Last Sunday in Trinity – Sermon 107

13th February 2011 Off By Derek Buckthorpe

Prayer to start

May the words of my lips and the thought of our hearts be graciously received for the Glory and Honour of our Lord Jesus Christ
AMEN

Introduction

What’s the best book you’ve ever read?

A novel? – Autobiography? – love story? –

I like to read factual books –

The best selling books these days – are cook books

The second best selling books are dieting books – telling you not to eat what you’ve just cooked

The best ever selling book that’s been written – is the Bible – The Good news of Jesus Christ –

But as we see from our readings – its only Good news for those that are prepared to read and respond to it –

  

Point 1      Jeremiah

 

Lets look at our OT reading:
Picture the scene

The Babylonian armies are reported to be closing in on Jerusalem – the people are getting worried – (naturally) –

They need something to calm them down – re-assure them that everything will be OK – that they will be safe –

The king calls a public fast – to remind them of their roots and the protective power of God –

Jeremiah’s oracles had now been written down – so King sent for his scribe – Baruch – to read them out – at a public hearing –

But instead of the message of salvation they hoped for – it was news that would confirm their greatest fears –

We are not told much about what was said – only the reaction of those who heard it –

A six year old boy asked his father what the preacher at the church did during the rest of the week – Oh he’s a very busy man – he said – he takes care of the church – writes sermons – prays – organizes the services –visits people – looks after those in need – and then – of course – he has to have time to rest up – talking in public isn’t an easy job – you know

The boy thought for a minute – and said – “Well listening isn’t an easy job either”

And he’s right – listening is hard –

Carrying the young boy’s logic a bit further (Some would argue) – that’s why we have two ears – and only one mouth –

we all need – to learn how to listen and understand God’s messages –

Baruch’s message was aimed at those who were ready to hear – and respond –

At the first reading there was little or no response – except for the son of the man who owned the room –

He went – to tell the king’s officials – what he heard- who decided they had to hear it for themselves-

The second reading found a better reaction – they questioned its authorship –

they realized how important – and potentially explosive it was – the king had to hear it –
he wouldn’t like it – but he had to hear it – and they warned – Baruch and Jeremiah to go into hiding –

And – so to the third reading – and the first recorded attempt – to destroy God written word –

whether it was contempt – fear- or just that the king didn’t want to listen – he cut and burnt the parchment strip by strip in the fire –

But what he couldn’t reach with his knife was the author –

God told Jeremiah to rewrite his book – this time more strongly – and in it there would be a special more distressing – message for the king –

Because of his actions –his sons would not succeed him – on the throne – and after his death -he too would be discarded – just as the scroll was discarded –

Jeremiah lived one of the most dramatic lives in the Bible –a prophet of doom- and war – but also of hope – and restoration – In this second scroll he announced a renewal of the covenant and the restoration of the throne of David – a covenant that would no longer – need the writing of scrolls – because God will write His message on their hearts

 

Point 2        God’s message through Paul

 

which brings us on to our New Testament reading – and the good news of Jesus Christ –

“If the confession, ‘Jesus is Lord’ is on your lips,” says Paul, “and the faith that God raised Him is in your heart – you will find salvation”-

Inward belief and outward confession belong together and are the keys to the saving grace of Jesus Christ –

In this passage Paul gives us our A-B-C to salvation –

Admit we need Jesus for our saviour

Believe that Jesus died for us to pay the penalty for our sins –

Confess that “Jesus is Lord” and saviour of our lives –

“For faith in the heart leads to righteousness – and confession in the lips leads to salvation”

In other words – don’t just know the book of the Lord – know the Lord of the book –

A father was approach by his small son – who told him proudly – “I know what the Bible means” – his father smiled at him and said – “You know what the Bible means – OK so what does it mean?”

That’s easy daddy he said, “Basic information before leaving earth”

God sent His only Son – Jesus Christ into the world to save us from our sins – and reconcile us back to Him – to set us free – from guilt so we can have a loving relationship with Him –

Jesus was sent –to walk on this earth to show us – at first hand – what God is like – what getting to know Him really means – and how He wants us to live

He broke – into our history – to live the good and bad of our human existence – to expose the sinful nature within us –and experience the worst of our suffering and the world’s evil –

He came to rescue us from ourselves – to take the burden and guilt of our sins – on Himself – on the cross – so we could be made clean again –

Through faith in Jesus – and His death and resurrection – we receive God’s love and forgiveness – and are restored into a new health and fellowship with Him –
Jesus Christ came to redeem all those who turn to Him – and live under His grace –

Paul is telling us that if we have never really accepted Jesus Christ as our personal saviour – then we must do it now – we mustn’t delay

“Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord” – says Paul – “will be saved”

And – as disciples of Jesus – we must not keep this good news to ourselves – but tell others about Him too.

  

 
Point 3      Telling the news

According to a book on Heroic failures – by Stephen Pile – a lieutenant in the Japanese army still believed he was fighting the second world war – twenty nine years after the war had ended –

He was stationed on a remote island – in the Philippines – and although “Come home” letters had been dropped from the air – no one had bothered to tell him in person – that the war had finished-

amazingly – it wasn’t until the 10th March 1974 – that he knew peace had been declared –

Its hard to believe – but if we think about it – its just as Paul says in this reading –

If we don’t get the message – then we don’t get the message –

“How can they call on Him without having faith in Him? And how can they have faith in Him without having heard of Him?

Unless people are told about Jesus – they will never come to faith –

There was a time when we would connect these words with a far off rallying call for mission overseas – but today we need that call to mission at home –

there are now may in our own country who have little knowledge of Jesus – the lure of alternative – attractions – has kept them away
So there’s now a real job for us to do here in Lymm

The bottom line – or should I say – the headline – is that God needs us –

We are all part of God’s church – and if we don’t spread the word about Jesus – no one else will –

God wants us to be His hands – His feet – His eyes – His mouth – His messengers – in Lymm

We all have a story to tell – and a faith to proclaim – and our greatest tool is our personal experience with Jesus  

 

Ending

 

The Bible has been described as the greatest life story every told –

– the experience of a people finding their relationship with God
– and the activity of God in the events that changed the course of history

It tells us who we are and where we are going – A fundamental part of our Christian diet

Our part in that story is still unfolding – its more than a good read – the Bible is the best News this world has ever received

 

Prayer to finish

In the name of the Father Son and Holy Spirit

AMEN