Gospel Meeting 28/05/2017

St. Luke’s Gospel ch23 vs20 – 26, 32 – 47.

Three people on three crosses -  The Lord Jesus Christ and “ two other, malefactors” - vs32). 

The original word for “other” means “of a different type”.

By the end of the day, all three would be dead.

The two malefactors had a very different journey to the cross. The reason being they were guilty,been caught and deserving the price of their crimes – death by crucifixion.

The Lord Jesus Christ was completely different to these “other” -  He is a one of one. 

He was there also for a different reason, and His pathway to His Cross was with purpose. 

He set his face as a flint to go to Calvary’s Cross.

“But for this cause came I unto this hour” – John’s Gospel ch12 vs27

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On the way there He made the lame to walk, the blind to see, walked on the water, and many other miraculous things, which proved to all who He was – the Eternal Son of God. It was God the Father’s fixed purpose for His Son, Jesus Christ to be at The Cross. It was a total injustice, but by determined council the date was fixed in eternity for Christ to be there...

Some had tried to kill Him, but His time was not yet come - Salvation was His time.

Jesus Christ was sinless.

Pilate found no fault in Him

Pilate’s wife told him “have nothing to do with that just man”.

One malefactor said “This man hath done nothing amiss”.

Jesus Christ was perfect.

We often need to apologise for things in our own lives, but in Christ’s life nothing was out of place.

The centurion would have crucified 100’s of men previously , but he knew this one was different -  “Truly this man was the Son of God”. – Mark’s Gospel ch15 vs39.

There was no anger in Christ – He went willingly to The Cross without any resistance.

Even though He knew exactly what He was to face there.

God became flesh to die for our sins, but He never ceased to be God.

“For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily”. – Colossians ch2 vs9.

When we think what Christ has done for us, it should melt us to tears and bring us to our knees.

Earlier, when Peter defended Him at His arrest, Christ told him to put the sword away.

On The Cross, Christ could have had 72,000 angels come, but never made that call.

He stayed on The Cross for you – and this is God’s great love towards us that The Lord Jesus Christ who had no sin, took all our sins and our punishment upon Himself, that we might be forgiven through being repentant and having faith in Him and His holy sacrifice.

The two malefactors were angry, selfish and just wanted to escape. They railed on Christ using inappropriate language. However, even to the end Christ was compassionate, thinking of others – vs34) “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do”.

Christ suffered so much. Mocked and  beaten – His back was like a ploughed field and He ceased to resemble how a man should look.

The Lord Jesus Christ cried with a loud voice “It is finished”. He desired to finish the work of His Father’s will. Salvations work was completed – He had fully paid the price of our sins in His own body and by His own blood shed. Our debt was completely dealt with, nothing left owing.

Christ did not die in weakness, or have His life taken – He laid it down and had the power to take it back up again.

He dismissed His spirit and entered into a controlled death.

The speaker told of one who did not accept she needed a Saviour. She thought herself a good person that never harmed anyone and her heart was in the right place. But God’s word tells us that “all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God” – we All need a Saviour!

Compare your life to Christ’s – there was no fault in Him at all, but all of us have done wrong.

Faith in His sacrificial death and resurrection saves us from our due judgement, because it was all placed on Him. He took our place as our substitute, and was raised with the ability to save anyone who will repent and believe.

One malefactor went to Hell and he is there both now and forever.

The other malefactor had a change of heart – vs40/41) “Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation? And we indeed justly; for we receive the due rewards of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss”.

He was soon to die and meet God. He realised he was not ready, and made that decision to repent and believe – vs42) “Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom”. He was now acknowledging Jesus as God and aware of his sins -

“That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved” For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation” – Romans ch10 vs9/10 .

He called and he was saved!

He knew Jesus Christ was sinless, and that there was an eternity to follow.

He knew that he was not just going to return to dust – “And it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgement” – Hebrews ch9 vs27.

He had paid for the consequences of his actions, but he was going to Heaven. Forever to be in the presence of The Lord… what a wonderful prospect for every believer!

This malefactor could do nothing to help or save himself, and such are all of us. We need to call upon The Lord and be saved from God’s wrath which is to come upon all those with unforgiven sins.

When Christ saves us, He forgives us totally. Then He gives our lives a purpose.

We gather together and serve Him as Lord and Saviour.

The two malefactors had the same opportunity and time scale…but they ended up in the complete opposite places.

Today, you have the same opportunity to put your faith and trust in The Lord.

The choice is clear - 

“He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him” – John’s Gospel ch3 vs36.

Nothing elaborate or fancy is needed to accept Christ – the malefactors words were simple ones of repentance and faith towards Christ as Lord.

The speaker told of a man who took his children to Sunday School and wanted to leave them there, go to the public house for a drink, then return for them. However, the children were quite shy and Dad had to stay with them. He heard the Gospel spoken often and came to the end of his tether, realising his need of repentance and a Saviour…. He simply cried out “Lord, save me!”.

In all the time of eternity we could never pay the price of our sins, But Christ paid them all in that short time upon The Cross.

Is Jesus Christ YOUR Saviour tonight? Have you called upon Him?

Receive Him tonight!

“Who his own self, bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye are healed”. –

1^st Peter ch2 vs24.

  

Gospel Meeting 21/05/2017

Exodus Chapter 14.

By the end of their 430 years in Egypt, the children of Israel in slavery to Pharaoh totalled around 2 million.

God saw and heard the cries of His people under the Egyptian taskmaster.

Pharaoh was the most powerful man at that time, but God was to show him who was in control.

The Lord had hardened Pharaoh’s heart to pursue and bring back the Israelites into captivity.

The Red Sea is around 150 metres at its deepest, and you can not see from one side of it to the other.

Moses stilled the fears of the people who were so afraid that Pharaoh’s army would recapture and kill them -

 vs13) “Fear not, stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord, which he will show you today: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen today, ye shall see them again no more for ever”.

Moses, in faith, and as instructed by God, lifted his rod and stretched his hand over the sea… the sea parted to give the children of Israel a safe pathway from the ensuing Egyptians.

With man it is not possible – with God all things are possible!

Not only did the Lord God open a pathway for them through the sea, but it was also dry ground!

Would you have been scared to go through that opened pathway?

God was in complete control – He jammed the wheels of their chariots, slowing them down, and after all the Israelites were safely through onto the other side, Moses again stretched out his hand over the sea, and the sea returned to its place. All of Pharaoh’s army were caught in the sea and every single one of them died.

All their enemies were gone… “ye shall see them again no more for ever”.

vs31) “And Israel saw that great work which the Lord did upon the Egyptians; and the people feared the Lord, and believed the Lord…”.

The speaker is telling us these things tonight because God does not change – He still hears our cries and sees that we have a problem… we are separated from God because of our sins and iniquities.

We can all say “I am a sinner”, “I was born a sinner”, I was conceived in sin”.

“For all have sinned, and fallen short of the glory of God” – Romans ch3 vs23.

“…there is none that doeth good, no, not one” – Romans ch3 vs12.

We all have a big problem that we can't sort ourselves. We can’t sort out our sin problem by good works or anything else.

“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God”. – Ephesians ch2 vs8.

We are separated because God is holy and will not have sin in His presence.

We can’t help ourselves! But God again has made the pathway for us.

When The Lord Jesus Christ said to a man in Capernaum “thy sins be forgiven thee”, the scribes asked “who can forgive sins but God only”… Jesus Christ IS God, and He is fully able to forgive all our sins.

We are reminded of vs13) “…stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord, which he will show to you today..”.

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believeth in him, should not perish, but have everlasting life” John’s Gospel ch3 vs16.

“For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. But God commendeth his love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” – Romans ch5 vs6-8.

As with the Red Sea, and our sins, God did something about it to end the separation –

“…that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God” -

 Luke’s Gospel ch1 vs35.

Jesus Christ had no sin in Him at all. He had a perfect sinless life

At 33 years of age, He went to the Cross to be crucified and pay the price of our sins in His own sinless body.

“Lifted up was He to die,

“it is finished” was His cry;

Now in Heaven exalted high,

Hallelujah, what a Saviour!” – verse from hymn by Philip Bliss.

The Lord Jesus Christ suffered immensely paying for our sins –  so badly beaten that He was unrecognisable as a human being.

During the 3 hours of darkness that covered the earth between the 6^th and 9^th hour, God’s wrath was poured out upon His lovely Son, who took all our sins on Himself.

In love, Jesus Christ paid the punishment for our sins, so that we could go free.

When He shouted on the Cross in victory “It is finished”, our debt was paid in full.

We all need to personally decide for ourselves what we will do about Jesus Christ’s offer of Salvation.

“That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved”- Romans ch10 vs9.

The children of Israel saw the safe pathway through the Red Sea, but still had to have the faith to walk through it. We too, with repentance for our sins, need to have faith in The Lord Jesus Christ and His atoning work of Salvation on the Cross, accepting Him personally as our Lord and Saviour.

He died in YOUR place,for YOU, personally. Just as the Apostle Paul said “…the Son of God, who loved ME, and gave himself for ME”. – Galatians ch2 vs20.

Jesus Christ is now raised, ascended into heaven, where He intercedes for all those who have put their faith and trust in Him.

With Moses, the Red Sea was the way of salvation for the children of Israel, but the Red Sea also became the way of judgement for Egypt….so it is with the Cross of Christ – it is the way of Salvation by His blood to all who will receive Him, but also the place of judgement for any who would reject His offer of forgiveness.

Have YOU trusted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour? Do YOU have a permanent home in Heaven, to forever be with Him?

Trust Him before it is too late.

The speaker then concluded by giving an update on his work within HM Prisons.

Gospel Meeting 14/05/2017

2^nd Corinthians ch4 vs16 – 18, ch5 vs1 – 11.

The apostle Paul knew many discouragements in his preaching of the Gospel, due to the blindness of unbelievers. So it is today in many places.

The speaker wanted everyone to know just what they would be missing out on if they did not repent of their sins and accept Jesus Christ as their Saviour, through faith in His atoning death and resurrection on the Cross.

Those who trust Christ have an eternal home built by God.

They have God’s promise of a wonderful future –

“Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him” – 1^st Corinthians ch2 vs9.

“Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature…” – 2^nd Peter ch1 vs4.

What happens to those who have accepted Christ as their Lord and Saviour when they die?-

1)      Believers presently live in a body like a “flimsy tent”.

2)      Believers “fall asleep in Christ”.

3)      Believers have a home prepared.

4)      Believers will be with their Lord immediately.

5)      Believers will immediately be like their Lord. –

Tremendous blessings for those who have trusted Christ!

In Paul’s day, many viewed death with the attitude of  “eat, drink and be merry, for tomorrow we die”.

 Attitudes in our present times have got even worse, with a total lack of solemnity at funeral services. Even though they are standing before God the next second after they die, services have now become a celebration of their lives, and the most popular song played is “I Did It My Way”. There is a total lack of seriousness on the subject of death, and their thoughts are “IF...IF God exists, He will welcome everybody”.

Such arrogance and blasphemy of our present day world, having a careless indifference with no thought of God.

Paul knew otherwise – vs11 “knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men” – he lovingly warns all of the future before them in leaving this world. All will stand at the judgement seat of Christ and give account of their lives.

Paul, although highly academic, was a tent- maker by profession, and knowing how precarious life could be living in a tent, he likens our earthly bodies to this.

A tiny almost unseen virus or infection can so easily change a persons whole life!

We should be as the Psalmist, who said "Teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom". - Psalm ch90 vs12.

Be ready, be prepared to meet your Maker, The Lord.

The speaker told of an unbeliever who crashed his car into a tree, and without knowing his life was about to end, in an instant met his Maker.

If there was no life to come, Paul would have been so miserable. He had suffered much – yet he was so happy. He had the exceeding joy of the Lord, and knew “the peace of God, which passeth all understanding…” – Philippians ch4 vs7.

He could say “For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain”. – Philippians ch1 vs21.

Also, “If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable. But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept”. – 1^st Corinthians ch15 vs19 - 20.

If we don’t know how to face death, we won’t know how to live life!

Why should lovers of Christ fear death?

It is falling asleep – and we all know how nice it is to look forward to a good nights sleep!

The speaker told of what a privilege it was to have read the scriptures at bedside to reassure believers, who were shortly to pass onto Christ.

Christ says we do not face it alone.

Paul spoke with the language of confidence – he knew the Word of God.

Some believe that those who have passed on are floating about with wings and harps but this is nonsense! – we have a body immediately suited to our new experience.

Do you long to be with The Lord? Not just part of His family, but seeing Him?

Job, even so very long ago, showed the confidence we should grasp when he said “I KNOW that my Redeemer lives, and at the end he will stand on the earth” -  Job ch19 vs25.

Be assured Heaven is a real place - refer to:

Matthew’s Gospel ch28.

Luke’s Gospel ch22.

John’s Gospel ch6.

The Acts ch1.

“I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also”. – John’s Gospel ch14 vs2-3.

Through the work of the Holy Spirit, the truth dawned on the thief crucified next to Christ, and in his last hours of life, he called Him Lord, and knew He had a kingdom.

Believers, when in Heaven, shall be like The Lord –

“Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is” – 1^st Epistle of John ch1 vs1-3.

“For our citizenship is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body…” – Philippians ch3 vs20-21.

We will not be disembodied floating spirits!

In Heaven, we shall be "in timelessness" -  which is beyond our human mind of grasping time and eternity.

There is no purgatory! – we are instantly absent from the body and present with The Lord.

If you have not yet done so – put your personal faith and trust in The Lord Jesus Christ tonight – and prepare to meet Him!

Gospel Meeting 07/05/2017

2^nd Samuel Chapter 9.

This chapter is full of grace, but the grace of The Lord Jesus Christ towards mankind is far greater.

Jonathan remained true to his friend David, despite his father Saul's  feelings.

Saul and Jonathan both die in battle and David becomes king.

King David had enemies all around, but defeated all of them. Now that he reigned in peace, he remembered his oath with Jonathan that they would always help each other, and wanted to show kindness to any remaining descendants of his family.

Mephibosheth – Jonathan’s son is a picture of us

1)      Lived in Lo-debar, which means “no pasture” – a wilderness area.

2)      He was lame – helpless.

3)      He was separated from many things.

This can be like us until we receive Christ into our hearts as Saviour.

We are described as being “dead in your trespasses and sins” – Ephesians ch2 vs1.

We have no life, can do nothing, and are helpless until we know Christ personally.

No other can pay the price of our sins – only the blood Jesus Christ shed for us on the Cross at Calvary can make atonement.

King David asked that Mephibosheth should be brought unto him, and he did so, coming and paying reverence to him. As a deposed king’s son, he would have lived in fear of his life as they were usually killed to avoid any kind of rallying call, and maybe feared he was called to be beheaded. However, King David called him by name and told him to fear not.

King David guaranteed his kindness to Mephibosheth, and to restore all the land of Saul as an inheritance. Also, David had the 15 sons and 20 servants of Ziba - a servant of the house of Saul - to work for Mephiboshesh and help with the land. Mephibosheth was even to eat at his table, as a king’s son.

He had been cut off, cast off, helpless, but was now transformed to the king’s table – all of David’s grace and love for Jonathan. 

We too are pictured like this – the whole human race is sinful through and through since Adam & Eve sinned in the Garden of Eden.

 “Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all, for that all have sinned” – Romans ch5 vs12.

“Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me”. – Psalm ch51 vs5.

“There is none righteous, no, not one” – Romans ch3 vs10.

We are all sinners by nature and practice.

Only by repentance and having faith and trust in the blood of Jesus Christ, gives us standing before Holy God.

Mephibosheth could not do anything because of his condition, and neither can we outside of accepting Christ and His Cross –

“…ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold… but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot” – 1st Peter ch1 vs18/19.

God knew in His plan from the beginning, that there was only one way for mankind to get right with God – through the precious blood of the Lamb that was to come. The man Christ Jesus, who lived a sinless, holy, undefiled life, completely separate from sin.

The Apostle Paul said of Jesus Christ – "He knew no sin"...

Apostle Peter said “Who did no sin” …

Apostle John said “In him is no sin”.

The Lord Jesus Christ is the eternal Son of God, who created all things and is the sustainer of all things. He came as a baby in Bethlehem , lived in “despised” Nazareth, and lived an absolutely holy life for 30 years, before the heavens opened and the voice from heaven said -

 “Thou art my beloved  Son, in whom I am well pleased” – Mark ch1 vs11.

All the delight of Holy God was centred on His Holy Son.

Everything Jesus Christ said and did proved who we was… raising the dead just by speaking… or just by touching to heal the deaf, dumb and lame. He spoke the healing word, and it was.

Then He came to Calvary… and suffered at the hands of men, who shouted “Away with him”, “Crucify him”.

“They hated me without a cause” – Gospel of John ch15 vs25.

 The 3 hours of darkness was when our Salvation was accomplished.

“Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree…” – 1^st Peter ch2 vs24.

“All thy sins were laid upon Him, Jesus bore them on the tree,; God, who knew them, laid them on Him, And believing, thou art free” – words from hymn by Joseph Denham Smith.

Mephibosheth was welcomed and told to fear not… but we should fear our eternity if we do not know The Lord Jesus Christ as Saviour. We will face the wrath of God for unforgiven sins and cast into the “blackness of darkness” and suffer eternal torment.

So many people today have no time for God or His Son, no time for the question of their eternal destination… what regret they will have.

“…God for Christ’s sake  hath forgiven you” – Ephesians ch4 vs32.

The shed blood of Christ makes it possible to be saved from the penalty of our sins.

“”For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God”. – Gospel of John ch3 vs16-18.

Take these words to heart – are you standing condemned at the moment? You need to pass from death to life, through Christ Jesus.

Mephibosheth had all the land restored as an inheritance,

 Apostle Peter said “Blessed be the God and father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you.” – 1^st Peter ch1 vs4.

This is to all who love the Lord Jesus Christ.

“…we are the children of God: and if children, then heirs, heirs of God, and joint – heirs with Christ”. – Romans ch8 vs16/17.

All because of Calvary’s Cross and to those who would repent and put their faith and trust in Christ Jesus. We are brought into His family.

Absolutely wonderful things!

“Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God”. – 1^st John ch3 vs1.

It was a wonderful situation for Mephibosheth to be eating at the King’s table, and to eat there always, continually. We too shall have this blessed privilege to feed at our King’s table!

If you are still unsure where you will spend eternity give it serious thought tonight and remember – “But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions – it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages, he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus”. – Ephesians ch2 vs 2-7.

The grace of God towards us is beyond all measure. He has brought us from nowhere into fellowship around the throne of God.

Get to know Jesus Christ now as your own Lord and Saviour – His day of grace will soon be over and it will be too late.

Receive His offer of forgiveness now!

Gospel Meeting 30/04/2017

The Acts of the Apostles Ch16 vs6 – 34

Paul, Silas and Timothy having been kept from preaching in Asia by the Holy Spirit, were told following a vision to Paul at the seaport of Troas, to enter into Macedonia.

Luke also joined them from Troas onwards.

Any modern day visions never override the Word of God.

Upon reaching Philippi, and preaching the Gospel, The Lord opened the heart of a woman  named Lydia. The Spirit of God will always open the heart of anyone who will receive The Lord.

This woman came to be known as the first convert in Europe. She accepted that Jesus Christ died for her sins on the Cross, and that He was raised from the grave, ascending to His Father in Heaven.

Lydia was then baptised, this showing what is the correct order of things

1)   Repentance. 

2) Then personal faith in Jesus Christ, in His atoning death and resurrection. Asking forgiveness for your sins and inviting Him into your heart and life as Lord and Saviour. 

3) Baptism – the outward, public sign of being “born – again”…. A new life in Jesus Christ, as one comes up out of the water.

“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold all things are become new” -  2^nd Corinthians Ch5 vs17.

Lydia knew she had become a new creation.

Later, the apostles came across another woman who was demon – possessed and was following them,telling people over many days: vs17) “These men are the servants of the most high God, which show unto us the way of salvation”.

They did not want the testimony of demons and Paul said in vs18) “I command thee in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her”. And he came out the same hour.

There is such power in the name of Jesus Christ.

Following this, the local people rose up against the Apostles, had the authorities badly beat them and cast them into the most secure cell in the prison.

Despite this, they still believed that they were at the centre of the will of God.

It is a wonderful testimony to their Saviour, that at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing praises unto God!

The great earthquake had the jailor panicking, fearing all his prisoners were escaped and was on the brink of committing suicide. However, in vs 28) Paul cried out with a loud voice “Do thyself no harm: for we are all here”.

The jailor was a cruel, hard man, but Paul and Silas showed him the love of Christ and it reached into his heart. He had been but a moment away from thrusting his sword into himself and entering into an eternity in Hell.

Instead, he repented and asked that most momentous question vs30) “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” 31) “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house”.

We are all answerable to God –

“And it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this, the judgement” – Hebrews Ch9 vs27.

God loved the cruel jailor, and today loves every one of us too.

At the Cross, in Jesus Christ, The Just died for the unjust to restore our broken relationship with Holy God –

“without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins” – Hebrews Ch9 vs22

The sacrifice of Jesus Christ was a complete sacrifice in every way.

Through Him only, God cleanses us from all our sin and guilt.

Christ gives us peace with God, and an eternal home in Heaven.

We are saved from the lake of fire, unlike any who reject this offer of salvation from God’s Son, Jesus Christ.

“God commandeth all men everywhere to repent” – Acts Ch17 vs30.

The jailor’s whole household was told the Gospel – they also believed and were all individually saved. It has to be a personal decision – the speaker was brought up in a home with Godly parents, but it did not make him a Christian. He had to repent and put his faith and trust in Christ with his own words himself.

It is a simple act of faith to be saved and baptised.

We see that the response from the jailor once saved, was to invite the Apostles into his home…  his good works follow after salvation –

“For by grace are ye saved through faith…Not of works, lest any man should boast” – Ephesians Ch2 vs8/9.

 Pauls conversion was dramatic, and also the Philippian jailor’s. Ours are probably much less so, but are just as real when we know Christ’s love and saving grace.

God spoke to Elijah in “a still small voice” – 1^st Kings Ch19 vs12 – and generally so with us too. Is He calling you softly and gently, dear friend? Let Him into your heart today as Lord and Saviour.

The Holy God of righteousness cannot pass sin by. Our sins are not swept under a carpet, but dealt with at Calvary.

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life” -

 John’s Gospel Ch3 vs16.

“Mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other”. – Psalm Ch85 vs10.

No longer any judgement or condemnation for the saved. We have passed from death to life. Hell is real, and there is a Hell to be saved from, else Christ Jesus would not have left His Heavenly home.

We cannot add to His work of salvation

The speaker is looking forward to seeing and being with The Lord Jesus Christ, to bow down and worship Him. He will see those wounds in His hands and side which were suffered for him. 

We will be free of our sinful nature – “…when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is” – 1^st Epistle of John Ch3 vs2.

In this life, we all have difficulties temptations and trials, but our blessed hope is - “…and so shall we ever be with the Lord” – 1^st Thessalonians Ch4 vs17.

A Wonderful Saviour!