The sermon on the Mount Part 5 MATTHEW 7 v 13-29

In this part of the Lord's teaching, He begins to come to a conclusion. The lessons He here teaches are general and full of wisdom. He puts down a general guidance for doubtful situations. We are to deal 

with others as we would wish them to deal with us.
In the second place He gives warning against the way of many in religion. We are not to follow what others might do. He tells what is broad and leads to destruction, and states the arrow way is the road to everlasting life.

Our religion is not that of the multitude. We have no reason to feel discouraged or cast down, and should not think it is unpopular or only a minority follow, the true flock of Christ has always been small,

Jesus gives warning against false prophets, and the word of God (the Bible) will disclose them. The world, the flesh and the devil are not the only danger for Christians.

Jesus winds up the sermon by turning from false prophets to unsound teachers. He states not everyone who claims to be Christian will be saved and go to heaven, it needs more than people think. It is not enough to go to Church, be baptized, even hold Office in the Church. Have all repented? Are all leading holy lives? the one who has fulfilled those questions is like the man who builds on rock and has a sure foundation; the one who has not fulfilled is like the one who builds on sand and collapses at the first bad time.For Jesus there was only one thing that mattered, changed lives; lives that listened to the Word of God, and those who did not, all else was hypocrisy, and religious hypocrisy is the worst of all. So how do we make right judgements as to whether we enter Christ’s kingdom, or be cast into a dark Christ less eternity. Hear the words of our Lord.

Jesus was travelling to Jerusalem and the Cross where he would die, to obtain forgiveness for all the sins of his followers that they may become acceptable to his Father, God. On his way he was teaching and trying to bring his own people, the Jews, to find salvation.

The Rabbis taught the salvation was an assured thing for Jews as God’s chosen people, but Jesus was not following a nationalistic course, and warned that non -Jews would be admitted into his kingdom. This caused one man to ask Jesus if only a few would be saved, but Jesus did not give a direct answer, he just said make sure you are.

Turning to verse 13, Jesus said, enter by the narrow door. He always taught there are two gates, two roads. He said there are two destinies, heaven and hell and divided people into two classes. There are only two roads, no third, no alternative.

This is not generally liked as it is seen as being too restrictive, too bigoted and intolerant, and we don’t like to be judged. Yet in spite of all this, Jesus says we must enter through the narrow door. So let us look at the choice we face and consider honestly which road each of us is on and to where heading.
It is like coming to a crossroads, each road going in the opposite direction. On the broad road you enter by a wide gate and the road is spacious, there is plenty of room on it and there are plenty of people on it. It is the road of self-gratification without any restrictions, room for diversity of opinion, lack of morality, permissiveness, no curbs or boundaries, you can twist and adapt the Bible to ease your conscience, so you can follow the desires and inclinations of your headThere are even otherwise decent men and women on it, so many claiming to be Christians albeit without due cause. It is widely assumed, and strongly encouraged by the secular press, that if you are honest and sincere you will go to heaven.

The Bible is all about commitment. We are reminded of the superficiality of commitment in our own time. Less than 10% of people think God worthy of one hour per week to visit a Church. Yet if you were to ask people their religion, the vast majority would reply C of E and seriously consider they were Christians.

As we come to the narrow gate leading to the narrow road, which Jesus wants us to take but says only few take it, and those who do must do through Him. John 14 despite being non correct in many Churches now, still states ‘no one can come to the Father except through Jesus Christ.’ He is the only way.
Being narrow these days means you are classed as bigoted or phobic. You are expected to be broad minded, be modern, 2+2=5. The road is narrow because it is the way of truth and truth is always narrow. It is the way of holiness and righteousness.Jesus said there is a life to come and it is a long life, it is eternal, and there are only two destinies, and as you come to the crossroads, you alone choose, God will not push you. He gave you the ability to choose and lets you do so. Where you end up in eternity will be determined by which road you take, so what you do in the world is important.

One of these roads leads to destruction the other to life with Jesus. He took time to remind people of the seriousness of salvation. He wanted all to be sure of the future. People do prefer the easy road in life but Jesus made it plain He wants us to journey down the difficult road and enter the narrow gate.
Neither can the narrow road be pursued if we are motivated by a desire to please society. True disciples of Jesus Christ will not play to the galleries nor form values according to the passing approval of people in general. God’s approval is all that matters.

Finally Jesus speaks firmly and rather profoundly when He says not all who think they are to enter the Kingdom of heaven will in fact do so. But it can be hard to be a Christian in this country at the present time and many find the going too hard and strenuous and the opposition oppressive. Any open expression of our faith is likely to lead to suspension or dismissal from work. There is so much harassment of Christians which is not reported here and you have listen to the American news channels to discover what is going on in this country.

So  ends the Sermon on the Mount. There had never been a sermon like this before, and there has not been like it since.  Let us see that it has an influence on our souls.  It is addressed to us as well as those who first heard it,  We are they who will give an account of its heart-searchingLessons.  It is no light matter what we think of them. 

May God bless you.  May God be glorified

 

 

SERMON ON THE MOUNT (Part 4)    MATTHEW 6 v19 to 7 v12 `

The righteous of the Kingdom of heaven works out in the details of one’s personal life. Jesus calls His followers to choose their Master, either God or wealth, and to choose their outlook on life, either faith or worry.

W are told this implies a choice, between activities that lead to greater earthly reward at the present, or those who store up greater future reward in heaven.  The consequences of making the wrong decision, can be shown to be disastrous. In one ordinary day of life it is simple; wisdom to get for oneself those things which will  last, and to buy that which is made by good craftsmen. 

Throughout Scripture, he heart is the center of our being, with emotions, reason and will.  The eye is like a lamp which shows the quality of a person’s life; a healthy life with clear vision suggests devotion to God.

Jesus tells to avoid things which rust and destroy. so things are cast away. In the East, a man’s wealth, is in the corn and grain that he has stored in barns, but worms and rats could pollute it.  In such case there was no permanence.  He tells them to be careful in heavenly treasures, which can be stolen.  Often men would bury precious goods in a field or garden, but thieves dig through and take away.

In Palestine houses were very small with only a small window and. glass could easily be broken. Anyone whose happiness depends on things like these, are doomed to disappointment.   The reference in these examples, is not to store precious goods which are at the mercy of thieves.

The Jews were familiar wit the phrase treasure in heaven.  They said that deeds of kindness which people did upon earth, became a treasure in heaven.  The Christian Church embraced that saying when it first began.  The early Church lovingly helped the poor, the sick, the distressed and helpless and for those who had no one care for them.  The Roman authorities broke into the Church, to take the treasures they believed the Church possessed.  The Roman prefect demanded from the man in leadership, that he should show the treasures the Church held, and was shown the widows and orphans being fed, the sick being nursed, the poor being helped. These he was told were the treasures of the Church.  This has always been the practice of the Church.

The Jews always connected treasure in heaven with character. He only thing  a man can take out f this world is a finer self.

Jesus ends this section by stating the truth that where a man’s treasure is, the  heart is in that place.  The  heart is there also of everything that a man values, and sets his heart on earth, when he will have no interest in any world but this world. If through a person’s life eyes are upon eternity, then those will be of no value.  The eyes ought to be fixed on the land beyond.

  ;The idea behind this passage is one of simplicity.  The eye is regarded as the window by which the light gets into the whole body.  The color and state of the window, decide that light gets into a room,  If the window is clear , the light flooding into the room illuminates every part.  If the window is dirty or obscure, the light will be hindered. So then, says Jesus the light moves into a man’s heart and soul and being depends on the spiritual stated of the eye through which it has to pass, for the eye is the window of the whole body .

Jesus states there  cannot be two masters.  To fully understand this, we have to remember in the ancient world there were slaves, who were not identified as people, but things. They had no rights whatsoever, they were just a living tool.

A master could sell, beat, cast out, even kill a slave if he had not time for him.  The slave had no time of his own.   Today a person can work in the day, and for most people, the rest is their own time.

In our relationship to God, we have to consider what God wishes us to do, and cannot say I will do as I like.  The Christian has to be prepared to do as God requests. Jesus goes on to say you cannot serve God and Mammon. This is Hebrew for material possession.  The Rabbis had a saying, let the Mammon of thy neighbor be  as dear  to thine own. This word shows vividly how natural possessions take up a place that was not meant to be.  In the last analysis, all things belong to God.  Scripture makes this claim, the ‘earth is the fulness of the Lord.’

There are two great questions about possessions.  Were they obtained in good faith? Were they received in a manner that had no cause for concern? Possessions may be judged a the expense of honesty. 

Jesus moved on to birds and flowers.  There is no worry in their lives of birds, there is no point in worrying when there is nothing that can be achieved.  He goes on  to speak of flowers as one who has loved them, and in their being a life, have a beauty as better than the best of things

If God gives such beauty to short-lived flowers, how much more will He care for men and women,  Jesus goes on to  say we hope to be in the Kingdom of God, and to do the will of God,  To concentrate on doing  and the acceptance of God’s will, is the way to defeat worry.  In a persons’ life, such a love can inspire and justify the life and command our whole being.  He said live one day at a time.

Lastly He turned to the subject of judgment.  Time after time people have made serious  misjudgments, and so caused antagonism and sadness. We can never truly know the facts of another person unless perhaps, you lived with them for a long time.  A Rabbi once said do not judge a man until you yourself have come into his circumstances or situation  A person can be someone brought up in a good home ,will not understand a person brought up in a poor home .It is almost impossible for a man to be strictly impartial. But it was Jesus who stated the supreme reason why we should not rushing to judging, one is good enough to judge another.  Jesus lays down reasons why no person can judge another.

In every association, every Church. there are people prepared to criticize. There are some who even wander from the truth in the process.  Clergy victims have false facts placed against them.  There are people who think all clergy are rich men and they get upset when they don’t get handouts as freely as they ask,

We move on to the subject of giving; Christians  should come to God in humility and awareness of need.  Seek connects one’s prayer with responsible action in pursuing the will of God. Knock suggests perseverance.  Christians are to persist in prayer. Confident their heavenly Father will provide whatever is best for them, according to His sovereign will.

The Rabbis spoke lovely words about prayer. A man who prays should know the God he is praying to.  Is he praying by asking for something? So many people think God exists to answer all they ask for.  God will never refuse our prayers, and God will not mock our praying. God will always answer prayer in the best of ways for us.

God in this sermon, showed how we should respond to various subjects.  He spoke about judgment, but He doesn’t mean you are not pass judgment in all things.  We must  refrain to comment on the fairness of others.  He is against people looking for one making minor discretions. We should make bold judgment on any person. Male or female, who deliberately produce doctrine contrary to the Word of God.

A second lesson is to take care when speaking about another person’s religion. It is not wise to engage with people we don’t know much about.  People can become really aggressive and unpleasant. And you are both upset.

The closing verse of this sermon is the golden rule, whatever you wish that others would do to you, you do to them for this is the Law and the Prophets.

The next sermon will be the close of the Sermon on the Mount

 

W praise God’s Holy Name. MayHe be Glorified

  

  

SERMON ON THE MOUNT (PART  3)  MATTHEW 6   v1-16

In this part of the Sermon on the Mount, the Lord Jesus gives guidance on the subject of giving alms to the needy and prayer.  The Jews attached great importance on both.  These subjects deserve the attention of all Christians.

 The Jews had three religious subjects in which the good life was based; giving of alms. Prayer, and fasting.  Jesus did not dispute this, but He was concerned that for human beings, the fine things were used for wrong matters.

We must consider this subject accepting the guidance Jesus gives, but we must also consider we are living in a society so different, and approach in a balance manner.

 The vital question to answer is, what is the definition of needy?  A reasonable answer would be, those people who have not the personal means to be able to acquire the necessities of life. There are however many examples of people seeking money and food gifts, who at the same time are spending money on items of entertainment, or non-essential objects.

 In England, the present Socialist government has forsaken many elderly peopleby stopping fuel payments, which were previously paid to help pay the highestfuel bills in Europe and America, so causing their heating to be restricted in what has been a bitterly cold time, placing them in danger of ill-health. Yet at the same time, answering demands from highly paid workers in one trade, with further amounts. 

 I have mentioned what some people will political examples, but did Jesus not speak of political themes when one kind of people have been abandoned in favor of another.  I have quoted these examples to emphasise how needy is always a controversial term. 

 Jesus made it clear, He expected His followers to care for those who were poor and in need, and He would mean truly in need, and I have confidence that a vast number of Christians respond to that, and respond to the statement Jesus made that such giving would be done without personal announcing of their action, as He stated, not letting one hand know what the other is doing.

 Jesus turned to speak about prayer, quoting the Lord’s Prayer, which has been prayed many millions of time in Churches and elsewhere for centuries, and which

some misled clergy want to change.  This prayer was given by Jesus, and all must accept what Jesus said, we say, and to suggest change is an insult to our Lord.

One bishop on appointment, stated we should also say our mother, but if Jesus wanted to include our mother He would have said so, and he did not.  Another cleric stated the Lord’s prayer was problematic for people, and we should say our parent; I don’t know what his problem was; I thought it so silly a statement.

 There are people across the world still living in depressed conditions, deprived of the many aids we have who are totally committed to the words of the Bible, despite the fact they are doing so by hearsay, for they have no Bibles because they cannot afford to buy them.  Bible Societies campaign for gifts to supply bibles for different countries, I wonder if they have ever heard of Africa.

 The verses in the Lord’s Prayer are the most well-known wherever the Christian faith is  found. This is probably so full and simple, and is regularly taught as the first piece of Scripture.   

This prayer is of God, and was meant to be a prayer only for those who are committed to Jesus Christ.  The prayer is specifically stated to be the Apostles Prayer, for it was an Apostle who asked Jesus to teach them how to pray.

  The first three petitions are  to the glory of God,  The second three petitions are to do with our needs and necessities. The third petitions are in which we seek God’s aid and forgiveness.

The first sentence tells us we pray to OUR Father, not my Father, in heaven.

The second sentence is a petition respecting God’s name be hallowed. In saying this, we noting God is holy. We recognize His power, wisdom, holiness, judgment, mercy and truth, and that He may be known and glorified.  The Lord Jesus prayed, Father, glorify Thy Name, in John’s Gospel.

In the third sentence we pray for the coming of God’s Kingdom. That of grace whichGod sets up in the hearts of all Christians.   When Jesus returns to earth again, He will set up the Kingdom, in which sin and sorrow, and all evil will be cast out of the world, and all Jews shall be converted.  This fills an important event.

The fourth sentence is concerting God’s will, that it may be in earth as it is in heaven. We are praying that God’s laws may be obeyed by all people, and those who not now obey His laws will do so.  Our peace and happiness is subject to submission to God’s will.

The fifth sentence is a petition respecting our own daily needs. Give us our daily bread, indicating we are dependent on God to take care of us and for all our bodies require.

The sixth sentence is a petition regarding our sins ,or as is stated in the United States, our debts, which is that in the English Standard Version of the Bible.  We confess our need of forgiveness, and self-justifying.

The seventh sentence is a profession respecting our own feelings towards others; we ask our Father to forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors.  This is the only profession in which the whole prayer, and the only part on which the LordComments and dwells upon, when He has concluded the prayer.  This is to remind us we should not pray with malice or despite, in our hearts towards others, for such would be hypocrisy

The eighth sentence is a petition respecting our weakness towards temptation. We are all capable of falling into sin, and so confess our infirmity, and we ask God to hold us up when we are likely to fall, and so avoid us from all sin. We ask that we be prevented of damaging our souls, and never suffer us to be tempted above our ability to bear.

This is one of the more necessary petitions, for there have been occasions when people have walked out of Churches, when it was stated by a preacher that we are all subject to sin.  An enterprising Vicar in one Church in the Southern Counties in England, put a notice outside his church, which stated’ This Church is for sinners’, an obvious abbreviation of what he meant, but the following week two thirds of his congregation were absent.  It was in that area where people are more sensitive than in the North of the country.

The ninth sentence is a petition respecting our dangers. Deliver us from evil that is in the world, the evil that is within our hearts, and the devil.  We confess that as long as we are in the body, we are  hearing and feeling the presence of healing. We pray that God who is above all who can help us, and we plea for Him to protect and preserve us continually delivering us from falling from all ill.

The tenth and last petition is a description of praise. Thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory,  We declare these words in our belief that the kingdom of this world are the rightful property of our Father, and to Him alone belongs the glory but never consider what they are saying.  They do not care for the glory, the Kingdom, or the will of God.  They do not have the dependence, sinfulness, weakness or danger,  There is lack of charity for  their enemies, yet repeat the Lord’s Prayer.

May we resolve that by God’s help, our hearts should go together with our lips and not repeat this great prayer by speaking in robotic manner. People should be happy, who can truly say that God his/her Father through Jesus Christ our Savor 

.  We close by offering to Him the profession of our hearts, that we will give Him all honor and praise,  and will rejoice that He is king of Kings and Lord of Lords.

We examine ourselves and see whether we desire to have the things we have been taught to ask for in the Lord’s prayer.  It is feared that many people will repeat these words as a form.  Happy is he/her who can therefore say with a  heartfelt heartAmen to all that the Lord’s Prayer contains.

WE Praise God’s Holy Name and pray that He be Glorified 

       

Sermon on the Mount (Part 2)  Matthew v 17-48

The Sermon on the Mount is the most written, discussed, and commented upon in all of the Gospels.  It is  almost certainly the longest sermon you will ever read or heard .  The Sermon is one which is spread over four regular sermons, the first I submitted recently and contains the Beatitudes; two more will follow this sermon.

We begin with Jesus meeting a crowd of people on a mountain by  the hills surrounding the city of Capernaum; He was sitting on a seat, which was the practice of all Rabbis when teaching people.

The sermon gives a vision for a better society, with Jesus given as the best teacher, and is an enduring value for many people.

Jesus begins by calling on true Christians to be in the world, and display two ways to influence other people.  He chooses two subjects to illustrate his meaning. One is salt, which has a taste unlike anything else, but which adds flavor to food and acts as a preservative to keep for healthy, and fit for eating.  The other subject is light, that which makes life brighter away from darkness.  In the houses at that time, they were very small and needed candles, and Jesus was calling on people to let their lights be shown as they were of no use if covered; a light is also a guide which saves people going the wrong way, and acts as a warning of some danger.

Jesus was stating that Christians should be out in the world demonstrating a life worthy of the faith, and taking care to preserve a life devoid of improper ways.  They should also let themselves be seen, there is no secret Christianity, we should be a guide to people to a moral and good sense of living.

Jesus then states He did not come into the world to abolish the Law or the words of the prophets, on the contrary He came to support and fulfil the Law.

The Jews used the word law in different ways; to mean the Ten Commandments, the words of the prophets, Scribal law, and the Pentateuch, (the first five books of the Old Testament.  The Old Testament contains many principles to be followed under the guidance of God; lays down that the Sabbath is a holy day which should ban all working practices, even to cases of healing and writing.

The Ten Commandments are the essence and foundations of all Law, and call for a reverence and respect for God. they are the fundamental principles which Jesus stated should be obeyed. They are like a chain, if you break one link all the others fall off, and the sane principle applies to the Commandments, which many people now sometimes view, like an examination paper suggests any two from ten; f you break one you have offended against all.

Jesus was emphasizing the Old Testament is an essential need, which prepares and leads into the New Testament.  In order to have a true understanding of these verses close attention to the doctrine of the Bible, which Church leaders in the Western nations are disobeying in order to pander to the opponents of Bible marriage.

In verses 21-48

Jesus teaches an important section, and speaks with authority above all others.

He states that in God’s sight, a man who is angry is as bad as a man committing murder, for both have aggression in mind, and is thereby liable for judgment. We should also accept this refers to really strong anger, more so than feelings of annoyance against someone in an argument.  There are people who like to engage in fighting, and anger advances beyond reason.

Murder now is almost a daily crime, and not the violence it was once. Young people  have developed  a desire to engage in stabbing, and the consequences are grave, causing much pain and injury.

I can remember the days when our politicians were Christian gentlemen, and made and carried out legislation to fit the population’s needs.  This meant the Bible was a feature of their minds, and the words of the Bible were that anyone taking the life of another should be put to death. In our progressive age, such is rejected by those who live out of unsociable areas.  It is ironic, that those who shudder at the mention of capital punishment, and ignore the devastation it causes, are ready to support people assisting to terminate the lives of people without adequate protection against coercion.

We live in dangerous times, as we have to consider all the virtues in mind, but at same time consider the application in to-day’s world.

Jesus speaks about lust, and states that adultery is a sin when committed, but is also sinful when immorality is in the mind.  We are subject to immense immorality from television which portrays men approaching women with malicious intent.  This is seen in what is termed soap operas.  One program concentrates in Northern towns of the country, and their picture of life there is appallingly incorrect.  People in the poorest of districts often have more morality than anywhere else, but the stories produced with their own concocted version of life, only encourages people to think that is a necessity.  There is an ever ready will to do what others are thought to do, and are led astray.

The proximity of anger being to lust is appropriate combination. Any female of any age who ventures into a city or town in the evening or later is in danger.  This is fact, I have spent years working in a major city, and speak from experience.  Men latch on to a young woman, who becomes flattered by his manner, but soon finds she miscalculated.  Consider the number of murders committed on women who have been raped.  The sexual assault is a crime of great numbers.

The subject of divorce is an unpleasant one. It is sad that men and women meet and seriously feel they are in love, but the words of the marriage ceremony have in practice been changed.  The once until death do us part, has become until we are fed up.  These progressive politicians we have to endure have treated divorce with disdain.  A man can decide he would like a change of wife, and can proceed with a divorce claim without his wife’s consent (or even knowledge) and without cause. The prophet Malachi quotes God saying ‘I hate’ divorce.   I think it is the saddest act between a couple; two people once in love, now hate each other. How a man can leave a wife who has no desire for a divorce, and is left to bring children alone needs to suffer the rest of his life.  I know that is contrary to what we are considering, but even a clergyman has a right to express what is wrong in the devilish ways of life.

Jesus is against people taking oaths and use the name of God in vain. In law Courts witnesses are called upon to take a copy of the Bible and  swear by Almighty God they will only tell the truth, but then go on o tell lie after lie.  I have known Police Officers who are Christians decline to take the oath, on the basis that Jesus stated ‘let your yes must be yes and your no be no’.

Jesus next  moves on to retaliation and loving your enemy.  The Bible tells that God calls on people not to retaliate on someone who has wronged you but to leave it to Him to deal wit what is necessary.  This is something only Christians may do so, but sometimes retaliation only causes distress to the injured person so it is good advice to let God deal with.  I always think of the wording on a small plate in a Welsh village shop which read.  ‘when your enemy annoys you smile, it will make him more mad’

There is more sense in that advice than malice.

The  better way is to seek reconciliation which Jesus is calling for. My first Church was serving with a fellow Minister in a Church which caused him a lot of worry, members of the congregation were always difficult, and clergy are often played upon as people like to bully them knowing the man is unlikely to do  anything, and I have seen real gentle men really upset. I determined it would not happen in my church having seen what can result and mentioned in a kindly way that if anyone started an argument or caused upset to another person it would lead to being asked to leave.

The following week two women refused to speak to each other following a dispute.   I told them hey would be refused to come to worship until they resumed relations.

The next week they attended together and became more attached to each other.

There is more than enough trouble in the world and all Christians should follow and practice tolerance, not in the way activists define it whereas everyone has to accept their views, but rather to the way Jesus tells it, preparing to accept someone else views, and either let things be unless some serious repercussion might follow.

Constant  fighting only leads to hatred, which in turn is not Christian in any way, and can only cause an effect on health and distress to all concerned.

We should be happy to be Christians and in fellowship with others, and thankful for having the teaching from the best of teachers in the Lord Jesus Christ.

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We pray God be glorified

 

 

 

 

 

 

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  1 Corinthians  15  12-20

These verses are the continuation of last week’s passage.

Aul argues that there is a connection between the resurrection of Christ  in the recent past, and the future resurrection of the future. Some people in Corinth denied that belief, but Paul maintained if you denied it meant a denial of Christ’s resurrection.

The proof of Christ’s death was effective as a substitution sacrifice for sins, lies in the resurrection of the dead. Paul taught that that those who died, went to be with  the Lord immediately their death, and prior to their resurrection. He also believed of the believers eternal existence.  If there was no resurrection, there could be no eternal life.

The resurrection of  Christ, is grounded in the truth of eye witnesses testimony. God raised Christ as, the first fruits of all others who would also  be raised from the dead.

The first fruits, refers to a sample of an agricultural crop that indicates the  nature and quality of the crop. Therefore Christ’s resurrected  body gives a foretaste of what believers will be like .

Paul was thinking of a picture of the Feast of the Passover, which everyone knows the significance of the festival.  But in addition to the deliverance of the Israeli children, there was also a harvest due to be gathered in. The law laid down that people should take the first  fruits of  the harvest to a Priest, who would wave before Jehovah, to be accepted for you to have a wave after the Sabbath.

The people could not take from a garden or orchard, it had to be from a field.  It was ten taken into a Temple where it was threshed lightly over a fire in a pan, so that every grain was touched by the fire.  It  was then exposed before wind so the chaff was blown away. This was the first fruits, the sign of the harvest had come and the resurrection of Jesus was a sign of the harvest to come, and a resurrection for all believers.

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The opponents of Paul said dead men do not rise again.  If that view was taken, it means Jesus Christ did not rise, and that would mean Christianity was of no meaning. The reason Paul regarded the resurrection of Jesus was essential, and the great truths of Jesus are what makes all the difference to a person’s view of life here and after.

The resurrection proves that truth is stronger than falsehood.  John’s Gospel said Jesus stated  to His enemies, “ now you try to kill me, a man hath told you the truth”.

Jesus came with the idea of God and His goodness; this means His enemies wanted  Him to die so that they could keep their view of Him.

The resurrection proves that good is better than evil.  Referring back to John’s Gospel, Jesus is quoted as saying to Hus enemies, “you are of your father the devil”.Those who are crucified were the forces of evil, and if there had not been a resurrection, those forces would have been triumphant.

The resurrection proves that love is better than hatred.  Those who procured His death, were full of hatred and wanted a bitter end. 

The resurrection proves life is better than death.  If Jesus died never to rise again, it would have suggested that death could take the loveliest and the best that ever have lived, and break it.

Paul insisted that if the resurrection of Jesus was not a fact, then the whole Christian message was false, then those who died believing it, had died under a delusion: that those without it, would have life without a guarantee.

Take away the resurrection and  you destroy the foundation and fabric of life were the words of Paul.

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

 

 

MATTHEW 5 V 1-12

A lot of people consider the Beatitudes, which are the beginning of the Sermon on the Mount, are a description of the Christian faith. Whilst they are a central part of Christianity, that is being rather too restrictive.

Having come to the beginning of the great sermon our Lord preached, I hope to beable to follow in the coming weeks a continuation of the sermon which coversthree chapters of Mathew’s Gospel.

In this sermon, I am using the New Living Translation of the Bible, and using simpler words to help those, who are perhaps reading of the story for the first time, to understand what Jesus was really saying.
Jesus was being followed by a crowd as he reached Capernaum from Galilee, and seeing the crowd, Jesus went up the mountain, and sat down to allow his disciples to join him. He sat down, which was the custom of a Rabbi to teach the crowd,  and give instructions to his disciples, concerning life in the Kingdom of God.
The passage opens in some Bibles with the words, ‘he opened his mouth’, which meant Jesus beginning to teach in a grave and dignified manner, and is opening His heart and mind to the men who will become His disciples. Followers of Billy Graham will know, he so often spoke of the heart as the centre of life, holding our emotions, directing our thoughts, and our hearts.

The Beatitudes, are recorded in the Bible by Matthew and Luke, to mark the beginning of Jesus' public teaching ministry. I have chosen to follow Matthew’s account, and whilst it varies slightly from Luke’s version, that is attributable to personal way of telling, and is in no way casting a doubt of the event. Each beatitude has three parts, a term of blessedness, to whom it is applied, and the reason for it being given.

The sections begin with the word blessed, which in some modern versions of the bible has become ‘happy.’ I think that was unfortunate, for it is misguiding to a person not familiar with the Bible to read, ‘happy are those who are poor.’ A person can be blessed and be happy at being so, but a happy person may not suitably be blessed. To be blessed, is to be in a state of well-being in relationship with God, and has a sense of divine aid, and has the godly joy of walking in the presence of Jesus, and Is to those who responded to the ministry of Jesus.

The disciples were those who had made commitment to accept Jesus as the Messiah. They were joined by the curious who had heard of Jesus, for news of Jesus had spread. Some were uncommitted, others were astounded by his teaching.

V3 God blesses those who are poor and realize their need for him for the kingdom of heaven is theirs.
Jesus would not bless someone living in poverty, but is referring to a poverty of spirit, which leads to an inability to use one’s own resources. and know they need God to help them, so put their trust in God. Such a man/woman can put all helplessness in God’s hands, and will know that God cand bring help.
Abraham Lincoln stated that God must have loved the poor, because he made so many of them, and the gospel message was there to help them remove any misfortune.
Some of the people listening to Jesus must have been spellbound, for he was saying things which seemed to be the opposite of life as they knew it. He was saying the rich and Important people were not the well-off, it was the poor, the mournful, persecuted , hungry and thirsty who were.

V4 God blesses those who mourn for they will be comforted
Those who are desperately sorry for the sorrow and suffering in this world .One who is in bitter sorrow, and is mourning the dead. Someone who has care for another who is in sorrow and suffering. The blessedness is on one whose heart is suffering for his/her own sins, for out of their own sorrow will find the joy of God.

V5 God blesses those who are humble for they shall inherit the earth
Someone who has his/her instincts and passions under control; who has compassion and the humility to know their own weakness and own need. Who willingly is tolerant without resentment, and doesn’t take offence easily. Ready to wait for goodness. Those who do not try to make themselves as better than others to further their own agenda, and will inherit the earth because trust in God to direct events, and is in control of own emotions. Who has the humility to realize his/her own weakness.

V6 God blesses those who hunger and thirst for justice for they shall be satisfied. To have a desire to be entirely confirmed to the mind of God, and long above all else, to be holy. They recognized God is the source of all righteousness, so they long for God’s righteous character to be alive to people on earth. They shall be satisfied by responding to his invitation to be in worship with him.

V7 God blesses those who are merciful for they shall receive mercy
This is a principle which runs through the whole of the New Testament. The gentle folk who do not try to assert themselves over other people. One who has full compassion for others. Have pity for all suffering and want to do good for people, and they will get rich reward. The kindness and mercy shown to them they will share with others.

V8 God blesses those whose hearts are pure for they shall see God
who pursue purity and uprightness on every area of life, for they will see the fulfilment in God. Jesus stated that purity pf heart was most important. They aim not for outward correctness, but inner holiness. Don’t seek external show, and try not to give offence, and will serve God with spirit, and have God at heart.
V9 God blesses those who work for peace for they shall be called the children of God
Those who pursue God’s peace will gain reward of being called sons and daughters of God, for they will reflect the character of their heavenly Father. They strive for peace, and to produce charity, they want people to love and care for each other, by teaching the gospel that love is the fulfilling of the law. They will make proper relationships between themselves and other men and women, for they are doing a godly work.

V10 God blesses those who are persecuted for doing right for the kingdom of heaven is theirs
Those who are laughed at, scorned and threatened. Persecuted and wrongly accused because of their faith. God is pleased when his people show they value him above all others in this world, and this happens when we courageously remain faithful amidst opposition for righteousness sake.

V 11/12 God blesses you when people mock you and persecute you and lie about you and say all evil things about you because you are my followers Be happy about it. Be very glad for a great award awaits you in heaven. Remember the ancient prophets were treated in the same way.
Those who were reviled, just as Jesus who experienced opposition and persecution, his disciples can expect the same reward . This reward may not come on earth, but it will surely be theirs. Throughout history beginning with Cain’s slaughter of Abel, they persecuted the prophets.

Matthew’s phrases show how essential to the teaching of Jesus. It should however, be realized the Beatitudes were given to Jesus’ disciples, to describe a way of life which is addressed to, and only possible for the committed Christian.’
How many times I wonder, have I heard it said if people only followed the sermon on the mount the Church would find a world of love and peace. This is sometimes said by people who want to bypass other parts of Scripture, which makes them uncomfortable, especially to their consciences. Do all those people actually live the teaching of the sermon?
Two thousand years have passed since this sermon was delivered. We have seen how different are the principles of Jesus to those of the world; they are very opposed. That which Jesus praises, the world rejects. The pride, bad tempers, selfishness abound as Jesus condemns.

The teaching of Christ is different from a lot of professing Christians. The trend of many men and women among those who attend Church, is to live to the pattern of society. If all the people who (rightly.) see the Sermon the Mount as leading to real Christianity, live their lives in accordance with its sound doctrine, accept, practice and fully live such doctrine, then we will have true committal to Jesus Christ.


May God bless his Holy Word to us, and may his Holy Name be praised and Glorified.

 

1 Corinthians 15 v 1-11

 This morning we enter the season of Lent, preparing to celebrate the resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ from the dead. By believing and accepting this great event, you too may be released from the fear of death. But there’s a question you must answer. “Do you really believe this?”  The devil believes in God, and many people who never go near a Church do so, they just don’t want him to interfere in their life, but hypocritically expect to be accepted by him when they die.

In this passage Paul wants to establish the historical reliability of the resurrection, in order to give a firm foundation for his teaching. He is reminding the Church it was he who brought the good news, and which was not invented but given to him by the Lord.

The gospel always comes to us from someone who already possesses it, it was never an invention nor did anyone discover it for themselves, it was given by Jesus to the Apostles who took it across the world  The Church has the task of delivering that gospel anew.

Paul reminds them it was he who told them the  gospel of first, and they were ready to receive and accept it, and if they truly believed what he taught they would earn salvation.

 Paul stated they stood in the gospel; the function of the gospel is to give stability and power in a world so hostile to the faith. It was something in which they were being saved, and the glory of salvation is that gets better, and one of the wonders of Christianity is that it is limitless.

The essential basis of Christianity is that Jesus Christ died on the Cross for the forgiveness of sins of all people; that he was buried, but God raised him from the Dead as had been prophesied in the Old Testament Scriptures.

Having come to faith, it has to be guarded, for there are so many temptations pushed by those opposed; life has its valleys, from which at times it seems hard to climb out of.  This means we cannot be casual; the faith ,that collapses has not been true faith.

Paul tells how it was Peter and John who were the first men to see Jesus after his resurrection, but there were many others in the following days, someone of those were still alive to testify to what they had seen.

 The passage also shows us the humility of Paul himself.  The most precious thing, was that Jesus had appeared to him, which turned his life right round and gave it a new meaning and purpose.  He attributed all the success of his ministry to God, and never claimed any merit for himself.  He realised how much he meant in the cause of mission, but never saw himself as a lone missionary, but shared the gospel proclamation with the other Apostles.

We now have to look at how this applies to us in our present Christian journey.

How important is it to believe in the physical resurrection of Jesus?  For quite a lot of people it is an immense barrier to overcome; Christianity is fine for being kind, meek and mild and providing nice backgrounds for wedding and baptism pictures, but why bring in religion.  Why not just see it as a nice story instead of intimidating and upsetting people?

This chapter will not be fully explained in some Churches today as there will be a problem, namely that there are clergy who do not believe in the physical resurrection. This causes them to be hypocrites, and in fact to lie.

In every service, the Apostles Ceed is said, and most probably led by the Minister; which states, I believe in……………………. he descended to the dead and on the third day rose again.

A man who had challenged the resurrection in unpleasant terms was some years ago, being consecrated into his Office as a Bishop in York Minster. Later the same night, a bolt of lightning struck and blew out the rose window of the Cathedral.  When this was suggested to be God venting His anger, that was mocked and ridiculed by the liberal establishment, yet there was no such experience in any other part of the city; why the Cathedral. People have yet to learn you do not mock God.

People will say about a passage you can’t expect me to believe that, it is now 2025.  Yet they will believe many things even harder to understand. They will use a pocket phone to contact someone any place on earth just by pressing buttons on the phone, and the uninterrupted words will cross thousands of miles within seconds.  They certainly wouldn’t be able to explain how that happens, but accept it.

The New Testament was written by men of honesty and intelligence who had seen Christ crucified, dead and buried, finished, gone.  To them the future was dark and uncertain without any indication he was coming back.  If they preached they were risking their lives, placing themselves in jeopardy of being stoned or killed.

When told by the women that the tomb was empty, they dismissed it only to find out for themselves it was true, they saw the linen cloths there folded where the body had laid.  So the body had gone and they knew not where.

There have been several explanations suggested, none of which have any credibility.  The Apostles knew they faced death if it was found they had intervened, but they did not have anywhere to take it. 

The |Jewish authorities would not have been involved; they had a guard placed there and a heavy stone to keep the body in.  They, having denied the resurrection so would have been glad to have Jesus’ body to devalue him by exhibiting the body.

 Another suggestion was that grave robbers took it, but they would not have left the cloths and valuable precious spices untouched for they would have been worth a lot of money.

An even more popular thought was, that Jesus just play acted and swooned to be revived and do a Houdini act.   Jesus would not have been in any physical condition to do anything; he wasn’t even able to finish his walk to the place of execution, and had to have help from an onlooker having been lashed 39 times with a metal studded belt.  Would such a sinless, honest, man do such a thing; of course not?

In addition to all these theories, Jesus was seen by over 500 people after the crucifixion in various places. In our time, eminent lawyers have commented that it is the most well proven case in history, and any Court would conclude Jesus had risen.

Most people believe in the eternal, and desperately want to know what lies on the other side of death. The answer is quite simple. If you have accepted Jesus as your Savior, what lies on the other side is resurrection and life. If you have not accepted him, you have no hope at all. 

The Church generally has not preached this with the vigour it deserved; we have service liturgy which assures everyone the deceased will go to heaven, which is unequivocally dismissed in the Bible.  If people choose to live life without God and Jesus, that is their choice, but when they do so they have nothing left but vain speculations and idle dreams.  How sad it must be to come to the end of life and to believe that after death this is nothing at all.

 Paul’s argument is that it is foolish to follow Christianity, if you reject the resurrection from the dead. If there is no hope for the future, what purpose is there in setting aside the worldly pleasures to endure the isolation and scorn of being a Christian?. We may just as well sell of our buildings and do what the rest of the world does on a Sunday.

When you receive Communion this Sunday you are part of a tradition, which has been passed down from that Upper Room.  Many people have tried, and are now trying harder than ever, to take Christianity out of public life, but while empires have come and gone, the Christian Church has survived, and millions and millions of people have found their lives enriched by their faith, and the words of Jesus are still relevant, ‘the gates of hell will not prevail against it’.    There may be resistance in this and other Western nations, but in Africa, China and beyond there is massive turning to the Lord Jesus.   Continue to pray that this nation may once again become a truly Christian nation.   

We praise God’s Holy Name and pray He be  Glorified                                                                                                               

 

 

2 Chronicles 7 v 14

I recently read a book written by a Pastor in the United States. The writer was a respected Bible based preacher, calling on the American Church, to resist the constant interference from people anxious to silence the Church.  He contrasts this with the German Church in the 1930s, when a large number of the eighteen thousand Pastors remained silent and did not protest at the manner of the German authorities.

Whilst the German lack of action was perhaps more understandable in the age of the Nazi regime, the comparison with the Church of today does have a message of warning           for there are activists who want to silence the Church now.  They can be quite vicious and expect to be successful in resisting religious teaching.

I have been impressed by the number of Churches in America that are thoroughly committed to expository preaching.  I am not qualified to comment further, but certainly in Britain there are those people who search online for what they can complain about as hate speech, and people have suffered suspension from work and taken to courts of law.

We face more problems now as we have replaced a Conservative government with a Labour one, who are not particularly fond of religion.  A new Schools Bill has been made and it does not want  parents to teach Christian beliefs in contrast to the Bill.  A tax has been added to private and Church schools as a means of restricting admissions of pupils.  There is as might be expected from a Socialist authority, a certain amount of forced State control.

The Church has a duty to speak out as forcefully as the opposition, and Christianity must not be the only faith silenced.  I have no doubt other faiths will join with us if they are restricted.   The Church leadership has so far been too ready to accommodate the action of activists, but if we do nothing, our place in society will suffer greatly.

The Church has adopted a variety of means to continue worshipping services , using in many cases technology, which reached people who appreciated hearing that of which they had not previously heard, or missed through illness.
It is therefore of paramount importance, to present a united message based on the teaching of the Apostles, as passed down by our Lord Himself, and for God’s sake (literally) stop all the liberal nonsense that has poisoned the true gospel.
We have seen the vicious evil in the world,  the situation gets worse as time goes on. The nation has been recovering from an attack, when a boy of seventeen years killed three young girls in the seven years of age by stabbing them repeatedly. Teenage boys are roaming the country, settingespecially in the capital city of London, but also  

 elsewhere , other boys or girls who are going about quietly, and stabbing them without reason.

Murder was once a most serious crime which made headlines across the country until a killer was arrested.  Now it is so common a crime, it is a brief notice in a newspaper and then forgotten.

.In every part of the world there is little peace, goodness or Christian teaching. The Church in the main denominations just gets further away from God and His teaching. The cause of such depreciation, is partly a falling away from religion; partly ageing and illness, and the failure of Churches to preach truth and sound doctrine.

The Bible states, that we as Christians ae ambassadors for God; ambassadors represent their King in a foreign country, and those in the Kingdom of God represent God and the Lord Jesus Christ, and all they teach in too-day’s world.  This means we must reject all teaching, doctrine and  acts of government which contradict the Word of God.  

 

Turn with me to 2 Chronicles Chapter 7, verse 14.
if my people who are called by my name humble themselves, pray, seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.
Here is a God given chance for there to be a renewal where the lost will be found, and the weak would be made strong. Here is God promising us He will respond, if we will answer and fulfil His invitation. This is such a profound offer we cannot afford not to accept.
 In 960BC Israel was in moral and spiritual decline, with people failing to worship God. Solomon pleaded with God to forgive the nation of their sins, and God answered that if they humbled themselves, prayed, sought His face, and turned from their wicked ways, He would heal their land.
We are faced with a like situation as Solomon then faced, but when he prayed to God he was given an answer, which is still as valid to- day, as it was all those years ago.

All around us storm clouds are falling on a world, so different from what many of us knew. The foundations on which we were raised have largely been destroyed, to such an extent that there are now no moral absolutes, all is relative and one does one’s own thing. Our children of tender years, are being brainwashed into ways of life, which would never have been mentioned, even in the most liberal places.
What hope does the Bible give us? Listen to God.

IF MY PEOPLE WHO ARE CALLED BY MY NAME
This verse is directed to particular people, limited to those who know the Lord. God’s people are those who worship Him, who He has called to accept Jesus as Lord and Savior, who profess Christ, and own up to doing so. They are people who regularly attend Church to worship Him week by week, not those who have a nodding acquaintance with Him at Christmas time, or who never acknowledge him at all Remember, Jesus said ‘I am the only way to God, NO one comes to the Father except through me’
In all our Churches in this country, there are people who devotedly come week by week to join in worship. They will try to live according to the way God has spelled out. The majority of them will have accepted Jesus as Lord and Savior.
However, in the minds of most people, you have no need to prove anything about yourself, God would never send anyone to hell, the only alternative to heaven, and that is right, God never would consign anyone to hell, He lets the person make the choice for him(her)self here on earth. Jesus said to unworthy people, ‘get away from me I never knew you. get away from me you who broke God’s laws’

IF THEY WILL HUMBLE THEMSELVES
Both individually and as a Church, there is need for repentance. There are far too many people who consider themselves as being Christians, attending Churches on Sundays where they sing praise to God, listen to His Word being read, and often preached upon, (but not always) and confessing sins they have pre-determined they are not going to relinquish.
A person is (relatively) free to live as they wish in a free country, they can excess in alcohol, gaming and sexual relationships, but they do not have the same right to call themselves  Christians. Sin can be defined, as any activity which has been condemned in Scripture; this relates not only to sexual activity, but to theft, adultery, jealousy, envy, malice, hatred, and deceit by telling lies.

IF MY PEOPLE WILL PRAY
Jesus told us to pray without ceasing, and gave examples of desperate prayer. In one story a family had gone to bed, when they were disturbed by a neighbour pounding on their door. The homeowner looked out, and was asked for some bread by the neighbour to feed his guest. The homeowner refused, but the neighbour kept on knocking until the homeowner gave what he wanted. The moral of the story was perseverance, it was desperation which won the day. Jesus said, ‘keep on asking and you will receive. Keep on seeking and you will find, keep on knocking and the door will be opened up to you.’ If we want revival we must pray in desperation.

You may well ask, ‘how can we a small suburban church with not a huge congregation, many of whom are perhaps older in years, do very much?’ Hudson Taylor, who founded the China Inland Mission, was once asked why God had chosen him. Taylor replied, `because God wanted someone small.' When God acts it is not only in big cathedrals, it is in the lives of ordinary Christian people. Consider who God chose to be the mother of His Son, a humble young Jewish village girl, now treasured in the history of the Church, and adored in honor of motherhood.

We need all of us to have a passion for revival, and we are poor Christians if we don't feel a concern for the future of the Church. We must forget ourselves and our own desires for the sake of the Lord's Church. If we really believe Christianity is the only hope and answer for a fallen world, then let us earnestly pray and work for revival and make sure we, are living as God intended. Revival begins with Gods people, but the power of God is so strong it soon spreads to all society.
God acted when a Minister went to the small island of Lewis in the Hebrides, and the people there prayed that God would bless them. Evan Roberts a Minister in South Wales prayed and started the Welsh Revival. There are many examples of answered prayer for revival.

After Jesus had risen from the dead, he told his disciples to wait in Jerusalem, until they were endued with power from on high. Although their lives were in danger, they gathered in that Upper Room and waited patiently for the promise of the Father. Then when the day finally came, they were filled with the Holy Spirit, and were converted to faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.

An American Christian programme, following the September 11th attack on its country, asked all its listeners to pray for fifteen minutes a day for fifty days for a revival, and to phone in and say where they were from. A coloured pin was then placed on a wall map of the United States at their location. Within days the map was covered as people responded. Most of them were small churches, perhaps even smaller than yours, but they reported new life and new people.
Neither is age a relevance. When the Israelites were attacked by the Amalekites, Moses and Aaron were too old to fight, but as the younger men fought, they prayed, and every time they did so, the Israelites advanced. Older people can play a vital role in revival.

. IF PEOPLE WILL SEEK MY FACE
God wants us to enter into a relationship with Him. Not to see Him as someone to go to when we want something, but as sons and daughters who want to respect and love their own father, so respond to God.
The Bible tells us that God communed with the first man and woman. He who made man in the Garden of Eden, communes with us now through His Word, the Bible. Unfortunately, so many people at all levels within the Church want to pick out those parts which suit their preference.

IF MY PEOPLE TURN FROM THEIR WICKED WAYS
There is a need for examination of our lives to root out those ways which are not worthy of us as Christians. Things which the Bible clearly defines as wrong, yet which are still practised by people who call themselves Christians.
The church as God's voice, has failed greatly by not speaking out in condemnation of such ways, for fear of upsetting the liberal tendency and being branded narrow, often preferring to align itself with society's standards. Can you imagine how little the Christian Church would have progressed if Paul had been so timid? Scripture alone should be our guide
The Church has colluded with activists who wish to see a form of immorality accepted. We have accepted a form of marriage in direct contravention of the Bible; created a second baptism to those calling themselves a different sex; in Church schools children of very tender age, are being taught explicit sexuality, and offered gender change.

The Archbishop of Canterbury has rejected calls to stop the teaching of trans-gendering in school to young children. This is causing distress as children have become frightened by what they are taught and see. Often parents have been unaware of such teaching.
The Archbishop of Canterbury has resigned, having been found to have covered up wilful criminal behavior of a Priest, and another Archbishop is likely to do the same for a similar reason.  We have a Bishop suspending an Ordained Minister of the Church, because she considers he is a safeguarding risk to children because he preaches marriage is between a man and a woman, which is the established belief of the Church.  I know this is insane, especially as a Judge who is a Kings Counsel, stated her safeguarding is in need of correction.
There are rules for life which God has laid down, but too often they become merely a basis for negotiation. If people choose to adopt a different way of life, that is a personal matter between them and God. But the Church should not join in and approve of such. The fellowship of the Holy Spirit cannot be mixed with the culture of society.

The Church of England has been  disqualified from the worldwide Anglican Church because the  Bishops have adopted false doctrine by giving blessings to those who went through a service purporting to be a form of marriage, which is contrary to the Word of God. From the highest levels of clergy to the Parish Priests, there are those wanting to perform same sex marriage in  the Church.

 God clearly stated there were two genders, male and female, and marriage was between a man and a woman.  To contradict the Word of God is a betrayal of His divine nature, and is shameful  to act against vows made in services to Him.

 
I WILL HEAR FROM HEAVEN AND HEAL THEIR LAND
God has promised to respond by healing our land. God loves all people, and wants all to be saved. But He is a righteous God who hates sin, and He will not deal with people who neglect, disobey and do not honor Him. However unpleasant to admit, the Church in this country has acted shamefully, it has disregarded the teaching God laid down in His Word, and which Jesus commanded to be followed. Individually, Christians have not always been worthy of Him. But God has stated He will heal, and whilst people may not be relied on to keep a promise, God will.

In this sermon, I have used the word IF numerous times. This is a very big word. There are churches which would dread any revival, preferring to keep things nice and quiet in a holy huddle. If a stranger should enter they say 'what is she doing here.' Some older people take a philosophical line, and think ‘I won't be here in a number of years.’ So they don't let things concern them.
The same God who visited His people in the first Christian Church, has promised to hear His people and answer from heaven. In parts of the world which has been faithful to him and his holy Word, God has now acted. Let us in the Western hemisphere now be faithful and respect God.

The time has come for all true and faithful Christians to stand firm for the Bible to be our guide in word and action. God will not bless any Church which challenges His authority

May God bless his Holy Word to us.  May God be glorified