The message is preached from Zechariah 8:1-23 , and Acts 15:11-19 . The reality of a restored Zion prophesied from the Old Testament is examined, and how it is related to Christian believers today.

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This isn’t me promising to change my ways, although I hope they do change, but it is simply an acknowledgment to the truth of this smacking me in the face. If you are reading this and have been affected in some way by my impetuousness or immaturity, please forgive me and know that it was without any intended malice or bitterness. And I pray increasingly that the Lord, by His grace and through His Spirit, will enable me to handle the truth He reveals in a manner fitting for His glory. Amen.

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1. When I survey the wondrous cross on which the Prince of Glory died; my richest gain I count but loss, and pour contempt on all my pride. 2. Forbid it, Lord, that I should boast, save in the death of Christ, my God; all the vain things that charm me most, I sacrifice them to his blood. 3. See, from his head, his hands, his feet, sorrow and love flow mingled down. Did e’er such love and sorrow meet, or thorns compose so rich a crown. 4. Were the whole realm of nature mine, that were an offering far too small; love so amazing, so divine, demands my soul, my life, my all. Words: Isaac Watts, 1707. Music: Lowell Mason, 1824.

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From a sermon by Charles Haddon Spurgeon entitled “Lessons From Nature,” delivered August 13, 1871. Image of Antarctic sky by Christian Revival Network under Creative Commons License.

Sourced from: The Daily Spurgeon

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5. We’re Losing It

[22] But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be liable to the hell of fire.

[23] So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you,

[24] leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.

[25] Come to terms quickly with your accuser while you are going with him to court, lest your accuser hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the guard, and you be put in prison.

[26] Truly, I say to you, you will never get out until you have paid the last penny.

[27] “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’

[28] But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

[29] If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body be thrown into hell.

[30] And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body go into hell.

[31] “It was also said, ‘Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce.’

[32] But I say to you that everyone who divorces his wife, except on the ground of sexual immorality, makes her commit adultery, and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.

[33] “Again you have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform to the Lord what you have sworn.’

[34] But I say to you, Do not take an oath at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God,

[35] or by the earth, for it is his footstool, or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King.

[36] And do not take an oath by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black.

[37] Let what you say be simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything more than this comes from evil.

Matthew 5:21-37 ESV

From time to time disputes arise in Christian circles concerning good works in the life of a believer, especially whether or not they are a factor in our salvation. On one hand there are those who focus on salvation being by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone, and are criticized for suggesting that good works are irrelevant to the Christian. And on the other hand there are those who focus upon the need for Christians to live holy lives, and as a result are criticized for promoting salvation through a mixture of faith in Christ and our own works. In reality, what we need to do as Christians, is to come to a clear understanding where we stand in relation to God’s Law.

Before highlighting any areas of confusion that I believe produce a wrong attitude in a Christian believer towards the Law of God, I would first like to make it crystal clear where Jesus Christ Himself stood on this matter. If the opening verses are read carefully, you will notice that not only does Jesus uphold the commands of God’s Law, but in fact amplifies them! In no uncertain words, Jesus says: “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished. Therefore whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.” [Matthew 5:17-19]

What we must understand as Christians is that we have been saved by grace, through faith, in Christ alone. Because of His great sacrifice on behalf of those who believe, God has “forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross.” [Col 2:14] No longer are we under the Old Covenant mediated through Moses, but we are under the New Covenant established through the blood of Christ Himself, once and for all. But what we must also remember is, just as the New Covenant is perfect and made the Old Covenant obsolete [Heb 8:13] , our lives in Him are held to an infinitely higher standard of righteousness than those under the Old Covenant too. The verse directly leading into the opening passage makes this perfectly clear: “For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” [Matthew 5:20]

Possibly one of the most crucially important things for the Christian to understand with regards to our relationship to the righteousness of God commanded by His Law, is to understand the clear distinction between our justification and our sanctification. Our justification can most easily be understood as an instantaneous and free gift, bestowed upon us solely by faith in Christ, and not of works [Eph 2:8-9]. We can do nothing to earn this right standing with God, but can only enter into that place by the imputation of the righteousness of Christ as our own. It is a judgment made according to God’s own righteousness whereby He stands externally from us, and declares that His wrath against our sins has been satisfied by the sacrifice of His Son. It is immediate, irrefutable, and guaranteed by the indwelling presence of His Spirit as a deposit of the eternal inheritance to come. When Christians refer to being saved, it is usually with reference to our justification, whereby our sins are forgiven through the blood of Christ.

Our sanctification however is an ongoing process that includes the willing participation of the believer, and has no bearing upon our justification. If indeed our faith is sincere and our justification genuine however, our sanctification will most surely follow. Whereas the act of being justified is declared externally in an instant, our sanctification comes from within by the power of the Holy Spirit bearing His fruit in our lives, and changing us from glory to glory into the likeness of the Son [2 Cor 3:16-18]. Our part is not in trying to please God with our works by our own strength, but rather being willing to put to death the desires of our flesh by the power of the Spirit [Col 3:5]. Jesus likened this to embracing death to our self when He said; “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. 24 For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it.” [Luke 9:23-24]

If we maintain a healthy understanding of what God’s Word has to say on these matters, it should fill us with confidence that we truly have been made right with God, and also fill us with a gratitude that demands our faithful service to Him as our Lord and King. What’s more, it will produce in us a deeper understanding of His Gospel, and the way in which it truly is the power of God unto salvation for those who believe. Amen.

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Question: What is your only comfort in life and death?

Answer:  That I am not my own,[1] but belong with body and soul, both in life and in death,[2] to my faithful Saviour Jesus Christ.[3] He has fully paid for all my sins with His precious blood, and has set me free from all the power of the devil.[5] He also preserves me in such a way[6] that without the will of my heavenly Father not a hair can fall from my head;[7] indeed, all things must work together for my salvation.[8] Therefore, by His Holy Spirit He also assures me of eternal life[9] and makes me heartily willing and ready from now on to live for Him.[10]

[1] I Cor. 6:19, 20 [2] Rom. 14:7-9. [3] I Cor. 3:23; Tit. 2:14. [4] I Pet. 1:18, 19; I John 1:7; 2:2. [5] John 8:34-36; Heb. 2:14, 15; I John 3:8. [6] John 6:39, 40; 10:27-30; II Thess. 3:3; I Pet. 1:5. [7] Matt. 10:29-31; Luke 21:16-18. [8] Rom. 8:28. [9] Rom. 8:15, 16; II Cor. 1:21, 22; 5:5; Eph. 1:13, 14. [10] Rom. 8:14.

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Although this ministry is totally committed to carrying out good works in the name of Jesus Christ, in order that people may “see the good works and give glory to our Heavenly Father Mat 5:16″ , we are totally aware that in themselves they hold no power at all, other than to divert the gaze of the outsider towards God. To think otherwise would be to allow glory to be given to man, and acredit ourselves as somehow being able to bring others to saving faith.

The verse above, along with many others too, shows that the power of God to save souls from destruction, is found in the power of the Gospel message. Though our good works may be as sign posts pointing towards the One in Whom we place our trust, His Spirit alone is able to place the gift of faith in the heart of an individual, that they may hear His voice and believe upon the One that was sent.

No man, no matter how clever, can convince someone to believe in Christ. He may have skilled language and powers of persuasion, intelligent strategies that can cause people to come to him, and even listen to what he has to say. But only the Holy Spirit alone can convict the heart of man of their wretchedness without the sacrifice of Christ to cleanse them, and only the Holy Spirit is able to grant the power for a man to truly believe upon Jesus Christ as Saviour, even to the dying to themself. Which every true believer in Christ must daily do.

It is the Righteousness of God, revealed through the undiluted Word that needs to be conveyed, Spirit to spirit. Convicting the sinner of their sinfulness, their need to repent, their need to pick up their own cross daily, and their need for the power of God’s Spirit to empower them to do so. And the only way this will happen, is when the undiluted, full gospel of Christ crucified for our sins and risen again, is preached to the lost.

I have heard many times in church that we are fortunate to live in a nation where the Gospel can be freely preached, and whilst I too am thankful to the Lord for this, I also truly believe that we may be missing the point a little. If we were faithful in preaching the true Gospel to the lost, according to the bible it would bring conviction of sin amongst those who listen. To some it will be treated as foolishness and rejected, and to others it will be the wisdom of God, and embraced unto their salvation. But if we are faithful in delivering our message, their will be a reaction, and we will face persecution as a result. Could it be in all our efforts to preach a message of our best life now, a life on earth filled with prosperity and health, and a name it and claim it lifestyle; that we have been preaching a different gospel to that which Christ commissioned us to preach?

Let us no longer deceive ourselves into thinking that our good works can draw souls to Christ, or even miraculous signs and wonders as many today place so much hope in. The only way that we can become the fishers of men that we long to be is first of all die to our own flesh daily, for the life and power of Christ to dwell within us fully. We must choose to stand alone in the place where Stephen stood, preaching the undiluted Word for all to hear, that no-one is unaware that their own sin is the very thing that nailed Christ to the tree. That each of us are by nature born an enemy of God, standing in a place that awaits the hammer of His wrath to fall without mercy, unless we accept the offer of Jesus Christ alone to stand in our place. We must be willing to see people cut to the core, that when they cry out as they did to Peter, “What must we do?!” . We must be ready to give a confident answer; that they too must repent and be baptized into His death, not just a one of dunk in water, but that their water baptism would be a daily testimony to the way they are willing to share in His death and sufferings, that they may enter into His life and glory.

I urge you, don’t cast this message aside because it makes you feel uncomfortable. If it does, it is by the conviction of the Spirit of God, that in His mercy He is calling us to repent and live our lives out on this earth in the way He has called us to, not the way we feel is best.

God bless,

John.

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1  Praise the Lord!

Reading through the psalm above, it is easy to read it from a wrong perspective as a Christian, and be left with no comfort or assurance at all. After all, which one of us can read such bold statements as this, boasting in such faithfulness, thankfulness and fear towards God, and can sincerely apply it to themselves? We may well agree with all the blessings poured out on such faithfulness, and the esteem shown to such a one as this. But what portion do we rightfully possess as a result of our own righteousness? If we are honest enough to admit it to ourselves and others, the answer is quite simple really, and can be echoed in the apostle Paul’s own words “None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one.” [Romans 3:10-12]

When we come to God’s Word for our sustenance, we must be mindful to keep a clear distinction between the Righteousness of God and the Grace of God. On the one hand, the perfection, holiness and righteousness of God are revealed through that which is recognised as the Law. And on the other, the love, grace and mercy of God are revealed through that which we recognise as the Gospel. If we make the gross error of some and try to suggest these two characteristics of God do anything but run side by side through the entirety of the Bible, we risk immense damage to our faith. We do so because the Law of God exposes our sinfulness and the weakness of our flesh, and utterly condemns us to death. This is not so that God may simply destroy us like some maniacal tyrant, but that His Law may be to us as “our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith.” [Gal 3:24]

The reason we find nothing in common with such passages as the Psalm above, is that in the entire history of the world, there has only ever been One who can be truly described in such a manner. He is the Messiah, the Incarnate Son of God, fully Man yet fully God, and willing to be struck with the very Wrath of God the Father in the place of those who should rightly perish under its dreaded power. He is the perfect sinless Lamb, the only acceptable sacrifice that takes away the sins of the world once for all. “He entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption.” [Heb 9:12]

Many Christians can be left in a place of only believing part of the Gospel message, especially when having a wrong understanding of the way in which the Law and Gospel run side by side constantly through the Word of God. In that place of error, and I speak from personal experience, we may come to believe in Christ for our justification before a Holy and Wrathful God, but that is where we are left. We can be left in a place of believing that the Law of God is left behind in the pages of the Old Testament, and now we are solely under the grace of His Gospel. In that place God is loving and compassionate, and no place is given for His righteous indignation against sin. Quite often, we can be left in a place of desiring to separate ourselves from the truth of His Word, and instead seek to know Him by other routes, for we His truth makes us feel unworthy of being called a Christian. At least I can testify to this being my own experience for a large part of my Christian life.

What we often fail to realise is that God not only has the power to wash away our sins by the blood of His Son, but also to complete the work that He has begun in us, until the completion of our journey into glory. In the theology of Calvin, this is what is known as the perseverence of the saints, and is much opposed by those with a wrong view of Law and Gospel I mentioned previously. If we are of a correct understanding of these matters, we realise that from Genesis through to Revelation, the Law of God and the Gospel of God run side by side. The Law breaking down pride and arrogance in sinful man in order to see himself in the wretched state he is, and in turn casting him upon the Mercy and Grace of God ready to bear him up through the truth of the Gospel. Just as was the call of Jesus to those who were recognised as the people of God under the Old Covenant, so the same call goes out to those who are recognised as His people under the New Covenant: “Repent and believe the Gospel!” [Mark 1:15]

Although most Christians recognise and believe that Christ died for our sins, which is absolutely and wonderfully true, it was “so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” [2 Cor 5:21] In other words, the perfect righteousness, obedience, and faithfulness spoken of in Psalm 112 above, that by rights can only be accredited to Christ alone; by faith God the Father credits them to us simply for believing upon His Son. This may sound ridiculous to some, but the same was previously said about Abraham, who is considered the father of those who have faith in Christ. [Gal 3:29] Therefore as Christian believers, we can read such a Psalm as above and rejoice! Rather than feeling condemned by the perfect standard the Law of God commands of us, we can proclaim boldly that even though we are yet undeserving sinners awaiting the redemption of our bodies, in the sight of the Almighty God Himself, we are considered holy, spotless and blameless, just as His own Son.

May we walk each day in the faithfulness of our Lord and Saviour, never shying away from embracing His perfect righteousness revealed to us through His Word. May we seek to walk in it, and eminate it in our own lives, out of sincere thankfulness, and without any condemnation drawing near to us as we undoubtedly fail. But let us continue to serve Him with all our strength, gladly, confidently and joyfully, knowing that all is well with our soul, even in the face of death itself. Let our confidence be found in all that He has done, and may we eagerly look up for our redemption draws near!

Maranatha.

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In my years of being a Christian, my theology has been transformed dramatically, as I think many who know me will agree (some maybe even through tears). What I have realised however is there has been an accelerated transformation over recent years, and that has come only with a change of heart and mind towards the authority, the sufficiency and the inerrancy of Scripture. This is not to suggest I know the Bible any more or less than anyone else, but simply the way in which the Lord, by His Spirit, has changed my attitude towards His Word, and the way in which it is applied to my life. Whereas once I attempted to live a Christian life in virtual ignorance to His Word without even realising it, every area of my life now seems to be coming under its governance.

What I have come to realise more clearly the longer I have been a believer, is that Christ alone is the true Shepherd, and as a believer, I am nothing more than a sheep in His flock. When I read through John 16 , it is clear to me that the promise of Jesus to send His Spirit, was to convict the world of sin, and to also lead the believer into all righteousness. He also makes clear that to the believer this will be a process not an immediate thing, for it would be too much to bear at once [John 16:12]. As the Spirit of God has opened my eyes to sin in my life, and also to the error which I have believed, my reaction at times is almost sheeplike, in that I know how to do little other than flee. All I can do is apologise to those who have experienced this in a negative way, but it has been from positive motives.

To avoid rambling any further, I suppose it’s best to get to the point of this message, and that is how to interpret God’s Word correctly, in order to discern that which is true from that which is false. The bottom line is that I’ve come to realise although there are many applications to the believer from the Word of God, there is only one true interpretation of Scripture. It is not subjective in any way to our own interpretations or experiences, or even to the doctrines that are taught from the pulpits of our churches necessarily. But it is always the Scripture itself that will interpret Scripture.

The reformers who founded the Protestant church understood this rule of interpretation clearly, and labelled it the “analogy of faith”. This method of interpretation was included in the Westminster Confession of Faith in 1647, and was officially noted in chapter one of the confession:

9. The infallible rule of interpretation of Scripture is the Scripture itself; and therefore, when there is a question about the true and full sense of any scripture (which is not manifold, but one), it must be searched and known by other places that speak more clearly.^a

a. Acts 15:15; 2 Pet 1:20-21.

10. The Supreme Judge, by which all controversies of religion are to be determined, and all decrees of councils, opinions of ancient writers, doctrines of men, and private spirits, are to be examined, and in whose sentence we are to rest, can be no other but the Holy Spirit speaking in the Scripture.^a

a. Mat 22:29, 31; Eph 2:20 with Acts 28:25.

The way in which this method of interpretation is to be carried out, although is something I’m finding extremely helpful, is not something that can be explained in a few sentences. Nor is it possible to become an overnight expert, which I most definitely I am not! But through earnestly, prayerfully and devotedly feeding upon the whole Word of God on a daily basis, it is something that will enable you to come to a true understanding of the truth that God reveals in the pages of the Bible.

If this describes you as a believer, I would highly recommend visiting the following link to a series of four lectures given by a renowned Bible scholar by the name of Wayne Grudem. Each lecture is available to freely download or stream directly, and will help to give the listener a clear idea how to approach the Bible in a right manner.

Visit the lectures by clicking here.

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18 For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 19 For it is written,
“I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart.”
20  Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? 21 For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe. 22 For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, 23 but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, 24 but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25 For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men. 26 For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. 27 But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; 28 God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, 29 so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. 30 And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, 31 so that, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.” 1 Cor 1:18-31 (ESV)

This portion of Scripture is familiar to the majority of Christians, and we quite rightly revel in the message of the Cross, and all that Christ accomplished there on our behalf. For the wisdom of the cross is foolishness to this perishing world, as those who take a stand and proclaim the Gospel know only too well, but to those who believe, it is the very power of God to save. The Gospel itself is what divides believers from the world, and yet unites them together at the same time.

What I would like to draw attention to in this short message however, is to the way in which the wisdom of the world often infiltrates the church, and if we are not on our guard, can cause those within touching distance of Christ crucified, to turn back and embrace the world to their peril. I’m not trying to be negative, but simply desire to admonish those who love the truth of the Gospel, to stay on their guard. We need to be firmly grounded in the truth, and ever vigilant, that we may defend ourselves from the attacks of the enemy, not just for ourselves, but for the Body of Christ that surrounds us too. [1 Pet 5:8-9]

One of the things that it is crucial to understand as Christians, is that it is all about the merit and glory of Christ, and not of our own. Although we are lifted out of the miry clay, and our feet are set upon solid Rock in Christ. And though we are spiritually seated in heavenly places in Him [Eph 2:6], it is always to magnify Christ and not ourselves. We must get away from the popular misconception that God is to raise up “mighty men of God”, able to powerfully operate in the gifts of the Spirit, and express wisdom in abundance in order to convince the world that the Gospel of Christ is true. Though by faith we are adopted as sons of the Living God, it is of little consequence of who we are in Christ, but it is entirely about the person and completed works of Christ Jesus as Lord and Saviour.

In the text above we are reminded of our calling in Christ, and from whence we came, for “not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth.” [1 Cor 1:26]. We are in the humbling position, not of being chosen as mighty men of God to fight on God’s side, but as those who are considered weak and of no consequence to this world. And for what reason? “But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; 28 God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, 29 so that no human being might boast in the presence of God” [1 Cor 1:27-29]. The Lord does not need our help or assistance to be victorious, but rather chooses to extend His mercy and grace to pitiful wretches like us, in order to reveal His gracious magnificence to the whole of creation.

We are called into the Kingdom of God empty handed, and we are sent out into the world seemingly in the same way. We can do nothing of our own strength to benefit the cause of Christ, and the very tool we have been equipped with as the means to bring in the lost, namely the Gospel of Christ crucified and risen again, is one of utter foolishness to the perishing. We are sent out as lambs amongst wolves, seemingly to our destruction, but it is in our preservation, even being surrounded on all sides by far more powerful adversaries than we, that God Himself will be glorified. Just as Christ Himself faced similar consequences, His perfect obedience and faithfulness caused Him to be raised up to the Father’s right hand in glory, until every one of His enemies have been crushed beneath His feet. It is to this path of willing surrender, even in the face of certain defeat, that we are called to surrender in faith. It is from this place of utter humility that we will truly shine as lights to the world, and will be considered good and faithful servants in His Kingdom. Let us adopt the attitude of John the Baptist who uttered those infamous words, “He must increase, but I must decrease.” [John 3:30]

As much as it may raise our spirits to be emotionally lifted by the wisdom of man found in the church, it is most definitely not to our spiritual and eternal benefit. Though we may find comfort in rallying together as “mighty men of God” in this world, sending forth a victory cry over Satanic principalities and powers, and threatening to advance the Kingdom of God powerfully. In truth we are simply deceived, and remove ourselves from the protective covering of Christ as our Shield. In truth we are nothing more than sheep in need of a shepherd, and unless we seek to follow the one true Shepherd of the flock, we shall be led astray and devoured by the enemy who seeks to do exactly that.

In summary, if you are under the teaching and preaching of those who exalt men, even Godly Christian men, over Christ crucified, then run for your life! Close your ears to those who desire to tell you how great you are in Christ, how He will empower you with signs and wonders to show the world that the Gospel is true, or to the exhortations to rise up and harness the power of God to be all you can be. Run for your lives from those who sell a “gospel” message for profit as do the prosperity pimps we so often see, and from those who claim deep and mysterious knowledge that can be found nowhere in the Bible text. They are wolves out to deceive, kill and destroy, with no concern for your spiritual and eternal welfare.

Instead seek to fight the good fight upon your knees, in sackcloth and ashes, and in mourning for the perishing souls of men. Be prepared to face death by spiritual starvation, rather than feed upon the leaven that surrounds you, and show your hunger for God’s Kingdom and Righteousness to be sincere. Desire to fellowship with the faithful remnant that God has set aside, no matter how inglorious they may at first appear, for they are the living stones that are “being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.” [1 Peter 2:5] Let us adopt the attitude of Moses who “considered the reproach of Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking to the reward” [Heb 11:26]. And along with the patriarchs of old, whose heritage we now share by faith in Christ, let us turn away from every shade of earthly glory for ourselves. Let us share their glorious vision, who “all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off were assured of them, embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. 14 For those who say such things declare plainly that they seek a homeland. 15 And truly if they had called to mind that country from which they had come out, they would have had opportunity to return. 16 But now they desire a better, that is, a heavenly country. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them.” [Heb 11:13-16]

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12 Now when he heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew into Galilee. 13 And leaving Nazareth he went and lived in Capernaum by the sea, in the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali, 14  so that what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled:
15  “The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles— 16  the people dwelling in darkness have seen a great light, and for those dwelling in the region and shadow of death, on them a light has dawned.”
17  From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

Matt 4:12-23 (ESV)

Reading through the above passage of Scripture, just as with the testimony of all the Gospel accounts, it becomes obvious that the whole of Scripture focusses fully and squarely on Christ Jesus the Messiah. All of the prophets of the Old Testament testified to Him, and to all that He would do. The tangible things of old, such as the Old Testament sacrifices, ceremonies and feasts, pointed forward to Him. The protection of God’s people in Goshen, and the calling out from the slavery of Eygypt, prophetically proclaim the work of the Messiah in the plan of God. In fact, I can think of no part of the Old Testament Scriptures that fail to point forwards to Christ and His Gospel.

Then on into the New Testament, and the eye witness accounts of the disciples, as with the passage above. All clearly tie the Jesus they followed, to the Saviour, the Messiah prophesied of old. From His birth place, to the pathways He travelled with His disciples, as in the passage above, to the words He spoke, to the miracles He performed; all testified that He was, is, and always will be the Anointed One of God, sent by the Father into the word to save sinners.

Whereas today we know with hindsight that the Christ would be crucified, and the Gospel would be sent forth to every nation by the power of the promised Holy Spirit, it must be said even today there remains a striking similarity when the Saviour calls. Though Christians can make a good case for the Gospel message being true, and if read sincerely, the Old Testament prophecies testify to Christ as Saviour in a strikingly accurate way. And though the love of the saints for one another, and even for their enemies, can speak loudly to a selfish and dying world; it has to be said that none of these things can truly convince anyone to follow Christ on their own. As with the call of the Saviour to the disciples in the account above, in itself it simply defies logic. There they were, going about their daily business, and when Jesus Christ gave the call to follow Him, “ Immediately they left their nets and followed him.”

This is in no way intended to diminish the need for the Gospel to be preached, for the Bible itself says “it is the power of God unto salvation, for everyone who believes.” [Rom 1:16] The Gospel is the means given to us by God Himself, that it may be proclaimed to every creature, and all who believe and call upon His name will be saved. Yet the truth is, if we were to proclaim the Gospel to every creature upon earth, by and of itself our greatest efforts would save not one soul, no matter how accurately or passionately we preached the message. But what saves, is the regenerating work of the Holy Spirit working upon the heart of those He has chosen, that saving faith comes alive within them, and they suddenly believe what was previously a foolish message, to be the truth they are willing to stake their lives upon.

Know this without any doubt. You may have heard the Gospel message a thousand times over and considered it foolishness. You may have read the Bible from cover to cover and back again, but it has made no sense to you at all. You may have prayed in the mighty name of Jesus, and experienced nothing more than if you were simply talking to the wall. But should one day the Saviour Himself call you to follow Him, without doubt you will believe He is who the Gospel message declares Him to be. You will believe that the Scriptures proclaim Him to be none other than God Himself, lowered even into the flesh of man, and humiliated, punished, abused and crucified for your sins. And you will be broken in two as this truth is revealed to you.

Even now if you hear that call, hear the command of Christ Himself to “repent and believe the Gospel!” He is not a weak and sickly being desperate for followers, He is the Lord of the whole universe, and upon His return, every knee shall bow, and every tongue confess that He is Lord. He is not meekly “knocking on the door of your heart” and patiently waiting for your response, as some suggest. Rather He has broken down the very doors of death and hell itself, and right now holds back the furious vengeance and wrath of the Father, until all who are His are rescued. If you hear His voice calling, then you are COMMANDED to follow Him, or perish eternally.

But the good news doesn’t end there by any means. Not only does the blood of Christ wash away the sins of the perishing, that they may stand before God as innocent as lambs in springtime. But because of His great mercy, “For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” [2 Cor 5:21] In other words, the reward for perfect obedience obtained only by the perfect life of Jesus Christ, has freely been given to those who believe upon Him as Saviour. Those who believe are now considered both perfectly innocent before Holy God Almighty, and perfectly obedient even unto death.

One last thing is concerning our life upon earth until we are taken into glory. Just as it has been stated already that the innocence of Christ has been imputed to us, along with His perfect righteousness. It is by His promise, and by His Holy Spirit that we are sustained in our walk on earth. We don’t have to worry ourselves about wrecking all that He has done for us, but surrender ourselves in faith to His sovereignty over our lives. He is our Lord and King, and we are His bondservants, and our lives are no longer our own. Just as it was in the call given to the disciples, accompanied with the promise ““Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” So it is now that way with us, as we rely upon His Spirit to sustain us, empower us, and lead us into the “good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” [Eph 2:10] It is He who chooses, He who calls, He who sustains, He who empowers, and He who “makes us” into that which He desires us to be.

If you hear His call today, and all you want to do is drop your nets and run to Him, then don’t harden your heart to His call. You have just been called by the One whom “all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him.” [Col 1:16] So put your trust in Him wholeheartedly, for if He is for you, who could possibly be against you?

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I Love Thy Kingdom Lord

I love Thy kingdom, Lord,
The house of Thine abode,
The church our blessed Redeemer saved
With His own precious blood.

I love Thy church, O God.
Her walls before Thee stand,
Dear as the apple of Thine eye,
And written on Thy hand.

For her my tears shall fall
For her my prayers ascend,
To her my cares and toils be given
Till toils and cares shall end.

Beyond my highest joy
I prize her heavenly ways,
Her sweet communion, solemn vows,
Her hymns of love and praise.

Sure as Thy truth shall last,
To Zion shall be given
The brightest glories earth can yield
And brighter bliss of Heaven.

Words: Timothy Dwight, 1800. Music: Aaron Williams, 1770.

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