Gospel Meeting 25/06/2017

1^st Epistle of Peter ch1 vs1 – 13.

There IS life after death!

Atheists, evolutionists, and many continue to say “When I die it’s over…I will make the best of it here and now”.

As believers, we need to warn them that they will soon confront their Creator.

All will be required to give an account of their lives to God.

There are two ways of approaching unbelievers on this matter – explaining the terrors of an endless Hell, or the endless beautiful Heaven.

The speaker would be concentrating on the latter this evening.

The context of Peter’s letter is addressing Christian people who are going through difficult times.

vs4) tells us that there is a glorious inheritance awaiting all who have accepted Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour.

Peter also encouraged them by saying although they were scattered, rejected, and nothing to the world, yet they were all loved by God.

Each were chosen, and in the family of God.

“…who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ” –

Ephesians ch1 vs3.

Although they were persecuted, driven out, fleeing, and lost their earthly inheritance, yet Peter encouraged them with the things to come – vs4) “…an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you”.

How very different from those people who reject Christ and are left behind!

vs3) tells us that by God’s “abundant mercy” believers are born again, into a “living hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead”.

Hope is a lovely word!

It is the expectation and the desire coming together.

Hope in The Lord Jesus Christ is expecting all His promises and desiring to be with Him…

“… Even so, come, Lord Jesus” – Revelation ch22 vs20.

A “living hope”, is not an earthly hope – it will come to pass.

The unbelievers “hope” dies with them.

The believers “living hope” goes with us.

Any earthly inheritance can go at anytime. It can be stolen or lost, but as believers our inheritance - gained through personal repentance and trust in the sinless life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ - will NEVER perish or deteriorate.

Many things in this world does, all due to sin and God’s judgement upon our world -  but our inheritance is pure, lovely, clean, true, and without defilement.

God is holy, and will only share this inheritance with others who are holy.

To us, this is impossible.

But a way has been made for anyone to be holy – through Jesus Christ!

By His wonderful grace, love and mercy, we can be washed clean by His cleansing blood given at the Cross, and clothed in His righteousness… you will be declared by God to be as holy as His Son!

So many people today get bored of things.

No matter how much we may enjoy our favourite meal or music, etc, we become bored with them when we have them too often… believers will have no such experiences in Heaven!

We will have what God intended from the beginning – being with God and for God.

Our inheritance is vs4) “reserved in heaven for us”, kept by God.

How much do you trust people with your money or goods?

God is keeping our inheritance, and no-one can take it away.

“Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal”. – Matthew’s Gospel ch6 vs19 – 20.

There is no point having an inheritance safe and secure if you do not arrive to collect it … receive the blessings Jesus Christ has gained for you.

You must have faith. Do not die in your sins without personal faith in Christ and His work on the Cross for you.

“Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat; Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it”. –

Matthews Gospel ch 7 vs13 – 14.

Repent, ask forgiveness of Christ, and trust yourself to Him.

Faith is a daily relationship with Christ, through the Holy Spirit.

All these things are to the praise of The Lord Jesus Christ.

The speaker concluded by wanting all those present to be meeting together, for this eternal inheritance in Heaven.

Gospel Meeting 18/06/2017

Luke’s Gospel ch18 vs9 – 14.

In today’s society, people still like to think they are better than others.

The Pharisees certainly thought so, by their following of the Law to the letter.

They thought they were so righteous, trusting in themselves.

This is still the same today – many people see nothing wrong with their lives, believing they are pleasing God.

The Lord Jesus Christ got the Pharisees attention by talking about them in this parable.

They were enjoying the first part – believing themselves to be the best, and the tax collector the lowest of men. vs11)  “…I thank thee that I am not as other men are…”

They loved going even beyond what the Law required, but were just religious, going through the motions and not thinking about what they were really doing.

They were a most arrogant group!

To be a Christian, you must understand WHY you need to be saved… you need to understand about sin, and what God has done concerning your personal sins.

You not only need head knowledge, but your heart must also be right with God.

If you come to Christ for forgiveness, it is always a personal decision.

God deals with us all as individuals, speaking to us in different ways.

Religion only teaches us to do things  such as giving, or going to church. But God did not give the law for us to follow parrot – fashion, it was to show us that none of us could ever keep it.

We have ALL sinned!

Jesus Christ said that even thinking the act is sin.

What a total difference we find in the attitude of the tax collector – vs13a)  he stood “afar off”, “not lifting up as much as his eyes to heaven”.

“Once you were alienated from God, and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behaviour” – Colossians ch1 vs21.

The tax collector knew where he should be, and knew more than the Pharisees.

He was aware of his own sins, and standing afar off, he knew his guilt.

He knew he was not worthy of drawing near to God – and we all need to be of the same mind, not fooling ourselves like the Pharisees.

This is the tragedy of religion.

Having a sense of our own importance before God.

The Lord Jesus Christ will say of these people “…I never knew you, depart from me…” – Matthew’s Gospel ch7 vs23.

Like today’s religions – things are done “in the name of God”, but it is not real and against the truth of God.

The tax collector not looking up, was convicted of his sin and his needs.

In humility before God,  vs13b)  he confesses his sins and is repentant – “God be merciful to me a sinner”.

He fully understood his position before God, and was taking no notice of the Pharisees.

His only concern was to get himself right with God,

It was personal – and so it needs to be with each of us if we are to be forgiven and saved -  by coming to Jesus Christ in repentance and having faith in His completed work of salvation on the Cross…

“There’s a way back to God from the dark paths of sin;

there’s a door that is open and you may go in:

at Calvary’s Cross is where you begin,

when you come as a sinner to Jesus”.

-   words of song by E.H.Swinstead.

 In the person of The Lord Jesus Christ, He has provided Salvation to anyone who will accept it.

 One is then made righteousness through faith – and vs14) – justified like the tax collector.

 All because of Christ, in love, giving His body and His shed blood to pay for the price of your personal sins.

Jesus Christ will not turn YOU away, 

He says “…him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out”.–        John’s Gospel ch6 vs37. 

  We all must come in the same right way as the tax collector – confessing in humility, with a broken spirit.

The truth was spoken again tonight about how you can be saved from the eternal penalties of your unforgiven sin.

The Gospel message has not changed in over 2000 years…

Society has changed, as has culture… man has advanced intellectually, in medicine, in engineering…

But the way to God and Heaven is always the same – personally acknowledge what Christ has done for you, come in repentance, fully trusting in His sacrifice and you too will go home justified, and with joy.

Gospel Meeting 11/06/2017

Readings:

                Mark’s Gospel ch10 vs32 – 34.

                Luke’s Gospel ch19 vs1 – 10,

                                         ch22 vs63 – 71,

                                         ch23 vs1 – 12,

                                         ch24 vs1 – 8.

                 Hebrews ch13 vs8.

The past twelve months has been a year of surprising things.

The “Brexit” result, Donald Trump becoming president of the USA, and now in our General Election a huge lead in the polls was almost gone on the day of vote.

In each of these things, the opposite was expected to happen.

Although we live in a most changing world which causes worry and concern, none of these results are a surprise to God.

There is never any happening that is unexpected to God.

He knows all, understands all, and all are in His plan.

Many people thought that the last thing to happen to a lovely man who healed, loved, and spoke words like no other – the Lord Jesus Christ -  is that He would be put to death.

The Lord’s followers were fearful concerning these things, but Christ -  ch10 vs33) “went before them”.  It was His Father’s will for Him to go to Jerusalem, to the Cross, and nothing would stop Him.

We do not know even what tomorrow may bring, but The Lord knows all and everything is in His hands.

Christ told His disciples beforehand exactly what was going to happen to Him – How He would be taken, His death and resurrection.

All came to pass just as He had said.

Many people now think Jesus Christ was just a good man, nothing more, but His life and death was for Salvation.

Christ paid our sins in His own body on the Cross, that we can all have forgiveness.

His was a cruel death, crucified between two robbers. He knew all these things, but nothing would stop Him from laying down His life to bring Salvation to the world.

At the end on the Cross, He dismissed His spirit – in control to the last moment – and cried with a loud voice “It is finished”… His Father’s work was complete.

On the third day, as foretold, His Father fully satisfied with His sacrificial death, He arose from His grave.

On a personal level, God is also in control of all our lives –

Although Zacchaeus was curious just to see Him, The Lord already knew everything about Zacchaeus!

The Lord was not going to stop in Jericho – He was passing through on His way to Jerusalem.

Zacchaeus was not a popular man, being a chief tax collector and cheating people with their money. He was rich. The Lord tells us in Matthew’s Gospel ch19 vs23) “…it is hard for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of heaven”…yet “…with God all things are possible” – Matthew’s Gospel ch19 vs26.

Zacchaeus on dining with Jesus, was personally repentant, confessing his sins to His Saviour, and calling Him Lord.

We all need to do this on a personal level and put our faith and trust in the work of salvation offered by Jesus Christ.

Then Christ can say - as with Zacchaeus – “This day is salvation come to this house”.

It seemed an unlikely place, but Christ knowing that the life of Zacchaeus needed forgiveness, came to where he was… “For the son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost”.

The Lord knows all about your life too, and is speaking to you.

Be like Zacchaeus and accept Him as Lord and Saviour TODAY – tomorrow would have been too late for him  – The Lord was gone, never to return that way.

The reason each of the people are in this Hall tonight, is because God wanted us to be here and nowhere else… He wanted to have dealings with each one of us.

Zacchaeus gladly accepted Christ.

However, those seeing Jesus with Zacchaeus did not like it, saying “…he was gone to be guest with a man that is a sinner”… but this is true of everybody.

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

Repentance and faith in The Lord Jesus Christ is required.

There is so little to trust in this life and in this world, but we can fully trust in Him –

“Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever”.

Gospel Meeting 04/06/2017

Readings:

Luke’s Gospel ch14 vs15 – 24,  ch15 vs7, 10 – 24, ch16 vs19 – 31.

The speaker gave the following headings to the scripture;

Chapter 14 – Earth and madness.

Chapter 15 – Heaven and gladness.

Chapter 15 – Hell and sadness.

Chapter 14.

The people that were invited in the parable of the great supper had no time for it, making ridiculous excuses: why would you buy a piece of ground without having seen it?... why would you buy five yoke of oxen without having proved them?...

So it is today – people have no time for the things of Christ or His Heavenly invitation.

However, today has the same call as in vs17) – “Come, for all things are now ready”.

There was a great preparation and cost involved for the Gospel invite to be ready.

Jesus Christ, God’s eternal Son, came down into this world to meet the needs of our sin question.

This parable was told in the house of a Pharisee and addressed to them.

“…ye will not come to me, that ye might have life”. – John’s Gospel ch5 vs40…

Where do YOU stand on this, guilty sinner?

Jesus Christ died that we might have life. Yet we never deserved His great mercy and love.

We all need to confess our sins and acknowledge Christ as our personal Saviour.

This contrasts to these people who made excuses.

In this parable the Lord was aware of the needs of all – he wanted to help the poor, the maimed, the halt and the blind, inviting them all to his great supper.

Whatever category you fall into, you are still one of the needy – you need a Saviour to be saved from your sins.

You should not need much persuasion!

The Master desired his house to be full, and it is also God’s desire that His home in Heaven is filled with forgiven, saved sinners, to extend His full blessings upon them.

God’s house is filling up fast – will you be the last? People still think that nothing is happening and have plenty time… but The Lord IS coming, and only those saved from their sins by faith in Christ’s precious shed blood will be taken.

Death does not end all.

If you are not saved, then come in repentance and faith tonight – there is still room.

Do not be like the people in this parable – vs24)  “…none of those men… shall taste of my supper”.

No Christ – no Salvation. No feast – no blessing.

Jesus said “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the father, but by me”. John’s Gospel ch14 vs6.

Chapter 15.

This chapter tells us that we have a seeking Shepherd and a seeking Saviour.

There is great rejoicing in Heaven over one sinner that repents and is saved from their sins – vs7.

God takes notice of individuals and loves you personally.

“Lord, Thou hast here Thy ninety and nine;
 Are they not enough for Thee?”
 But the Shepherd made answer: “This of Mine
 Has wandered away from Me;
 And although the road be rough and steep,
 I go to the desert to find My sheep.”

 But none of the ransomed ever knew
 How deep were the waters crossed;
 Nor how dark was the night which the Lord passed through
 Ere He found His sheep that was lost". - 

 Words from hymn.

             

We are all sinners, all in need, and God wants all of us who are lost – described as sheep who have gone astray – to be found and saved.

The Lord Jesus Christ made huge graphic sufferings at Calvary’s Cross for you.

“I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep” – John’s Gospel ch10 vs11.

The parable of the lost silver coin shows we can be lost at home… maybe you have Godly parents and you are not living your life in a worldly way, but not yet saved? God is still seeking you, whether in the world or at home.

In the “Parable of the lost son”, he was cruel and nasty to his Father.

He went “out into the world” and became without friends or food. No man gave unto him. When he came to his senses, he realised he had a good home where everything was provided for him. His Father was out looking for his return, and our Heavenly Father too is always looking out for a returning sinner.

The son’s first step was to acknowledge he was a sinner before God – vs18) – “I will arise and go to my father, and I will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee…”.

Good intentions are not good enough… you realise you are a sinner and intending  to be saved - you need to act! Confess your sins and come to Christ.

“…behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation”. – 

2^nd Corinthians ch2 vs6.

It is of utmost importance this urgent matter is never put off until tomorrow.

The son resolved – vs20) “And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him .” The seeking Saviour! – God wants to throw His loving arms around you… start your own journey home tonight.

vs21) – “…am no longer worthy to be called thy son”.

The starting point tonight is to know you are a sinner and have sinned against the Holy God. 

To be a child of God is wholly undeserved, but all by His grace

The son had confessed, repented and was now forgiven by his father –

vs22 – 24) “Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him: and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet: And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry: For this my son was dead, and is alive again: he was lost, and is found…”.

A picture of Heaven and gladness! Joy over one sinner who had repented!

Will there be joy in Heaven over you tonight?

Chapter 16.

Hell is a place of reality

It is the place of the lost.

No more hope.

No escape.

A great gulf fixed that no-one can ever cross.

A place of eternal torment.

What a contrast with Heaven and its gladness.

The Lord Jesus Christ tells of two men who died – Lazarus, who was right with God, and went into Paradise.  He had been a beggar and had little in life.

The other had been a rich man, living in luxury, yet he did not want God. He went into Hell.

If you only have Christ you have all!

Jesus Christ makes all the difference in death.

 One soul landed in Hell, being in torment. He had remorse, regret and was fully conscious, desiring a drop of cold water to cool his tongue.

Reader, do not find yourself in this Hell. Escape this judgement through accepting Christ as your Saviour, who paid your price. Do not join this rich man in paying the eternal price for the consequences of  your unforgiven sin.

Hell and sadness.

If you died tonight, where are you spending your eternal life?

Examine your heart in relation to God.

Choose Heaven and its gladness!

                 

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

.

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!