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Wretched man that I am

Details: Published: Friday, 22 April 2016 15:34; Written by James Dean

Sunday's sermon was a difficult one to preach and perhaps a difficult one to hear as well? But the wonderful thing about God's word is that it never comes back empty (Isaiah 55:11). God's word always achieves exactly what He intends it to do in our hearts - that's a great encouragement.

As we considered Paul's words we recognised ourselves in that same predicament: wanting to do the right thing, wanting to please God but all the while continuing to struggle against sin.

It is good to continue coming together to remind each other that we are no longer slaves to sin but slaves to our heavenly Father. There will be times when sin will try to recapture us, ensnare us back into old habits or entice us with new ones, but we must always be on our guard because sin has our destruction and not our good in mind. Peters' words were well chosen:

"Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world."
1 Peter 5:8-9

So we can stand against our adversary in God's strength but it's not going to be easy and we will suffer. But we suffer together and we suffer not for nothing but for God's glory. Peter continues:

"And after you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. To him be the dominion forever and ever. Amen." v.10-11

And so we shout our response with the same strength that Paul mustered: Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!

Thanks be to God!

Details: Published: Tuesday, 12 April 2016 06:30; Written by James Dean

On Sunday, we focused on giving ourselves completely to God as we looked at Romans 6 & 7. The full sermon will be available from the church website soon but I just want to take a few moments to remind you of the four challenges I left you with:

Know who your master really is. This is the question we may try to avoid but your eternity depends on the answer. You can only have one master and it's either sin or God. There is no fence or third option!
Check your fruit. What do you see growing in your life? Is it the fruit of the Spirit? (Look them up in Galatians 5:22-23)
Commit to God completely. We need to be wholehearted in our commitment to our master. He has freed us from sin and will give us everything we need to serve him.
Make this it a daily habit. We won't suddenly become perfect overnight and will need to keep coming back to God and re-committing ourselves to him. This is going to be a lifelong commitment. But he is faithful and will complete the work he has started in us. To echo Paul's words, "thanks be to God"!

Let me sign off by reminding you of the first and fifth verses of Frances Ridley Havergal's hymn that we prayed together at the end of the service:

    Take my life, and let it be
    consecrated, Lord, to Thee;
    take my moments and my days,
    let them flow in ceaseless praise.

Take my will, and make it Thine;
    it shall be no longer mine:
    take my heart, it is Thine own;
    it shall be Thy royal throne.

Is that still your prayer today?

Proof!

Details: Published: Thursday, 31 March 2016 13:25; Written by James Dean

"...Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails, and place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into his side, I will never believe." (John 20:25)

That was Thomas' claim when the other disciples told him they'd seen Jesus. He'd appeared to Mary outside the tomb earlier that day (v11f) and then that evening he entered the upper room where the 10 disciples had locked themselves in hiding (v19f): but Thomas hadn't been there. Thomas wasn't going to take the other disciples' word for it - he wanted to see Jesus for himself; know the truth for himself. Thomas gets a bad rap for this. He's known by many today as "doubting Thomas", but he doesn't stay "doubting" for very long.

Eight days later and again the disciples are locked in the Upper Room (v26) but this time Thomas is with them as well. Sure enough, Jesus somehow appears right in the middle of them. He ignores all the others and immediately says to Thomas, "Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe." (v27).

For all his disbelief, scripture doesn't record for us that Thomas stopped to conduct a thorough medical examination. It doesn't even tell us that he touched Jesus' wounds at all. Thomas just exclaims those wonderful words, "My Lord and my God!" When you think about it, those are incredible words for a Jew to exclaim about another human being. However, the "doubter" is no longer in any doubt about who this is. It's Jesus. It's the Lord. It is God incarnate. He is risen!

"Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed." (v29) Jesus' words give a wonderful blessing for the likes of you and me. So how about it? Have you believed? If not, what's holding you back?

John doesn't record exactly what happened next but I feel sure that as the truth and wonder of the situation sank in, Thomas ran into Jesus' arms and hugged him. I know that's what I would have done. As we sang on Resurrection Sunday:

Jesus is Lord - the tomb is gloriously empty!
Not even death could crush this King of love!
The price is paid, the chains are loosed, and we're forgiven,
And we can run into the arms of God.

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