord’.                             

                       (Joshua 24 v.15)

Joshua was nearing the end of his life, so one day he called the leaders of the people together at Shechem to deliver a final message.  This was a most important place in Jewish history. Abraham had first settled there, Jacob bought land, and Joseph was buried there.

Joshua, was a great military leader who had served under Moses for forty years, and when Moses died he became leader for a further twenty five years. At this time Israel had come to a crucial point in its history. They had faced tyranny in Egypt, but God had saved and rescued them, God had given them the land of Canaan, a good land flowing with milk and honey, and continually blessed them,  and led them where  they had been able to settle down, but problems had arisen.

As peoples throughout time have behaved, once the hard times were over, they began to fall away from and forget God.  History is full of instances where people have turned to God for His help in times of difficulty, but when He has answered, His usefulness has been laid aside.

 We all have to make a choice in this life.  Joshua was quite clear he had made one, and for Him it was quite definite, he and his family would serve the Lord.  The choice we make will decide our eternal future, so we should think deeply.

Joshua’s words have a resonance for us today. We too have to reflect on our lives and face the choice God gives to us, He gives us free will. Everyone has to decide whether to serve God, or the gods of our time. Life is constantly calling on us to make choices, and God allows us to say either yes or no, but we must face the consequences if we make the wrong decision,.  Many people do not wish to consider, but will one day regret not doing so.  Fundamentally, it is a case of serving the Lord or His adversary the devil, and so many people are quite happy to serve the latter.  

We may not have the same idols as gods, which did the Jews, but we have our own modern day gods. Whilst many people today may not even have heard of the Ten Commandments, one reminds God said we should have no other gods but Him.

 People believe they can do without God.  They live as if there was no tomorrow. We see gluttony, alcohol and drug abuse, and unrestricted sex everywhere.    

 Following God is a personal decision you must make for yourself, no one else can make it for you.  It has to be accepted however that it may mean personal sacrifices have to be made, we must remain faithful to Him, and give up doing things which are wrong in His sight. So we must consider our priorities.   

We are facing a time of ungodliness.  On every front there is an anti-Christian bias. Discord and discouragement is being sown in the lives of Christian people.  We have to resist on every front, so as to maintain a Christian faith and presence.

In our schools and universities, and in intellectual circles the Bible is seen as some form of hate literature, and religious studies have to include other faiths in as much, if not more so, than Christianity.

The BBC has appointed people of other faiths to be directors of Christian programmes, and the Church accepts it.  You can be assured, they would never appoint a Christian to direct Islamic or Hindu programmes. But that is just the BBC anti Christian bias.

 The Courts, favour those who challenge Christian expression in cases taken before them, and reflect no credit on the judiciary who seem determined to eradicate Christian faith from public life.

 We constantly read and hear reports of young people between the ages of 7 and teenage years, terrifying whole neighbourhoods.  They abuse, assault, vandalise and rob at will, and if anyone should remonstrate with them that person runs the risk of stabbing or serious injury. On several occasions, men with families have been killed whilst defending their property.  Whole gangs roam the streets seeking confrontation with other gangs and their members, which have cost the lives of substantial number of young men, sometimes innocent victims. 

On so many occasions, broken homes have been a cause of such behaviour, with a mother unable to control or showing an utterly irresponsible line.  One 12 years old boy terrified an estate, and his mother said he was ‘her little Satan, but wasn’t really evil’. An unwitting contradiction in terms, but added he just needs understanding.  He certainly needs something, but more severe than understanding. Yet again an absent father.

‘A nation is only as strong as its homes’, said Abraham Lincoln, and today our homes are reflecting the state of the our nation, which is in the deteriorating state of moral and social decay, which should make us fear for the future of our children and grandchildren.

The home now doesn’t mean as much today as it used to do, and to so many people the idea of two people being married as the ideal, is old fashioned and rather stupid.   

Marriage was built on the foundations of the Bible, but now legislation has been made which re-defined marriage to include people of the same sex.  This has become the norm within the Church, because some clergy do not like to see anyone upset.

 It has been said that in 100 years from now, marriage will have ceased to exist, and if some members of the government have their way,  it will be less. 

We have so much unhappiness and trouble in the home today, because we've got away from God's laws, rules, and regulations governing marriage, When God performed the first marriage, He laid down the rules, and He said if you want to have a happy home, obey these rules. If you want to have trouble, disobey them.

There cannot be division within a family. If a house is divided against itself it will fall. It is of course easier and better if both persons are worshipping Christians.

The Bible says, listen to your father’s instruction and do not forsake your mother’s teaching.   We can learn so much from Jewish parenthood.  Father’s teaching to his children of the Ten Commandments, one for each of the ten fingers, and the history of the Jewish people from the Old Testament, and the mother controlling behaviour.  I have never known nor heard, of a Jewish child being involved in violent disorder or crime.  When I have sought an answer, I have been told it is because of the Jewish Mama in the home.

I am sure he is correct, but I am also sure that there are many mothers in addition who are devoted to their children. Mothers can indeed have a great effect on children. 

I was often required to be away from the home for long hours, and it is a great tribute to my wife that two of my sons became ordained, and have proved to be very successful Ministers.

Far too many children are left to their own devices.  How can teenagers roam the streets drunk and threatening people, stabbing other teenagers, and forming life threatening other gangs, without the parents knowing of it.  The streets of our  cities have been the scene of so many stabbings, and knives  have been the weapons used.

Everywhere, people search for happiness from the wrong things and wrong places.  Many criminals have come from homes where there has been no peace, no discipline nor Christian values or teaching. The biggest cause of young criminals is due to marital breakdown and separation

If any country is to defend its values successfully, it must rediscover the Christian faith in which those values are ultimately rooted.  When the founding principles are eroded, and the morality and biblical fundamentals are taken away, there is no foundation for society, which is a dangerous thing and we are seeing some of the consequences developing.

  

  So we must consider our priorities. Do we put the Church before all other calls for our presence?   There can be no compromise, no trying to accommodate society’s ways. In every Church there are Christians whose relationship is only formal and outward, a case of being associated with Jesus without being united.

Sometimes the faith goes cold.  There is only one way to remain on course and that is to be close to your Church, not to have a periodic attachment. We are facing a time of ungodliness. If we are to faithfully serve Him, we must seek Him, which means we call on Him, remain faithful to Him, and give up doing things which are wrong in His sight..

We need to let God know we serve Him, which I believe, is what God wants to hear. Choosing whom to serve affects not only ourselves, but our children.  Our families and homes are in constant danger. Parents must realise that having children means bearing responsibility for how they behave. 

The Church will have to look and consider its position.  We are constantly being reminded by the press as to how people are turning away from the Church, with the blame being placed firmly on the Church.  Whilst to some degree this is true, the true responsibility rests upon those who fail to attend and encourage children not to attend..  Society was more stable and balanced when people did attend.

. Does the same fire which burned in the lives of the outstanding men of God in the past still burn in today’s preachers?    

 Many ministers are afraid of speaking out lest they be accused of some kind of phobia by minority factions.  Ministers are however faced with a dilemma in faithfully teaching Biblical morality in these times as many of their congregations would find a strain on their consciences in view of their lifestyles.   How heartening to hear the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Westminster saying ‘I am not here to be popular. I’m here to be successful.’ 

Joshua was not convinced the people were sincere when they promised to serve the Lord, and challenged them several times before accepting their word.  He knew that commitment and obedience were required.  He told them they were dealing with a God who would not be trifled with.  Eventually,  he believed them and erected a stone under an oak tree to commemorate the binding of people to serve the Lord their God.

They did not however follow their commitment and a whole new generation grew up who had no knowledge of the Lord.  We see how history can repeat itself.  As Christians, we have a commitment to serve God. Just as Joshua reminded the Jews of all God had done for them, so must we reflect on all that which God has done for us, and respond accordingly.

  

 Joshua made his choice, let us make ours, and say, ‘we will serve the Lord.’

 

I want to speak to you this morning on a verse from Psalm 11. (v3)

‘When the foundations are being destroyed, what shall the righteous do?’

 What are the foundations? The traditional foundations are, of law and order, social cohesion, morality based on biblical values and teaching, Christian education being given in schools, politicians creating legislation based on Christian principles.

 Much of those foundations have now been destroyed, to such an extent that there are now no moral absolutes, all is relative and one does one’s own thing.

 In all our Churches in this country, each Sunday morning there will be people like you who devotedly come week by week to join in worship. After the service, most will return home and probably have little to do with the Church until the following Sunday.  Others may attend a midweek meeting, but even fewer will follow with great interest deeper matters affecting the Church at large.

 I hear people expressing regret at falling attendance, which I share, due mainly to illness preventing attendance, dying or frustration.  I take services in quite a number of Churches of mixed denomination, and particularly notice difference from previous visits. The sad point is, we are just not attracting the younger generation, or even men and women less than 50 years of age, especially in the case of the Church of England, and  from the middle class of society.

 But is it any wonder; for any thinking person would ask themselves, what does the Church stand for?  I don’t know; I know what it should stand for, but there is a marked difference. I doubt if anyone could give a true definition.

 General Synod meets, and when I am reminded of the approaching of a Synod, I shudder and wonder what embarrassment I am likely to suffer for being known as an Anglican clergyman.  I have taken Methodist services, which to some extent is equal or perhaps even worse than the Church of England. Methodism was founded by two brothers Charles and John Wesley, two of the greatest evangelists this country has known, who set out in the clearest of terms, the belief of the Church, which have now been cast aside.

 We have therefore, two of the largest Churches in this country flagrantly preaching and ignoring the Word of God, and celebrating having done so. This is proved well founded, when  the Church upholding and approving what is unequivocally in contradiction as stated in the Bible.  Indeed, in the Church of England senior clergy are describing the statement, that marriage is only between a man and a woman, as hate speech. From the beginning of the first page of the Bible and throughout, God has made that sacrament, and the Lord Jesus confirmed this. (Are they hate speakers?)

 We have God’s order of creation ignored by (largely) men transitioning to women, but also fewer women to men, which eminent medical surgeons have stated is impossible. The Church has accepted this practice and even produced a form of liturgy to enable them to be baptised under their(claimed) new gender.

 Those of us who are privileged to be Ministers in our Churches have passed through Ordination and have vowed before God in a Cathedral service. In that service we accept that we will follow the will of God and not our own; to minister the doctrine and discipline of Christ, and to banish and drive away all doctrine contrary to God’s Word. 

 There is no doubt, not all are holding fast to such vows.  This is due to some being fearful if they do too closely they will upset someone.  Increasingly, others just do not fully believe in what they are called to believe; some want to follow society’s ways.

 So it was with a mixture of alarm, despair, astonishment, and frankly disgust that a motion  calling for Synod to reject an alternative motion, which stated there was ‘a  need for the Bible to be for  the common good’; in other words, rejecting the authority of the Bible. There was also the case of Bishops, the senior Officers of the Church, supporting motions which were in direct contradiction of the Bible’s teaching; in other words what God has called us to follow.

 The government is being pressed into legislating a Bill to banish Conversion therapy. I understand there was a form of therapy that was physically painful, but the new Bill relates to a ban on any clergy responding to people, who changed their sexuality and then regretted having done so, and wish to return to their previous state. Prayers for guidance or conversation to help, will be banned. So Christian teaching is banned. This is totally wrong, and is being pushed forward by activists who say it is wrong to help such people, but it should be noted there was no protests when they were converting the other way.

 If we cannot get clergy believing, supporting and living according to the Bible, we cannot expect God to bless and add to the Church. Remember, the Bible states it is God who builds up the Church.

 In addition, we have an aggressive and forceful secularist and humanist lobby with a fixed and stated agenda to remove Christianity from the public arena, which they are determinedly pursuing, by activists in education, the press and judiciary and parliament, and as you have seen above, even within the Church now, and the Church is not combating them.  Notice too how they do not attack Islam, for they know their followers will challenge them, being more committed to their faith.

 Our language is under attack to change to an idiocy where man and woman is out, Mothers and fathers, and simple words changed for not good reason. Government departments send out instructions to say him and her should not be used, but them and they quoted. Utter madness by a few unbalanced young minds.

 So to the question, ‘what shall the righteous do?’  If a house is to last, it must be built on a strong foundation. Otherwise it will begin to crumble and the house will fall. In the same way, a church whose foundation is weak cannot endure. God’s Word is our true foundation.

Even those who were not Christians, were basing their ideas for a new nation, on those Christian principles that we find in the word of God. In this age of religious pluralism, we are told that no one religion should influence the decisions of those in political power, and the influence of Christian standards will not be considered. This appears to be in contrast to the words of Jesus, ‘that His disciples ‘go therefore and make disciples of all nations’ (Matthew 28 v 19)

We must continue to spread the word of God in a world that is hostile to it, and live what we preach.  We must live in such a way as to show others how right it is to live according to God’s word.    

The righteous are represented by the Church, which is a moral disinfectant for the nation. Therefore the Church should stop embracing, applauding and practising what is deemed to be wrong in Scripture.  If others outside the Church wish to indulge, that is a matter for them and God will one day make a judgement.

There is false teaching being put out, which is being accepted rather than the factual one, that one only has to be a nice honest person to attain a future place in heaven. There is also a marked reluctance to preach the need for repentance and personal acceptance of Jesus as Lord and Saviour.

We need to be more positive, even aggressive, in giving people a clear vision of what it means to be a Christian and to have a Christian based society.   We now have to proclaim it boldly, and challenge those who try to put us down. We have allowed the absolute authority of the Bible to be challenged, so that people venture more and more away from its teaching.     If Christians lose the shared beliefs, that have held us together, we will begin to fall apart and disintegrate. 

 The Church is beginning to look more influenced by the world rather than the other way round.  The more we try to be relevant, the more irrelevant to our purpose we become.  We should not be blown away by every whim of public opinion, but let our anchor hold in the storms of life.   Let us stand for the old standards, the way Christians once did no matter how difficult that might become, and not go with the trend of the times where the secularists are setting the agenda.

 A great difficulty arises within the Church, in that it does not speak with one voice and message, and therefore lacks credibility..  At present we have those who are theologically conservative trying to be faithful to Scripture, whilst those of liberal persuasion, want to rewrite those parts of Scripture which do not conform to modern morality and social custom.  It is fatuous and irrational, to suppose biblical injunctions, which do not conform to modern attitudes, can be reinterpreted to suit to-day’s requirements.  

The Bible does not need any amendments. We have allowed the absolute authority of the Bible to be challenged, so that people venture more and more away from its teaching.  God will condemn those who challenge His authority

 This can only cause confusion in people’s minds. They can be excused for saying if the Church can’t make its own mind up, how can they expect us to believe and trust them.     No Muslim would ever think of challenging their holy book, the Koran, and look in amazement that even within the Church, there are those who dispute much of our Holy Book.

 The last paragraph in the Bible  warns against anyone who adds words, or takes words away from this book.  The Apostle Paul warned Timothy to preach the Word of God as it was written under the inspiration of God.  When all in the Church observe these warnings, God will richly bless the Church.

The Church in the West is in decline, in stark contrast to Africa, Asia, South America, where the Churches have memberships of thousands.  The reason these Churches are so strong is because of the strong biblical foundation, and they have not been tearing the Bible away as we have in the West.  They still believe it and boldly proclaim it, often suffering much hardship for doing so.    Many Churches in the West have given up on Scriptural teaching and have engaged in dismantling the Bible and re-interpreting to fit in with the morality (or lack of it) they wish to portray and avoid any suggestion of future judgement. 

 A pastor in America was asked a question on a television show which the host knew would be controversial. He was asked to give his opinion as a pastor on homosexuality.  He replied “ I’m not called to give my opinion. I’m called as a pastor to give the scriptural position on it.  It doesn’t mean that I have to agree with you to love you. I don’t dislike anybody. I love everybody.”   “I think that sex between two people of the same sex is condemned in the Scriptures, and as long as it is condemned in the Scriptures, I don’t get to say what I think. I get to say what the Bible says.’

 The Church should be following the example set by the Apostles who were taught by Jesus who sent them out to proclaim His gospel.  They went out across the world telling of the unique and divine Birth of Jesus; His being sent by God to do His work on earth, to die upon the Cross for the forgiveness of all our sins, that we may be made righteous in God’s sight, and was risen from the dead and continued to teach |His Apostles until ascending back to heaven.  God then sent the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles at Pentecost with the message that all who accept Jesus as Saviour will be granted salvation.

    Whilst Christianity has been the faith of this country for centuries, in recent times our Churches have retreated and allowed a secular agenda to exercise undue influence on both society and the Church.  People, I believe, are longing for and wanting spiritual leadership. Our strength is limited only by our faith.

 The House of Lord has a small number of Bishops who are granted the right to sit in that part of Parliament, the purpose meant to be that they could hold the government of the day to  account in moral legislation. Yet some dreadful laws have been made, some of which allows the teaching of sexuality to children of tender years without any protest from the sitting bishops. (or later).

    An occasion arose in the country where such teaching was given with inappropriate books being used, and a group of mothers made a vigorous protest outside the school.  It should have been the Church making the protest to the head teacher.

 When you become a Christian you effectively become like a soldier, there is warfare between what the world wants and what God has laid down, and we enter a battlefield.  The Bible calls on us to stand firm and not yield. 

    Every army needs to attack, and we should be promoting Christianity as vigorously, as other faiths push their faith, armed with the two edged sword of truth.  Our faith is based on the historical and divine Jesus Christ who calls for people to turn back to God.

 Never let us be ashamed to tell the story of a Saviour who gave His life on the Cross, so that all we unworthy people may have our sins forgiven, because He died that we may be made righteous for heaven when our life on this earth is over. May we well remember the sacrifices others made on our behalf that we might be here at this hour?  We must never ever forget the lives of so many gallant young men and women given that we may have peace in our lives, and Christianity in our hearts.

 We need to be more positive, even aggressive, in giving people a clear vision of what it means to be a Christian and to have a Christian based society.   There is a spiritual and moral vacuum, and if we do not fill it, some other philosophy will, which will be much inferior. 

 All who treasure the Christian faith, and the memory of those who gave their lives to preserve a Christian heritage, must work and pray for a spiritual revival of the Christian Church.   The valiant hearts that died to preserve the loveliness of these lands we call Great Britain, will not be failed by God.

   

May the Word of God be always uttermost in our thinking and speaking. And may His Holy Name be glorified.

 

 

Isaiah 6

My message to-day, is from the Old Testament which reminds that it is an essential part of the Bible, to which Jesus often referred.

The story refers to an event which occurred two thousand eight hundred years ago, at a critical period in the history of the land of Judah.

      King Uzziah had died after a reign of 52 years, and the nation waited to    see who would take his place.  For most of his reign, he had ruled wisely, but towards the end had become proud, and felt he could do what he liked, and his pride led to his downfall.   Pleasure and materialism, leading to immorality, so led to a spiritual and moral vacuum, and he contracted leprosy.  He saw evil as good and good as evil, which the Bible warns against. 

     If we look at Western society, we see evil everywhere.  In both Britain and America, newspapers are full of horrific deeds and cruelty.  The older generations here in Britain, will remember when we could allow our children to go to the local park without any concern, knowing they would be reasonably safe; when older folk did not fear being attacked in their own home; when it was safe to leave your front door open and windows at night; when girls and young women could walk the streets without fear of sexual assault.  I think much of this would resonate with American friends.

     We have too, a spiritual and moral crisis,  When you listen or read the newspapers, do you ever wonder if it is you or the world around you that is going mad.  Political correctness is taken to extremes. It is no longer permissible to refer to husband or wife, or even man or woman.  Emergency services personnel cannot go into a pond three feet deep to rescue a stranded person, unless had full life saving training and one man died as a result of such policy,  and so it goes on endlessly all to justify some bureaucrats having a job. 

     Added to all such happenings, we have the Churches deviating from God’s written Word, and His order of creation challenged.

     We have to remove the cross from crematoriums lest it offend a humanist, and not refer to BC and AD to avoid offending non -Christians.  If you stand for biblical morality you are intolerant, and to claim Jesus as the only Saviour is discriminatory.  As Christians, we should not allow ourselves to be turned away from biblical teaching. 

     When we accept and recognise God as the Bible portrays Him, mighty, majestic and sovereign, who rules the whole world, we will feel compelled to strive for the gospel to be made known widely.

Isaiah is led by God’s grace in his commission as a Prophet, after having  a vision.

     The book of Isaiah in the Bible, conveys the lasting impression of the vision of God in His infinite holiness. He heard the voice of God asking ‘who shall I send?’. Isaiah replied, ‘here I am Lord send me.’ (this is the basis for that lovely hymn, I the Lord of sea and sky)

     Isaiah said he saw the Lord, and recognising that no one has ever actually ‘seen’ visibly the Lord, he meant that God reveals Himself to us in a multiplicity of ways.  We are to look up to God, and realise His provision of forgiveness which He makes possible for us through the death of Jesus on the Cross.  Try to see this amazing God of grace, as contained in the words of one of the favourite hymns by John Newton’s ‘Amazing grace’. 

      In v 6-10, God decrees the Prophet’s ministry will have a hardening effect on his own generation. In the midst of a people who were more and more giving themselves over to things, which were not part of God’s desire. And should not be compare with anything holy,  The effect on the prophet was overwhelming, taken together with his own turning from the Lord with his own sins. He could only see himself as a failure. Isaiah felt he had let down his holy Lord.

.       There was a surge of materialism, irresponsible behaviour, and a failing to honour the Lord.   Isaiah preached to the Jews, but they hardened their hearts and rejected God,  and so received God’s judgement.  In the midst of all the unrest and turmoil, Isaiah saw God was looking after His own.

      The message given is one of solemn judgement. It is not for the people to hear the implications of the message. They are to go blinder and their hearts made hard,  and the nation to be destroyed.

     There  is a sense of total devastation, but still there is a promise. As a stump of a tree grows, so shall  they flourish, and the people may gather again with the service ad dominion of the Almighty creator of Israel.

     Today holiness is mocked and replaced by happiness, for we are not to rebuke bad behaviour as it makes people feel guilty and hurts their feelings. Being holy means hating sin.

      There are many today who think they can live as debauched a life as they like, and when things go wrong they start crying why did God allow this, forgetting God is a righteous God.  People need to be reminded that God is not a remote being, having little or nothing to do with everyday affairs, He is involved in all our lives and we offend Him at our peril. 

Another hymn that needs to be considered is Immortal Invisible God only wise, a God that sees all, and is there when we call upon Him.

 

 May God’s Holy Name be Praised and He be glorified

 Ephesians 2 v 11 /end

I am turning to the Epistle to the Ephesians.in Chapter 2

In this passage there are two parts. In verses 11-15 Christ makes peace between Jew and non-Jew (Gentile) to unify one people.  There is only one united people of God.

    Our epistle looks at the hostility that existed between Jew and Gentile in Paul’s time.  The Jews hated the Gentiles, so much so, that if a Gentile woman fell into difficulty during labour, they would not help her, in order to stop another Gentile being born into the world; and the Gentiles were not too fond of the Jews either.

The Jews saw themselves as God’s chosen people, which gave them the right to hate others; they had been promised the Messiah; and they alone had been part of God’s Covenant.  Anyone else did not belong to God’s people, which meant judgement with hell, as the natural consequence.

The Jews had a national home in Palestine, but were scattered around the Mediterranean area.  Wherever they went they took with them a high moral standard, and pure faith in a holy and righteous God in contrast to the Gentile gods.  They did not want to be dragged down morally, by those who lived in a world of moral and spiritual corruption.  For them, the Mosaic law was the solution, for it regulated every aspect of life.  So it was this law which separated Jew and Gentile.  The Jew was determined to maintain this separation, and not let the Gentile have a share in the promise of salvation, unless he accepted and obeyed every line of the law.

The Jews considered the Gentiles had rejected God, which in fact they had, so causing a dividing line of hostility.  In the Temple Courts, there were separate Courts, and there was an inscription on the wall, which stated that any Gentile caught within the Temple area would face death.  The Temple was at the heart of Judaism, and was a symbol of all the law stood for,    

The Gentiles had their own gods. It was a multi-faith society, and like those today who have their own gods of money, property, etc, all of which do not give the spiritual satisfaction of belief in the one true God, they were without hope, for there is no fulfilment in an empty product.

To be separated from Israel was to be separated from Christ, because salvation was from the Jews. God had made his Old Testament redemption and promises by his oath bound covenants with Abrahamic, Davidic and Mosaic covenants, but the new covenants fulfils all the divine promises

The Gentiles had a mixed reaction to the Jews.  Some returned the hatred; others were attracted by the moral outlook of Judaism.  They saw in the Jewish Synagogue, fellowship and brotherhood, that contrasted with the disintegration of their own society.  They saw noble standards.  The barrier was the acceptance of 613 laws, plus any Rabbinic additions.    

The Gentiles felt like many people today, in that they did not seem to belong to anything, and had no clearly defined belief.  They knew there must be something better within their grasp, and wanted to find it.

We can see a parallel situation within the main line Churches to day.  People see clearly defined doctrine being ignored, and re-interpreted, to suit and embrace modern culture, and to make the Church appear worldly friendly, but  which lacks a clear moral basis.  So each year, there is a decrease in the number of members, whilst people go to the small evangelical churches or just drop away, which is extremely sad and very worrying for the future.      

          The evangelical wing, has formed an association called the Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans, which is campaigning for a return to orthodox doctrine and biblical integrity, yet whilst everyone is entitled to an opinion, some of the remarks from the liberal establishment, you would think they were trying to destroy the Church and deprive people of their liberty.   

Paul was trying to explain the loss of not being Jews. The Gentiles were seen as foreigners, and as such were excluded from all the benefits of Israeli citizens, namely the promises made by God to Moses and David. 

Paul believed that all Gentiles, apart from Christ were unsaved and without God.  This meant there were two classifications, Jews or Gentiles.  To be brought near, meant to have access to God. In Christ’s death, he died not only for Jews, but for all his followers even for those who were far off.

When the word peace is mentioned, it refers to a harmonious friendship between all peoples in the church.  The opposite of peace is hostility which Christ quenched.

Whilst Paul was an Apostle to the Gentiles, he still had great concern for the Jews, and was striving to bring the two together.  He talks of the dividing wall, which prevents them from mixing, and says we all have to get right with God, and until we do so we will not get right with other people.  We get the answer by Jesus death on the Cross, who brings reconciliation for us to be right with God and people. Jew and Gentile can now sit down together as one, and form what became known as the third race, Christians.

In the mention of commandments and ordinances, this referred to the Mosaic law which would separate Israel from other nations.  This created a dividing wall which Christ had abolished, by removing people from the law’s condemnation.  This meant a new man denoting a human race under Christ.

Paul uses illustrations which would be vivid to a Jew, to show hatred can be ended, and unity achieved.  He said those who were far off had been brought near. 

When Rabbis spoke about receiving a convert into Judaism, they said he had been brought near.  He assures the Gentiles and Jews, that they can be followers of Jesus, and end the resentment because of the peace earned for them by His death on the Cross.

You Ephesians, he says, "are no longer strangers and foreigners’. Once you were strangers, says the apostle. You did not know what God could do for you. Now that you have come to Christ you are no more strangers.

And you are no longer foreigners, either. A foreigner is different than a stranger. A foreigner may be very familiar with the country in which he lives. He may have lived there for years, but he has no ultimate rights. He is living on a passport.   

So as we come to Church, perhaps even on a regular basis, we have to be careful, we come not like the foreigner with a passport, but as one who has the full rights of a citizen of the Kingdom of God.          

Paul is writing as a Jew to a largely Gentile people, and wants to show how wonderful it is to be a Christian and to belong to a Church. He sees the Christian as part of a great building, and each Christian a stone built into the Church.  Jesus is the corner stone, and if you take the cornerstone away the building will collapse. A cornerstone, is the main stone in the course of foundation, which ensures the building is square, and in a heavenly family with one Father, and with Jesus, and we have a common spirit.    

 Unity comes from Jesus not from any organisation, ritual or liturgy.   When we are able to understand how God sees the Church, we will want to do all we can to make others want to become part of it.

In verses 16-18 there is Peace with God, which was obtained by the death of Christ on the Cross,  which had done away with the hostility between Israel and other nations.  Two parties were reconciled, brought into a relationship  to satisfy God’s wrath against his enemies. They are now friends in one body, the church

To draw near to God, and to enjoy him forever in the new creation, is both mankind’s greatest good and ultimate accomplishment of Christ’s earthly work of redemption.

Christians have to know and really be convinced, of who they are as members of God’s household if they are to live accordingly as one.  Strangers were deemed to have no connection with God.

We have to accept that our world has divisions, the clashes of interest are real.   Despite all the wonderful advanced technology and aids we have today, we haven’t advanced that much in relationships.  We have wonderful medical operations which perform heart transplants, yet many hearts are without compassion. 

In every walk of life we find hostility, even regrettably within the Church.    We don’t have to go back 2000 years however to find racial or cultural hostility. There was a wall in place in Belfast, erected during the troubles to keep Protestant and Catholic apart. 

Such rivalry in the name of religion was appalling, but even more shameful was the fact that such rivalry could have been cut out, if the Church leaders of both faiths had got together, and told their peoples to stop, for clergy in Northern Ireland have more influence, and are listened to more than here, but on either side there was support for their own factions, one especially so.   

There are differences between people, which God no doubt intended.  We are not, despite the efforts of the equality zealots in Parliament, all equal or the same.  Those inequalities and differences can be an asset.  You don’t have a body which is all hands or heads. If the body of Christ is to be complete and functional, it needs to have various qualities.  And each sex performs some functions in life in a better way than the other, and should be allowed to get on without interference.

Christians should be able to rise above strife. People sometimes see others through their own eyes.  We allow the emotional differences people have, to be given greater significance than what they have in common.

In the concluding verses of our passage, Paul wants to encourage us to come into a living relationship with God.

The final verse speaks of built on the foundation of the Apostles and prophets.  They were thought to be foundational  because they proclaimed the very words of God, which became the books of the New Testament. Since a foundation can be laid only once, there can be no further apostles or prophets to day, and their function has been replaced by the Bible.

The holy temple is where God meets with his people in joyful worship and fellowship.  We are children of God, who cares for us and has a purpose for our life.  As Christians, we belong to the church, this means we meet not with strangers, but as brothers and sisters of God’s family.

 

May God be glorified and His Holy Name be Praised

JOHN 8 v 12-30

 

The Pharisees continue to dispute with Jesus when he claims to be the light of the world, but the Jewish leaders would not accept his claim. Jesus said they were judging him by the flesh, which means by human standards.

The scene of the argument was in the Temple Treasury. This was situated in the Court of Women, so named as women could not proceed further than that, unless they were offering a sacrifice at the altar of the priests. Around the Court was a colonnade or porch, where chests for offerings were placed.

In this passage, Jesus made his claim in a vivid impressive setting. The Feast of Tabernacles was being held, and a ceremony called the Illumination  of the Temple. There were four great candelabra, and when the dark came they were lit up, and ablaze of light shone around Jerusalem, and all the courtyards of the city.  They were lit until dawn, and all kinds of men danced before the Lord, and sang psalms of praise to God whilst people watched.

Jesus was saying you have seen the blaze of light piercing the darkness, I am the light of the world for those who follow me.  There will  be light for only one night , but followers of me will be for life.  The light in the Temple in the end dies, I am then the light that goes on forever.

The phrase light of life, means two things, the light which gives life; Jesus is the very light of God.  Jesus was talking about following him, which means to be a follower who gives body and soul, and one’s spirit to the obedience of the Master. When we walk alone, we are likely to fall or go the wrong way, we need heavenly guidance to walk the right way.

When Jesus made his claim to be the light of the world, the Jewish leaders  reacted with hostility. To them it would be a claim only God. could make.  The Rabbis declared the name of the Messiah is light.

Jesus deals with his right to judge. His coming into the world was for judgment.  His claim was for love, for God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, and all who believe  in him, would have eternal life.

Jesus told the Jewish leaders bluntly, they had no real knowledge of God.  The fact that they did not recognize him for who he was, and what he was, was the proof they did not really know God.  The whole history of Israel was so made they should have recognized the Son of God.

Jesus was told his opponents he was going away, and after he had gone they would realize what they had missed, and will search but not find him.  this is a reminder for us. For everyone there is an opportunity to decide to accept Christ into their life, but the time is limited, and know not when their limit will end.  There is good reason to decide now Just as there is opportunity there is also judgment.

When Jesus spoke about going away, he was talking of his return to his Father and glory, and he could not be followed.  The Jews thought he might mean he would kill himself. Jesus said if they refused him, they would die in their sins.

The one who refuses to accept him as Lord and Savior will die with life frustrated, and life incomplete.  Sin separates us from God,  To refuse Christ, is a stranger to God, to accept him is to be a friend to God.

Jesus went on to draw contrasts.  His opponents belong to earth, he is from heaven. They are of this world, he is not. The world is the opposite of heaven. He came  from heaven

to save this world, he was sent by God.  The world is God’s creation, it was through God’s Word that the world as made. However bad the world is, God would never abandon the world.

But when the creator came into the world, the world did not recognize him,  the world does not know the spirit of  God, and there is hostility to God.  The world is separate from God, yet between God and the world. there is no gulf that cannot be spanned.?

God so loved the world, that He sent His Son into the world.  God would never abandon the world it is His love and the recipient of His greatest gift. But, at the same time there is something wrong with it, there is a blindness, for when the creator of the world came into it, the world did not recognize Him.

The world cannot receive the spirit of truth. There is a terrific blindness which does not recognize God or Jesus, the world is hostile, and the followers of Jesus can only expect trouble.

There is only one conclusion, the world is not what it was meant to be; something went wrong and that was sin. Sin is that which separates God from the world; it blinds the world from God.  Jesus came with a cure; he brings forgiveness. He brings grace and strength for one to live as God meant it to be, but a cure can be ignored.

A doctor may prescribe a cure for a patient to cure some disease, or some operation to restore the patient back to good health and strength.  He could point out that any failure to respect the prescription could lead to death.  This what Jesus was saying; if you don’t believe I am what I say I am, you will die in your sins.  If we do not accept the cure Jesus gave, we die.

Anyone can see the world is evil and there is a loss of peace. The world needs to recognize Jesus as a cure, only disobedience to His wisdom and he acceptance of Him as Savior and Lord can individual souls be cured.

The opponents of Jesus demanded to know who Jesus was, and Jesus replied. ‘I am the One I claimed to be.  I have much to say to you, and much to condemn, but I will not. For I will only say what I gave been told to say from the One who sent me, and He is completely truthful. I always do things that please Him.

The passage closes affirming not only the lack of sin and the avoidance of sin, but that Jesus is doing things which are pleasing to God.

 

May God’s Holy Name be praised and He be glorified.