Sunday Sermon
sunday morning service 15th Jan 2012
Lk 18v31-43
Last time we saw that as we wait for the coming of the Kingdom, the return of Jesus we are to be those
who live by prayer, humility and trust v1-17.
Next Luke records the well known story of Jesus speaking with the rich young ruler.
There Jesus comments that it is hard for the rich to enter the Kingdom of heaven, at which point the disciples are confused and ask who
then can be saved v26! If it’s hard for the rich, i.e. those obviously blessed by God, what about the rest of us, the obviously unblessed!
To which Jesus simply points to the power of God to do all things v27.
Next Jesus takes the disciples aside to tell them again what is about to happen to him.
This is now the third time Jesus has warned the disciples about his impending death.
1) Jesus knows, the disciples don’t! V31-34
a) v31 From scripture Jesus has come to understand what is going to happen to him!
Everything that is written by the prophets about the Son of Man will be accomplished / fulfilled. Jesus used the term “Son of Man”, to speak of himself and his work as saviour.
Jesus came to do a work, and in going to Jerusalem that work will be finalised.
b) how will it be finalised? V32-33
Through his suffering and dying and then rising.
Jesus came to die! The gospel is Christ Crucified 1Cor1v23.
Jesus died! That is the fact of the matter!
But what is the explanation for that? Only one word will do: Sacrifice.
Jesus died as a sacrifice for sin.
God’s problem with us and thus our problem with God is our sin!
The resurrection is the proof that his death was not in vain.
He has accomplished our freedom, our salvation, our forgiveness!
He said he was going to die, to lay down his life, but he also said he would rise again.
That he did is proof of the veracity of all that he has said.
c) at this point the disciples don’t understand v34. Yet they are being told the facts of it.
the mystery of salvation is indeed great!
No wonder the disciples did not understand the words they were hearing.
Even after the death and resurrection there was not an immediate acceptance of the event!
Only after further bible study did the lights go on – LK 24v25-32!
App
The knowledge of God and of salvation is a great mystery that we can only get to by the help of God, who can be saved? With Man this is impossible, with God all things are possible
We need Jesus to work in our hearts to give us understanding.
We need him to open our eyes!
The scripture reveal God to us, they tell us all about salvation.
But even then just reading the bible is not enough. We need Jesus to open our eyes!
and praise God Jesus is in the eye opening business!
2) he opens eyes!
How do we get to see and understand Jesus today?
Then the scene changes
a) v35 fills us with expectation, by introducing the Blind Man to us!
There he is just sitting begging!
But he is also attentive to the noise round about, he wants to know what’s the commotion!
Then he told! V37 Jesus is passing by.
That is “Jesus of Nazareth” – no small time celebrity!
App: So how do we see and understand Jesus today?
First we need to recognise that we are no better than the disciples!
We have all the facts before us in the bible and in numerous books about the gospel, we could have the greatest teacher teaching us but still we could miss the point!
Spiritually we are blind.
We are in no position to offer anything. We are blind beggars – hungry and lost.
But then, acknowledging all that, we still have a responsibility to pay attention!
God has spoken, through creation and now through the Word.
Jesus of Nazareth is passing by! Now is the time to get help! To seek Him.
b) this is a moment he can’t miss! Begins to shout out v38.
And gives him a fuller title “Jesus, Son of David”! shows that he recognises Jesus as the promised Messiah!
He is told to keep the noise down but shouts all the harder v39.
App
With what we do understand of Jesus we must cry out for mercy.
He is the Saviour, he can save. He is the promised Messiah, the Son of David!
c) 40-43
he has got the Lords attention! Gets to make his request.
Is healed and then follows praising God
App
And there is no risk in this humbling ourselves before God for he will hear!
2 Chronicles 16:9 For the eyes of the LORD range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him.
Proverbs 15:3 The eyes of the LORD are everywhere, keeping watch on the wicked and the good.
Hebrews 4:13 Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.
· To cry out for mercy from God will only result in receiving mercy from God!
John 6v37 assures us “whoever comes to me I will never drive away”
He is looking for those who are shouting out for Him!
· And when we receive salvation what will we then do?
Like the blind man, we follow Jesus, and praise God.
How do we follow him?
We need to ask for fresh eyes to see him every day.
The experience of the blind man receiving his sight then seeing Jesus is what we are to look for! And we will see him if we are seeking him, we’ll find him!
In turn this will lead to worship, to praise. We will praise God for Jesus.
In turn others will join in!
sunday evening service 15th Jan 2012
1 sam 12
Context: Saul has been established as king by his victory over Nahash and consequent deliverance of Jabesh. Everyone is now happy with Saul as king and they have rededicated themselves to the new king and to the true King.
From all that we saw lessons about unity:
· vulnerability without unity, how to go about restoring unity and how to keep unity.
1) Our Calling and Keeping God.
a) he is the God who calls us v6 & 8.
the bible reveals to us how salvation works both from the Divine side and the human side.
· Divine Perspective:
Starting with the Divine side the bible makes it very clear that Salvation belongs to God.
“Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfector of our faith,” heb 12v2
He is the initiator and the completer of salvation.
Eph 2v8-9 “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God-- not by works, so that no-one can boast.”
Salvation works by Gods grace, that is by His action alone.
V6 “it is the LORD”!
From Samuels point of view at this time, there was no mistaking it; Yahweh delivered salvation to the people.
The bible makes it quite clear then that our salvation is all because of what God has done.
He has not saved us because we have been so good and earned salvation.
app
Our thinking about our salvation has to be rooted in this plot.
We need to know that God is the great manufacturer of our salvation.
Only that knowledge will give us the peace we need to rest. to enjoy our salvation.
· But there is then the Human perspective:
V8 Israel’s salvation and entrance into the promised land is all down to Yahweh, but the people cried out!
Salvation is all of God but we must cry out for it!
app
There is mystery here no doubt. but we can live with that!
We need to ask for salvation and indeed do all we can to enter into salvation.
But out attitude has to be right. We cannot think that we are earning salvation even though we have to put out whole effort into it!
b) he is the God who keeps with us v9-10, 22
the Israelites continued to rebel even after all Yahweh had done for them, but He never gave up on them.
God is God and he has decided to have a people for himself and he will not give up on them!
app
so if you are worried that at the end you might just fall away, then don't.
God is more concerned for our salvation than we are!
John 6v39 tells us that it is Gods will that none shall be lost of all that have been given.
and how can we be convinced of that?
c) Because of his work in history : he is the one who sends saviours :
the full extent of that commitment is seen in the fact that He kept on sending saviours:
Moses and Aaron, Samuel v1-5, and the judges v11, now Saul v13-14
Ultimately of course: His own Son! Jh3v16.
App
As Paul points out : " He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all--how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?"
2) If salvation worked any other way we would be lost!
just as well God is as He is, because of who we are!
a) forgetful v9,
The Israelites were a forgetful people! "they forgot the LORD their God v9"
Even after all the wonders of Yahweh that they had witnessed, they forgot!
But then can we be too harsh on them?
Who of us in one way or another have not acted in similar fashion?
b) cowards v12.
They lacked boldness, courage in the face of the enemy!
Instead of seeking the King, they looked for a king! they looked to human resource!
And again what of us? Surely one of our biggest sins today is this same lack of courage in the face of the enemy! We are too afraid to speak a word for the Lord!
c) now if our salvation was based on our performance then we know we'd be lost!
Yet, we are still called to work out our salvation: Phil 2v12 "Philippians 2:12-13 continue to work out your salvation with
fear and trembling, 13 for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose."
3) so what are we to do?
a) need to be convicted of our sin, v16-19
that is we need to be honest with ourselves.
The Israelites needed convincing of their sin by this thunderstorm.
We need to ask the Spirit to reveal to us our sin also.
Not so that we can wallow in it but so that we can then move back to the refreshing waters of forgiveness through repentance.
b) then repent of our backsliding v19.
That is what the Israelites do, the confess, they repent
and the word they then hear?
c) "do not be afraid" v20
instead follow Yahweh again, this time with all your heart
Don't turn to the left or the right v21, just keep following! no matter what the distractions, keep going! the other things are "nothings/zeros/futile"
The temptations have to be seen for what they ultimately are - zeros!
and our confidence is always in God v22 "he will not forsake his people"
God will not turn to the left or the right!
d) finally support one another v23
Samuel was not going to give up on the people either.
How vital it is that we are there for one another.
