The Message of the Cross. ( 2 )( Isaiah 53)

 I borrow the title for my message, from a book by Derek Tidball,  What is the message of the cross?, let me try an explain it, I am going to use something that Guy Fawkes said. In case you don't know,he an a group of others were involved in what became known as the gun powder plot.England had become a Protestant country,but there were those who wanted to turn the country back to Catholicism.So they planned to blow up the English parliament,and replace it with a Catholic  government.This is what Fawkes had to say,'A desperate disease requires a dangerous remedy', now I want to borrow those words and change one word,'A desperate disease requires a dreadful remedy',Then in your minds eye picture the cross,and Jesus hanging on the cross,we read in Isaiah 52 v 14,' His appearance was beyond that of any human being,and His form marred beyond human likeness'.Also we read that on that cross, yes that dreadful cross,that awful cross,in Isaiah 53 v10,' It  was the Lords will to crush Him,that crushing involved, taking the punishment for sin ,our sin.His death was dreadful, but it was the only remedy for sin, that dreadful disease that afflicts every human being. It means that through that death, that dreadful death, all who trust in Jesus as Saviour will have their  sins  forgiven, that's the message of the cross.

                                                        He took my sins and my sorrows,

                                                        He made them His very own;

                                                        He bore the burden to Calvary

                                                       And suffered and died alone

                                                                 Words C.H. Gabriel.

                                                    

Worry. ( Psalm 23 v 1 )

 Bobby Mc Ferrin wrote  a song that became very popular,here's the first verse,'Don't worry ,Be happy, In every life we have some trouble,When you worry you make it double.Don't worry be  happy'. I remember a song from my childhood written by Ralph Edwards and John Saxton, which had the following words,'Don't worry ,be happy, next time you have the measles or flu. Thank your lucky stars,it's not pneumonia too'Most people worry, yes even us Christians ,yes myself included.Can we come to that place were we will not worry?, I  can't answer that question,in Matthew 10 v19, Jesus says to His disciples,' do not worry',the context is, as regards future persecution ,and when they stand before their persecutors the Holy Spirit will teach them what to say.In Matthew 6 v 25 ff ,He again tells us not to worry about our lives, and what we wear ,and what we eat.again is that possible?. Well consider those two ,do not worry, words  from Jesus,are telling us why we should not worry,and the answer is God, He will help us and provide for us.He reminds us that God is our heavenly Father,and He can be relied upon to help us His children. Here is something that might help us ,written by Willian Hendriksen, 'Whenever worry raises its head, knock it down at once. Jesus forbids not only the habit of worrying, but its very beginning'.But He also goes unto to say,' Seek first His kingdom and his righteousness,and all these things will be given to you. ( Matthew 6 v  33)

Good and evil. ( Proverbs 14 v 34 )

 John Wesley said something that struck a cord with me,he said,'What one generation tolerates, the next generation will embrace'.Those words are so true ,we see it in God's word,the history of Israel is that  of doing just that,God raises up a godly leader,and the people appear to follow him, when he died an ungodly leader is crowned and the people follow in his ungodly footsteps.An example is Josiah a very godly man,who sought to lead the people in God's ways,then another ungodly  king  ruled , Jehoahaz ,and he led the people into ungodliness. The good that the nation had followed was forsaken,as they turned to sinful ways.There was a time in which certain practices in this country were not tolerated,but my,how things have changed, for the  people  gladly embrace yesterday's darker side. We read in Isaiah 5 v 20,'Woe to those who call evil  good ,and good evil',unfortunately in so many nations that is the case. The more  secular a nations becomes,the more  they stray from God .This applies to us as individuals, the more we keep distancing ourselves from God, the more we slip into a mind set, that takes no account of  God, and our lives will reflect that. We think we are throwing off the shackles, when in fact we are slowly, becoming more  in bondage to our misguided mind sets. Here is what Proverbs 14 v 12, says,'There is a way that appears to be right, but in the end it leads to death'.

                                                Christ says follow me and live.

Eternity. ( 1 John 2 v 15 - 17 )

Philip Yancey writes about a novelist Saul Bellow being asked a question at a press conference , 'Mr Bellow, you are a writer and we are writers. What's the difference between us?'. Bellow replied, ' As  journalists, you are concerned with news of the day. As a novelist, I am concerned with news of eternity'.How few people give any thought as regards eternity, and what that evolves. The moment I became a Christian eternity filled my life, my existence was not just related to this life,there was now an after life. Amy  Carmichael said when she was tempted  she went out looked up into the sky, and think  on eternity. The question is this, what do we think is of most value?,the things of eternity, or the things of time.David Brainerd a missionary to the native Americans, said,'I love to live on the brink of eternity'. The fact is, we  are all living on the brink of eternity,only a breath away from that great beyond. What is beyond this scene of time ?,God, the eternal glories , where all pain will cease for those who know Christ ,for those who don't know Christ , pain will never cease, the choice is yours.

Telling others. ( Acts 1 v 8 )

 Regularly I pray that God will help me to be a witness for Him, now witnessing involves two things,our  lives,our dear Saviour said people are known by their fruits,not their suits,James stresses the fact of showing our faith, that is by our good works, and Peter tells us that we are to live holy and godly lives (MT  7 v 20 / James 2 v 18 / 2 Peter 3 v 11) The other kind of witnessing is by speaking to people about Christ, today I managed to do that, what I find God does  lead me us  to people to speak to. If you pray for God  to help you to witness to people He will,He will lead you  to people, for some people that's very scary, very intimidating, but He will help you, as He helps me. Be wise and humble in your witnessing, not argumentative,sometimes people are over zealous, and that's not good.Speak the truth in love, both go together, truth without  love is a hinderance, love with truth will attract people to Christ. Leave the results with God, pray for those you speak to, that He will honour your witness, many of us are just sowers of the word, it is God who will give the increase.

Unchanging . ( Hebrews 13 v 5 - 8 )

 I read this recently,'I've learnt to work the coffee machine at home. We've only had it four years', I appreciate those words, new phones make me nervous,also new lap tops.I am from a different generation,I remember my early school days,it seems before ball point pens were invented, so we used a pen with a nib on  it,and there was an inkwell on the desk .Those were the days I thought they would never end,but they did ,so many things have changed in my life time,yesterdays treasures are todays cast off's.We watch the news and we observe change on a massive scale,climate change, political change, fashion change,it is change, change, change.Sometimes we make the changes in our lives ,other times change is thrust upon us. That divorce we didn't want, we meant our wedding vows,but it has not worked out, and so we have to adopt, health change comes upon us,and we find ourselves coping, just about with the challenges that brings.Change,change,change, and more change, but here is the good news ,a word from God's word, ' I the Lord do not change'. Malachi 3 v 6. I will leave you with two versus from a hymn by Horatius Bonar.

                                                             My love is often low,

                                                             My joy still ebbs and flows;

                                                             But peace with Him remains the same,

                                                             No change Jehovah knows.

                                                             I change, He changes not;

                                                            The Christ can never die;

                                                            His love, not mine, the resting place;

                                                            His truth,not mine, the tie.

                                                             

                                                              

                                                   

Are you in trouble? ( Psalm 34)

I sent this verse of scripture to someone who is in trouble,' This poor man cried out, and the Lord heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles ( Psalm 34 v 6 ). Consider how it starts,'This poor man',who was this poor man?,David the future king of Israel, a man after God's own heart,and he calls himself a poor man. The poor in this world are often despised or ignored, but not by God Isaiah 61 v1, often the very rich have no time or need for God,they are self made people. David did not plead any special privileges ,he did not feel that God owed him anything, he just cried out of his poverty of spirit, nothing else.One of the most evil kings who ever ruled Israel was Manasseh , and God dealt with him severely CP 2 Chronicles 33 v 10 -11 ,but in v 12 we read,'In his distress he sought the favour of the Lord his God and humbled himself before the God of his ancestors, v13 tells us how God forgive him and restored him to kingship in Jerusalem.Whoever you are, whatever pit you are in,whatever troubles you are facing,cry unto God,if you have  sinned, repent and seek forgiveness. Come to God in humility ask God to help you and He will deliver you, he saved David out of all his troubles he can save you.