Be faithful. ( Isaiah 55 v 9 - 12 )

 My son Brian and his wife Tracey had a ministry in Ibiza a number of years ago,they led a team ,and worked under a Christian ministry called 24/7.  During that time  they and the team would go out and talk with the many young tourist,offering to pray with them,and also offering them Bibles. They started giving out Bibles in 2009,so we move on 10 years,when Brian was attending a Big Day Out festival,where well known groups performed. Brian found himself beside a young man, and they got talking. He said he was a recovering addict who had found Jesus.Brian asked him how that came about,so he told him,he was in Ibiza in 2009 and a girl give him a Bible, that started him on the road to salvation.When Brian heard this he started crying,the lad asked him why?,Brian explained  , they both hugged and prayed  together.I have witnessed to many people ,I don't know who came to Christ, but one day I will,in the meanwhile let us be faithful, trusting God to bless our witness.

Empty words. ( James 2 v 14 - 17 )

A particular thing happened that caused me concern, I have not told anybody about it,but of course I prayed about it.I am 77 yrs of age , and with old age there are things that can happen that are scary. Now they may not happen , but they may ,it can cause one to be afraid, to loose sleep. So I prayed, but I also asked God to give me a word,that which I can hold on to ,and so as I read the Bible ,the words that Jesus spoke to the disciples,when they were on the mount of transfiguration,and they were afraid, in fact they were terrified ,(Matthew 17 v 6).This is what He spoke to them,''Don't be afraid'',are you afraid?, you may be terrified,hear the words of Jesus, he does not speak those words in a flippant way,no he fully understands the depths of our feelings,unlike people who do speak in a flippant manner to those in need, to those are afraid.If there is a way to help that person we should help if we can,let us remember that faith without works is dead.Empty words help no one, Jesus never spoke empty words,he saw the hungry , he fed them, he saw the sick he healed them,he saw the fearful, he reassured them, he saw the downcast he lifted them up.When our Saviour speaks a word to us ,he will give us the help we need, the grace we need, the peace we need, his is not empty words.

Nevers of the gospel. (Proverbs 3 v 5 - 6)

 In a book called ,'The valley of vision', a collection of Puritan prayers and devotions', we have a devotion called,'The never's of the gospel'. Here are some of the things it says.

                                    'Never to rely on my own convictions and resolutions

                                     but be strong in Thee and in Thy might'.

                                     'Never forget to go to Thee in all my  spiritual

                                      distresses and outward troubles'.

                                     'Never confine my religion to extraordinary

                                      occasions, but acknowledge Thee in all my ways'.

                                      'Never limit my devotions to particular seasons

                                      but be in Thy fear all the day long'.

God. ( Isaiah 40/ John 3 v16 )

In Isaiah 40 v 18, we read ,' With whom will you compare God?',although I cannot see many stars where I live, because of light pollution.I have at times in my life observed the awesomeness of a star filled sky. The vastness of the universe  is hard to take in,it is to much space,to many planets, to many stars,it   is truly awesome.But here is something that is more awesome , God, created all things,all things,they didn't all spring out of nothingness, that would be impossible,in the beginning God spoke the word  and it happened . In answer to the question, with whom will we compare God with?,the answer is no one, think of the absurdity that mankind have conceived what God is like ,a wood or stone carving,or a God of thunder,God is the God of everything.God  is beyond anything we can imagine, or conceive.He is absolutely mind blowing in his being, this great mysterious being, I stumble to express in speech his being, and  like Job of old, ''I'm speechless,in awe, words fail me''. Yet it does not stop there for this great , great God loves you and loves me, my goodness what a thought.who would ever think,we can know such a God, we are so puny, weak insignificant, frail,sinful, need I go on?, you get the picture.Here is a wonderful truth, God entered into this bit of nothingness, in the person of His Son Jesus,and He died on a cross to save us.to save you,because He loves you ,will you trust Him to be your Saviour, today?.

Following Jesus. 1 (Luke 14 v27 )

When I was young I used to play with my friends  a game called follow the leader ,it was  a innocent children's game, but let me say this very lovingly, that following Jesus is not a game.Jesus did not promise wealth ,health ,and prosperity.. In Luke 14 v 26 ff our Saviour said something very startling.,'' If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters- yes even their own life, such a person cannot be my disciple''. These words would bring you to a full stop, Jesus said  I am to hate my loved ones ,good grief, I won't do that.Does not the word of God say that love is one of one of the greatest things we can do .We are called to love God and to love others, we are even  told to love our enemies Matthew 5 v 44,  so why are we being told to hate are nearest and dearest?. Many things that Jesus  teaches taught are not not to be taken  literally,for example, the bread and wine which we have at communion is not the literal body and blood of Christ, they are but symbols.So when Jesus spoke of hating,it was never meant to be taken literally,as one writer puts it ,'Eastern language is always as vivid as the human mind can make it. When Jesus tells us to hate our nearest and dearest,he does not mean literally'He means that we should love Him more that anyone and anything else.Our love for Jesus must take first place in our lives,as Jesus said to Peter,''Do you love Me  more than these?, well ,do we?.

Once for all ( Hebrews 9)

 When Christ offered himself as a sacrifice ,he was doing what no one else could,it was a act of total obedience, he came to do the will of God  in his life and death on the cross,this he did, .His life was sinless, his death was the final piece in the jigsaw,all this he did voluntary CP John 10 v 17 - 18. Next, it  was the total  remedy  for our salvation,his death and that alone saves,his work ,not ours saves,we do not add anything unto it,if we try to do this,we will never be saved.Next it was a once and for all sacrifice,this is very important, for there are millions of people who believe that Christ sacrifice needs to be repeated again and again,I speak of the Mass,practiced by the Roman Catholic Church. They define it in these words,'it is that self same sacrifice that was made on Calvary,yet without blood.'It is obvious that the Roman Catholic Church, have never accepted what God's word clearly teaches. I commend you to read Hebrews 9 v 23 - 28/10 . v28 reads,' Christ was sacrificed once to take away the  sins of many'. Chap 9 v25 in AV  reads,'Nor yet that He should offer Himself often', if he did offer himself often ,it would really be telling us that his sacrifice would only be akin to the animal sacrifice ,and of no value.His sacrifice  rules out purgatory, because only the blood of Christ can cleanse us from our sin.1 John 1 v 7.

                                                           'Jesus paid it all'

Thy will be done 5. ( Hebrews 10 v 5 -7 )

 Finally let us consider Christ Sacrifice, the book was written to Jewish believers,things have changed,they are struggling spiritually,even possible turning back to Judaism.So right throughout the book they are given severe warnings, CP 2 v 1-3/ 6 v 4 -12 /10 16ff. 12 v 14 -17.The temple worship,priesthood, animal sacrifice,were only shadows of the real thing that was to come through Christ. Let us consider the animal sacrifices,R Brown says this,'Those sacrifices were limited and local. Christ sacrifice was extensive and eternal'. The writer in 10 v 5-7 , declares.'Sacrifice and offering, you did not desire, but a body you have prepared for me; with burnt offerings and sin offerings you were not pleased. Then I said,''Here I am- it is written about me in the scroll- I have come to do your will, my God''. CP Psalm 40 v 6-8'. The animal sacrifice was continuous,and ineffective,and as FF Bruce writes , 'the  involuntary sacrifice of dumb animals did not satisfy God,it would take a person to willingly lay down his life, that person was Jesus,he declared in garden of Gethsemane,'Thy will be done'.So his sacrifice  was effective in dealing with sin and also very important, never to be repeated. We will continue this next time.