The crucifixion - perfect in every way

What happens when the Son of God, the King of the Universe is put to death by wicked men?

The crucifixion happened because God permitted it. As Jesus himself said, he could have called up a hundred legions of angels to stop this awful crime at any point.

Once Jesus had been nailed to the cross, the first sign was darkness coming over all the land from the sixth to the ninth hour (12 noon to 3 pm). Luke adds the details that the sun stopped shining. This was no solar eclipse over in a couple of minutes. This was creation bowing its head in homage and grief as the Lord of all light was crucified. How could the sun still shine as the Prince of Peace, the Son of God was murdered. It had to be done in the darkness of night.

Then, Jesus’s heartrending words, ‘My God why have you forsaken me?’ As the sins of the world were laid upon Jesus and the wrath of God fell on his beloved son, the perfect Lamb of God, Jesus was separated from his loving Father. What a sacrifice. 

As the time came for Jesus to die, he cried out in a loud voice.  Jesus did not die the death of the crucified in exhaustion, unable to hold up his body anymore and suffocating to death. He died in triumph with the loud cry on his lips, ‘It is finished’. Jesus gave up his spirit and breathed his last.

The work of salvation was complete. The wrath of God had fallen on Jesus for all the sins of sinful, wicked men and Jesus, the perfect, innocent Son of God could now proclaim his victory over sin, death, the grave, sickness and all the other outworkings of man’s rebellion to their Creator. 

The temple curtain, woven of a heavy material more like a carpet, was supernaturally torn in two from top to bottom – nothing a man could do. Access to the holy place, to the Father had now been granted to all who came in humility trusting in Christ’s work of salvation and not their own efforts. 

Matthew recorded two more events, first a great earthquake which then caused tombs to break open and the bodies of holy people came to life. This speaks I think of salvation now coming to all, even those from the past, who then testify about Jesus in the city. What better testimony could there be to challenge the lies of the Romans that Jesus’s disciples had stolen his body. Instead, people known to have died have arisen as a foretaste of the many who would come to life by believing on the Lord Jesus Christ. 

Finally, the ungodly Roman centurion, the one who had carried out the execution, proclaimed, ‘surely this was the Son of God.’ Salvation had come to all – Jews, Gentiles and even Romans. 

These were not random events but carefully orchestrated to reveal to all those willing to see that Jesus’s crucifixion was in the hands of God the Father. The great work of salvation for all who believe and trust in the Lord Jesus was complete, and they would now have access to him and eternal life in heaven.

What a wonderful work salvation is – complete and perfect in every detail. 

The transformational encounter

We all know the story of Zacchaeus, short, rich and by his own admission a thief. Zacchaeus would have been unpopular and despised, but he wanted to see Jesus, not from a distance, not through a crowd but properly, even if it meant looking undignified by climbing up a tree and almost certainly joining the children and youth up there. 

The more amazing thing is that Jesus wanted to meet Zacchaeus. Along came Jesus, surrounded by a throng, and stopped, looked up and called Zacchaeus by name and invited himself to dinner. Imagine the Queen walking the line when she suddenly picks you out by name, even though you’ve never met her, and invited herself to dinner. That’s the reality of what happened. Zacchaeus, the unpopular, despised tax collector was honoured in the sight of the crowd. And Zacchaeus immediately received Jesus and the encounter was transformational.  In the sight and sound of everyone Zacchaeus promised extreme restitution, to pay back four times what he had stolen. 

At this point the crowd lost the plot and grumbled about Jesus dining with a sinner. Jesus drew their attention to the fact that this was what he came to do, seek and save the lost but surely it didn’t mean people like Zacchaeus?  It did.  The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart 1 Samuel 16: 7b. 

A similar thing happened at Gadarenes when Jesus delivered the demoniac from many demons so that he was free, clothed and in his right mind, surely a case of great rejoicing. Instead, the crowd were frightened and begged Jesus to leave. Admittedly their livelihood of a herd of pegs was now at the bottom of the lake, but didn’t they have any compassion for this poor man bound and out of his mind? 

One encounter with Jesus transforms the life of any individual, no matter how wretched but our response is very telling. Are we full of self-righteous indignation (the elder brother syndrome) that Jesus could wish to not just associate with but transform an individual or are we fearful of the power of God to move in miracle-working power that will truly transform lives? I believe that wonderful verse in John 13: 35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another, will become evident when we truly rejoice over one sinner saved and set free. 

The Kingdom will certainly be evident amongst us when the Church has a different mindset from the world and celebrates when the broken, lost and rejected sinners are touched by an ever-loving God. The most powerful testimony of God’s transformational power is a life transformed and a Church eager to celebrate and testify to a sceptical world that God is real and here’s the evidence. 

From slave ship to the palace

But thanks be to God that, though you used to be slaves to sin, you have come to obey from your heart the pattern of teaching that has now claimed your allegiance.  You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness. Romans 8: 16 – 17

A few years ago God gave me a picture of a wooden slave ship – the sort where the slaves were chained in the bowels of the ship rowing. There they sat in row upon row, unable to go anywhere and unable to do anything except row the huge oars. Indeed they had no say in where they were rowing, where they were going or why. All they could do is sit there and row and if they stopped they would be beaten.

This is an awful picture of sin. We are chained to it, unable to free ourselves from its bonds. As Paul says:  For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do – this I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it. Romans 7: 18 – 20

Sin is a cruel slave master, chaining us into a life that we do not want.

However in my picture, I saw Jesus come in a shining light into the bowels of this hell-hole of a ship, walk up to one of the slaves and hold out his hand. As the slave took Jesus hand, the chains fell off and startled beyond imagination he walked out with Jesus from his prison. What a wonderful picture of salvation. … through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death. Romans 8: 2.

However as I looked I saw Jesus take the slave, blinking out into the sun and onto a busy London pavement outside Buckingham Palace. He took his old filthy rags and gave him new ‘robes of righteousness’. With a word he was cleansed so his body was clean and groomed. The slave was transformed - clean in every way – inside and out.

Then something wonderful happened. Jesus led the ‘new creation’ across the road to Buckingham Palace and took him inside. The ex-slave was almost struck speechless. The palace was beautiful beyond anything he had ever seen or could imagine. It was amazing in every way – beautiful rooms, furnishings, grounds and wonderful staff to meet his every need.  This however was not a life of privilege to indulge himself but a life of privilege from which a new life of service and devotion to the King would flow.

The great thing about being British is that we understand royalty. We grow up with it and have it modelled to us all our lives. Our Royal family is indeed privileged. There is little they cannot have in terms of material items or being served but they model to our nation and the world that this life of privilege is also one of duty and service. They work extraordinarily hard to serve and bless others through patronage of military organisations, professional bodies and a multitude of charities. Having a member of the Royal Family as a patron or president to your organisation or charity adds publicity, visibility and credibility to the work and is greatly sought after.

As Christians we are members of THE Royal Family. We have not only been released from the slavery to sin, cleansed and clothed in robes of righteousness but we have been taken into the palace to serve the King and the Kingdom.  We have every resource available to do this and many have faithfully used their lives and talents to bless the world. 

The Church does an enormous amount of good work, not just through charities like Tearfund, Hope for Justice, Christians against Poverty but by assisting local communities through toddler and parent groups, holiday clubs, food banks, old peoples’ clubs and other services let alone ministering to the wider world through missions work.  And that’s how it should be.

We have not been saved to indulge ourselves in the blessings and privileges of life in the Kingdom but to reach out to the needy world so that people know when the Church gets involved they are going to get the best and it will come with grace, love and kindness.

In the midst of life there is death

In the midst of life there is death.

This week two of our friends died. It was rather sudden but at least we know where they have gone. We may be sad to be separated for a while but we know we will be reunited soon.

The disciples on that first Good Friday had no such assurance. Jesus had told them often

enough that he would be crucified and would be raised from the dead but somehow it just hadn’t sunk in. They must have been devastated to see their Lord and Master crucified like a common criminal.

Grief and unimaginable bewilderment must have hung heavily upon them.  Jesus was dead. There was no expectation of resurrection. No eager waiting for the third day. Just despair that all their hopes and dreams had been nailed to the cross with Jesus.

Even when the news of Jesus’ resurrection began to filter through to the disciples they were very reluctant to believe it. Mark’s gospel tells us that Jesus came and rebuked them for ‘their lack of faith and their stubborn refusal to believe those who had seen him after he had risen’.

How patient Jesus was with them. Finally they got it.  The day of Pentecost came and those timid disciples were transformed into bold, brave ministers of the Gospel. Thousands were saved and great miracles flowed through them.

Today, as we celebrate Easter, we have the wonderful assurance that though we remember with great sadness Jesus’ death on the cross for our sins and iniquities, we also rejoice that death could not hold the perfect Son of God. He has indeed risen.

When our friends went to be with Jesus, it was not the end. It is the beginning of a new eternal life – that great gift from a loving, patient God to a sinful, rebellious people. I know that our friends are with him because they accepted that gift. Their sins are forgiven, the slate wiped clean and so we know they have gone to heaven.

However that free gift has to be accepted individually by each one of us. There is no other way by which we can enter eternal life with him.  Death may be with us in the midst of life but through Jesus life after death with him is available to all who would call on the Lord and be saved.

Heaven or hell

For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.  John 3: 17 – 18.

Hell is not a word much in evidence these days except perhaps as a euphemism for a hard time; I had a hell of a day or it was hell.  However no one mentions hell as a place, a destination. It is considered at best politically incorrect or at worst downright rude to talk about hell.

Yet the reality is that hell is the eternal destination for most people because they have not chosen the alternative. Everyone will go to hell unless they receive God’s gift of eternity spent with him in the wonders of heaven. This gift comes free because Jesus paid for it completely.

No one wants to believe hell exists which is hardly surprising but if it does exist then people hope it will be a place of partying and doing everything ‘miserable sinners’ love to do together. Unfortunately nothing could be further from the truth.

The Bible makes it abundantly clear that hell is a place of eternal punishment and torment. The worst thing is that this will be away from God and everyone else. There is no partying in hell – partying is in heaven with Jesus, the angels and all the other believers. 

The tragedy is that no one needs go to hell. Everyone can go to heaven but only if they accept Jesus’ gift.  Most people hope to get to heaven by their good works but the truth is that no one can ever do enough to satisfy a perfect God – only Jesus did that.

As Randy Alcorn recounts in his book Edge of Eternity: I (Jesus) loved you as you were but I loved you too much to let you stay that way. Rather than give up on you, I gave myself up for you. I chose to go to hell for you rather than go to heaven without you. The gift I extended to you is free but not cheap. It costs you nothing. It cost me everything.

Christians used to be happy to talk about hell but I think it usually came liberally laced with condemnation, judgement and hypocrisy. No one wanted to listen to that.

People need to know how much God loves them and has a wonderful plan and purpose for their lives. They do not need or want to be told they are sinners – they know that. What they need to know is that there is a Saviour who came to rescue them from their sin and its consequence.

Christians who know the love of God and live in it are a powerful witness to those still struggling to make sense of life. They can talk about the terrors of hell and the wonders of heaven with Godly conviction and love.

Christians have been intimidated and become embarrassed to speak about hell for fear of offending people. The thing is though that thousands are going to hell daily because we have been frightened into not talking about it.

Today I believe as Christians we need to learn afresh how to speak about heaven and hell in love and grace and talk about the wonderful gift  of eternal life in heaven that Jesus holds out to all who come to him.

I believe the Holy Spirit will help us if we trust him to be our teacher and guide. Let’s not be put off from declaring the truth but with great grace let’s promote truth about eternity as God gives us opportunity. 

The days in which we live

When you hear of wars and rumours of wars, do not be alarmed.  Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places and famines. These are the beginning of birth pains. You must be on your guard. You will be handed over to the local councils and flogged in the synagogues. On account of me, you will stand before governors and kings as witnesses to them. And the Gospel must first be preached to all nations.  Mark 13: 7 - 10

These verses would seem to indicate that we are indeed in the last days – the days before Jesus returns in power and glory.  North Korea is threatening all sorts of things involving nuclear weapons, Palestine and Israel are on the verge of war and there are other wars all over the planet.  There are more earthquakes now than at any time in history and certainly famine is widespread.

The rapid spread of technology means we are more aware of world affairs than at any time in history.  However there have been other times in the past when the church felt it was living in the last days.  I believe in John Wesley’s time, the church believed Jesus would be returning soon. Certainly there must have been times when believers in other parts of the world would have looked at events in the light of these verses and thought Jesus’ second coming was imminent.

So whether these are the last of the last days or just another birth pang, Jesus makes a few things clear.  The first is not to be alarmed.  Our God is in charge of world history. He is not sitting back letting it all happen and then at the last moment sending Jesus to the earth. There are verses all through the Bible which says that God is in control of the nations. Many people will be panicky but we must not.

We must of course be praying diligently and the other thing we must be prepared to do is to be a witness. The Gospel is to go out into all the world and that means each one of us must be prepared to share the good news of God’s love wherever we have opportunity. We may be taken before governments and kings and, if we are, we will be given the words to say but everyone of us will need to be praying and sharing God’s love.

Salvation is what matters most. Jesus came to seek and to save what was lost (Luke 19:10). On the cross, Jesus destroyed the power of sin and death so that by believing in him, we might all be saved from our sin to spend eternity with him (I Timothy 2:4). That is the Gospel, the good news. That is what everyone MUST hear and in these increasingly uncertain times, when there are wars and rumours of wars, of banks wobbling and financial institutions crumbling, when governments don’t really know what to do, the Church and we as Christians must speak forth God’s love and salvation to a lost and dying world. 

Fishers of men

When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, ‘Put out into deep water and let down the nets for a catch.’ Simon answered, ‘Master we’ve worked hard all night. But because you say so, we will let down the nets.’ Luke 5: 4 – 5

Jesus had been teaching the crowd from Simon’s boat moored away from the edge of the water. This was a great idea as it meant that the crowd could both see and hear him as a voice carries well over water. After he had finished teaching, Jesus turned to Simon and started to meet Simon’s need. It was almost a situation of thanks for lending me your boat, now let me do you a favour. Jesus knew they had been fishing all night with no success and now he was going to meet Simon’s necessity for a successful catch of fish.

Simon had a choice – believe Jesus and act on it. In other words use his faith or let his mind tell him that Jesus knew nothing about fishing so ignore him. Simon knew though that whilst Jesus may not be a fisherman, he was a miracle worker.  Amongst many others, he had healed his mother-in-law so Jesus was trustworthy. It is interesting to note that Jesus said to put out into deep water - this was going to require faith – this was not a shoal of fish swimming conveniently along the surface but one swimming out of sight. 

Jesus proved trustworthy and they did not just catch a few fish, they caught so many that both Simon’s boat and his partner’s began to sink. I love the extravagance of Jesus who never does things by half measures. Simon was humbled.. He knew this was a MIRACLE – he was a fisherman and he knew this was a miraculous catch of fish.

When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus’ knees and said, ‘Go away from me Lord; I am a sinful man.’ Luke 5: 8

Through the miracle Jesus provided Simon’s greater need – salvation.  Simon came face to face with his own sinful state as he realised that Jesus really was the Lord. No one else but God could have done what he had just witnessed. Like Abraham, Job and Isaiah before him he knew he was face to face with God and he was afraid. Jesus reassured him and told him not to be afraid but from now on he would be a fisher of men.

Jesus loves to break into our ordinary lives with miracles and bring us face to face not just with his miraculous provision but also with our greater need for a Saviour. He is calling us into his plans and purposes and like the fishermen, we too may need to drop everything and follow him. Jesus is calling us to trust him for everything; provision, salvation and calling. I doubt if Peter, Andrew, James and John every truly regretted their decision to drop everything and follow Jesus. How about you?

 

Suffering and glory

Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. I Peter 4: 12 – 13

I struggle to get an understanding on the positive benefits of suffering and how God’s glory is revealed through it. The Bible though is full of exhortation when faced with suffering and different authors encourage us to rejoice in our trials. We know that God was greatly glorified by the suffering and death of Jesus and it was the only way that God could redeem condemned men from sin and death. In the same way it seems that in the places of the world where there is most persecution of believers, thousands come to faith and there are incredible signs, wonders and miracles.

Brother Yun, The Heavenly Man, underwent the most horrific torture and humiliation for the sake of the Gospel in China.  He was imprisoned, humiliated, beaten with electric batons, fasted without food or water for 74 days (a human impossibility without God) and forced into latrines full of human excrement by both prison guards and his fellow cell mates. When he was so weak the prison authorities thought he was about to die they ordered his family to visit him to try to persuade him to confess his ‘crimes’ and betray his fellow workers.  His wife and family did not recognise him and only his Mother knew who he was because of a birthmark. He broke his fast and took communion with them and something broke in the heavenly realms.

His cell mates who were all suffering from a plague became Christians. Brother Yun spent his days discipling them and the many other prisoners who got saved. Then a condemned, suicidal, incredibly violent murderer, shackled for his and everyone else’s safety was put in their cell.  They treated him with love, mercy and kindness.  He was saved and transformed.  As he was led off to his execution he was rejoicing in going to be in heaven with his Saviour.

What an incredible testimony!  Jesus was indeed glorified by Brother Yun’s suffering and many came to faith as a result. Was there no other way for these precious souls to be saved?

Christians persecuted in this way however seem to regard it as an incredible honour to suffer as Jesus did. They are overjoyed when Jesus is glorified by many coming to salvation and they consider their lives as nothing as long as the Kingdom advances. Surely this is how the Christian life should be? Help us God to live our lives selflessly for your glory in our situations.

Grace to be gracious

Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need Hebrews 4: 16.

Grace means we do not get what we deserve.  We do not deserve God’s love yet by his love and grace he brought us salvation from the wages of sin which is death. Instead of the death we deserved, we were given the gift of eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord. That in itself is amazing but God continues to pour out grace upon us in our continuing weakness and sin. The verse above assures us of that.  The power of sin has been broken in our lives once we have accepted Jesus’ salvation but we still battle sin in the ongoing work of sanctification. Grace is given to help us in our weaknesses and to get victory over sin. Grace gives us the second and third chance that we do not deserve.

The problem though is that whilst God continues to show us grace, we have great difficulty showing that same grace to others. Have you ever wanted to sort out someone else’s life and sin? Have you ever wanted God to give them what their sin deserved especially if they have hurt you? Have you ever felt they were ‘lucky’ not to get what you felt they deserved?  This is where God wants us to extend the same grace to others that he has given us.  Forgiveness is the greatest expression of grace; God’s forgiveness to us and our forgiveness to others.

Jesus is ‘full of grace and truth’ John 1: 14 and always showed grace to sinners. The only people Jesus got angry with were the religious leaders who were full of unbelief and stubbornly refused to acknowledge the Messiah in their midst. Sinners such as Zacchaeus, the woman caught in adultery, the man whose friends let him down through the roof of the house, prostitutes and tax gathers were all treated with grace and turned from their sin. They were not treated as the Law demanded but with grace and love and consequently they had their sins forgiven, much to the disgust of the religious leaders. They didn’t deserve forgiveness but by grace they got it.   

We too were treated with grace when Jesus reached down to us in love and forgave us our sins. We need to ask God to help us to deal with people in grace just as Jesus does. The world is full of sinners who do not need to be told what they are – they know that – what they need is people filled with the love of God and grace to take them by the hand and bring them to Jesus where they will find the love and mercy they need. People do not need our condemnation and criticism no matter what a mess they have made of their lives. We have been shown grace – let us go and show that same grace to others.

Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved

Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved —you and your household. Acts 16:31

It is a very sad fact that many people who regularly go to church believe that their attendance and a life of good works will gain them access to heaven when they die.

Randy Alcorn in his book Heaven tells the story of a professional singer and her husband who had been invited to the wedding reception of a wealthy couple. She had sung at their wedding and afterwards they all went to a prestigious hotel where the reception would be held on the top two floors overlooking the city. As they waited in line to be received waiters were serving canapés and drinks and they were excited to going to such a wonderful event.

When they got to the head of the line the maitre d’ asked their names but they were not in his book. The lady explained that she had sung at the wedding but the maitre d’ said that if their names were not in his book they would not be received at the reception no matter who they were. A waiter showed them out, past tables laden with wonderful food, to the service lift.

On the way home her husband asked her what had gone wrong and she tearfully replied that she had been too busy to reply to the invitation and assumed because she was the singer at the wedding she would have access to the reception.

This is such a powerful illustration of what will happen to many people at the final judgement. They will have assumed that because they did good works they will have access to heaven. They may have been at church every week, sung in the choir, served at the soup kitchen but it will not get them to heaven. We have to accept Jesus’ invitation. It is free but it is a gift that has to be received.

Peter said on the day of Pentecost, Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. Acts 2: 38 People don’t like the mention of sin and repenting taking the line that they are ‘not that bad’ and compared with others they are pretty good but we know ‘all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God’ Romans 3:23.  We must receive the free gift of forgiveness of sins and eternal life with Jesus in heaven.

I feel such an urgency to be a more effective witness to those who have not yet received this wonderful free gift. I want to take them by the shoulders and shake them and tell them they are going to hell which is both true but not very helpful!  The reality is that people’s default destination is hell not heaven, not the other way round. Everyone hopes their default destination is heaven hoping they have done enough good things to get there and that a God of love would not send them to hell. God does not send them to hell – their sin does and yet God has given EVERYONE the get-out- of-hell-free card but we have to accept it. We have to acknowledge our sin and humbly ask for forgiveness which is never denied.

Today let’s pray that God would give us the wisdom, grace and boldness to tell people the good news of Jesus’ wonderful saving work and his free gift of eternal life in heaven with him. I want to plunder hell and see my family and friends with me in heaven – don’t you?

Salvation for our families

At one time we were too foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another. But when the kindness and love of God our Saviour appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done but because of his mercy. He saved us by the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Saviour. Titus 3: 3 – 6

Today I feel a real urgency to renew our efforts in prayer and intercession for our loved ones who do not yet know the love and kindness of God for themselves. There are angels battling for their souls because God will never give up on anyone till their dying day. He desires that all know him and come unto salvation (I Timothy 2: 4).

This year 4 people that I know have died unexpectedly. Three knew the Lord and one may have made a commitment on their death bed. None of these four were particularly old and though not in good health, none were expected to die as soon as they did. The point is we do not know when we are going to die.

It can be very hard to talk about our faith to our family but we can be a great witness by our lifestyle and by the unconditional love that we show those nearest to us. Most of our family will know only too well what we believe and we do not need to reinforce it. In fact some families have broken relationships caused by heavy handed attempts to evangelise them. What everyone needs is unconditional love and acceptance not unfavourable remarks on their lifestyle. (I do need to say that does not mean accepting abusive situations or substance abuse).

The other thing we must do is pray and not give up praying whatever the evidence or lack of evidence of answers to our prayers. We must pray against the deception and lies of the enemy. We must pray for our loved ones to receive revelation of God’s love and wonderful plans and purposes for their lives. Finally we must pray for Christian witness from outside the family to be shown to them.

I am convinced the devil wants us to give up or become discouraged in praying for the salvation of our families and friends. Let’s renew our efforts today till we see our loved ones saved.

The harvest is plentiful

Then he said to his disciples, ‘The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest therefore to send out workers into his harvest field. Matthew 9: 37 – 38

We all know that we are not saved by works but by grace, through faith, and even this is a gift from God (Ephesians 2: 8). There is nothing we can do to earn our salvation for which we are all very pleased I hope. It is not down to us, but it is all about God’s wonderful gift to each one of us.

However there is a wonderful harvest waiting to be reaped out there and that does require ‘work’. Jesus said to ask the Lord of the harvest to send out workers and workers work.  It is true that the work may be prayer or giving to missions but it is also work that each one of us needs to get involved in.

I am currently in South Africa and every week we have a team of people visiting the homes of visitors and attendees to our church. Every week people are getting saved but every week we have to go out and work for the harvest. It will not happen whilst we think happy thoughts or even stay home and pray. People have to be told the good news. Paul says that people have to be told in order for them to call upon the Lord Jesus and be saved (Romans 10: 14 – 15).

I have to confess that I never thought I was an evangelist. I never thought I could do that work. I could pray for others and I could witness about Jesus but I was not much good at sharing the Gospel. I have now been bitten by the bug! 

To bring in the harvest requires some work. In Luke 5: 4 – 11 we read how Jesus had been teaching the crowd and afterwards he told Simon to go out fishing, to put down his nets into deep water. They had been out fishing all night and were tired. To go out to the deep water would require rowing or putting up the sail but because Jesus said it, they did it.

They caught such a large number of fish that the nets began to break. Even when they called their partners to help, there were so many fish that the boats began to sink. This was hard and dangerous work. They could have lost their boats but instead they were commissioned to be fishers of men. To bring in that harvest required some effort but it was worth it on every level. They may have had to repair their nets, sort out their boats but the harvest was plentiful.

Today the harvest of souls is as plentiful as in Jesus’ time and we not only need to ask the Lord of the harvest to send out workers as Jesus did but to be willing to be a worker. If the thought of sharing the Gospel frightens you, ask God to give you courage to talk about Jesus whenever there is an opportunity.  Take some time to learn a clear Gospel presentation and be ready. It does take work but the rewards of plundering hell when souls are saved is worth every bit of effort that it takes.

Faith that pleases God

Before Enoch was transferred or translated to heaven he was commended as one who pleased God (Hebrews 11:5). Then follows the well known verse, ‘And without faith it is impossible to please God’ (Hebrews 11:6).   Enoch was a man of faith – that is why he pleased God.  That is why he was commended by God before his death. 

 Faith is not just believing something – faith is belief with actions.  It is not enough to say I believe in God (and many people do) – we must act on that belief.  Faith grows as we walk in habitual fellowship with God.  As we declare truths about God and who he is and who he has made us to be - and act on them - faith grows in us.  Things we may just have agreed with become truths that affect the way we live and relate to others as we walk by faith with God. 

I John 5: 4 – 5 says, ‘for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world? Only he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.’ 

It is faith that pleases God and faith that overcomes the world and it is through faith that we are saved.  If you are not sure you have been saved, if you are not sure you are going to heaven when you die.  If you would like by faith to receive the precious gift of having your sins forgiven, becoming a child of God and knowing that you will spend eternity with God then say this prayer:

Thank you Father God for your amazing love for me.  I am so sorry for all the things that I have said, thought and done wrong.  Please will you forgive me?  Thank you for dying on the cross and taking away all my sin, guilt and shame.  Please Lord come into my life and help me to live for you now instead of to please myself.  In Jesus Name. Amen

If you have just said that prayer for the first time or even if you have said it before but are saying it again today, don’t forget to tell another Christian so they can help you in your Christian life.