Tuesday, February 26, 2008

does god heal today?

Does God Heal Today?

Bill Thomson, Lynne Neville, Linden Webster, Donna mack, all healed
I don’t know why I was so surprised, but I was. At university I studied the whole thing about miracles, why does God heal some and not others? Never got the answer, but you know what God does heal today, but I was still very sceptical until I met the woman who became my wife who had her broken back healed, all the theology, all the smart intellectual ideas, dissolved when I met it with my own eyes, I continue to meet that nearly everyday in my Christian life
My attitude during university reflects the fear and scepticism many of us in the twenty-first century bring to the subject of healing. I decided to reread the Bible to try to understand what it said about healing. Of course, God heals with the co-operation of doctors, nurses and the whole medical profession. But the more I have looked, the more convinced I am that we should also expect God to heal miraculously today.
Healing in the Bible
In the Old Testament we find God’s promises to bring healing and health to his people if they obey him (eg, Exodus 23:25-26; Deuteronomy 28; Psalm 41). Indeed, it is in his character to heal, for he says, ‘I am the Lord who heals you’ (Exodus 15:26). We also find several examples of miraculous healing (eg, 1 Kings 13:6; 2 Kings 4:8-37; Isaiah 38).
One of the most striking examples is the healing of Naaman, the commander of the army of the King of Aram, who had leprosy. God healed him after he had reluctantly dipped himself seven times in the River Jordan. ‘His flesh was restored and became clean like that of a young boy’ (2 Kings 5:14), and he recognised the God of Israel to be the only true God. Elisha, who had instructed him, refused the payment that Naaman offered (although his servant Gehazi made the fatal mistake of trying, deceitfully, to get money for himself as a result of the healing). We see, first, from this story that healing can have a remarkable effect on a person’s life – not just physically, but also in their relationship with God. Healing and faith can go hand in hand. Secondly, if God acted in this way in the Old Testament, when there were only glimpses of the kingdom of God and the outpouring of the Spirit, we can confidently expect that he will do so, even more, now that Jesus has inaugurated the kingdom of God and the age of the Spirit
The first recorded words of Jesus in Mark’s Gospel are, ‘the time has come . . . The kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news!’ (Mark 1:15). The theme of the kingdom of God is central to the ministry of Jesus.
The Greek word for ‘kingdom’, basileia, is a translation of the Aramaic malkuth, which was in all probability the expression that Jesus used. It means not only ‘kingdom’ in the sense of a political or geographical realm, but also carries the notion of activity – the activity of ruling or reigning. Thus ‘the kingdom of God’ means ‘the rule and reign of God’.
In the teaching of Jesus, the kingdom of God has a future aspect, which will only be fulfilled with a decisive event at ‘the end of the age’ (Matthew 13:49). For example, in one of the parables of the kingdom, he speaks of a coming harvest at the end of the age when ‘the Son of Man . . . will weed out of his kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil . . . Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father’ (Matthew 13:24-43). The end of the age will come when Jesus returns. When he came the first time, he came in weakness; when he returns, he will come ‘with power and great glory’ (Matthew 24:30).
History is moving towards this climax with the glorious coming of Jesus Christ (Matthew 25:31). In all, there are over 300 references in the New Testament to the second coming of Christ. When he returns it will be obvious to all. History, as we know it, will end. There will be a universal resurrection and a Day of Judgement. For some (those who reject Christ), it will be a day of destruction (2 Thessalonians 1:8-9); for others, it will be a day of receiving their inheritance in the kingdom of God (Matthew 25:34). There will be a new heaven and a new earth (2 Peter 3:13; Revelation 21:1). Jesus himself will be there (Revelation 21:22-23) and so will all who love and obey him. It will be a place of intense happiness, which goes on for ever (1 Corinthians 2:9). We shall have new bodies, which are imperishable and glorious (1Corinthians 15:42-43). There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain (Revelation 21:4). All who believe will be totally healed on that day.
On the other hand, there is a present aspect to the kingdom of God in the teaching and activity of Jesus. We see the signs, the dawning, the budding of the approaching kingdom. Jesus told the Pharisees, ‘The kingdom of God is among you’ (Luke 17:20-21). In his parable of the hidden treasure and the pearl (Matthew 13:44-46), Jesus suggests that the kingdom is something that can be discovered and experienced in this age. Throughout the Gospels it is clear that Jesus saw his ministry as the fulfilment of the Old Testament promises in history. In the synagogue at Nazareth, Jesus read the prophecy from Isaiah 61:1-2 and asserted, ‘Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing’ (Luke 4:21). He went on to demonstrate this present reality of the kingdom by all that he did during his ministry, in the forgiveness of sins, the suppression of evil and the healing of the sick.
The kingdom is both ‘now’ and ‘not yet’. The Jewish expectation was that the Messiah would immediately inaugurate a completed kingdom Jesus’ teaching was a modification of this.
We live between the times, when the age to come has broken into history. The old age goes on, but the powers of the new age have erupted into this age. The future kingdom has broken into history. Jesus preached the kingdom of God. He also demonstrated its breaking into history by healing the sick, raising the dead and driving out demons.

A quarter of the Gospels is concerned with healing. Although Jesus did not heal all in Judea who were sick, we often read of him healing either individuals or groups of people (eg, Matthew 4:23; 9:35; Mark 6:56; Luke 4:40; 6:19; 9:11). It was part of the normal activity of the kingdom.
Not only did he do this himself, but he commissioned his disciples to do the same. First, he commissioned the twelve. This is clearly set out in Matthew’s Gospel. Matthew tells us that ‘Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people’ (Matthew 4:23). He then gives some of the teaching and preaching of Jesus in Matthew 5–7 (the Sermon on the Mount), then nine miracles (mainly of healing) and he concludes with an almost exact repetition of Matthew 4:23: ‘Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom and healing every kind of disease and sickness’ (Matthew 9:35). Matthew is using a literary device of repetition known as an inclusio, which was used instead of punctuation and the breaking up of the text with paragraphs to indicate the beginning and end of a section. Having shown what Jesus himself did, Matthew tells us that Jesus then sent the twelve out to do the same. He told them to go out and preach the same message: ‘“The kingdom of heaven is near.’’ Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons . . .’ (Matthew 10:8).
Nor was it only the twelve to whom he gave this commission. There was also a further group of seventy-two whom he appointed. He told them to go out and ‘heal the sick . . . and tell them, “The kingdom of God is near you”’ (Luke 10:9). They returned with joy and said, ‘Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name’ (v. 17).
Nor were his commissions confined to the twelve and the seventy-two. Jesus expected all his disciples to do the same. He told his disciples to ‘go and make disciples of all nations . . . teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you’ (Matthew 28:18-20, italics mine). He did not say, ‘Everything except, of course, the healing bit.’
We find the same in the longer ending of Mark’s Gospel (which is, at least, very good evidence of what the early church understood Jesus’ commission to be). Jesus said, ‘“Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation . . . and these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons . . . they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well” . . . Then the disciples went out and preached everywhere, and the Lord worked with them and confirmed his word by the signs that accompanied it’ (Mark 16:15-20, italics mine). Jesus says, ‘These signs will accompany those who believe’ – that is to say those ‘who believe’ in Jesus Christ, which means all Christians.

We find the same in John’s Gospel. Jesus said, in the context of miracles, ‘Anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father’ (John 14:12). Clearly no one has performed miracles of greater quality than Jesus, but there has been a greater quantity since Jesus returned to the Father. He has not ceased to perform miracles, but he now uses weak and imperfect human beings. Again it is ‘anyone who has faith in me’. That is you and me. These commands and promises are not restricted anywhere to a special category of Christians.
Jesus healed; he told his disciples to do the same and they did so. In the Book of Acts we see the working out of this commission. The disciples continued to preach and teach, but also to heal the sick, raise the dead and cast out demons (Acts 3:1-10; 4:12; 5:12-16; 8:5-13; 9:32-43; 14:3, 8-10; 19:11-12; 20:9-12; 28:8-9). It is clear from 1 Corinthians 12–14 that Paul did not believe that such abilities were confined to the apostles. Likewise, the writer to the Hebrews says that God testified to his message by ‘signs, wonders and various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit’ (Hebrews 2:4).
Nowhere in the Bible does it say that healing was confined to any particular period of history. On the contrary, healing is one of the signs of the kingdom that was inaugurated by Jesus Christ and continues to this day. We should expect God to continue to heal miraculously today as part of his kingdom activity.

Healing in church history

In her book Christian Healing Evelyn Frost examined in detail passages of early church writers, such as Quadratus, Justin Martyr, Theophilus of Antioch, Irenaeus, Tertullian and Origen, and concluded that healing formed a normal part of the activity of the early church.
Irenaeus (c. 130-c. 200) who was Bishop of Lyons and one of the theologians of the early church wrote:

Those who are in truth his disciples, receiving grace from him, do in his name perform [miracles], so as to promote the welfare of other men, according to the gift which each one has received from him. For some do certainly and truly drive out devils, so that those who have thus been cleansed from evil spirits frequently both believe [in Christ], and join themselves to the church. Others have foreknowledge of things to come: they see visions, and utter prophetic expressions. Others still, heal the sick by laying their hands upon them and they are made whole. Yea, moreover, as I have said, the dead have been raised up, and remain among us for many years.59

Origen (c. 185-c. 254), another theologian, biblical scholar and writer of the early church, said of Christians: ‘They expel evil spirits, and perform many cures, and foresee certain events . . . the name of Jesus . . . can take away diseases.’
Two hundred years later there was still an expectation that God would heal people directly. Augustine of Hippo (AD 354-430), whom many regard as the greatest theologian of the first four centuries, says in his book The City of God that ‘even now miracles are wrought in the name of Christ’. He cites the example of a blind man’s sight restored in Milan, when he was there. He then describes the cure of a man he was staying with, called Innocentius. He was being treated by the doctors for fistulae, of which he had ‘a large number intricately seated in the rectum’! He had undergone one very painful operation. It was not thought that he would survive another operation. While they were praying for him he was cast down to the ground as if someone had hurled him violently to the earth, groaning and sobbing, his whole body shaking so that he could not speak. The dreaded day for the next operation came. ‘The surgeons arrived . . . the frightful instruments are produced . . . the part is bared; the surgeon . . . with knife in hand, eagerly looks for the sinus that is to be cut. He searches for it with his eyes; he feels for it with his finger; he applies every kind of scrutiny.’ He found a perfectly healed wound. ‘No words of mine can describe the joy, and praise, and thanksgiving to the merciful and almighty God which was poured from the lips of all, with tears and gladness. Let the scene be imagined rather than described!’
Next he described the healing of Innocentia – a devout woman of the highest rank in the state – who was healed of what the doctors described as incurable breast cancer. The doctor was curious to find out how she had been healed. When she told him that Jesus had healed her, he was furious and said, ‘I thought you would make some great discovery to me.’ She, shuddering at the indifference, quickly replied, ‘What great thing was it for Christ to heal a cancer, who raised one who had been four days dead?’
He goes on to tell of a doctor with gout who was healed in the ‘very act of baptism’ and an old comedian who was also cured at baptism, not only of paralysis, but also of a hernia. Augustine says he knows of so many miraculous healings that he says at one point, ‘What am I to do? I am so pressed by the promise of finishing this work, that I cannot record all the miracles I know . . . even now, therefore many miracles are wrought, the same God, who wrought those we read of, still performing them, by whom he will and as he will.’
All the way through church history God has continued to heal people directly. There has never been a time when healing has died out – right up to the present day.
Edward Gibbon, the English rationalist, historian and scholar, best known as the author of The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire (1776-1788), lists five causes for the remarkable and rapid growth of Christianity. One of these is ‘the miraculous powers of the primitive Church’. He says, ‘The Christian Church, from the time of the apostles and their first disciples has claimed an uninterrupted succession of miraculous powers, the gift of tongues, of vision and of prophecy, the power of expelling demons, of healing the sick and of raising the dead.’ Gibbon goes on to point out the inconsistency of his own day when ‘a latent, and even involuntary, scepticism adheres to the most pious dispositions’. By contrast to the early church, he writes that in the church of his day ‘admission of supernatural truths is much less an active consent than a cold and placid acquiescence. Accustomed long since to observe and to respect the invariable order of Nature, our reason, or at least our imagination, is not sufficiently prepared to sustain the visible action of the Deity.’ The same could be said even more so of our own day.
Healing today
God is still healing people today. There are so many wonderful stories of God healing that it is difficult to know which to give as an example, all clears, Bill, Donna, Lynne, Val’s testimonies
God is a God who heals. The Greek word which means ‘I save’ also means ‘I heal’. God is concerned not just about our spiritual salvation, but also about our whole being. One day we shall have a new perfect body but in this life we will never reach perfection. When God heals someone miraculously today we get a glimpse of the future when the final redemption of our bodies will take place (Romans 8:23). Of course not everyone we pray for will necessarily be healed and no human being can ultimately avoid death. Our bodies are decaying. At some point it may even be right to prepare a person for death rather than praying for their healing. Indeed, the love and concern shown to people who are dying, for example, by the hospice movement, gives dignity to the terminally ill and is another outworking of Jesus’ commission to care for the sick. So we need to be sensitive to the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
This should not discourage us from praying for people to be healed. The more people we pray for, the more we shall see healed. Those who are not healed usually speak of the blessing of being prayed for – provided they are prayed for with love and sensitivity. I remember a group of us at theological college praying for a man with a bad back. I don’t think he was healed, but he said to me afterwards, ‘This is the first time since I have been at theological college that I felt anyone cared.’ Another man said to me recently that although he had not been healed when he was prayed for, he had had his greatest experience ever of the Spirit of God, and his life has been transformed.
Some are given special gifts of healing (1 Corinthians 12:9). Today, around the world, we find examples of those with an extraordinary gift of healing. This does not mean that we can leave it all to them. The commission to heal is for all of us. Just as we do not all have the gift of evangelism, but we are all called to tell others about Jesus, so we do not all have the gift of healing, but we are all called to pray for the sick.

How in practice do we go about praying for the sick? It is vital to remember that it is God who heals, not us. There is no technique involved. We pray with love and simplicity. The motivation of Jesus was his compassion for people (Mark 1:41; Matthew 9:36). If we love people we will always treat them with respect and dignity. If we believe it is Jesus who heals we will pray with simplicity, because it is not our prayer but the power of God that brings healing.
After praying for healing it is important to reassure people of God’s love for them regardless of whether they are healed or not, and to give them the liberty to come back and be prayed for again. We must avoid putting burdens on people, such as suggesting that it is their lack of faith that has prevented healing from taking place. We always encourage people to go on praying and to ensure that their lives are rooted in the healing community of the church – which is the place where long-term healing so often occurs.
Finally, it is important to persist in praying for people to be healed. It is easy to get discouraged, especially if we do not see immediate dramatic results. We continue because of our obedience to the calling and commission from Jesus Christ to preach the kingdom and to demonstrate it’s coming by, among other things, healing the sick. If we persist over the years we will see God healing people.
People will come to faith, lives will change, this has happened in the past, in the present and in the future, people’s lives have been changed through healing, because they knew they had seen God’s power in healing.

Tuesday, February 19, 2008

the sermon this week

Sharing your life mission everyday
Probably everyone in the room here has had their lives and faith influenced in some way by the writer CS Lewis, throughout his teens and twenties he was a committed atheist, what led him to change his ways?
No single person persuaded Lewis to trust Jesus, rather it was the combined influence of many people through books, music, personal encounters that made a difference.
In surprised by joy he describes the effect of meeting sane responsible adults who believed in a world, behind or around the material world. He enjoyed GK Chesterton’s intelligence and humour, despite his faith. he was alarmed and fascinated when he met men who were much like himself but were actually “attempting strict veracity, chastity or devotion to duty. Lewis was neither honest nor pure, but he found himself respecting those who were committed to these traits. For CS Lewis the character of ordinary people proved more effective than hearing countless sermons.
What Jesus is saying in this passage is that our conduct in daily life should be different from everyone else, we as Christians, believers in Jesus should show who we belong to through our kindness, servanthood, courage and integrity, people are watching to see if what we believe really does make a difference in our lives
The light of the world - The light of the world often denotes the sun, Joh_11:9. The sun renders objects visible, shows their form, their nature, their beauties, their deformities. It is normally applied to Jesus because he is, in the spiritual, moral world, what the sun is in the natural world. The apostles and all Christians, are lights of the world, because they, by their instructions and example, show what God requires, what is the way of duty, peace, and happiness the way that leads to heaven.
You are the light of the world, Mat_5:14.we are to be useful, and beautiful. All Christians are light in the Lord (Eph_5:8), and must shine as lights (Phi_2:15), Jesus call himself the Light of the world (Joh_8:12), and we are workers together with him, the light is sweet, it is welcome; the light of the first day of the world was so, when it shone out of darkness; so is the morning light of every day; so is the gospel, and those that spread it, to all people. The world is in darkness, Jesus raised us his disciples to shine in it; and , from him we borrow and derive our light. Without him we can do nothing
Francis of Assisi “preach the gospel at all times, when necessary use words” Not minimizing the need to speak about Jesus, What he was saying is all talk and no action is unconvincing. We need to be living demonstrations of the gospel; this is why Jesus compares each one of us to light in a dark world.
1. As the lights of the world, we are well known and noticeable, we have many eyes upon us. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid. We the Disciples of Jesus, who are forward and zealous in his service, become remarkable, and are taken notice of as beacons. We are the signs (Isa_7:18), men wondered at (Zec_3:8); all our neighbours have any eye upon us. Some admire us, commend us, rejoice in us, and study to imitate us; others envy us, hate us, censure us, and study to drag us down. We are concerned therefore to walk vigilantly, because of our observers; we are a display to the world, and must take heed of every thing that looks wrong, because we are so much looked at. The disciples of Jesus were obscure men before he called them, but the Spirit he put upon them distinguished them, and as preachers of the gospel they made a difference; and though they were rebuked and abused for it by some, they were respected for it by others, advanced the kingdom of God and spoke the words of Jesus to many and they honoured him and Jesus will honour those that honour him.
2. As the lights of the world, we are intended to illuminate and give light to others (Mat_5:15),(1.) we are set up as lights. Jesus has lighted these candles, they shall not be put under a bowl, The churches are the candlesticks in which these lights are placed, that their light may be shine even further; and the gospel is so strong a light, and carries with it so much of its own evidence, that, like a city on a hill, it cannot be hid, it cannot but be from God, to all except those who do not willfully shut their eyes against it. It will give light to all that are in the house, to all that will draw near to it, and come where it is. Those, to whom it does not give light, they turn away and they lose out! 2.) we must shine as lights, [1.] By our words The knowledge we have, we must communicate for the good of others; not put it under a bowl, but spread it. The talent must not be buried, but traded with. The disciples of Jesus must not hide themselves up in privacy and obscurity, under pretence of contemplation, modesty, or self-preservation, but, as they have received the gift, share that gift with others, [2.] By our good living. We must be burning and shining lights (Joh_5:35); must give evidence, in our whole lives, that we are indeed followers of Jesus, Jam_3:13. we must be people to whom others turn for instruction, direction, quickening, and comfort, Job_29:11.
First, How our light must shine - by doing such good works as men may see, and may approve of; such works of good report among them that do not know Jesus, and as will therefore give them cause to think well of Christianity. We must do good works that may be seen to the benefit of others, but not that they may be seen to build up our own pride; we are to pray in secret, and what lies between God and ourselves, must be kept to ourselves; but that which is of itself open and obvious to the sight of all, we must work to enhance our faith, and be praiseworthy, Phi_4:8. Those around us must not only hear our good words, but see our good works; that they may be convinced that Jesus is more than a name, or a swear word and that we do not only talk the talk but we walk the walk as well.
Secondly, For what reason our light must shine - “That those who see your good works may be brought, not to glorify you (which was what the Pharisees aimed at, and it spoiled all their performances), but to glorify your Father which is in heaven.” Note, The glory of God is the great thing we must aim at in every thing we do in faith, 1Pe_4:11.In this centre the lines of all our actions must meet. We must not only endeavor to glorify God ourselves, but we must do all we can to bring others to glorify him. The sight of our good works will do this, by giving them, 1. With things for praise. “Let them see your good works, that they may see the power of God's grace in you, and may thank him for it, and give him the glory of it, who has given such power.” 2. With motives for change. “Let them see your good works, that they may be convinced of the truth and goodness of the Christian faith, so they may be provoked to imitate your good works, and so may glorify God.” Note, The holy, regular, and exemplary conversation of the saints, may do much towards the conversion of sinners; those who are unacquainted with Christianity, may be brought to know what it is. Examples teach. And those who are against it, may be brought in love with it, and thus there is a winning value in a godly conversation and a godly life
Practicals So how do we let our light shine in the world? We are the presence of God in the world, others should be looking at us and seeing what God is like, they should see the reality of his goodness, wisdom love, graciousness, generosity, justice and more beside! Our acts of righteousness are not the things we expect to show off, our prayer, our fasting our giving to the poor, these practices are meant for us (Matthew 6) they don’t impress those outside of the church, the good deeds of faith that draw unbelievers in are demonstrations of character, acts that show courage, kindness, generosity, love. Remaining tenderhearted and brave when we face a challenge, treating a mean and rude person with kindness, honesty at work shows our light to the world, esp where cutting corners is common.
Light bearing behaviour emerges from those who take time to reflect on their own sins, to forgive others, who have hurt them, to notice people’s needs and to fill their minds with the goodness of God, that is the point of reading the bible to fill your mind with God’s goodness, read about how Jesus acted. Pay attention to how you behave and confess your sin when necessary, allow your heart to be moved by others, have someone who you can share these things with.
Our light dims when we are to busy or stressed to fill our minds with God, to notice others or to see how we are acting, it is very hard to be gracious when we are rushed, for many of us the decision to cut back on those things without an eternal purpose is the best thing we can do, that includes church activities!
Non Christians will take notice when they see that you relate to people in a different way to the ways most people relate, you and your family can be light by inviting others into your life and living life before them, take time to see where the needs are and go out and serve, find a project and run with it. Throw a party, your house group, your guild, your Yorkie, your Sunday club, invite those not yet Christians to come along to join you, don’t worry that the kids are not perfect, or the kitchen is a mess let them see what it is to deal with all that in a gracious way.
Pray for people, it is a great way to begin to care for them! As you pray for them you begin to see the needs they have and how the gospel can meet those needs, prayer changes things spiritually God begins to soften hearts through prayer, yours and theirs, you know at least one person who needs to know Jesus, write them down on the sheet in front of you commit to praying for them once a day.
All these things are practical ways to showing God’s light to the world.



Conclusion- seat belt! Explain background then say lets be first to make things normality, CS Lewis was changed by the people and the power of God, imagine what will happen with those who see your godly life and praise God for it?

Tuesday, February 12, 2008

sorry it has been a while!




Developing your shape to serve others
We have here the parable of the talents committed to three servants; this implies that we are in a state of work and business, we are in a state of expectancy. the necessity of habitual preparation, of actual diligence in our present work and service. We are stirred up to do well for our own spiritual life; to work for the glory of God and the good of others.
1. The Master is Jesus, who is the Owner and Proprietor of all persons and things, and his church;
2. The servants are Christians his own servants, born in his house, bought with his money, devoted to his praise, and employed in his work.
I. The trust given to these servants; their master delivered to them his goods: having called them to work (for Jesus keeps no servants to be idle), he left them with something to work with
We receive from Jesus in order to work for him. Our privileges are so we do our job! The gift of the Spirit is given to each one of us to bring God glory. 2. Whatever we receive is made use of for Jesus, it is all his anyway! we are but tenants upon his land, stewards of his grace,
On what occasion this trust given to these servants: The master was travelling into a far country. This is explained, Eph_4:8. When he ascended on high, he gave gifts to men.
he sent his Spirit to enable his servants to teach and profess truth, to live and apply his promises, and to exercise and employ powers, ordinary or extraordinary he gives us. Thus Jesus, at his ascension, left his goods to his church.
to what proportion was this trust given. [1.] He gave talents He gave to some more, to others less; to one five talents, to another two, to another one; to every one according to his ability. God shapes us in different ways, throughout our lives we have been shaped to serve God in our own particular way, each one of us is unique, also Every one had some one talent at least, All alike, they had not the same abilities and opportunities. God is a free Agent, giving, as he will; some are cut out for service in one kind, others in another, the church body like the human body
Two of the servants did well.
(1.) They were diligent and faithful; They went, and traded; A Christian is a spiritual tradesman. it is a manufacturing trade; there is something to be done for our own hearts, and for the good of others; things of value to us are parted with for things of greater value.
2) A tradesman is one who, having made his trade his choice, and taken pains to learn it, makes a business of it, he does all he can to grow his business, he lives for it, to give him and his family life. So too a Christian in the work of faith; we have no stock of our own to trade with, but trade with our saviour’s stock. The way we are shaped through life our minds - reason, wit, learning, must be used for Jesus and his Church; the enjoyments of the world - house, money, jobs, power, must be improved for the honour of Jesus. The gifts of the gospel, and our opportunities to use them, bibles, prayer, Sundays the sacraments, must be improved for the end for which they were given, and our walk with God kept up by them, the gifts and graces of the Spirit must be used; and this is trading with our talents.
(3.) They were successful;
2. The third did ill (Mat_25:18); He that received one talent, went, and hid his lord's money.(1.) notice if he who only had one talent, was treated this way for burying one, what of those that have more than one talent and bury them. (2.) Also those who have the littlest to do for God, frequently do least of what they have to do. Some make it an excuse for their laziness, that they have not the opportunities of serving God that others have they will not do what we are sure they can, and so sit down and do nothing; it is really a sad situation that when they have but one talent to take care about, they neglect that one.
He dug in the earth, and hid the talent, for fear it should be stolen; he did not misspend or misemploy it, did not embezzle it or squander it away, but he hid it. Money is like manure good for nothing in the heap, but it must be spread; yet it is an evil which we have often seen treasure heaped together does good to nobody; and so it is in spiritual gifts; many have them, and make no use of them Those that have but do not stir up the gift that is in them, are those lazy servants that seek their own things more than Jesus’.
We must all be reckoned with - what good we have done for our own growth, and what good we have done to others by the advantages we have enjoyed
If we be careful in our spiritual trade, we, and others will soon see it. Not that the saints will in the great day make mention of their own good deeds; no, Jesus will do that for them (Mat_25:35); but it intimates that they who faithfully improve their talents First, He commended them; Well done, good and faithful servant. Those that own and honour God now, he will own and honour in time. 1. Their persons will be accepted 2. Their performances will be accepted; Well done. Some bosses are so miserable, that they will not commend their workers, though they do their work ever so well: but Jesus will commend his servants that do well; He rewards them.
The bad account of the lazy servant.
[1.] His apology for himself I have not made more, as the others have done, yet this I can say, I have not made less.” This servant thought that his account would pass well enough, because he could say“ Lord, I didn’t waste any of my estate, no wasting of my time, I was always here, I did not oppose good ministers and good preaching; Lord, I never ridiculed my bible, nor set my wits to work to against my faith, nor abused my power to persecute any good man; I never wasted my time and others in drinking, nor ever to my knowledge did I ever bring injury to anybody.” Many that are called Christians, build great hopes for heaven upon their being able to make such an account; yet all this amounts to no more than there thou hast that is thine; as if no more were required, or could be expected.
Secondly, What he confesses. He owns the burying of his talent; I hid thy talent in the earth. He speaks as if that were no great fault; nay, as if he deserved praise for his prudence in putting it in a safe place, and running no hazards with it. Thirdly, What he makes his excuse; I knew that thou were a hard man, and I was afraid. Good thought of God would beget love, and that love would make us diligent and faithful; but hard thoughts of God beget fear, and that fear makes us slothful and unfaithful. His excuse speaks volumes

1. The sentiments of an enemy; 2. The spirit of a slave; I was afraid, [2.] His Lord's answer to this apology. First, His conviction, Mat_25:26, Mat_25:27. Two things he is convicted of.
1. Laziness; 2. Self-contradiction The hard thoughts which sinners have of God, though false and unjust, will be so far from justifying their wickedness and slothfulness, that they will rather aggravate and add to their guilt the master’s reply(1.) “Suppose I had been so hard a master, shouldest not thou therefore have been the more diligent and careful to please me, (2.) “If thou didst think me to be a hard master, and therefore durst not trade with the money thyself, for fear of losing by it, and being made to stand to the loss, yet thou mightest have put it into the hands of the exchangers, or goldsmith, mightest have brought it into the bank, (3.) “Suppose I did reap where I sowed not, yet that is nothing to thee, for I had sowed upon thee, and the talent was my money which thou wast entrusted with, not only to keep, but to improve.” Secondly, His condemnation. The slothful servant is sentenced,
1. To be deprived of his talent (1.) To the blessings of this life - worldly wealth and possessions. These we are entrusted with, to be used for the glory of God, and the good of those about us.(2.) We may apply it to the means of grace. They who are diligent in improving the opportunities they have,(3.) We may apply it to the common gifts of the Spirit. He that hath these, and doeth good with them, shall have abundance; these gifts improve by exercise, and brighten by being used; 2. He is sentenced to be cast into outer darkness, Mat_25:30. Here,

How do you use what you have?
Recognize the platform you have been given, where you are and what opportunities only have been given and the you are the only one who has been put in that situation. Even the worst has a talent, a gift a God given ability, so you have so much more how will you use it? The last servant was thinking of himself, he hoped to play it safe and protect himself, but he was judged for his self centeredness, we must not make excuses to avoid doing what God has made us and called us to do, if God is our master we must obey willingly, joyfully! We are caretakers, our time, talents money are all God’s anyway, when we ignore, squander or abuse what we are given, we are out of God’s will and to be fare when we are this rebellious we need to accept the consequences of our decisions.

Becoming like Jesus
Homeless guy, never let me in, Jesus says don’t worry I am never allowed in either
I 1. That Jesus Jesus is the vine, the true vine.
(a.) He is the vine, planted in the vineyard, for a purpose and not a spontaneous product; planted in the earth, for he is the Word made flesh. (b.) He is the true vine, opposed to those who deceive and mislead; he is really a fruitful plant, a plant of renown. He is the one from whom we grow, through 2 things forgiveness and The Holy Spirit
2. That believers are branches of this vine, grafted in; Jesus is the root of the vine. The branches of the vine are many, some on one side of the house or wall, others on the other side; yet, meeting in the root, all from the one vine; so all Jesusians, though in place and opinion distant from each other, yet meet in Jesus, the centre of their unity. Believers, like the branches of the vine, are insufficient to stand or survive on their own, but Jesus lifts us, feeds us, lets us blossom and bloom!
3. And my Father is the gardener- The word “vine-dresser” more properly expresses the sense of the original word than gardener. It means one who has the care of a vineyard; whose job it is to nurture, trim, and defend the vine, and who of course feels a deep interest in its growth and welfare. This means that God gave, or appointed his Son to be, the source of blessings to us all; that all grace descends through him; and that God takes care of all the branches of this vine - that is, of all who are by faith united to the Lord Jesus Jesus. In Jesus and all his church he feels the deepest interest, and it is an object of great solicitude that his church should receive these blessings and bear much fruit.
II. we are called to bear fruit, and, in order to this, to remain (abide) in Jesus.
(1.) The fate of the unfruitful: They are taken away.
[a.] It is here intimated that there are many who pass for branches in Jesus who don’t bear fruit. Were they really in Jesus by faith, they would bear fruit; but being only tied to him by the thread of an outward profession, though they seem to be branches, they will soon be seen to be dry ones. Unfruitful people are unfaithful people.
[b.] It is here threatened that they shall be taken away, in justice to them and in kindness to the rest of the branches. Difference of cutting back and separating, cut out that which can infect the whole plant
(2.) The promise made to the fruitful: He prunes them, that they may bear more fruit. Note, [a.] Further fruitfulness is the reward of first fruits. [b.] Even fruitful branches, in order to their further fruitfulness, have need of pruning; he takes away that which is surplus to requirements, which hinders its growth and fruitfulness. [c.] The pruning of fruitful branches, in order to their greater fruitfulness, is the care and work of the Father, for his own glory. [d] as we accept his forgiveness and let the Gift of the Spirit work through us we grow the way the Father wants us to grow, like Jesus
(3.) The Spirit of grace refines them from the dross of the world our old nature, and purged out of them it cleanses as fire cleanses the gold from its dross,
(4.) The glory that will be given to God by our fruitfulness, that should be our chief desire to glorify God, when so many give God a bad name, our desire should be to give him a good name.
2. In order to bear fruit, we must remain (abide) in Jesus, means believing he is the Son of God, receiving him as our saviour and Lord, doing what God says, continuing to believe the gospel, love the body of Jesus. Requires work on our part also.
Hallelujah, that’ll do ya!
Been saved, being saved will be saved. Much of the Jesusian life is coming to grips with what is already true about us, even when we do not “feel it”
(1.) (Joh_15:4): Abide in me, and I in you. Note, It is the great concern of all Jesus's disciples constantly to keep up a dependence upon Jesus The knot of the branch abides in the vine, and the sap of the vine abides in the branch, and so there is a constant communication to abide, to remain means being open to what he has got for us, as he is open to all of our needs
(2.) The necessity of our remaining in Jesus, so we bear fruit (Joh_15:4, Joh_15:5): “You cannot bear fruit, unless you abide in me; but, if you do, you bear much fruit; for, in other words, without me, or separate from me, you can do nothing.” Many try their best on their own, but
[a] Abiding in Jesus is necessary in order to our doing much good. A life of faith in the Son of God is incomparably the most excellent life a man can live in this world; it is regular and even, pure and heavenly; it is useful and comfortable, and answers the meaning of life. Without Jesus we can do nothing, nothing pleasing to God or profitable to ourselves,
(3.) The great privilege, which those have, that abide in Jesus (Joh_15:7): If my words abide in you, you shall ask what you will of my Father in my name, and it shall be done. When you are growing in faith, bearing fruit, when you are in God’s will, He will work for you, he will give you your heart’s desire, how good is that?
So how do we become like Jesus? Faith, which produces fruit, we abide in Jesus, we experience his grace, we obey, we love, we try not to grieve the Holy Spirit, we put to death our earthly nature, we dignify the trial (no complaining, no taking easy way out, we regard it as part of God’s plan as he works for the good of those who love him), we walk in love, we walk in the light, we are filled with the Holy Spirit. Basically we become more like Jesus in our attitude and in accepting others. The ultimate proof is if people see Jesus in us, the question is will we let him be seen?


Sermon notes
A woman accompanied her husband to the doctor's office. After the check-up, the doctor took the wife aside and said, "If you don't do the following, your husband will surely die." 1. "Each morning, fix him a healthy breakfast and send him off to work in a good mood."2. "At lunch time, make him a warm, nutritious meal and put him in a good frame of mind before he goes back to work."3. "For dinner, fix an especially nice meal and don't burden him with household chores.”4. "Satisfy his every whim." On the way home, the husband asked his wife what the doctor had said. "You're going to die," she informed him.

· "During World War II, England needed to increase its production of coal. Winston Churchill called together labour leaders to enlist their support. At the end of his presentation he asked them to picture in their minds a parade, which he knew would be held in Piccadilly Circus after the war. First, he said, would come the sailors who had kept the vital sea-lanes open. Then would come the soldiers who had come home from Dunkirk and then gone on to defeat Rommel in Africa. Then would come the pilots who had driven the Luftwaffe from the sky."Last of all, he said, would come a long line of sweat-stained, soot-streaked men in miner's caps. Someone would cry from the crowd, "And where were you during the critical days of our struggle?" And from ten thousand throats would come the answer, 'We were deep in the earth with our faces to the coal.'" Not all the jobs in a church are prominent and glamorous. But it is often the people with their "faces to the coal" who help the church accomplish its mission.
· James and John make a request for glory, a glory that is misplaced they do not understand that the kingdom of God, is not that of conquering soldiers, but of salvation for all humanity throughout time.
· They ask to be the 1st and 2nd in the kingdom, an earthly kingdom with palaces and thrones, but the kingdom of God is in the hearts and lives of Jesus’s followers
· James and John say freely that they are willing to suffer with Jesus, they say it pretty quickly without thinking, James is martyred in Acts ch 12, John suffered all his days, and spent time in exile on the island of Patmos for his faith in Jesus.
The sons of Zebedee make a request that from one point of view seems natural and acceptable. That point of view, however, reflects the distorted perspective of human falleness, wherein the greatest good appears to be that which serves the self,  e.g. honor, position, glory, and prestige. It is the perspective that dominates the world and its powerful rulers.
The kingdom brought by Jesus defines greatness in an entirely opposite way in terms of servanthood, in terms of service
This way is foreign to the world and to human nature.
Yet it is the way of Jesus, and it is thus to be the way of his disciples. There will be rewards for the disciples, of course, but these are not for the present, nor are the disciples to have them uppermost in their minds.
Instead the disciples are to be marked by the humility, servanthood, and obedience to death that characterized Jesus, in the knowledge that to suffer with him may mean to drink the cup that he drank before ultimately reigning with him
To serve is to reign is the essence of Jesusian life
Jesus gave his life as a ransom, he paid the price to buy us back from the slavery of sin, he calls us to serve him and to serve everyone else we meet, and why shouldn’t we? Especially after the death he endured, so we could be named in God’s book and in his family
So what shall we do in this God’s fellowship here in St John’s? Will we strive for what the world asks for, prestige, honour, position, glory will we go for ourselves, look out for number one or will we follow what Jesus calls us to? To suffer and to serve without any expectation of getting anything in return?
Not very attractive is it? But the truth is this, the world with all the comfort, the success, wealth and glory is ultimately for nothing
Story of the fisherman and the rich businessman
During the bombing of London, it was found that people suffering from nervous disorders found unexpected health by forgetting their own troubles and ministering to the terrible needs of victims of the air raids. The reason many of us have no energy, no vitality, no joy, is that we are living only for ourselves. Service doesn’t simply mean service to those we trust and love, not simply service to the people and the building of this church, but serving the wretched, the unloved, the lonely the hurting, the bereaved and the ones who think they have it all
It is in service that we find true honour, but it is only when we are one with Jesus that we can understand this, we need a servant heart, to minister to the needs of others we need to grasp that Jesus forgives all, everyone, no matter how they have wronged you, Jesus loves all, even those you hate, he forgave the ones who hung him on the cross, that is how we should live, that is how our Church must grow together, not looking out for ourselves and our own needs, but looking to see how we can serve each other and our community of Dalkeith, the world tells us that value comes from being important and feeling good
Jesus calls us to travel another path, a hard path, perhaps that is why many cannot follow, a path of endurance and obedience, or suffering and service, but the rewards are so much more than what the world can offer, in this world we have purpose, forgiveness, hope, joy and peace, and when we leave this world we will receive so much more!
Pastor tells of a conversation with an active member, who mentioned, "You preachers talk a lot about serving, but when you get right down to it, it all comes down to basin theology.” Pastor asked, "Basin theology? What's that?" The member replied, "Remember what Pilate did when he had the chance to acquit Jesus? He called for a basin and washed his hands of the whole thing. But Jesus, the night before his death, called for a basin and proceeded to wash the feet of the disciples. It all comes down to basin theology: Which one will you use?"
James and John wanted the highest positions in Jesus’ kingdom, but Jesus told them true greatness comes in serving others; most businesses, institutions, and organisations measure greatness through high personal achievement. In Jesus’s kingdom, the way to get ahead is service, the desire to be on top only hinders, it doesn’t help, rather than seeking out your own needs, look for ways, pray for ways in which you can minister to others.