Gospel Meeting 28/10/2018

John’s Gospel ch17 vs17

Hebrew’s ch10 vs31

“God’s Word Says”

Today, countless people mock God and His Word – a most dangerous thing to do!

Their attitude is often “have you nothing better to do than to preach that rubbish”.

How many in our land would say they still fear God?

Many people simply believe what they have made up in their own hearts and minds – often which is compatible with their own lifestyles. It is usually without any foundation!

Christian people the world over believe that the Holy Bible is the inspired Word of God - infallible and completely trustworthy.

“Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation, but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost”.

-  2^nd Peter ch1 vs20 – 21.

In this land at present, there is a severe lack of warning about God’s Judgement Day which is approaching. Countless people are refusing to accept that they are fully responsible for the way they live their lives, but nevertheless, it will have eternal consequences for each one.

Every person will spend a never ending eternity in either Heaven or Hell.

What Almighty God has said matters infinitely more than what mortal man thinks!

Mankind has invented many ways in which one can get into Heaven, but these are all lies and have deceived millions of people. The devil is the father of lies and loves to give false hope!

So what does God’s truth say…?

“This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief”.

- 1^st Timothy ch1 vs15.

Who are the sinners, you may ask? 

Dear friend, that is me, you, and everyone else that has ever lived, apart from God’s Son, Jesus Christ. He is completely sinless!

“For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God…”

- Romans ch3 vs23.

To disobey God is sin - and we are all totally guilty!

All sin is an abhorrent offence against Holy God, our Creator, and if our sins are not dealt with and forgiven, it will end in us being forever separated from God in a lost eternity.

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

- Hebrews ch9 vs27.

God’s Judgement Day is an absolutely fact, and each one of us must make sure that we are forgiven and have made our peace with God before it is too late forever!

Thankfully there is ONE WAY that we can be forgiven – God provided His only Son, Jesus Christ, to be our Saviour of sinners.

This was foretold by God, centuries before Jesus Christ descended from Heaven and became a Man …

 “But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from old, from everlasting”.

- Micah ch5 vs2.

The “child” was born in Bethlehem, but the “Son” was from everlasting!

“For unto you is born this day in the city of David, a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord”.

- Luke’s Gospel ch2 vs11.

This ONE WAY requires a personal faith in who The Lord Jesus Christ is, and in His atoning sacrifice for our sins at Calvary’s Cross.

Come to Jesus Christ, and being sorry for your sins, ask His forgiveness and invite Him into your heart and life as Lord and Saviour.

“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast”.

- Ephesians ch2 vs8 – 9.

Friend, how is your track record going to look on Judgement Day?

You cannot save yourself!

There will be no debate!

 Now, today, is when you can be forgiven and saved.

How many countless people will die in this world before tomorrow comes and find themselves in eternity?

What an eternal tragedy to die in your sins!

Heaven… So what does God say about it …?

The Lord Jesus Christ is there, and so will every person who have put their personal faith and trust in Him!

“In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. 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 vs3.

There will be no sin! No tears! No pain! No worries! No mental illness! No death!

“But as it is written, eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for those that love him”.

- 1 Corinthians ch2 vs9.

Friend, by faith in the cleansing blood of Jesus Christ, I will be spending my eternity there!  – will you?

Only ONE WAY – God’s way, not the devils lies!

“… I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me”.

- John’s Gospel ch14 vs6.

Hell … So what does God say about it …?

It is the only other eternal destination.

For the unsaved, those who have not accepted Jesus Christ’s offer of forgiveness through His sinless sacrifice on The Cross.

There shall be weeping and nashing of teeth.

Utter blackness and forever separated from God.

An eternity of torment and punishment for unforgiven sins.

It is the most awful real place and to be avoided at all costs.

Oh what could have been, if only one had repented and believed the Gospel!

Friend, will you be there?

Each of us are in full need of the only Saviour of sinners!

Please accept the love of Jesus Christ and His Salvation He freely offers you tonight, before it is too late.

Do not be deceived by the devils lies, but heed the abiding truth of God’s Word.

Any person may only be a heartbeat away from one of these two eternal destinations.

Please make your decision for Christ tonight!

1.

O soul, are you weary and troubled?

No light in the darkness you see?

There’s a light for a look at the Saviour,

And life more abundant and free! 

Chorus.

Turn your eyes upon Jesus,

Look full in His wonderful face,

And the things of earth will grow strangely dim,

In the light of His glory and grace.

2.

Through death into life everlasting

He passed, and we follow Him there;

Over us sin no more hath dominion—

For more than conquerors we are!

3. 

His Word shall not fail you—He promised;

Believe Him, and all will be well:

Then go to a world that is dying,

His perfect salvation to tell!

(Hymn by H. Lemmel)

Gospel Meeting 14/10/2018

John’s Gospel ch10 vs14 – 18, 25 – 30.

THE GOOD SHEPHERD.

The Lord Jesus Christ told of “bad shepherds of Israel”, who did not attend to the spiritual needs of the people, and compared them with thieves, robbers and hirelings.

The Lord Jesus Christ is the true and Good Shepherd, and concerning this, the speaker gave the Gospel message three headings:

a)    The Love of the Shepherd

b)    The Life of the Shepherd

c)    The Leading of the Shepherd

a)     The Love of the Shepherd …

We can all know some things about someone, but to really know someone involves being in a relationship with them.

The Lord says He knows who are His, and those of us who are His know Him. Not in a general head knowledge way, but in a special, spiritual and saving knowledge, trusting Him with all one’s heart.

(vs15) His love for us is so strong and true that He gave His life for us all, that we can be forgiven for our sins and their penalty.

“… the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me”.

-      Galatians ch2 vs20.

Friend, you too can write your own name into this verse, because of His great love in dying for you personally!.

A relationship requires a two way response. A shepherd calls out to his sheep and only those sheep that belong to him will respond to his voice.

Have you responded to The Saviour’s voice?

Have you made a decision to the Gospel of The Lord Jesus Christ?

Can you say with all your heart Jesus Christ is your own Lord and Saviour?

So many people make so many excuses and hold back from His loving call.

Friend, what is it that would hold you back from accepting Jesus Christ, The Son of God, as your Good Shepherd?

For all who turn to Jesus Christ in faith and repenting of their sins, have a great peace and joy enter into their hearts. You too, can know with absolute assurance that He has paid the price of your sins in full on The Cross and no longer facing eternal judgement.

The extent of His love was shown at Calvary, when He took our punishment on His sinless body, being crucified.

Jesus Christ knows His sheep as well as His Father knows Him!

He is offering you an infinite eternal relationship!

Eternity is truly forever, where will you choose to spend it – Heaven or Hell?

Please embrace His love tonight before it is too late and the choice is forever gone.

b)     The Life of the Shepherd …

A good shepherd would be willing to defend his sheep to the end against wild animals, and the Lord Jesus Christ laid down His own life for everyone.

Only He had the power to end His own life by literally dismissing His Spirit (Luke’s Gospel ch23 vs46).

He let no man take His life, but voluntarily laid it down for you and I.

But He also had the power to take it up again – we are not preaching to you a dead Saviour tonight! The grave could not ever hold the sinless, eternal Son of God!

Friend, the whole purpose of Jesus Christ coming here from Heaven and taking flesh was in order to give that sinless body as a sacrifice for the sins of everyone in the world.

“All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all”.

-       Isaiah ch53 vs6.

No one is excluded from the love and Salvation of The Lord Jesus Christ – only you can exclude yourself and reject His most wonderful love.

Tonight He still bids you to come, whoever you are!

“Come unto me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest”.

-       Matthew’s Gospel ch11 vs28”.

c)      The Leading of the Shepherd …

The shepherd walks in front and the sheep follow. The sheep trust him.

In tonight’s passage (vs16), The Lord tells us that there will one flock and one shepherd, and there are other sheep He must bring into this flock. These sheep are us, Gentiles -  not of Israel.

“That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world: But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ”.

-       Ephesians ch2 vs12- 13.

“I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture”.

-      John’s Gospel ch9 vs10.

You WILL be saved! – and be provided with sustenance.You will have His security forever (vs28 – 29).

Not any kind of life, but an eternal life of complete quality in Heaven with The Good Shepherd!

Friend, you cannot do one thing to save yourself from the punishment of your sins, but call out to the one Saviour that has been provided for us.

I pray that this night you too can say with all your heart, the words of David in Psalm ch23 - 

“The Lord is MY shepherd; I shall not want”.

Gospel Meeting 07/10/2018

Mark’s Gospel ch1 vs21 – 38.

In this passage of scripture, all were impressed with the authority which Jesus Christ showed in the synagogue.

He had complete authority both in His teaching and having control over evil spirits.

The Lord Jesus Christ had every right to His full authority!

“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me “

-    Matthew’s Gospel ch28 vs18.

Jesus Christ had words like no other – and completely unlike the scribes.

They strictly taught the law of Moses and were dry, dull and uninspiring, tying the people up in endless rules and regulations. They would even contravene God’s laws.

However, the common people gladly heard Him, for they understood His words.

Even the demons know that this Man is unique!

 “JESUS, the name high over all,

In hell, or earth, or sky:

Angels and men before it fall,

And devils fear and fly”.

(Words from hymn by C.Wesley)

Jesus Christ’s fame spread immediately over the whole region for He was like no other!

Yet this same One, who came from the highest place of all, humbled Himself to take the lowest place of all – for you and I.

“In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death – even death on a cross!

-    Philippians ch2 vs5 – 8.

“For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him”.

-   2^nd Corinthians ch5 vs21.

Jesus Christ took flesh in order that He would lay down His sinless life as the only acceptable sacrifice for our sins, taking our punishment upon Himself.

If you have not personally accepted His offer of Salvation, then why not come in faith to Him this night and in repentance of your sins?

Whoever you are and whatever you may have done wrong, He earnestly bids you come.

He loves you so much that bled and died for you – and is now ascended back to Heaven preparing a home for those who have accepted Him as Lord and Saviour.

Why not you, dear friend?

Tonight you can know the peace and joy of having all your sins forgiven and the certainty of an eternal home in Heaven – with the One who loved you and gave Himself for you!

“Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father”.

- Philippians ch2 vs9 – 11.

Gospel Meeting 30/09/2018

John’s Gospel ch4 vs46 -54.

Having come out of Judea into Galilee, this was the second miracle by Jesus Christ.

Jesus Christ gave miracles as signs to show exactly and clearly who He was.

There are seven recorded miracles that Jesus Christ did, but at the latter end and conclusion of John’s Gospel account he informs us –

“And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book: But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name” (ch20 vs30 -31).

“And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written. Amen” (ch21 vs25).

A recent survey of 18 -24 year old's showed that 60% did believe in miracles, yet only 15% believed in the miracles performed by Jesus Christ.

“Ye men of Israel, here these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know: Him, being delivered by the determinate council and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain: Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it”.

-  The Acts ch2 vs22 – 24.

Dear reader, do you believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God?

Are you saved from your sins through faith in His sacrifice on The Cross, and in repentance of your sinful lifestyle?

If not, then God says all are “dead in trespasses and sins”, and under eternal condemnation and punishment for them. All sin is abhorrent and must be dealt with.

“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”.

-  John’s Gospel ch3 vs16 – 18.

My plea tonight dear Friend, is that you are not one of the unsaved souls in this lost position! 

Accept His full and free Salvation with all your heart!

Tonight’s passage of scripture shows us more of Jesus Christ’s great love, grace and mercy towards us.

Here, a nobleman, an official of King Herod and having much authority, but was still unable to solve the great problem in his own family.

His son was dying.

He had heard about Jesus Christ, and came to meet Him.

“So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God”.

-    Romans ch10 vs17.

So many people today will not have faith, they want more signs.

 However, after His resurrection, Jesus Christ said to His disciple

“Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed”.

-   John’s Gospel ch20 vs29.

The nobleman, for all his standing, was without pride and begged of The Lord Jesus Christ to come to Capernaum and heal his child.

Each of us can be guilty at times of thinking we are able to sort all situations by ourselves, but only certain things can be truly attended to and solved by Jesus Christ.

Concerning our own great sin problem, we can never do enough ourselves to gain forgiveness for even one of them, let alone a lifetime’s horrendous amount.

The best ever news though, is that Jesus Christ HAS done all the work and paid ALL the price for us!

Don’t focus on self – we are all helpless to find forgiveness through anything we might try to do – but look on Jesus Christ.

Salvation for all was achieved at Calvary’s Cross, solely through His body sacrificed and His cleansing blood given.

Like this nobleman, only Jesus Christ can help you.

It is one thing hearing -  but he sought Christ and came unto him personally.

Friend, it takes an action – a decision is required!

Have you been to Jesus? Will you come and ask Him to be your Saviour tonight?

The nobleman asked The Lord Jesus Christ to heal his son, and he believed the words of Jesus (vs50), and went his way.

The words of The Lord are all powerful – even over distance or time!

“Thy son liveth” – The Lord healed his child without even being with him, and he recovered at the very same hour as the words were spoken!

Tonight, Jesus Christ is saying to you personally that He can save you too from the eternal penalty of your sins.

What peace and joy will fill your heart and mind to know that all is well between you and Holy God!

The great gulf between you and God caused by your sin can be bridged forever by accepting His Son in faith and repentance!

“Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ”.

-    Romans ch5 vs1.

“Nothing in my hand I bring,

Simply to The Cross I cling;

Naked, come to thee for dress;

Helpless, look to thee for grace;

Foul, I to the fountain fly;

Wash me, Saviour, or I die”

(words of hymn by A. Toplady).

The nobleman heard/ came to Jesus/ believed/was saved, and his whole house.

Friend, take firm hold of these eternal truths tonight!