Deuteronomy 18 v 9/18 ; Hebrews 10 v 19/25

On Sunday, we begin a New Year, the first service to begin on. This enables the Church to start to face the giant task of bringing people to, and back to, the practice of worshipping God, and by His grace to become followers of Jesus Christ.

We have just celebrated the birth of Jesus, and many people enjoyed themselves by taking advantage of the event, by attending services after absences. Now we must seriously commit ourselves to make the Church a significant factor in lives.

A New Year always provides for a new beginning, and as we look back, we can reflect on the failures as well as the successes, and remember those two little words- if only, we either rejoice or regret.

In the Old Testament Lesson, the people of Israel were facing a new beginning. They had failed God by not obeying and trusting Him, so they spent forty years in the wilderness. Now, as they stand on the banks of the Jordan, ready to cross into the land God had promised to give to them, their leader Moses speaks to them words of encouragement, and telling them to place trust in God. Such a message is relevant to us today.
Anyone who has gone out on a journey, knows when you reach a certain point, it is that of no return; you have gone so far you just have to continue, the past behind you.

We face the challenge of a new year, one in which only God knows what the future holds. We need to heed the words of Moses to trust in God to bless us.
The Israelites were told to possess the land. God was giving them a homeland, which many want to take away from them now,  Just as God provided for Israel, He is prepared to provide now, for all who are ready to obey his commands and trust Him. There are many blessings offered to us, but we have to take possession of them.

Jesus said, ‘I have come that you may have life and have it to the full’. Paul said, ‘eye has not seen nor ear heard the things which God has prepared for those who love Him’.

In our society, so much can come so easily that God does not figure in many people’s lives, they think of him as an irrelevance having no part to play in their lives.
If you ask a lot of young people how we get our food, they will say something like Tesco; there is no understanding of the part God plays. They have never heard the words, ‘give us this day our daily bread’.

God gave Israel a land of milk and honey, providing for all their needs after they had suffered so much in Egypt where water was scarce where the Nile is the only river, and it is a barren land largely.

People who live without Christ in their lives, resemble a barren land. They live without Him who said that those who trusted in Him would never be thirsty, but would be given living water.

God was offering a land of mountains and valleys. Life for all of us is a tortuous road, with its twists and turns, its hills and valleys. There will be times when all is going well, and we feel we have reached a mountain peak, but there will be times when we feel we are in a deep valley as things have been so hard.

Life can become difficult. We may feel we are of little significance in the scheme of things, and as we look back on our life, we think if only I had done this or that, what difference.

If you feel depression is setting in; remember God does not expect you to be any different, recall the words in verse 12, ‘the eyes of the Lord are upon you from the beginning to the end’.

A study of the Bible shows God often uses little people to do mighty things; he chose a young Jewish village girl to be the Savior of the World. None of the Apostles had a degree, and if applying for Christian ministry today would probably be rejected.

The new year brings a new opportunity. As we move forward, God’s eyes will be upon us, looking after us from beginning until the end of the year, if we put our trust in him. But if we are to receive the full blessing of God’s provision, we must remember the importance of loving God, and obeying his will which he has given us in the Bible.

The New Testament reading calls on us to draw near to God, to let him be in control of your life, and not to be someone you call upon when you are in trouble.

There is also the command to be present at worship, not giving up as so many want to do. There are cynical voices trying to turn people away from God. We find scorn on television as the messengers of secularism are so prominent in those circles, and slide in anti-Christian thoughts in entertainment programmes. Now we have the political parties of all persuasions, which support conduct and actions contrary to traditional Bible teaching, and then create laws which place State law against God’s law.

We are living in an increasing anti-Christian environment, with so called Equality and Diversity laws making it hard for Christians to express themselves, as public servants strive to find ways of excluding Christian expression. It would be more accurate to call it the Inequality and Diversity law, as some are allowed to be more equal and diverse than others.
We live in two worlds. We live in the earthly world, but we also live in the world of the Spirit, and there is always the danger we can forget about God and become so involved in earthly activities.

As members of a human family we like to meet with brothers and sisters in our parents’ home and as members of a Church family we welcome the chance to meet with our Christian brothers and sisters.
A Church family is unique in that it consists of different ages, backgrounds, experiences and sexes. It is where God provides for us to be come equipped to carry out His message to the world. We sing praise together, pray for each other and for the worlds needs share bread and wine in Holy Communion and remember what

God has done for us in Jesus Christ.

Coming to Church should be like sons and daughters coming to meet with their (heavenly) Father in complete harmony. My sons regularly visit my wife and self, and I would be very concerned if they did not. Our heavenly Father is also upset when His children neglect Him.
The Bible says, ‘let us not give up meeting together as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another’.

We need to meet with others to have fellowship, to gain and give encouragement. Each of us has to make an effort. Most people believe in God and many have a respect for the Church, but that is as far as it goes. They don’t want God or the Church to intrude into their lives, unless of course they want a baptism or wedding and then both can become useful.  

We need corporate fellowship, so neglecting to meet in Church with brothers and sisters in Christ is a serious weakness.
It can be so easy to just give up and go with the flow, especially as Church leaders side with the State. This is why the Bible urges Christians to be together and contend for the faith. We join in prayer together and encourage one another; it is God’s way of providing for his people to be fully equipped for his service.

We need to learn from preaching of his Word, provided that such teaching is consistent and faithful to the Bible. This can be a problem when preachers challenge Scripture.

But there is one thing I feel needs to be stressed. We should ensure the Church we attend is one faithful to God’s Word, and seeks to build each other up through the Scriptures, and where the true gospel is preached.  We have to acknowledge however sadly this is not always the case, so it serves no purpose going to a Church which fails to do these things

 Too many preachers have their own agenda, which is created around a morality not supported by Scripture, and where the teaching is given to subscribe to the culture of the day.

You must find a Bible based Church. Research in America has shown that going to Church, and meeting with fellow believers is good for your health. A survey of 4,000 people, found that older people especially who attended Church, were less depressed and far healthier that their non-religious counterparts.

But just believing in God’s existence is not enough we have to draw near to Him, and the only way is through Jesus Christ. There is one way, one Savior, one way to eternal life.
Jesus is described in the Bible as the great High priest of God. The function of a priest is to be a bridge between God and man, so that we can come into God’s presence, and Jesus makes that possible. Jesus can take us into the very presence of His Father.

There are many, far too many people in recent times, who have forsaken Church, and it can be so very easy to give up, go with the flow and fall away. Once this is done, it is often hard to get back into the practice of coming to Church. This is why the Bible urges the need for Christians to be with each other.

There are numerous reasons for people giving up worship. There are the cynical voices pouring scorn making people feel doubtful. There are forces of secularisation, now given so much attention and credence. There are pressures from within families where some members are anti-church, notably husbands regarding their wives. The worry about taking a public stand, and indeed, from within the Church itself.

We should not be tempted to separate ourselves from those who are joined to us by a common faith. Meeting and following Christ can be costly, but mostly well rewarded. We must always be aware of the fact that in many parts of the world Churches cannot exist, nor can Christians meet with other Christians for fear of imprisonment or even death. Increasing hostility is being displayed in countries like Egypt, Pakistan, and Nigeria, where Churches are burned down and bombed. Here we still have freedom to worship, but if not cherished and valued, and fought for will be lost.

Jesus expected to be given priority, and if people can find time for all other things in life but not for him, the question arises as to how important our faith, Jesus and God.

The great American evangelist, Dwight Moody, was once talking to a young man who had fallen away from Church as they sat by a coal fire. Moody knocked one of the coals from the fire into the hearth, and it soon died out. He picked it up and put if back on the fire. and it glowed. He said to the young man, that is how what happens when a Christian falls away from Church, they burn out. Coming to Church should be like sons and daughters visiting their father, their heavenly Father.

Having said all this, it is fair to say we should make sure we attend a Church which is faithful to God’s Word.

We have to acknowledge this is not, sadly, always the case. I understand it comes hard when a number of preachers have to be heard, and you have a situation when liberal minded anything goes preacher. is followed by an evangelical Bible preacher. You are naturally left confused as to who to believe.

There are few people who can say all in my life is sunshine and roses. We all have some worry; health concern for the future, domestic problem, even a Church problem. To all, Jesus says come unto me all you who are heavy laden and |I will give you rest, for I am gentle and humble in heart and you will find rest for your souls.

May the wonderful truth that Jesus is deeply concerned about you, comfort you and ease your worries, and no matter what this new year may bring forth in world issues, it will be a memorable one for you; no doubt of hills and valleys, but one in which you draw near to God.

Let us therefore draw near to God. holding firmly to your belief, and never give up meeting together as some are in the habit of doing, but let us always give each other encouragement. Don’t let unpleasant people, secularists, or anyone else hold you back. Remember too, Jesus said if anyone rejected Him, He will one day reject them. Such a fate is too horrible to consider.
May God bless you in this new year and may his words touch your heart to give you comfort and hope

 

We thank God for His Holy Gospel, and  Lord Jesus Christ our Savior

A New Year Message

A New Year Message

 

I thank all who have turned to this site over the last year and read the words in the postings.

I hope you all had a very happy, peaceful and blessed Christmas, and wish you good health and happiness in the coming New Year . I look forward to your continuing presence.

There has been response from the people in in a number different nations over the past years an overwhelming factor and source of much encouragement, to know there is an on-going contact with Christians from so far away,    

I hope those of you who kindly read from the UK will tell your friends, especially members of your Churches.

Every blessing, 

Eric Royden

 

 

 

 

 Matthew,   2     The Visit of the Wise Men

In the time of King Herod, after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, wise men came from the East came to Jerusalem.

The wise men began asking where is the child who has been born king of the Jews? For we observed his star at its rising, and have come to pay him homage. These men had studied astrology and they would have known of the prophecy in Numbers, which told of a star which would point to the place where the Messiah would be born. We do not know exactly who they were, but God knows, just as many now are serving God faithfully and God will reward them.

When Herod heard of a king being born, he became most concerned that his authority would be put in jeopardy, and the political leadership in Jerusalem would be affected. He called the priests who were in charge of spiritual activity, and scribes who interpreted the Old Testament Scriptures, and asked for their knowledge, and they told him that the prophet Micah had foretold the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem.

Herod sent for the wise men and learned from them the exact time when the star had appeared. Then he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, “Go and search diligently for the child; and when you have found him, bring me word so that I may also go and pay him homage.”

When they had heard the king, they set out and followed the star which guided the men from Jerusalem to Bethlehem, a short distance of about 6 miles, where it stopped over the place where the child was. The men were told were filled with joy for they knew their mission was successfully fulfilled.

They were able to see the child and present gold, which was the gift for a child, frankincense which was used for the incense in the Temple, and myrrh a perfume and stimulant.

The time of this event must have been some time after Christ’s birth for we know that Herod was furious when he found out the wise men had not told him where Jesus was and so ordered all the boys born within two years to be killed.

The actions of the wise men reveal a deep commitment for they travelled many miles in conditions of some discomfort, for they would not have anything like the means of travel we have and would have taken much time to complete. Yet to- day we have alleged Christians finding it hard to travel even the nearest of distances to attend church and worship the Lord. It would be well for all professing Christians if they were ready to follow thee ample of the wise men and show some self-denial.

Above all they believed in Jesus without first having seen him, whilst so many people still won’t believe in him although the evidence for his birth and life is overwhelming. The wise men believed when the religious leaders of the day did not. They did not go to colleges to be convinced, they were not given teaching, yet they saw the baby and believed he was the Savior of the World
This teaches us that it is not only those who receive most notice and are considered to be of such importance are those closest to Christ. A few strangers from a distant land and some shepherds were those who rejoiced most the birth of Jesus.

The Bible states he came unto his own, and his own knew him not. The same may be said of the Church today; those who appear to be so religious and devout in their words, betray the Lord in their beliefs and actions. How applicable thus applies to those in high places who have many degrees and fancy titles, but no true grace in their hearts.  We must not feel holy because of knowledge which is wonderful if faithfully applied, but a lot can leave a person graceless.

The rulers, politicians, people of great wealth and possessions are seldom friendly to the cause of God, Time has not changed things, the Lord Jesus had come from heaven to save all sinners. Greatness and riches are perilous possessions for spiritual belief.  Christianity and the cause for Christ  have not benefited from, nor made, by advertisements, they rather come learned truth, few hold leadership of their country.  Jesus was born from infancy a  man of sorrows.  Since the day of his arrival on earth he was troubled, his life was sought by man who wanted to kill him. and forced His move to Egypt. His place of birth was an humility.

Jesus is the Savior to help sorrowing people, pay the penalty for all sinners, and help those with an  affliction. It does not matter where you  in God’s sight were born or where you live. 

The question all should think about is, where will you live when this life ends?

Give thanks to God for His Holy Gospel,       Praise  the Lord Jesus Christ

 

L U K E  2  V 1-14

We have in these verses, the story of the Son of God, the Lord Jesus Christ,  Every birth of a child is a great event,  It brings a soul which will have everlasting life. But never since the world began has there  never been a birth as marvelous as the birth of Jesus Christ,  It was a miracle of God, and  showed God was in flesh. The world was blessed and the door to heaven and everlasting life was opened for all who accept Christ as Savior.

Firstly, it was in the reign pf Augustus the Roman Emperor, who made a decree that all the world should be taxed,   The Jews were coming under dominion and taxation from a foreign power with strangers were beginning to rule over them

The decree of Augustus called on all men to attend a census at their ancestral town,

Which  meant Jospeh had to leave Nazareth and travel 80 miles to Bethlehem. This meant that Mary who was in advanced pregnancy, would need to have attention in Bethlehem.

The city was filled with people and accommodation was primitive. Mary first went into a courtyard as the Inn was full, and had to decide whether to go to a

 stable in which animals were kept or a manger. Swaddling clothes for the bay consisted of a square cloth with a string of cloth, which was narrow and long which could be wrapped around, the baby.

          When the baby was born there was an angelic testimony to shepherds who were tending sheep in nearby fields’; the shepherds were in contact with the Temple to which they would provide Lambs for sacrifices.  Now they would be able to see and accept the lamb of God,

The announcement  of the birth was for every person about the coming of Jesus as His coming is tell of his authority and lordship and the exercise of His power in overcoming sin. The shepherds were told of the place of the child and were expected to visit and see the lovely baby wrapped up in  poor clothing.  They saw the first revelation of God in the world,

We see the faithfulness of God as He tells us about Jesus.  He was the most humblest of births but became the most exalted person who ever lived  This shows the value of a person does not lie in the number of possessions. 

The shepherds went to see Jesus, and to find the way of life can be influenced by Him; we can be influenced by attending Church to praise and worship Him and find the kind of life He calls us to. We follow his footsteps and glorify God.

Our rejoicing in the story of Jesus is an early part, when the years go by we find Jim life today. One day in heaven we can meet Him face to face with men and women from all corners of the earth.  We prepare for that in this life.

 

May you all have a happy and blessed Christmas

Give thanks to God for His gift to us; we praise Jesus and glorify god.

 

 

WHO IS JESUS?

We have come to that glorious day in Church calendar, and the greatest day of the year for so many people. Millions of people across the world in all nations, in all cultures and race will celebrate on that day. Churches will have larger congregations of people who will never on any other occasion cross a Church doorstep. The majority of people will not have a clue of what they are celebrating, thinking it was just time for celebrating holiday time.

I have chosen to speak this Christmas time on the subject of-- who is Jesus? I pray that all of any age, who do not know the answer, will come to know and will follow Jesus, by letting Him into your life. Jesus is more than a picture on a Church glass window.

Christmas time is a time for celebration, and the reason for doing so, will be to celebrate the birth of the One who became the greatest and unique man who ever lived, and the humblest one. Emperors and rulers have come rule, but have all been forgotten. But Jesus Christ is still the most renowned name. Books, movies. plays, have been written about Him.  He is more important, popular,  more spoken about than when He was on earth.    Musical presentations have been composed, Jesus Christ Superstar; Jesus Christ are you the One they say you are?

This should cause us to enjoy the time and pleasure of engaging in things we would not be normally doing, but this is subject to giving primary attention to the real meaning of the birth of Jesus Christ.

There will however, be so many young people who will not know who Jesus was. The parents may not know either, and those that do, will have no inclination to tell them. Whereas, the schools used to have a period or assembly, in which the Christian faith was taught; now education seems dominated by compulsory teaching on sexuality at all ages from five upwards. All other religious bodies  teach their faith, we need Christians to be committed and faithful as others are.

Only Christianity has a leader who died on a Cross, and a living God who raised Him from the dead.

Turning to the gospel of Matthew in Chapter 16, Jesus is asking His Apostles, who do people say I am? They told Him, some people say you are John the Baptist, others Here then is Jesus, the most famous and greatest man in all history, who is as well- known and spoken about now, as He was 2025 years ago. Time is based on His birth, as the years are marked as A D. (anno Domino) the system spread throughout Europe and the Christian world during the centuries that followed. AD stands for Anno Domini, Latin for “in the year of the Lord”, while BC stands for “before Christ”.

The Bible is all about Christ, from the prophecies and preparation in the Old Testament, to the birth, ministry, crucifixion on the Cross, death and resurrection, and ascension, and notice that He will return to judge the world, in The New Testament. He was as Peter stated the Son of God and the Messiah.

Messiah (from Hebrew Mashiach, meaning "anointed one") refers to a prophesied savior or liberator in Judaism and Christianity, a figure sent by God to redeem humanity, though interpretations differ: Jews await a future king bringing peace, while Christians believe Jesus is the promised Messiah, the Christ (Greek for Messiah), who brought a new covenant for all people through his sacrifice and resurrection. 

He was born in the most humblest way in Bethlehem, to a young girl who lived in a small Jewish village. (When God wants His work to be done He often chose a person of low stature so that it will be done well.) God was His Father by means of the Holy Spirit, and his earthly Father was Mary’s husband Joseph, who was born in the line of David, Israel’s great King, as was foretold by Old Testament prophets. (Some Jews wrongly, called Jesus as son of David).

Jesus according to Jewish culture, at the appointed time of eight days after birth, was taken to the Temple to be circumcised, and was greeted by Simeon. A devout servant of God whose life was based on welcoming the Messiah, recognized Jesus would be hat person. He warned Mary her child was chosen by God to do wonderful things, but he would be opposed by many and a sword would break her heart.

A prophet named Anna, an elderly lady who spent her life worshipping God in the Temple, was present, and when Jesus appeared she rejoiced praising God, and spoke to everyone waiting to greet the expected child.

Jesus grew without any education, and eventually worked in Joseph carpenter’s business, in Nazareth, until it was time to start God’s work. At the age of thirteen years, He was taken to have a  Bar Mitzvah (son of the commandment) is a Jewish coming-of-age ceremony for boys at age 13, marking their transition to religious adulthood and responsibility for Jewish law, typically celebrated in synagogue by reading from the Torah and Haftarah, leading prayers, giving a speech, and followed by a festive meal. It signifies becoming a full member of the community, able to participate in services and be counted in a minyan (prayer quorum). 

Jesus met John the Baptist, and was baptized by Him, which John thought unnecessary as he was the Son of God. When the Baptist was complete, a voice was heard from heaven, which said 'this was my beloved Son who brings me great joy.' Jesus chose to be baptized to display the human side of His life, in which He had the same feelings of tiredness, weariness, hunger, that we do. His ministry began after the baptism.

His healing power was given to many people; he enabled the blind to see; the deaf to hear, He raised some dead people back to life. He cured lepers .
He exercised His power to control the weather, to walk on water, to turn water into wine as His first miracle at a wedding between a man and a woman and other miracles were performed.

Jesus described Himself in seven different ways, using the prefix 'I am'. He said He was the way, the truth and the life, and the only way to God.  The Bible states,

There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name that has been given among men by which we can be saved,

He stated he was the vine on which grapes grew. He was teaching that the vine, which produced much fruit if properly cared for, and those who were committed to follow Him would be fruitful, and those who rejected Him were like dead branches which would be destroyed.

He was the door to the sheepfold, and anyone entering would be saved. Anyone entering another way would be an intruder. He was the only way to salvation.

He was the good shepherd who was prepared to give his life to protect the sheep. He was prepared to be the shepherd who would die to save each one of us.

He was the light of the world, and all who followed Him will have the light of life. He offers a choice between the darkness of sin and the light of a life in His presence,

He was the resurrection and the life, and all who believe in Him though they die, shall live and never die as He raised Lazarus.

Jesus told His Apostles He and God the Father were one. He said, he who sees the Son has seen the Father. He also said, the Father and I are one. He was God in the flesh, and can be named as God. They were equal in many ways, and God had given Him authority to rule over both earth, and heaven.

From all these facts, it will be apparent to all people, that no one has existed to equal in the smallest way, the one and uniquely only Jesus Christ. God on earth, about whom books have been written, academics have discussed in the most exclusive Universities, plays and films have been made,.

You may be touched by any of the Lord’s accomplishments, but above all, remember and never forget, this Jesus came to earth, knowing His task was to die  a horribly cruel death on the Cross, in order that you, whoever you are reading this sermon, are given the chance to earn yourself a place in heaven. You will be able to be accepted into heaven, only by believing and accepting that when Jesus died on that Cross He was dying for your sins, and you accept Him as your Savior.

As men beat Jesus thirty- nine times with a belt studded with pieces if steel to cut His back before crucifying Him, so God raised Him back to life after three days, a fact you as a Christian should believe. Too many people, clergy and lay, do not accept the resurrection I the same way as they deny the Virgin Mary’s birth of Jesus

Jesus is the Son of the living God, and lives on to touch the hearts of all who believe in God in His free grace, has promised that all who commit themselves to follow Jesus, and live in obedience to His teaching, will be granted salvation through Jesus, and will have eternal life with Him. Those who reject Jesus, will follow a life in darkness, which is hell.

There is no escaping the fact that Jesus still has an enormous influence in the world

Jesus called on people who are heavy laden to turn to Him and he will give rest

 He also stated He would not forsake anyone committed[ER1]  to Him, Jesus is calling for people to take up their  cross and follow Him. He was ready to forgive, those who repented and told His Apostles forgiveness was necessary seven times by seven.

This means having faith, for the righteous shall live by faith. There is however a reluctance tod do so, despite the fact we have faith when we do so many times, such as giving faith to doctors, chemists, pilots. Yet not to God or Christ. People mock Christianity and reject Christ. but one day they will regret doing so when this life is over and they have to face not going to heaven whereas those who turn to

Christ will join Him in heaven. There is often an attitude which is taken to enjoy the

Life now living and when things change make a decision to turn to Christ. The Bible states, ‘behold now is the favorable time, now is the day of salvation;’, tomorrow may be too late.

Praise God for His Holy Gospel.  Praise the Lord Jesus Christ

---

 [ER1]

 Luke 1 v 26/56

This Sunday on the week before Christmas, all our thoughts and prayers of thanksgiving are on, and for, the birth of Jesus.
The story we are looking at is the greatest ever told, the birth of Jesus. The Savior. It is a story telling of an extraordinary event, unique and once in all history.

If this Gospel message was told as a story in one of our daily newspapers, and so posted on their website, it would receive numerous scornful mocking comments, questioning as to why anyone would believe it. In fairness, if a daughter or friend came and told you she was pregnant, but had not been intimate with a man, you would reasonably think she was mad or trying to cover up a moral lapse.

Our passage opens at verse 26, where it is stated, In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a village in Galilee, to a virgin named Mary. She was engaged to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. Gabriel appeared to her and said, “Greetings, favored woman! The Lord is with you.

This week let us think of the young Jewish woman Mary, who was honored by God to be the mother of His Son, and whose name would live on in all history. One day she was visited by the angel Gabriel when she was engaged to Joseph, a descendant in the line of the famous King David. She was betrothed, which in Jewish law meant the engagement could only be broken by divorce.

Mary is at the sixth month of her pregnancy, and Luke was specifying Nazareth was a city of Galilee, which suggests he was writing for people who were not from Palestine.

The angel Gabriel greeted Mary to create an atmosphere of tranquillity, and telling her she was highly favored by the Lord who was with her.
Mary was startled , We can deduct from this, she was a moral woman, who could not understand why had been chosen. The angel tells her not be afraid, for she had found favor from God.

She is told she will have a son, whom she will call Jesus, and He will be great and be called a son of the Most High God,. All this was fulfilment of an Old Testament prophecy, and that Jesus would rein over a Kingdom of grace and truth, and there would be no end to that Kingdom.

Mary asks how that can be as she has no husband, but does have faith and believes the angel although she cannot understand. She is told the Holy Spirit would come upon her, therefore he would be called the Son of God, not Joseph. Mary knew that becoming pregnant would not be easy, for it would expose her to ridicule and criticism, maybe even something much worse, but she depended totally upon God, body and soul.

The angel told Mary that her relative Elizabeth, who had been barren, was then six months pregnant. This was in a sense a miracle, for Elizabeth and Zechariah were of such an age that it was not usual for such to be able to have children. But for God, nothing is impossible, He is able to do all He wishes, and so grants Elizabeth and Zechariah a child after they had given up hope of ever being able to do so. Mary decided to visit the home of Elizabeth in the hill country of Judah. 

The passage opens with Mary, deciding to go seventy miles to visit her elderly cousin Elizabeth, whom she had been told was also pregnant in her old age.

On arrival the two women greeted each other, and Elizabeth in a loud voice proclaims how blessed Mary was. Until that time, Elizabeth thought this was just a family visit, but now she realised how unique the situation is and feels she should have been the one visiting Mary. At the same time Elizabeth felt movement of her own baby.

Elizabeth’s joy, inspires Mary to fully recognise she is to be the mother of the Savior of the world and spontaneously sings a song, which has been sung at every Evensong in Churches all over the world for centuries since, the Magnificat. The Lord God is Magnified in this song of praise which, which is filled with Scripture.

Mary expresses her glory and rejoices in being blessed, and how gracious God has been to her in her humility. She readily obeyed God. There is a significant point made by her, in that she recognises she needs a Savior, which implies she recognises that only a sinner needs a Savior, which tends rather to negate some Roman statements about her. This reflects the words of John Newton, in that wonderful hymn which he wrote, that God saves us by amazing grace.

Mary knows, that all future generations will speak of her, and indeed throughout the ages she has rightfully been praised, and she has brought honor to her sex.  Mary will be entwined, the red rose of maternity with the white rose of virginity.

Mary has raised being a mother, ,to the highest of professions, although now some feminine politicians are anxious to downgrade motherhood and their sex, by trying to equate women on all levels with men. In the process, some women have demeaned their sex by not only copying men’s excesses, but furthering them.

When God created the world, men were intended to care and provide for the family, and women to be mothers, (primarily but not exclusively)and for that role were endowed with a more tender and caring nature. Now, for their own selfish purposes, politicians and social workers want to meddle with gender identities.. We are all equal under God, but are meant to have different roles in life.

Pope Benedict wisely stated, that the future of mankind is at stake, when the understanding of what a family means is challenged.  He said ‘In the fight for the family, the very notion of what being human really means is being called into question. He spoke of the falseness of gender theories, and of the current attack on the structure of the family made up of father, mother and child.
Mary told of how God is merciful to those who fear Him, and we should be mindful that whilst God is a God of love and mercy, He is also a God of wrath. In that respect, we should take note of Mary’s words, ‘He has brought down rulers from their thrones’. She has a profound view of God, who disputes the worldly values of status and misunderstanding of what it means to be equal.

She ends her song by singing praise of how God has remained faithful to His chosen people, the Jews, by keeping His promise to Abraham. Every Jewish boy and girl would know the history of Israel, and how God has blessed them.
Is it not amazing how peoples’ minds reason. Thousands say they will not believe what they cannot understand. People cannot understand how many things happen, yet will believe because it suits them. If human men can do such wonderful things, people should have intelligence to realize God can do so much more.

Verse 37 of this morning’s passage, ‘for nothing is impossible with God’. Our minds are not meant to understand all the miracles and mighty deeds of the Lord; the Cross and atonement; the resurrection; the power of the Holy Spirit. We may not understand the virginal conception, but we accept all these by faith.

Mary did not doubt what the angel told her, she was just puzzled, as she might be, as to how this would happen. It was as if the angel was saying ‘Mary you are thinking as a human being and humanly you are right, but this is God at work and He shall come upon you with the power of the Holy Spirit, for nothing is impossible for God’.

This is why we should have concern for the nation of Israel, from which all our teaching emanates. We worship the God of Israel; we worship a Jewish Savior; born of a Jewish woman; and are taught from a book written by Jewish writers, who were all inspired by God.  One day Jesus will return to Jerusalem, the capital city of His chosen people.

The Israelites constantly sinned and strayed away from God, but He still looked after them, fed and clothed them, protected and revealed Himself to them. The Old Testament is the history of the Israelites resisting God’s will, and the New Testament shows God cannot be limited. It was |God who sent His Son to prepare the great salvation after His prophets were rejected; it was God who raised His Son from the dead; God who gave teaching on how we should live and respond to Him.

If our Lord was to return now would He be happy about the religious teaching. Would He wonder why we Christians treat our faith in such casual manner, rather than the aggressive evangelism Roman Catholic Church has perhaps made too much of Mary’s position, whilst the Protestant Church has made too little.

Mary was not meant to be a mediator, nor to be prayed to.

When Mary was called on to accept this call, that it would have been looked upon in society as scandalous, Women were expected to be married before having children, something these days seems unbelievable by many today.
There are depths which are too deep for us to fully comprehend; be content to believe with reverent minds, and not speculate that which we do not understand. There are many things we do not understand, but fully accept without hesitation, by faith..

 Yet we don't accept God does wonderful things; member the words of Mary, with God, all things are possible.

A Little baby being born to serve the world, Above all trust in God and let this Christmas be one in which we remember the person it is all about— The Lord Jesus Christ…

 

We Praise and Glorify God and Praise and Worship the Lord Jesus.

 

 Matthew 1. V 18/25

The birth of a baby is a major event in the lives of a mother and father. The anticipation of the birth is exciting, and together they look forward joyously to the arrival of their union. There is of course always the possibility something may go wrong, adding to the stress and pain the mother will endure. I regret many men do not fully realize how a woman has emotional as well as physical pain, when giving birth to a child.

The story we are looking at this morning is one of the greatest ever told, the birth of the Savior. It is a most controversial story, for it is telling of an extraordinary event, unique and once in all history.

Our passage opens at verse 18, where it is stated, ` now the birth of Jesus Christ took place this way.’ Such is the positive announcement, before it goes on to describe the betrothal of Mary and Joseph.

Betrothal of the Jews was something equivalent to our engagement in theory if not in practice. The bridegroom and bride made a pledge in the presence of two witnesses, which was really the first step in marriage; the man and woman became husband and wife. The couple were then separated from each other for a period up to a year, and if during that time either became unfaithful, they were under Old Testament law, adulterers liable to be stoned to death. ,

If the marriage broke down, the couple were divorced, or if death occurred widower or widow. The marriage was consummated when they met again. Often the parents caused the marriage by making arrangements, and same people think they do a better job.   This was in the New Testament, where the true marriage was heterosexual as ordained by God, one man one woman.
Before the couple lived together, it was found that Mary was pregnant yet still a virgin. She knew she was pregnant, as an angel had foretold, she would be by the gift of the Holy Spirit. At first she challenged this, as she had not been with a man, but was told she, a young Jewish village girl had found favor with God.

Joseph may have come to the natural conclusion that she had been unfaithful with another man, being unaware of the angel’s message. He realized he could not live with her in such a case, but being a righteous man, he did not want to offend God, but was faced with the impression Mary had broken her pledge. He was however a compassionate man who loved Mary, and did not want to expose her to public humiliation, so decided to divorce her or send her away quietly, which he did not really want to do because of his feelings for her. In addition, his place would be a stain in the line of David down to Jesus.

Whilst he wrestled on what he should do, he fell asleep and began to dream. During his sleep he had a vision, in which he was told that it was by the power of the Holy Spirit that Mary was with child, and he should not hesitate to accept Mary as his wife.

Joseph was rewarded as he had turned to God in faith, and his concern was ended. The Bible states, ‘In all thy ways acknowledge God and he shall direct thy paths. This shows us that Joseph obeyed. He not only trusted God, he obeyed. As the hymn states, trust and obey.

As so often happens when you honestly seek God's guidance, and you plan to do things that seem right to you but are, in fact, wrong, God providentially corrects you.

The baby would be called Jesus, for he would save his people from their sins. Jesus is a name which helped many, by giving inward peace, and a rest for heavy heart; people have found Jesus has known their thoughts and hearts.
.At that time the Roman governor had ordered a census, requiring all people to register for taxation purposes. David being from Bethlehem had to go there to register, and took Mary with him. Whilst they were there, the time came for Jesus to be born. There were many people in that city, and all places were filled, and there was no room at an Inn they visited, so Mary was forced to bear Jesus in a manger The birth of this baby. who would one day become Lord and King of the earth, was in one of the lowest kind pf place, no palace, no royal robes.

God sent an angel to shepherds, watching their flocks at night time, and they were told of the birth at Bethlehem, so they went with haste. They praised God for having let them see the child.

The whole purpose of Jesus coming to the earth was to save us, acting as a ransom to pay the price of our sins. We must thank God for his goodness. The angel returned to heaven, and the shepherds went back glorifying God. He had made shepherds as evangelists, and like the Apostles of Jesus, there was not one who held a degree. As a cynic once stated, the Church is sinking by degrees.

The poorest man or woman who listens and understands the Bible, is wiser than many so called intellectuals and academics. We shall be judged one day by the way we have responded to God.

This means we should read the Bible honestly and reverently, and having done so, practice all it commands, and pray the Holy Spirit will apply to our hearts.

These verses tell us of the entrance into our world by Jesus Christ, Lord and Savior, and the doctrine of the Virgin Birth has been the doctrine of all denominations for centuries, and only in these liberal times has it been the subject of controversy. True, there were a few heretics like some modern bishops and clergy, who deny these accounts in pulpits; don't be seduced by them, but treat such talk with the contempt they deserve.

It is talk like that, which does so much harm to the Church. Some of us are trying to follow our Lord’s commission and make disciples, bringing people to church, then we have clergy at all levels, challenging of all things, God’s Word. and we wonder why people are not attending.

Matthew and Luke are trustworthy. The evidence that they are giving you are facts - not myths. That brings us to Mary.

There are depths which are too deep for us to fully comprehend; be content to believe with reverent minds, and not speculate that which we do not understand. There are many things we do not understand, but fully accept without hesitation, by faith.  Yet we don't accept God does wonderful things; member the words of Mary, with God, all things are possible.

It is by faith that, what we cannot see or words which cannot prove, we become true followers of our Lord, and millions of very clever men and women who have truly believed, have been prepared to go to the uttermost parts of the world and live hard lives, in order to take the gospel to those who have not heard

People will sing carols, and over eat and drink and spend more money than they can afford; pop groups will sing ,without ever giving a thought as to why it is-- Christmas.

We shall live for evermore because of what this baby Jesus went on to do on the Cross.

Above all trust in God and let this Christmas be one in which we remember the person it is all about—The Lord Jesus Christ.

We give thanks and Praise to God for giving us the gift of Jesus to be our Savior

May you all have a happy and blessed Christmas

 Luke 1 v 26/56

This Sunday on the week before Christmas, all our thoughts and prayers of thanksgiving are on, and for, the birth of Jesus.

The story we are looking at is the greatest ever told, the birth of Jesus. The Savior. It is a story telling of an extraordinary event, unique and once in all history.

If this Gospel message was told as a story in one of our daily newspapers, and so posted on their website, it would receive numerous scornful mocking comments, questioning as to why anyone would believe it. In fairness, if a daughter or friend came and told you she was pregnant, but had not been intimate with a man, you would reasonably think she was mad or trying to cover up a moral lapse.

Our passage opens at verse 26, where it is stated, In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a village in Galilee, to a virgin named Mary. She was engaged to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. Gabriel appeared to her and said, “Greetings, favored woman! The Lord is with you.

This week let us think of the young Jewish woman Mary, who was honored by God to be the mother of His Son, and whose name would live on in all history. One day she was visited by the angel Gabriel when she was engaged to Joseph, a descendant in the line of the famous King David. She was betrothed, which in Jewish law meant the engagement could only be broken by divorce.

Mary is at the sixth month of her pregnancy, and Luke was specifying Nazareth was a city of Galilee, which suggests he was writing for people who were not from Palestine.

The angel Gabriel greeted Mary to create an atmosphere of tranquillity, and telling her she was highly favored by the Lord who was with her.
Mary was startled , We can deduct from this, she was a moral woman, who could not understand why had been chosen. The angel tells her not be afraid, for she had found favor from God.

She is told she will have a son, whom she will call Jesus, and He will be great and be called a son of the Most High God,. All this was fulfilment of an Old Testament prophecy, and that Jesus would rein over a Kingdom of grace and truth, and there would be no end to that Kingdom.

Mary asks how that can be as she has no husband, but does have faith and believes the angel although she cannot understand. She is told the Holy Spirit would come upon her, therefore he would be called the Son of God, not Joseph. Mary knew that becoming pregnant would not be easy, for it would expose her to ridicule and criticism, maybe even something much worse, but she depended totally upon God, body and soul.

The angel told Mary that her relative Elizabeth, who had been barren, was then six months pregnant. This was in a sense a miracle, for Elizabeth and Zechariah were of such an age that it was not usual for such to be able to have children. But for God, nothing is impossible, He is able to do all H wishes, and so grants Elizabeth and Zechariah a child after they had given up hope of ever being able to do so. Mary decided to visit the home of Elizabeth in the hill country of Judah. 

The gospel passage opens with Mary, deciding to go seventy miles to visit her elderly cousin Elizabeth, whom she had been told was also pregnant in her old age.

On arrival the two women greeted each other, and Elizabeth in a loud voice proclaims how blessed Mary was. Until that time, Elizabeth thought this was just a family visit, but now she realised how unique the situation is and feels she should have been the one visiting Mary. At the same time Elizabeth felt movement of her own baby.

Elizabeth’s joy, inspires Mary to fully recognise she is to be the mother of the Savior of the world and spontaneously sings a song, which has been sung at every Evensong in Churches all over the world for centuries since, the Magnificat. The Lord God is magnified in this song of praise, which is filled with Scripture.

Mary expresses her glory and rejoices in being blessed, and how gracious God has been to her in her humility. She readily obeyed God. There is a significant point made by her, in that she recognises she needs a Savior, which implies she recognises that only a sinner needs a Savior, which tends rather to negate some Roman statements about her. This reflects the words of John Newton, in that wonderful hymn which he wrote, that God saves us by grace.
Mary knows, that all future generations will speak of her, and indeed throughout the ages she has rightfully been praised, and she has brought honor to her sex. Mary has raised being a mother, ,to the highest of professions, although now some feminine politicians are anxious to downgrade motherhood and their sex, by trying to equate women on all levels with men. In the process, some women have demeaned their sex by not only copying men’s excesses, but furthering them.

When God created the world, men were intended to care and provide for the family, and women to be mothers, (primarily but not exclusively)and for that role were endowed with a more tender and caring nature. Now, for their own selfish purposes, politicians and social workers want to meddle with gender identities.. We are all equal under God, but are meant to have different roles in life.

Pope Benedict wisely stated, that the future of mankind is at stake, when the understanding of what a family means is challenged through same sex marriage. He said ‘In the fight for the family, the very notion of what being human really means is being called into question. He spoke of the falseness of gender theories, and of the current attack on the structure of the family made up of father, mother and child.

Mary told of how God is merciful to those who fear Him, and we should be mindful that whilst God is a God of love and mercy, He is also a God of wrath. In that respect, we should take note of Mary’s words, ‘He has brought down rulers from their thrones’. She has a profound view of God, who disputes the worldly values of status and misunderstanding of what it means to be equal.

She ends her song by singing praise of how God has remained faithful to His chosen people, the Jews, by keeping His promise to Abraham. Every Jewish boy and girl would know the history of Israel, and how God has blessed them.
Is it not amazing how peoples’ minds reason. Thousands say they will not believe what they cannot understand. If I should go out on to the car park of this Church and take out a little plastic box, and press a combination of 13 numbers, within seconds I would be speaking to my son in China.. Yet if I wished to speak face to face, it would take a journey of 13 hours to do so. People cannot understand how that happens, yet will believe because it suits them. If human men can do such wonderful things, people should have intelligence to realize God can do so much more.

Verse 37 of this morning’s passage, ‘for nothing is impossible with God’. Our minds are not meant to understand all the miracles and mighty deeds of the Lord; the Cross and atonement; the resurrection; the power of the Holy Spirit. We may not understand the virginal conception, but we accept all these by faith.

Mary did not doubt what the angel told her, she was just puzzled, as she might be, as to how this would happen. It was as if the angel was saying ‘Mary you are thinking as a human being and humanly you are right, but this is God at work and He shall come upon you with the power of the Holy Spirit, for nothing is impossible for God’.

This is why we should have concern for the nation of Israel, from which all our teaching emanates. We worship the God of Israel; we worship a Jewish Savior; born of a Jewish woman; and are taught from a book written by Jewish writers, who were all inspired by God.

One day Jesus will return to Jerusalem, the capital city of His chosen people.

The Rabbis and people in the Jewish religion cannot be held responsible for the Jewish government action, any more than the Church of England blamed for action of the British Government.

The Israelites constantly sinned and strayed away from God, but He still looked after them, fed and clothed them, protected and revealed Himself to them. The Old Testament is the history of the Israelites resisting God’s will, and the New Testament shows God cannot be limited. It was |God who sent His Son to prepare the great salvation after His prophets were rejected; it was God who raised His Son from the dead; God who gave teaching on how we should live and respond to Him.

If our Lord was to return now would He be happy about the religious teaching. Would He wonder why we Christians treat our faith in such casual manner, rather than the aggressive evangelism of other faiths? After staying three months, Mary returned to her own home.

In the past, the Roman Catholic Church has perhaps made too much of Mary’s position, whilst the Protestant Church has made too little. We should keep in mind that until the 20th century, in all the years prior, perhaps even more so, when Mary was called on to accept this call, that it would have been looked upon in society as scandalous, Women were expected to be married before having children, something these days seems unbelievable by many today.

Matthew and Luke are trustworthy. The evidence that they are giving you are facts -not myths.

There are depths which are too deep for us to fully comprehend; be content to believe with reverent minds, and not speculate that which we do not understand. There are many things we do not understand, but fully accept without hesitation, by faith..

How is it by holding a small plastic box without any outer connection, but by pressing a combination of numbers you can speak within seconds to someone on the other side of the world. Or by turning a switch on a television set in a room, you can watch an event in any part of the world as it happens. .How can a brown cow eat green grass and produce white milk? We cannot understand such things, but we still accept them without further thought. Yet we don't accept God does wonderful things; member the words of Mary, with God, all things are possible.

It is by faith that, what we cannot see, or words which cannot prove, we become true followers of our Lord, and millions of very clever men and women who have truly believed, have been prepared to go to the uttermost parts of the world and live hard lives, in order to take the gospel to those who have not heard and would never otherwise have done so.
People will sing carols, and over eat and drink, and spend more money than they can afford; enjoy the holiday, forget God and the

Little baby being born to serve the world, pop groups will sing of ‘chris.-ee-mus’,without ever giving a thought as to why it is-- Christmas.
All very well Harry Belafonte telling us we shall live for ever more because of Christmas Day, when in fact we shall live for evermore because of what this baby Jesus went on to do on the Cross.

Above all trust in God and let this Christmas be one in which we remember the person it is all about— The Lord Jesus Christ…

 

We Paise and Glorify God and Praise and Worship the Lord Jesus. 

 ROMANS 15  v 4-13

                The Apostle Paul was called by Jesus to be an Apostle in a unique and dramatic way, when Paul was on a mission in his role to persecute Christians. Paul had been a devout Pharisee, but God chose him to be an Apostle to non-Jews. Paul became a devout servant of God and served Jesus devotedly, creating Churches in several places in the Eastern world.  He suffered immensely for teaching about Jesus, but never forgot he had been born a Jew.  His greatest desire was to bring Jew and non-Jew together, but it took centuries before this happened, and only the United States and to lesser degree the United Kingdom, have recognised the will of God which Paul followed.                                   

One of Paul’s constant concerns was to bring together Christians in fellowship, with the stronger member caring for the weaker Christian. He saw the importance of uniting the different attitudes of people within he Church. This would mean unity in worship, and mutual harmony would draw people into the Church, and strengthen fellowship. The strong must support the weak rather than be in separation to satisfy their own desires.  The Christian life is based on the practice of the strong helping the weak in the example of Jesus Christ.

A true fellowship is marked by the study of the Scriptures, which inspires and encourages us, as we see it is better to be with God than man, even if means there will be some resistance. God’s way is never easy, but eventually there is satisfaction and eternal life offered.  God gave us a promise of support, and God always honors his promises, never letting us down.

A fellowship should always have hope, and a Christians hope is not a cheap one, it sees and supports without complaint, and still believes in God.  There must be harmony, but there is always someone who will be a storm centre in the Church.  The Church they are within may be a wealthy one, large and well-kept, impressing, but alternately there may be a poor location and an insignificant appearance, in either case there must be harmony.  This does not rule out debate or discussion, but such should be peaceful, as we must live peacefully. I found it helpful to make it known any that aggressive action between members in the Church would lead to the perpetrators being requested to restore relations before attending further attendance. Such was the  response no one was so requested.

When there is a united harmonios Church, there can always be real thanksgiving, praise being given to God, and a sense of spiritual achievement, and God is truly glorified. The whole purpose of worship is to give praise to God, by the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the Cross, made on our behalf, so that God can by his grace grant us salvation and a welcome into his Kingdom.

Paul States. ‘whatever was written in former days was written’ for our instruction. This is saying that God gave the Old Testament which is equally valid now, for they were not written just for one period but for all time. This was made clear by Jesus, who said the Scriptures could not be broken; and he came to fulfil not destroy them. 

The whole of Romans is to show the inclusion of non-Jews into God’s saving plan, and that God wanted his family to include many different kinds of people from many different backgrounds.   The term multicultural, is much in the news these days. Politicians and social workers love to use it, to describe a certain approach to a society in which they can appear to be in the right politically correct way.   When an earlier government was in power, there was the special way of showing their credentials by calling for special treatment for people of black coloured skin.  That controversial attitude was totally misplaced, because it antagonised a lot of people with white coloured skin, and in fact demeaned and cast doubt on the black people, who were ready to be assessed by own abilities.

A great mistake was the error of the Churches, particularly in middle- and higher-class society in ‘freezing out’ black people who were, and still are far more devout than many white. I speak from personal experience, for when I have preached in Churches with mixed races, I get a better reception each time from the black people.

That’s the negative side of multiculturalism. But by “multicultural” we should mean. people of differing cultural backgrounds, learning to work and live together.   God has a similar vision of his church, even if it is has not yet come true after 2000 years. When Jesus said, “Go and preach in the gospel to every nation,” he established the principle that all kinds of people would be welcome in the church.    The world has truly become a much smaller place, where cultures that were once separated by vast distances, now live and work side by side. This has been emphasised by such easy communication by smartphones, computers etc.  When you realise the Apostles took the gospel across the ancient world without such aid. There is a moral there for us.

The Bible does however in many places refer to Jews and Gentiles, which is just an alternative way of referring to non-Jews.  The Bible tells us that God loves all people, and wants all to be saved, and one day Jew and non-Jew will worship together.    Today the Christian Church stands alongside the Jew, and we show our close affinity in that we worship the God of Israel, a Jewish Savior, who was born a Jew and was a member of the Jewish race; we preach from a book written by 39 out of 40 Jewish writers.     God wanted his family to include many different kinds of people from many different backgrounds.    God’s heart is big and includes all the people of the world. In Jesus Christ there is no East or West, or any other alternative. 

 The Christian Church is a worshipping one, and as brothers/sisters in Christ, we can go anywhere in the world and be part with others in God’s family. We sing universally known hymns, say the same Lord’s Prayer, and read the same gospel. For two years I worshipped in a Church in Kenya, where as a port, Christians from across the world came on their way to other parts of Africa, and although of different sex, color, age, nationality, there was complete harmony, something you don’t sometimes get with people of one place. God is honored when his people join together in united worship and praise.    This is why we preach the gospel and share Christ with our friends; why we try to bring others to know the Lord.  The world needs a Redeemer, and his name Jesus. He is the light of the world and the Savior of all who trust in him.

 

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope’

 

Give thanks to God for His Holy Gospel. Praise Christ our Savior

 

 M A T T H E W  3 v1-12

 

Sunday next is the 2nd Sunday of Advent, and the theme is on John the Baptist. We do in fact honour John on the 24th June, and on that day in Spain, which is still largely a Catholic country, they do so in style with ceremonial processions through the streets. John was a very special character in the Bible, being described by Jesus as ‘one of whom there being none greater.’
A period of 400 years elapsed between the Old and New Testaments, and John acted as a bridge between the prophecies of the Old Testament and the coming of the Messiah. God chose John to prepare the people for the coming of Jesus.   John attracted huge crowds to see and hear him; they came from all directions, North and South, East and West. They came from all levels of society
He was a fearless preacher, giving a message of confession and repentance, and did so in the most direct way accusing them of being a brood of vipers, and told them there was a wrath to come. Most preachers would rejoice in being able to emulate his appeal,, although they would hesitate the language he used in today’s atmosphere, where the least criticism raises accusations of phobia or bigotry.
Because of his successful appeal to people, a delegation of priests was sent out to find out if he was acting in an orthodox manner. The Jews believed, and were proud of the fact, that they were God’s chosen people, and He would one day send a Messiah who would be a great national leader who would lead them to world conquest. It was also believed that prior to the Messiah coming, Elijah the great Old Testament prophet would come back to herald the Messiah’s coming.
The priests wanted to see who John actually was. When John spoke of baptism, it was not the meaningless kind that is sometimes practised in churches today, and I will explain in detail subsequently what I mean by that. Baptism was a symbol of admittance into the Christian faith, taken by someone who had come to need a personal Savior in the person of Jesus Christ, who they would take into their hearts and lives and live according to His teaching.

There is a tendency now, which has gained approval for people to telephone a Minister to have a child or baby to be baptized

at a date and time for their convenience, even wanting to choose the Minister baptizing.

This is an abuse of a sacred sacrament, which was meant to be the entrance into the Christian Church,  Baptism was originally  for those who understood the purpose, but was extended if parents were practising Christians, and then the charade we now have where parents make promises which all know they have no intention of fulfilling

John wasn’t concerned with numbers, or adding to some Church roll, he wanted genuine commitments. The Bible is clear in all four gospels, that the Christian life involved repentance, and the following of a new way of life. If we analyse our lives, we will find there are things we have said and done and sincerely wish we hadn’t, but there is nothing we can now do except pray that God will forgive us, as others will.
The place where John ministered was way out in the wilderness, a bleak and desolate place, living off the land, getting his clothing from wild camel, and food from whatever grew there. There is a wilderness in many people’s hearts.
John calls us to a new life in Jesus Christ, and it was with such a desire that people sought out John.

Jesus can come to us in very different ways. It may be through a poster we noticed, which is why we need well thought out poster displays which will catch people’s eyes, and strike them, and they ought to be relevant. Thousands have been led to Christ through reading posters placed on the London tube system by the London Christian Mission. Other people have been influenced by the words of a preacher, but the most telling witness is that of other Christians drawing in others by their way of life.
It is possible to become so engaged in religious activity, dressing ourselves with religion, without changing our hearts. We Christians need to be more aggressive about our faith, and be prepared to act and rebel as other faiths do when bloated bureaucrats try to stifle expression.
We are now approaching Christmas, and the secularisation of it is almost complete, which is why all who hold the Christian faith dear, must be prepared to support Christian worship. Advent is a time when we come out of the wilderness, and be inspired by the ministry of John the Baptist.

John spoke seriously about sin; he thought it an absolute necessity for repentance before someone was baptized. This should be judged by sincerity.  People not fully aware of spiritual matters will be fully revealed, unless we repent.

John spoke about the Lord Jesus Christ, He taught some people far mightier than himself  were coming, and he was just a servant to the coming of a King.  John could only baptize with water, the coming One would baptize with the Holy Spirit. who would judge the world.

Our children are growing up without having any knowledge at all, as those in the State schools are found plenty of space in the schedules for subjects best left alone, but no place for Christian teaching.

John spoke about the danger of the impertinent and the unbelievers and warned of the wrath to come.  People need to be warned to realize it is no light matter whether we repent or not, and remembered there was as well as heaven the everlasting punishment for the wicked.

The  best of believers need of encouragement, for we live in an evil world, tempted by evil ones, so believers need to know Jesus will bever forsake  or leave them. He will guide them through this life safely, until they have eternal glory.

We live in an age of false teaching. So never forget the features of a  faithful Ministry.  How happy it would have been if the Church of Christ had al the Ministers like John the Baptist.

 

Give thanks to God for His Glorious Gospel. Praise to the Lord Jesus our Savior.