2 Timothy 1

This Chapter is the Epistle for Sunday Service.

I like this Letter, it is my favorite book of the Bible, and have preached on it more than any other book of the Bible.  It is a very tender and moving letter from the great Apostle Paul, now an old man confined to  a Roman prison dungeon, a tired and weary missionary who has served the Lord with great devotion and faithfulness, taking the gospel around the ancient world and planting Churches wherever he went. Suffered a lot, physically and mentally, yet never wavered in his commitment; now he is nearing his life’s end in the prison, where he had been detained after anti-Christian Jews had laid false charges against him, and he was held awaiting trial. 

He knows his days are over, and is anxious that the all his labors would have been in vain if he is not succeeded by a true and honest man, and the gospel will not be passed down to future generations. Some of us have unexpectedly faced death and God has preserved us,  Others know they face death and want to leave a message and so write a letter, which Paul is doing.

He has chosen Timothy, a young man who served him on the missionary field and whom he had mentored, but Timothy is young, timid, and a  little in awe of what he is going to be called on to do. Hence Paul writes two Letters of guidance, advice and much encouragement  It contains much teaching which is still so relevant to us today.

Paul begins by asserting his right to be called an Apostle, an office specially created by our Lord to a special group of men whom He wanted to represent Him and teach in His name.  It was   a  select group which was never to be added to.  There are no Apostles today.    

Paul was specially and uniquely called by God to take the gospel to the Gentiles, whilst also catering for the Jews, whom he never forgot. It has been accepted that when Paul spoke, he was speaking for God. He could never forget his commissioning as the direct will of God, to be a prisoner for being a privileged Apostle of Christ.  

He calls Timothy ‘my beloved child,’ a young and timid man who Paul had converted and for whom he has a special affection.  He felt Timothy had the right credentials to lead the Church, having come from a godly family where his mother and grandmother had brought him up teaching the Scriptures. 

It is a sad fact that now the vast majority of children do not attend a Church meeting, and Schools do not have assemblies where children an learn the Christian faith, unless of course a private school. A worrying number of State schools, encouraged by the body appointed to examine schools, have a deeper concern to teach the agenda of the homosexual lobby there.  Children for some years now have been deprived of being taught the slightest knowledge of the Bible, which could give them a strong foundation for their lives, Children are growing up in moral confusion, taking up pieces of bizarre lifestyle which they pick up from television programms produced by depraved minds. When they are faced as teenagers with going away from home to Colleges, they are vulnerable to temptations.

Then Paul turns to Timothy’s Christian character.  After parents, it is our closest friends who influence us most.  Paul had converted Timothy and maintained contact with him. 

We all owe a debt, to those who led us to Christ.  My own mother always encouraged me to go to Church from an early age, and by example, she attended as we went together to Liverpool Cathedral every Sunday,. 

Like most fathers, mine was not interested in religion. But for deeper conviction, I owed much to a most devoted Christian who worked tirelessly for Christ,  

We all may have been influenced , by someone who has stirred us and helped to make our faith stronger.  Those are the relationships which God establishes, and you remember things from sermons and written notes which have become precious to you.    

,Paul tells Timothy he was set apart through ordination. To some Timothy might have been a surprise choice to lead the Church, being young and frail, but we see God often chooses someone seemingly insignificant , others would look for a person with a degree no matter how little common sense or how useless the degree. I am sure if the Apostles have had to appear before a Church selection board ,we wouldn’t have had them. God delights to say to someone, ‘you are the one for the task I want doing’.  Remember who God chose to bear His Son, just a beautiful young Jewish village girl.      

The office of pastor, or minister, or priest, whatever term is used, is meant to be a gift of God’s grace, and those called upon owe a debt to God.  They should be selected by the Church, only if they can show they have a commitment to Christ, rather than those looking for some imaginary status.

Paul calls on Timothy to personal discipline, and many in ministry today could learn from Paul’s Letters to Timothy and Titus. 

There is the call not to be fearful of speaking the truth, of keeping to the teaching of the gospel as it is written. Cowardliness has no place in Christian ministry.  The Bible states, ‘for God did not give us a spirit of timidity’.  We can be taught the Scriptures and be led to Jesus Christ, but it is up to us to use the gift God gave us, and apply ourselves in active discipline to inspire others, and so fulfil the ministry God has given us.  This has to be taken seriously, no toying with the gospel, or seeing the ministry as a soft option.

Paul begs Timothy not to be ashamed of the gospel, and calls on him to guard it. It hurts when leaders in the Church attack the gospel, breaks trust with God and demoralizes the faithful Christian. Altering is done to make the gospel more acceptable to modern man/woman which means giving up the gospel instead of guarding it.

I often hear that bishops are the direct descendants of the Apostles, that is offending the Apostles. Which Apostles of Christ would call for the bible to be abandoned, just because it didn’t please one section of the community; or cast an ordained Minister out for trying to teach biblical morality; or order fellow Christians not to attend a meeting of a world famous evangelist because he was a solid bible teacher. Which Apostle would call for sections of our Lord’s teaching to be removed or replaced with a modern version.? 

Those who are appointed to preach this gospel have a duty to devote themselves to faithful teaching. This is a call still to be heeded.  From the very start of the faith, essential truths have been under attack.  Truth does not change.  The manner of presentation may be adjusted, but to change and replace is not acceptable.

Some of us were greatly encouraged by the visit some years ago by Pope Benedict, who used brave and bold words, to tell the politicians to stop interfering with Christian beliefs, and called on all Christians to oppose the aggressive secularism which is trying to dominate our society.  This is a great challenge for we have no political party leader on our side.  Most members of Parliament are reticent as being identified as Christians, in total contrast to the more faithful members of the Congress of the United States who openly declare their faith to their honor, and even more so, until recently was of like belief and ensured Christians in that great country were free to defend their belief in public.

Any preacher who dares to speak in the public arena in the United Kingdom, must be prepared to be arrested, for too often now someone will call the police, who will respond with the speed householders in need can only dream of, and snatch the preacher’s Bible and pull him down to convey to the nearest police station.  Invariably, after the indignity of being processed the preacher will be released when it is realized they have erred.  All proof, free speech is a myth and stating marriage is between a man and a women is a crime.

However, let us face up to the challenge and never ever be ashamed.  Paul says he was not ashamed, in fact he glorified in the gospel and that is what all Christians should do. But sadly, I fear we all do not. How many Church members are embarrassed when asked if they believe? Indeed how many are ready to acknowledge they attend Church? How reluctant to answer if asked to give our opinion on moral questions? If you are not ashamed, you are ready to speak out about your faith.  How many Christians I wonder would be able to answer if asked what the gospel is?  The gospel is the good news of salvation.  God wants everyone to be saved, The gospel is the story of Jesus Christ, who gave Himself to communicate that news.so it is the duty of the Church to teach this.

The word ‘saved’ often causes people to think of devoted charismatic enthusiasts asking, ‘are you saved brother/sister’. In simple terms it refers to a man or woman who has accepted that when Jesus died on the Cross, he did so that they personally would be forgiven by God for all their past wrongs in life, and when their life on this earth was over, the could have eternal life in heaven.

Jesus was crucified for our sins in order to reconcile us to God. Why should anyone be ashamed to tell that story? We all no doubt are ashamed of things we have done in our lives, and the things we have said but wished we hadn’t, and that is understandable. But we allow ourselves to become ashamed of something for which there is no need to be ashamed of  The reason Paul is not ashamed is because the gospel is the power of God leading to salvation for all who believe. This means more than just believing there is a God, the devil accepts that. It is not enough to just hear and say you believe, it demands a response. God wants all people to turn to Him. The Church perpetuates the belief, sincerely held by many people unaware of Bible teaching, that all you need to say is being honest and kind; discounting the need to attend Church, sing hymns, pray and read the bible. The funeral service liturgy states such a belief, which may be compassionate, but it is like telling a blind person they can cross a busy road whenever they feel like doing so.

Jesus sent His Apostle to the lost sheep of Israel, for as God’s people He wanted them to have salvation first. When they refused to listen to Him, God directed the Gentiles should be brought into the Kingdom. Let us remember, all but one writer of the Bible was a Jew; our Lord was Himself a Jew; and we worship the God of Israel, and we should pray for the mission to the Jews.

We are called to live holy lives, but we cannot do that If we are living in a way forbidden by Scripture, or if we encourage or appease others who are.

Paul refers to his suffering, which is because of his imprisonment and impending death. He knew what suffering was, having been beaten, tortured, driven from towns, yet ever faithful to Christ.  Every pastor must be prepared to be verbally attacked, and If they are not I would suggest they are not truly preaching the gospel.  There is always someone you will be unfortunate to meet who will challenge you, which is why the sermon must be fully checked and one is ready to respond.

 From personal experience, I suggest you ask them for their interpretation and how they reached that view, then you will find the conversation ends as they start walking.  To be attacked for quoting the Bible is like getting a badge of honor, it shows you are being faithful to the Lord.

Timothy felt embarrassed at being young having to deal with older people so receives encouragement from Paul. Dealing with people is an art, which some of us who have been in the real world have learned from good and bad experiences. I have always thought since theological training, it would be wiser and more beneficial if some lesson in handling people was given in seminaries and theological colleges, instead of the subjects which we will never look at again or need.  Different ages need different reception. 

Most Churches would like their pastor to be safely married, preferably with children, not too young or old.  How wise was the person who said age was just a number, it is what the person’s ability and commitment to the true gospel is that matters.  

So, the plea goes out to Timothy to guard what had been entrusted to Paul. But it also goes out to all Christians, and especially to all Church Ministers.  There is as much false teaching in our churches, as speakers seek to align a message to relate to modern life, forgetting God didn’t speak for only the first century.

Christianity has been the faith of this country for over 1500 years, which has brought and kept this nation as one, now Christianity is being wrecked and fazed out of public life by political bullies, ideologues in the government, civil service and secular activists who want to take Christianity right out of public life by using punitive measures, betraying the culture which nurtured them.  Keeping to Christian preaching in a public place is likely to get one arrested.

Remember the final words of our Lord to his Apostles, which they so faithfully carried out. ‘Go into all the world and make disciples; 

TEACHING THEM ALL I HAVE COMMANDED.

 

Praise God for His Holy Gospel

 

1 Thessalonians 2:13-16

 

     The time is drawing near for the first Sunday in the Methodist Church calendar, when members will be returning from holidays, some with hope and anticipation for the coming year, whilst others will have regrets at the empty seats where friends no longer sit, either because they have gone to be with the Lord, or just fallen away as so many have done. 

One subject which should be on all our hearts, is the future of the Church.   So many members have been lost over the past ten years, which should be a matter of concern for us all.  As I returned to Churches, I noticed a smaller attendance than when last there, and congregations are predominantly people of older years and female.  Sadly, not many young people present,

We hear it said there are so many other distractions, yet these do not distract from other necessities of life.  It is also claimed, that the pressure of modern life restricts, but Muslim people face similar pressures yet manage to attend their services of worship.

We should not be dominated by numbers, but we have to be practical and realize the Church should face up to the fact, it faces becoming a total irrelevance in the nation.

When Jesus said, ‘I will build my Church’ he meant he would have those people who were committed to follow Him and His teaching. A study of the Scriptures reveals that Jesus was not so much wanting quantity as quality. Jesus said, ‘íf anyone does not take up his cross and follow me, he cannot be my disciple.’ He also condemned what He called lukewarm faith, and we can find much of that in our Churches.  He taught that only 1 in 4 people could be expected to respond. 

In many parts of the world, the church is growing very rapidly, but in the United Kingdom attendance is falling dramatically, with less than a million people attending Church regularly. This is in direct contrast to Eastern nations where there is faithful bible teaching, as opposed to here where so many want to amend and re-interpret the Bible to meet the morality of our time.. If we have any concern for the future of Christianity in this country, we need to change direction from the present way we are going.

Today I want to turn to Paul’s Letter to the Church in Thessalonica.

This Letter of Paul which we are looking at this morning, is thought to be the first of his thirteen New Testament Letters, and one which is very relevant to us to-day.  We can learn from this small passage what the Bible teaches us, is a successful Church, and what it means to be a Christian in the purest sense.

Most of the believers at Thessalonica had come to Christ from idol-worshiping.   Paul’s brief ministry resulted in a congregation made up mostly of converted Greeks, along with a few believing Jews.   Such was the vibrancy of their faith, that it had spread widely and people were speaking of their devotion, their past practices were behind them.  The result here was, that the believers shared the good news widely through the area, telling what God had done for them.   The friends of those believers began to ask questions, about what had happened to make such a change in those believers.

The enemies of the Gospel were trying to undermine Paul and his ministry, saying he was deluded and was just in it for himself.   Paul defends his ministry, saying far from taking anything, he and his team brought something.  Prior to arriving in Thessalonica, he had suffered much being beaten and imprisoned, and had travelled, 100 miles just to preach the gospel and encourage them.

He told them his message had the authority of God, who had appointed and trusted him pleading that it was God who tested people’s hearts not men.  He came with the purest possible motive, and rather than seek support for their visit, he provided all himself, preaching the gospel by day and working as a tent maker by night.       They did not seek praise or fame, and he had treated them as a nursing mother looks after the child she has born.  He also treated them as a father educates and admonishes his children, to show his care.  Although they were obstructed by opponents they were enduring suffering and called for all to be true to Jesus Christ. 

 In verses 13/16 we come to the main thrust of the passage.  Paul thanks God that the Thessalonian Christians had not only welcome God’s Word, but had taken it into their lives; they realised the power of that Word.  This is the hearing of the heart.

There is a difference, because it’s very possible to come to Church and listen to a sermon and dismiss what you hear.  How God must weep when he sees men and women singing His praise, and hearing His Word on Sunday, and living in direct contrast the rest of the week.        There is really only one issue at stake. We should all ponder quietly and sincerely, does my faith measure up to what God calls for in His Holy Word? 

The Church was facing strong opposition, as those of us today are, when trying to be to be faithful to the Word of God.  The Jews hated the gospel, and tried to hinder the preaching of it to the Gentiles. It is one thing to oppose oneself, but to try and dissuade others is wicked. This is one of the most serious sins man can commit against God, and it is happening now; the secularist agenda is to wipe Christianity out of the public arena.  They seek every means to obstruct, and find grounds to complain of offences committed by Christians

The Bible states, ‘all Scripture is inspired by God’. Paul told Timothy to go and ‘preach the Word, by which he means the whole Christian message in simple terms, that Jesus is Lord and that salvation is only obtained through Him.  Paul warns Timothy not to give in to the prevailing fashions of the day, but to keep steadfast in the faith and speak boldly without anger or fear of causing offence.

 preacher has to teach what people need to hear rather than what they want to hear, and do so without fear or favor, and as long as we do, strictly according to the Bible; if we do offend anyone it must be asked why they are so offended.  We are not to act like a spiritual dispensary offering soothing words, but to tell what God said.

When the Word is based on Bible preaching in the power of the Holy Spirit, it produces deep conviction in the hearts of the hearers and people become convicted of their sin, and their need for a Savior, and accept Jesus as that Savior who died on the Cross, that they be forgiven of all sin.  It is noticeable when a Church is fully committed to accepting and living according to Scripture, it grows.  This is because God chooses to bless it.

Some people will not want to hear that we are called to live our lives worthily according to the Bible’s teaching; they take the attitude that ideas have now been changed by society, and all the old morals and social ethics can be laid aside as long as you just accept the theory; this is not God’s idea however. 

The Bible was not just written for yesteryear.    It is impossible to read the teaching of Jesus without hearing moral commands, standards and warning of Christians how to live in order to please God.    From its earliest days, the Church gave priority to the reading of scripture, and every bible believing Church must give pre-eminence to the Bible in its services of worship, for it is the way to hear God speaking.  

Recent cultural changes have destroyed the moral landscape to such an extent, that anyone who holds views based on bible teaching on sexual ethics, one man/woman marriage, abortion, biological gender, will find them isolated. We have to accept that if you state you believe in the full authority of the Bible, you will find many will oppose you, and even those close to you will challenge you, perhaps within your own family. You will be called narrow minded, bigoted or of having some kind of phobia.

When the Church abandons the truth in an effort to accommodate society, it ceases to be the Church of Jesus Christ and will be little more than a social club. It has been stated, ‘Whereas Christ turned water into wine, the visible church has succeeded in doing something more difficult; it has turned wine into water."

The purpose of coming to Church, should be to join with other Christians in singing praise to God, listening to His Word, having it fearless and boldly preached, so there is spiritual nourishment for the week ahead, and to join in  prayer for the needs of the world and ourselves.   

Ideally, the Methodist form of service, allows for these necessities, with its freedom to present a coherent and meaningful form of worship, rather than being bound by a fixed liturgy.   I have to admit, having a different preacher each week is not always helpful, as each could take a different approach to Scripture and so cause confusion.  A lot of people are put off by disunity, for if we in the Church cannot agree what we believe in, what is right and what is wrong, we are not a credible body to lecture to others.

In saying all of this, I point out that our heritage lies with those who believe the Bible; much has changed. I’m sure that John and Charles Wesley would hardly recognize the church today. They knew nothing about computers, or any modern technology, but one thing would please them; there are still some of us who believe the Bible as faithfully as they did.

This is why the debate over the nature of the Bible is so crucial. If  the Bible is the word of God, then it is utterly and completely authoritative, and if it is faithfully preached, what the preacher states is what God has said; he is speaking for God.  If the Bible is the word of God, it is utterly exclusive in its claims. It does not ask or seek for our approval, and it does not need or allow any subtraction, addition or amendment.  God never asks us to correct the New Testament.  The Bible stands approved as read.

I want to close this morning with the words of John Wesley. ‘I want to know one thing; the way to heaven, how to land on that happy shore.  God Himself has condescended to teach the way; He hath written it down in a book.  Give me that book; at any price give me that book.’

We Praise God for His Holy Gospel and pray He be Glorified.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                         WHAT   IS  THE  PURPOSE  OF  THE  CHURCH

Before proceeding with the sermon, I want to digress and relate a scene I saw In America. There was a memorial service in a large stadium paying tribute to a man named Charlie Kirk who was shot and killed by an opponent.

The guest speaker was the Vice President JD Vance, who spoke movingly about Charlie.  He paid thanks for Charlie’s Christian faith, but then said how listening to Charlie talk about Jesus, made him think more about Jesus.

Where would you find a politician, especially of equal position speak so graciously?

God bless JD Vance and God bless America.

The purpose of the Church involves teaching people to obey God and to make people to move from sin to purity.   God loves all people and wants them to love Him,. and to order their life. As followers of Jesus, they are known as Christians, and only those who have decided to follow and worship are entitled to call them

Christians.  The Church was born in Jerusalem two thousand years ago, after the Apostle Peter made the first sermon, and three thousand people responded to his words, and they met to worship together, singing praise to God, sharing fellowship and helping  other, partaking in Holy Communion to remember Jesus dying cruelly on the Cross to pay the penalty for the sins of all people, who accept His death was for God to forgive them, and He was their Savior.

The Church is a gathering community of people from diverse backgrounds, of either gender, any color, race, nationality, who will become brothers and sisters in Christ, who meet  on the first day of the week to worship their heavenly Father, to share in fellowship, be compassionate and helpful to each other.  The Church is the only organization, in which people can travel to any part of the world and find friends with the same belief as their own.

 The purpose of the church  is prayer. The church is to be a place that promotes  prayer, and practices prayer;  the Bible encourages us. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”  The church is to both promote the gospel, and prepare its members to proclaim the gospel.  This we do by inviting friends and family to join us, or telling people of  your beliefs.  Church is called to be faithful in sharing the gospel through word and deed.

Another commission given to the church, is proclaiming the gospel of salvation through Jesus Christ.  When we have accepted Jesus as Lord and Savior, God will give us Salvation. Which means an eternal life in heaven.

The church is to be a beacon of light in the community, pointing people toward our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  Some final purposes of the church are  given.

   “Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.” The church is to be about the business of ministering to those in need.  The church is also to equip believers in Christ with the tools they need to overcome sin and remain free from the pollution of the world. This is done by biblical teaching and Christian fellowship.
Paul gave an excellent illustration to the believers in Corinth. The church is God’s hands, mouth, and feet in this world—the body of Christ. We are to be doing the things that Jesus Christ would do, if He were here physically on the earth. The church is to be “Christian,” “Christ-like,” and Christ-following. We are as ambassadors representing Christ in another Kingdom, as well as being in the Kingdom of God.

In the 4^th Chapter of Ephesians Paul writes forcibly on this theme.  He saw the Church as the family of brothers and sisters in Christ, and like earthly families wanting to meet together in their Father’s house. 

 Anyone who has been in the Church for some time, knows that no Church is perfect; there is usually one person who is a storm center.  The Church can be a place of joy, but also one of heartache and pain.  Paul always wanted the Church to be one that brought credit on Christianity.  Paul wanted us to act as he understood what Christ expected from the Church.  He would never have understood different denominations, each with their own theology, and would have bitterly condemned any Church which excluded people from sharing in the Eucharist.

 One of the greatest hindrances to the Christian gospel, is being accepted by people with the bitterness in which religion has been practised.  In Northern Ireland there has been disgraceful hostility, and much of it fostered by the Church.  Catholic priests have been supporters of armed conflict, and extreme Protestant Churches have called Catholics hateful names, among other activities.

There has been much discredit on both sides, and the troubles which have existed, leading to so many lives being lost, which could have all been avoided if the Church leaders had sat down together, and agreed to condemn all violence.  I say without intending to be biased, indeed with respect I have for the authority which Catholic Priests command, that if they had told their members to stop hostilities, such is the authority in which they are held, their word would have been listened to. Of Course, Protestant Ministers should have called for restraint.

Paul laid down some basics of the Christian faith.  Humility; which means setting one’s life beside the example of Christ Himself.  Gentleness; which means being angry for the right purposes, and not ever seeking to cause dissension.  Peace;    in that we seek to have good relationships with each other.  Love; which is not the emotional kind, but that of a caring person, and without bitterness. We are to hold one another up, to sustain and support each other, and to live according to the way God has spelled out in His Holy Word, holding to those principles.  All these virtues have been missing in religious disputes.  We may expect other faiths to  different from each other, but within Christianity, All one in Jesus.

Here, Paul is stressing the Church in its entirety must be as one.  We may conduct our services in different forms, but we should have the same doctrinal beliefs and not have the situation where one is teaching one thing, and is at variance with another.  I have often been struck by the hypocrisy of weeks of Christian unity and I stopped attending years ago.  I am happy, eager, and always ready to join in worship with any fellow Christians in any Church, but I think it a mockery to talk about unity and then refuse to share services together.

A denomination tends to stay together, and there is a refusal by some to have full Communion with other Christians.  If we are really sincere about unity, we have to be prepared to let it happen without reservation or conditions, which is not always practised.  Jesus would never have questioned a person seeking forgiveness.

Even within my own denomination, (the Church of England) there were bitter divisions over the question of women bishops and homosexual clergy.  A quick reference to Scripture (and tradition) would resolve the questions in a matter of minutes, but that would not produce the answer that some seek.  Yet by prolonging any public debate, to the delight of the press and non- Christians, enormous damage is being done to the wider Church.  True faith would say if I am harming the Church I will not pursue my personal desires.  Real Christianity is being ready to make personal sacrifices for the wider good.    

Paul laid out the ground rules for unity.  There is one body, Jesus being the head of the body.  Individual presentations may vary, but all should lead to the one purpose of spreading the good news of Jesus Christ.     There is one Lord and one faith, by which all Christians are bound to one another in complete surrender to Jesus Christ.

Paul wanted to see a world turning to Christ, with one baptism as acceptance of repentance and the confession of Jesus as Lord in the one faith.  .  The Church’s one foundation is Jesus Christ, on which the Church is built, consisting of those who confess Him.   If there is to be complete unity, there must also be an acceptance of the gospel truths laid down in the Bible. We now have a situation in which some teachers are giving false teaching, and we should all be prepared to test what is taught by searching the Scriptures, for false teaching will destroy the Church.

There are now those ready, to deny the very Word that God gave.  Some preachers are now extending teaching so that it is in line with society’s belief that the 21^st century, justifies an amended gospel to embrace current thinking.   God however was not just a God for the first century, and experience combined with general intelligence, teaches that a copy is never as good as the original.   The importance of authoritative teaching is that that all may properly play their part in the work God meant us to do.

Paul finally warned that there will always be those who need to be entertained with novelty.  This is so often extended to practices, which frankly make the faith look and sound ridiculous.  God wants you to come to a place where there is stability and reverence, combined with intelligent, sympathetic and pleasing presentation, without being presented with every trendy gimmick.  Too many Christians are unstable, because they have had no solid basis of doctrine and just don’t know what to believe or why. 

Sound doctrine is essential, so that people will know the truth, and observe thepromises and vows made to God to respect His Word.  This is not being done

In all churches, for some are preaching contrary to the Word of God and misleading people who are not fully literate in Scripture,  Pal reminds all preachers that they will answer to God and the Lord Jesus, who fail their responsibility to preach the Word and only the Word.

Paul thanked God for the Church, and that is something we should all do.  Our calling is to follow the example given by Paul so that we stand out in our communities.  Let us all seek to have a Church, even if it just be our own local one, where the true gospel is taught as God intended when He inspired those 40 men to write the Bible; filled with men and women who care for each other, ready to support each other in times of trouble, ready to welcome strangers who come into our midst, and who are never reluctant to confess they are Christians.

Christ is head of the Church and loved the Church and He is the Savior of the body. He gave His life for it, so can we do anything less?

There is an urgent need at the present time, for sound doctrine.  God must be shocked and disappointed, with some of the loose talk being passed as sermons. A necessary belief in the Church is fundamental, and the doctrine an essential part of teaching. The fact that the Church is now preaching false doctrine is shameful..

It is upon he Church that there is a responsibility  to make  through the divine Ministry of the Word, the supreme authority of The Scriptures.

We are living in an evil world, where there are no moral boundaries, it is a general case that people believe something is good, that is fair enough. Immorality and brutality are commonplace happenings.. The illiteracy of the Bible is high, more so with young people, whereby Easter and Christmas festivals are taken to mean not a time for worship and celebration of the supernatural, but rather a time for orgies of drinking, over feeding and disgusting behavior.

The Church was made before the Bible, and sacred writing of The Prophets related to the world. All authority is contained within its pages.  Guidance, help, and the way to obtain salvation, are explained in most modern Bibles, especially the New Living Translation.

A high priority is in the Letter of Jude, the message being that the teaching of the Apostles was given once for all time, and should be guarded and accepted without any addition, submission, or amendment. To paraphrase a famous saying, do not ask what can God do for me, say what can I do for God.

In closing, I quote the words of John Wesley, I want to know one thing, the way to heaven; how to land safe on that happy shore. God Himself has condescended to teach the way; for this end He came from heaven. He hath written it down in a book. Give me that book! At any price give me the Book of God!

Praise God for His Holy Gospel and may His Name be ever Glorified.

                        

 

 

L U K E  16 v 1-13

This is a Parable of an unjust manager, which Jesus told His disciples.   

“There was a certain rich man, who had a manager handling his affairs. One day a report came that the manager wasting his employer’s money. The employer called him in and said, ‘What’s this I hear about you? Get your report in order, because you are going to be fired.’

 “The manager thought to himself, ‘Now what? My boss has fired me. I don’t have the strength to dig ditches, and I’m too proud to beg.  Ah, I know how to ensure that I’ll have plenty of friends who will give me a home when I am fired.’

 “He invited each person who owed money to his employer to come and discuss the situation. He asked the first one, ‘How much do you owe him?’

 The man replied, ‘I owe him 800 gallons of olive oil.’ So the manager told him, ‘Take the bill and quickly change it to 400 gallons. ’

 “‘And how much do you owe my employer?’ he asked the next man. ‘I owe him 1,000 bushels of wheat,’ was the reply. ‘Here,’ the manager said, ‘take the bill and change it to 800 bushels. ’

 “The rich man had to admire the dishonest rascal for being so shrewd. And it is true that the children of this world are more shrewd in dealing with the world around them, than are the children of the light.

                          ***********************

This is a parable about dishonesty. We should not draw from this passage that it is meant to teach us to act in the way of the manager.  The man who the Lord describes to set before us was a shrew character, but Jesus never meant to sanction dishonesty and unfair dealing between two men.

The manager cheated his Master and the eighth Commandment, and the Master was shocked at the manager’s cunning and his intention when he heard it, but praised him for his shrewd act, but the master showed no sign of being pleased with him.  There is no suggestion that Jesus praised the manager. This is something which no one should copy.

The caution laid down is meaningful. Commercial dishonesty is common sadly,, fair dealing between men is rare. Men do things in the way of business, not the Bible.  In a rush to be rich, many actions are not upright, sharpness and smartness in bargaining and buying, selling and pushing trade are covering over.  The generation of unjust man is still persisting.  Do not forget whenever we do to others what we would not want then to do to us, we can be sure whatever the world may say, we would be wrong in the sight of Christ.  Remember, in the work place. one plain lesson of the parable is to stop acting illegally.

The conduct of the unjust man when he was losing his place, was skilfull and smart. Dishonest as he was in taking money out of the Master, he did not cry poverty, schemed or pleaded, but boldly contrived and carried out his plans. The result was, whilst losing one home he secured another.

We can see the difference between the man’s conduct about his earthly prospects, and the conduct of most men about their souls; he gave example by his forward  looking of things to come.

One day we will all have to move from where we are in our earthly home. We should  try to have a home in heaven.  This parable  in this point of views, tells us something that leads to the searching of the heart. Professing Christians do not always look to the future or face realities.  Compare this with the zeal of the business man who shows how careless are believers  about heaven

gastly, we see the expressions the Lord uses about little things in connection with the parable .  He said, he who is faithful in that which is the least, is faithful also with much and who is unjust with little is unjust with much.

The Lord teaches faithfulness in all things, large and small.  He guards us against supposing that such conduct about money as the unjust manager, should never be considered a light matter among Christians.  He wants us to know little things are the best part of character, and not being truthful about little things a symptom of a bad heart.  He did not mean of course, this only applied to money.  He did mean that dishonesty in money was a sign of a bad heart and not being right in the sight of God.

The one who is not dealing honestly with gold and silver in this world, can never be one who has riches in heaven

The doctrine laid down by the Lord in this place deserves serious consideration in  this place.  An idea prevails in some minds, that true religion may be separated from common honesty, and that soundness about doctrine may cover over cheating  in matters of practice.  The Lord’s words were a plain protest.       

Let us contend earnestly for the glorious doctrine of salvation by grace, and justification by faith,  Never forget that true faith will always be recognized. We may be sure, very sure, that where there is no honesty there is no grace 

 

We praise God for His Holy Gospel. May His Holy Name be Glorified.                 

 

THE FAMILY SERVICE

 

On the day of Pentecost, The Apostle Peter preached to a large crowd of people, and three thousand people committed themselves to repent of sin, be baptized and by the help of the teaching of the Apostles, became Christians. They met regularly, and God blessed their commitment and the Church spread its influence over a wide area.  God wanted people to attend and wanted to see the Church grow.

But God also wanted the people to join in fellowship with each other ;  age. race.  color, gender, no favorites, all one in Christ Jesus.  In other words, God wanted the Church to be a family, a family of God with people of all different kinds to be brothers and sisters; all God’s children.  He created man and woman to marry and have children, and a family is part of making stability in a nation, which is why political activists always want to break up families.

To a great amount this, has been successful in that people can meet with Christians from different in a manner which no other organization can compete.  No special denomination, we can meet either spiritually or socially. To some extent this has failed in a spiritual way, when one Church restricted communion with members of another denomination, but I am sure this will change if it has not done so yet, as Pope Leo xiv is a foreseeing manner with a desire to be in understanding reality and has approved of  uniting Christians.

  It is the most desirable, and God approved for people who worship in the Church, to mix freely, and who will avoid cliques, and avoid causing any unpleasant attitudes.

Every Church should have stewards who have a welcoming attitude to all people. ,new people coming for the first time should be made to feel we welcome them. This does not always happen. I remember, with disgust, attending a Church when on holiday, and two women stewards were commenting to each other about the manner of dress of visiting people, and handing books out with a take it or leave it attitude. Newcomers should always be introduced to the Minister of the Church so he can make them feel their visit was appreciated an welcomed. Again, as a Minister of the Church of England, I was invited to preach at a Methodist Church, and two of the most unpleasant aged women stopped me at the door and said, ‘this is a Methodist Church you know’.  I told them I was able to read the large notice board outside..

When we go to Church, we are going to  meet with our heavenly Father. Some people say I will miss this week, no one will notice, but God will notice. It is like a normal family, I like my sons to visit and would miss them if they did not come. so think before missing a service.

We are also going to meet our brothers and sisters.  There is always some older persons in need of the prayers of the people who know them, and to remember a person who has died.  We also have the pleasure of being with other family members, and to greet new people.  God wants a large family and He will care for them.

God made the first family in the Garden of Eden, before any other organization or gathering, showing  the importance He placed on the family. Abraham Lincoln, the

Great early American President spoke of homes with families was the strength of a nation.

The family can come together, and this is when children can be introduced to

Learn and grow into the Church. This will teach them about Easter and Christmas

In which  those two services tell the glorious stories of Jesus, and how God cares for all people, children and adults.

Luke tells how parents took their children to meet Jesus, and He blessed each one. Mark tells of Jesus saying, let the children come to me, don’t stop them from coming to the Kingdom pf God.

You can see whole families singing their heads off in services in the Churches of the Black skinned people.  Children take easy to it. A little boy came to a service

dressed in a lovey suit, and I noticed him taking full part with his mother and Father.  Those people always gave themselves to the service.

This where the Church of England made a huge mistake in the years when there was an influx of people from the Caribbean, they were not welcomed properly,

when they could have enhanced the Church. 

Parts of the family can meet separately, such as mothers meeting in socially or spiritually in midweek, and real friendships have grown.  There are midweek Bible Study evenings, which people usually become more friendly.  There is a surplus of divisions in some Churches, especially as we are seeing now.  The Bishops have created a deep division, by accepting the false doctrine of blessing sane sex unions.

Ministers, Priests, Pastors, (call which, is appropriate), are put in a position when they will have to please some and irritate others, by deciding which view to accept

In some groups, people meet to help and comfort each other, but care needs to be taken.  When people speak about personal matters, it should be recognized that whilst you can speak to a Church Minister you are speaking to someone who is bound to recognize your confidence, ordinary people are not.  It has to be realized there is always someone who will gossip and relate your problem, and invariably will tell in their way, which might have additional account.

Most Churches, do have at least one family service, You can take your children and let them make friends with other children and their parents

Women in the Church particularly, make friends with children.  I had two girls who were about twelve years when they came to my Church with their school, and

Then joined the Church.  I let them read the Lessons and the older ladies particularly were so friendly with them.  They remained with me until they grew up and got married, and I performed the weddings with some people from the Church present. Such develops from being a family Church, which in other terms was known as a happy Church.

God loves all people despite the love not being reciprocated, and wants to see it growing. When we remember God sent His only Son to this earth to die a cruel death on a Cross, so that He could have our sins forgiven, and God could then forgive us and make us fit for heaven. If Jesus could die like that for us, is it too much to ask for His people to attend His Church. At one time, Sunday was Church  day, and most people accepted that, and families would attend. Now we have politicians ignoring and legislating against Christian morality.  The families were much happier than it seems now.

Billy Graham, the great American Preacher, came to the United Kingdom, despite

the Church leaders wanting him not to come, and planned to hold meetings for three weeks in large stadiums in London.  Such was the result, he had to stay a further three weeks as people in their tens of thousands flocked to hear him.

The first time is the hardest for many people. but once they venture in, it becomes inviting.  Come with your family.

In the United States, a great Christian nation, some of the Churches have regular attendances of thousands. The services are often more evangelical than in our lands, and the families are there with their own Bibles and actually look happy. There are times when people cannot attend through work or sickness, or even through illness or age. But in each Sunday there are Church services on one of the many television channels. You can still be part of the service, God will understand your situation if you are disabled or of age problems.  The American pastors make mention of their online services, as a Cathedral in Scotland does.

Remember the family is a gift from God and will be pleased to have you join His family. 

PRAYER

Lord of life, You share us in your image and by your gracious gift the human family has increased, grant to all who seek, the blessing of children,  Fill them with wisdom and love as they care for their family so that they and their children may know and love You.

 

Praise God for His glorious Gospel and pray His Holy Name be glorified    

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1 Corinthians 1 v18/25.
This morning I want to speak about the Cross.  Sunday is Holy Cross day, when we concentrate our thoughts on the supreme sacrifice made by Jesus.

The Church at Corinth was having problems, which caused Paul to write to them.  Corinth was a cosmopolitan city, which has been described as the Soho of its day, full of corruption and immorality. It was a trading center, and there was much wealth and a style of living, which did not match up to Christian standards. The Church, which had started with much power, was allowing some of the culture to invade the Church, and some members were influenced by the rhetoric of some preachers, who were deviating from gospel, and this caused division and dissension within the Church.

Paul wrote to give advice and admonishment to the people there, because of the way they were acting. He is showing us in this passage, how the Cross is so important for us as Christians, and how it is involved in human affairs and thinking.. We have a similar situation here, where there are men/women, occupying the most prominent position in the Church, openly accepting and even encouraging Christians, to adopt the morality of society, despite the fact that the Bible expressly condemns doing so, and demands the clergy to banish false doctrine.

The passage opens, with Paul stating those who are perishing, the unbelievers ,who do not understand or realize the power of the Cross,  to them it is just  foolishness, for perishing means not being saved and no hope of going to heaven, for they have rejected Jesus, but to those of us who are saved and have accepted Jesus as Savior, the gospel is the power of God.

Just as the message was foolish by the world’s standards, so most of those in Corinth also thought the message was foolish by the world’s standards.  Despite them being unimpressive, their boasting in ancestry and accomplishments, and having an affiliation with one of their chosen  preacher, God had chosen them to be saved.  The hostile opponents of Jesus kept demanding a miraculous sign to prove his claims, but they were just doing this to manipulate, but he had already given them sufficient so there was no excuse for their unbelief.

The Greeks were often classified as being wise, but were then seen as being antiquated, and more cultured people were interested in wisdom. A crucified Messiah was a stumbling stop for a Jew. God’s power to call forth his people, works through a deeper wisdom, that human beings can recognize unless God gives them faith, Paul writes that the gospel is preached to all, but God calls some effectively to salvation from among Jews and Greeks.  Paul is speaking to those in the Church who claimed to be wise and proud of their wisdom, which they were using to divide the Church and to promote themselves by changing the message of the Cross to make it more acceptable. Paul is telling them it is worthless in the sight of God, and will only destroy the Church.

The cultured Greek and the pious Jew could not understand Christianity, but Paul pointed out human wisdom is bound to be of no purpose, and was  to be exposed by God telling of human helplessness.  The Jews demanded miraculous signs and Greeks looked to wisdom. This was a stumbling block, which could not be overcome by Jews or Gentiles, but to those who do believe it is a message of power. The Jews demanded that what Paul was teaching should be proved by some miraculous sign. Jews could not ever accept that the Messiah would be crucified; it was totally contradictory to their belief. The Greeks placed so much influence on human wisdom and intellectual ability to be the means of salvation.

God chose a way which ordinary people could understand. Abraham Lincoln once stated, God must have loved ordinary people because He made so many of them. Paul gave them an ordinary and simple message, believe in Jesus Christ who gave His life to be crucified on the Cross, and you will have eternal life. If we had to be very wise and academic, millions of people would never have come to know the Lord. Heaven would be only for the clever people.

The gospel message is the opposite of worldly wisdom, and is hard for some to believe, but we do believe. But there are still people who want to see some proof for what we preach. The Bible states, by grace you shall be saved through faith’. If you have to see signs or other proof to believe, you don’t need faith. True faith means believing in what you cannot see.  God said, ‘I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate’.
The message of the world sees us as self-sufficient beings; there is no need of God. We have the ability to think and reason which will prove sufficient to eventually solve all of our problems.  Obviously, God doesn’t think so much of it.

Paul asks where is the wise man, where is the scholar, where is the philosopher of this age, has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world.  Challenging them who think they can solve life’s problems.   Just where has all the wisdom of the so-called wise brought us? How well have we done in solving the world’s problems? Have we eradicated poverty? Has all our research and expertise in the fields of science and medicine rid our world of disease? Have we found a cure for cancer? There is more suffering now than history records.    With all the highly educated professional educators, how can we still have ignorant people wandering our streets, graduating from our schools and colleges, yet not knowing basic  English?
Look at the enormous amount of hatred in the world, with many of the Arab countries wanting to wipe Israel off the face of the map. Paradoxically, hatred has been introduced into our society by legislation. The (inequitable) Equality and Diversity Bill has caused considerable distress. Consider the hate mail, and persecution experienced by Christians who do not wish to surrender their beliefs to society’s morality. The unfortunate reality is, that for all our so-called sophistication, we have not been able to solve the basic problems of society–– problems that have been around since the beginning. Certainly, we have been able to see great advances technologically. We have great new gadgets. But on the really important issues of life, we don’t even have temporary solutions.
But to those whom God has called, both Jews and Gentiles, Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God.

Each religious faith has its own symbol. Muslims have the crescent moon; the Jews have the Star of David,  Buddhists have the lotus flower, but for Christians we have the Cross.   The early Christians had the sign of a fish, which they inscribed on walls as indication of faith when the Romans were persecuting Christians.  They would make the cry, ‘Jesus is Lord’, but would not refer so much to the cross as it was a hateful thing.   Some Churches have a Cross outside, and most also display the Cross inside. It is embossed upon our Bibles and prayer books, and ladies particularly wear a gold cross.    Paul said he gloried in the Cross, and focused on the crucifixion of Jesus as the means of salvation. But it was the most horrific death ever devised by mankind. For many years it was never mentioned in polite company , and was only used to show when people were acting contrary to the power of the Cross.    When writing to the Galatian Church, Paul stated ‘God forbid that I should boast about anything except the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ’, to indicate how much he prioritized the Cross.

Paul was a clever man, he could have boasted about his own intellect, his mastery of languages; he could have boasted about the unique birth of Christ or the miracles performed, even the resurrection, but he didn’t, only the Cross.

It is not often that a sermon on the Cross is heard in Churches today, if at all; I cannot remember when I last heard one.  Indeed, a lot of sermons have only a tenuous reference to the gospel.  Paul ‘s preaching focused on the crucifixion of Jesus as the means of salvation. A man crucified had nails driven through arms and legs, and left hanging until he died, which could have lasted for days even.

The Cross upon which Jesus died, was not only a place where he bore the sins of humanity and paid the penalty for those sins, it is also a way for our lives by his power. It is saying that God became weak,, in order to save us. It says that when we surrender our lives, we truly find them. It is the very power of God, concealed from the so-called wise and sophisticated and revealed to those who come as a child, in simple faith and trust.
For the foolishness of God is wiser than man’s wisdom and the weakness of God is stronger than man’s strength
Today the cross of Christ is still a cause of offence. The message of the cross of Christ is still foolishness to those who are perishing. To them the cross is the weakest link. In the Cross, we see the power of God displayed. God was powerful enough to become weak.

Having looked at the message of this passage, let us consider the implications for us to-day.

Paul always taught there are two distinct points of view, two black or white absolutes that can never be reconciled, because they produce two different responses to the gospel. We all have to decide now which we believe. We have a choice to make for our future when this life is over. Many people don’t want to think of that and dismiss it from their minds.  Many more believe there is no need to worry, as long as one leads a ‘good’ life we are all going to heaven.  Apart from the fact‘ good’ has not been defined, how would we know when he had done enough?  I have taken hundreds of funeral services in the past years, and irrespective that the deceased never read a bible, attended church, and being totally unaware of belief, it was always thought the relatives of the deceased, the person was heaven bound.   Unless you accept the Cross and its meaning, you are not able to make an assessment of the future. The Cross is the pivotal point of Christianity.  If you tell people that all their efforts and achievements will not put them right with God, and the only way is to believe the death of Christ on the Cross, and we can do nothing to earn our salvation, they will think it ridiculous.

The Cross strikes at the heart of human pride. Just as the Jews could never accept that a man hanging on a Cross could save the world, so today people mock the idea. Those who are blind to the truth of the gospel are said to be ‘perishing’, which means unsaved and are eternally lost. To them however, it is absurd, and they refuse to believe the Biblical teaching that states to achieve eternal salvation you have to believe that a man died on a Cross 2000 years ago, in a little country on the far side of the world, and did so that our sins may be forgiven.

The other reaction is that the Cross is the power of God to those of us who have accepted Christ’s death on the Cross as our means of salvation.   Why take a risk on your eternal future? If you were due to fly to America, and as you were boarding the plane you were told there was a 1% chance the plane would not make it across the Atlantic, would you still fly?    Paul said he understood how foolish it sounds to those who are lost when they heard that Jesus died to save them, but God had said He would destroy all human plans of salvation no matter how wise they seem to be to men, even the most brilliant of them. He said ‘you come to me my way, or you do not come at all’. If you wear a Cross you should ask yourself, why you are wearing it, what does it mean to you?   Most people just see it as an item of jewellery, such an idea would have been horrifying, bearing in mind the tortuous death it carried; it would be like wearing a model of the gallows around the neck. It was so crude a death it was never mentioned in polite company.
There is one underlying message running right through this passage. ‘There is only one way to heaven and that is through Jesus Christ’. God gave His only ,Son that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. We do not earn our right to heaven by all the good things we do, being saved is a gift from God, if we could earn it would not be free. God accepts us when we believe in Christ.
We need to humble ourselves in complete surrender to God. The good news is that God has given us his power.

The world doesn’t like the Cross, even though it can be the answer to all divisions pointing out the difference between truth and error. The crucifixion of  Jesus is a fact of history. He is the only means of salvation, and  we need a Savior, meaning we follow God’s way or none.   When Jesus died on that Cross there were two men alongside him. One cried out to Jesus to save him and the other mocked. One of those men was saved, and the other died. We have to make a decision and do so whilst we are able, leaving it to a death bed may be too late.

The Bible states there are two alternatives in life, two roads, goats and sheep, tares and wheat, heaven and hell.  Jesus spoke about heaven many times, but he also warned of the alternative, which many people try to  forget.

.May the Cross always remind you of Jesus Christ and the sacrifice He made for the salvation that can be yours. It is now the duty and responsibility of the Church to boldly proclaim this.

Paul ended the passage with a quotation from Jeremiah. It was only when we realize we can do nothing, and God can  and will do everything ,that real religion begins  . It is a fact of life that when people realize their own weakness, their own lack of wisdom, their helplessness and powerlessness, they become wise and strong.  It is a fact of experience that the man who thinks he can take on life all by himself, will in the end make a mess of his life.

We have four things which Paul points out and insists that Christ is for us.  He is wisdom, It is only by  following Christ that we walk aright, and only by listening to him we hear the truth. He is the expert in life

He is righteousness. He has right relationship with God, we can never on our own have that. This comes through Jesus when we realize it comes not from what we can do for God, but what God can do for us.

He is consecration., It is only in the presence of Christ that life can be what it should be.  He is deliverance. Men go to see the optician and the dentist, but never to the one who can cure their souls  Jesus Christ can deliver a man from past sin, from present helplessness and from future fear.

 

We praise God for His Holy Gospel    May God bless these words to our heart and may He be glorified.