Monday 25 November 2013

Gospel Meeting 24/11/2013

Thomas Truman gave a report of the work of the Leeds City Mission. The new venture of the Charity Shop called Re-Store is proving a valuable way to reach out with the Gospel, the prison and young offenders work is experiencing problems but is progressing.
He read Matthew 13 vs.24-30 and 36-43
Thomas spoke about thanksgiving and harvest, parable were a way of speaking to stiff-necked people.
There were those who responded to the message and those who didn't. God must punish sin, sinners need forgiveness but men love darkness rather than light. Jesus died to take the punishment for our sin on the cross was buried and rose again we need to repent and put our faith in Him.

Monday 18 November 2013

Gospel Meeting 17/11/2013

Bruce Clark read Romans 7 vs.1 - 8 vs.4 and Luke18 vs.9-14
He spoke about the Creative Advance of the Spirit of God in the trinity and how the Spirit  hovered over the waters and although often neglected He is essential in the Godhead. He manifested the love of God through creation.
In Christ all things hold together.

In Luke 18 we see two opposites law and grace.
under the law of God we see powerless man separation and mans failure we have an impasse.
The Pharisee sees God as distant, a requirement to keep rules , a contract to keep.
God's Redemptive Advance our close relationship with God is not distant it is about love, you can't command someone to love.
the Pharisee failed he had a wrong perception of God and of himself he thought he was alright.  He was high and dry.
The law can't change us it gives us a sense of failure when we have to rely on ourselves which leads to pride, defeat and rebellion.
Grace brings forgiveness reconciliation and unity it throws us upon God.
Jesus bore the curse of the law for us there is now no condemnation for those in Christ. For what the law could not do  Jesus did He brought reconciliation through grace. Creative Advance.
Grace changes hearts the law can't. We died with Him - The power of the cross.
there is more to it than keeping rules God loves us we are in the good of Christ's death on the cross. Don't walk a treadmill or tightrope, be in the good of an intimate relationship with God.
If we sin we have an advocate with the Father His Son.
The danger for the publican would then have been to look down on the Pharisee, don't become a Pharisee remain humble.

Monday 11 November 2013

Gospel Meeting 10/11/2013

Paul Frankish read the book of Philemon
1/ The Facts.
2/ The Gospel.
3/ Lessons for Christians.

1/ It is a letter written to a master about his runaway slave and as such is unique in nature in the Scriptures. Paul is appealing to Philemon as a believer a friend and one who is in Paul's debt on behalf of a runaway slave Onesimus who at one time was of no use to him but has now been born again and has been of great value to Paul who is beseeching Philemon to receive him back as a brother and not insist on imposing the law which would have meant the death penalty for a runaway slave.

2/ We are slaves to sin and the wages of sin is death, as Paul was prepared to pay the price for Onesimus so Jesus paid the price for us to be free to be forgiven by dying on the cross. we don't just receive forgiveness but we become children of God and become heirs. As Paul mediated for Onesimus, so Christ is the one mediator between God and men.
Although Onesimus probably was fearful as he returned wondering what reception he would receive from Philemon we should have no fear in coming to God we have confidence in Jesus Christ that He has prepared the way for us we just need to accept Him by faith.

3/ We should care for others. We should always be thankful. We should be mutually identified with fellow believers and be encouraged and encourage by the demonstration of love. There should be no class system with believers all equal in Him.

Monday 4 November 2013

Gospel Meeting 03/11/2013

Gareth Crossley read 1 Peter 1 vs.1-12.
He spoke about earthly problems compared to spiritual blessings.
Gareth then spoke about the Gospel under three headings.
1/ It's not new - from vs. 10 the Prophets have inquired and even as far back as Genesis 3 vs.15 it speaks of a Suffering Saviour. He would suffer yet succeed. Suffering and glory.
He came to suffer.
He will come in glory.
2/ It's not cheap - purchased by Christ, not redeemed with corruptible things but with His precious blood.
Not only did He never sin He was completely righteous and He laid down His life for me.
God does not go into detail about how Jesus suffered He doesn't want our sympathy He wants our Love and devotion. It cost Him everything, we can't be part time Christians it's full time with no retirement.
3/ It's not secret - it was spoken by the Apostles through the Holy Spirit, and we have the commission to go into all the world with confidence because He has ALL AUTHORITY. Also we know that all things work together for good.
He also noted in vs.12 that even the Angels desired to look into these things.

Saturday 2 November 2013

Gospel Meeting 27/10/2013

Craig Maffey read 1 John1 vs.5-10
vs.7 and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.
Blood is central to the truth of the Bible without it there is no hope you cannot have a bloodless Gospel.
Craig spoke about three headings; 1 The necessity of the blood.
necessary for physical life and Spiritual life. It is the only way to be cleansed and made right with God - Heaven or Hell.
                                                       2 The preciousness of the blood.
The Lord Jesus is the Son of God no other blood would do. He shed His precious blood for you.
                                                       3 The significance of the blood.
It cleanses us from all sin, He paid the price in full but we must receive it ourselves by putting our faith in Him.