This week we shared the special joy of welcoming 2 more members to GCW.
How can you express the joy? Membership in a local assembly is vastly difference to any other kind. It communicates things that the world cannot compete with. In the world, when you join an assembly, you are thinking: “what can I get?” In the local Christian assembly, when you join, you are thinking: “what can I give?” In the world, self is in the foreground. In the local assembly, self is in the background. You ask, “how may I serve?”, not “how may I be served?” You ask, “how may I edify?”, not “how may I be gratified?” (The staggering thing - as ever in the walk of life with Christ - is that as much as you give, you just keep having it poured out back on yourself - abundantly!) When you are saved, you become a member of the body of Christ. United to Christ, united to the other members of the body in this way, you are then qualified to become a member of a local expression of that body. The order is, you are born again, you are baptized, you are bound to fellow believers. The body of Christ on earth is made up of assemblies of believers. All believers throughout history are the Church of God. You can be a Christian without being a member of a local assembly. But that is the exception, and it should be rare, and it should be remedied. Joining the Church is by faith through grace. We use “membership” to identify the formal committing of oneself to an identifiable, local assembly of believers. We think this is right because the Bible teaches: (1) the example of the early Church; (2) the existence of Church government; (3) the exercise of Church discipline; (4) the exhortation to mutual edification; (5) Epistles were written to distinct assemblies; (6) the special relationship with elders; and (7) active fulfilment of the “one anothers”. And you know what? This past Sunday I didn't just think it was right, I didn't just know it was right because it's in the Bible. I FELT (affections stirred!) it was right, as all our hearts swelled, full of love for our Saviour and for one another. And our arms linked.
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You know, you do have something to glory in.
And not like those who glory in their shame. You have gifts, talents, accomplishments, excellencies, prizes, awards. You have succeeded in many areas, have advanced in various fields, have had a distinguished career. People would say you are smart, you are nice, you are a pleasure to be around. You walk down the street, and people greet you. All these are transient and the trifling, and nothing to glory in, compared to the glory of God in the cross. Paul had a rich choice of things in which he could have gloried. Amongst the Jews, he’d have been an honoured rabbi, a hero, a brilliant mind, religiously accomplished. As a Christian he might have gloried in his sufferings, his relentless zeal, his tireless work for Christ. Paul gloried in the Cross of Christ. Is it easy to believe, or is it hard to believe?
It’s so hard that it’s impossible to be the whoever, the whosoever, unless, Joh 3:5 Jesus answered, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. To see the kingdom of God, to enter the kingdom of God - something must happen to you, and that culminates in belief. To believe is more than a moment of assent. More than an emotional moment. More than a moment, years ago. In fact, it is quite plain what it is to believe. John tells us, in chapter 1, verse 12: Joh 1:12 But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name: To believe, is to receive. To not believe, is to not receive: Joh 1:11 He came to His own, and those who were His own did not receive Him. John equates “believing on His name” with “receiving Him.” Essentially, the same. Meaning, to take (often, literally), to get hold of. “I believe in God” is not John 3:16. To believe – unto salvation – is a heart transaction, it penetrates. Rom 10:10 for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation. Jesus must be received to be believed. And that is a sovereign work of God, impossible with man. In John 3, amazed by Jesus’ words, Nicodemus starts two questions the same way,
Joh 3:4 Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? Joh 3:9 Nicodemus answered and said unto him, How can these things be? This is all outside Nicodemus’ understanding. His religious world is shattered by the truth of Jesus’ words conveying the air of impossibility which is at the heart of the salvation of mankind. If we’d read the Gospels properly – we’d be asking ourselves “how can anyone possibly be saved?” It’s not until we start to come to terms with the impossibility of salvation that we begin to have hope of seeing it happen. When we realize, “this requires divine intervention!” Mat 19:25 When his disciples heard it, they were exceedingly amazed, saying, Who then can be saved? Mat 19:26 But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible. There is hope, real hope, living hope, powerful hope. We rejoice because it depends not one bit - not one little bit - on inadequate, unfaithful, hypocritical, selfish, prideful, awkward, lazy, cowardly me! We rejoice because it all depends on Almighty God! Of course it does: Rom 9:15 For He saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. Rom 9:16 So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy. Really, the whole theological issue between Calvinists and Arminians comes down to this issue. Really, at its heart, the issue, just like the heart of the issue that Jesus confronts Nicodemus with, comes down to one question: “can you change?” An Arminian says you can change, you can seek God. A Calvinist says you cannot change, you cannot seek God. Which of those 2 seem most like what Jesus is saying to Nicodemus, you must be born again ? In John 3, Nicodemus gets an answer, despite not asking a question.
"Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." It sounded like a riddle to Nicodemus, who answered, "Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born?" He’s mystified. Think about it, if you’re Nicodemus. With his morality and unblemished life, with his position as a teacher in a proud nation, this Jesus says, "You are all wrong; you must be born again." He’s not some tax-collector, some villain, but Jesus knows all men, and He knew this Pharisee. The mind of Nicodemus was clouded with Pharisaisms, and so many obstacles, a jungle of religiosity. To penetrate all his wrong ideas about “keeping the rules” and “being good”, Jesus makes a plain – and eternal – statement. “You must be born again.” That “you” is each and every one person who has ever lived. If you would see the kingdom of God, you must not merely “try harder”, or “change my ways”, or “clean myself up”. You must be born again. Why is this so crucial? Because you are - . a sinner Rom_3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; . an enemy of God Rom 5:10 For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. Jas 4:4 Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God. . a child of wrath Eph_2:3 Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. . without hope Eph_2:12 That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world: . unable to please God Heb 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please him:. . spiritually dead 1Pe 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, Surely that’s an exaggeration? Eph 2:1 And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; We are all born exiles and utterly alienated from the kingdom of God. God and us are apart until He brings us together. All without exception, not just certain baddies, must be born again. In John 2, having been approached by Mary about the wine deficit, Jesus says,
Joh 2:4 … mine hour is not yet come. What is meant by mine hour ? This is a phrase we are familiar with: Joh 7:30 Then they sought to take Him: but no man laid hands on Him, because His hour was not yet come. Joh 8:20 These words spake Jesus in the treasury, as He taught in the temple: and no man laid hands on Him; for His hour was not yet come. And, then, the hour came, Joh 12:23 And Jesus answered them, saying, The hour is come, that the Son of man should be glorified. Joh 12:27 Now is My soul troubled; and what shall I say? Father, save Me from this hour: but for this cause came I unto this hour. Joh 13:1 Now before the feast of the passover, when Jesus knew that His hour was come that He should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved His own which were in the world, He loved them unto the end. Joh 17:1 These words spake Jesus, and lifted up His eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify Thy Son, that Thy Son also may glorify Thee: Imagine that. Our Lord – our wonderful Lord, full of grace and truth – lived His entire life aware that His hour would surely come. Jesus’ life was lived in the shadow of the cross. Ought we live with an awareness of the hour, not careless as to time, not casual as to purpose, not presumptuous as to preservation? Jesus was on a divine schedule decreed by God before the foundation of the world. So are we! His attains death, so does ours - in the flesh. He conquers death, so do we - in Him. He is raised to glory, so will we be. Mourn not, believer, at death. Instead cry: “my hour is come!” Each week, every single believer sits under some form of teaching.
Every single week, every single believer. Here are 4 categories: 1. Sitting under heresy 2. Sitting under error 3. Sitting under truth 4. Sitting under nothing And actually, there may be only 3, since sitting under nothing is simply a form of sitting under error. How dangerous is this walk, that only one of those 4 is OK. The believer is secure, but the perils are real. Our Lord warns, Mat 7:13 "Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Mat 7:14 Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it. Oh, how the world and the flesh love the wide gate, the broad way. The accessible way, the sensible way, the practical way. The world is full of messengers like the one sent to Micaiah, 1Ki 22:13 And the messenger that was gone to call Micaiah spake unto him, saying, Behold now, the words of the prophets declare good unto the king with one mouth: let thy word, I pray thee, be like the word of one of them, and speak that which is good. “Say nice things. Tell them what they want to hear.” The pursuers of heresy and error and Sunday silence love to hear what they want to hear. This is the easy way, the path of least resistance. But the gate is narrow, the way difficult, that leads to life, Mat 7:13 "Enter by the narrow gate; … Mat 7:14 Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it. The great need of His Church is for His preachers to fearlessly declare His Word, like Micaiah - 1Ki 22:14 And Micaiah said, As the LORD liveth, what the LORD saith unto me, that will I speak. We love Micaiah for that. Grace Matters
240715 When it’s OK to sell dead baby organs Videos have been released this week and last where prominent practitioners at Planned Parenthood in the USA were secretly filmed casually discussing the sale of the organs and other “specimens” from the corpses of aborted babies. But it really shouldn’t shock, because it is OK to sell dead babies’ organs. Or at least it ought to be, for if abortion is legal, what does it matter happens to the earthly remains of the non-persons killed? It’s OK to sell the organs of dead babies when they aren’t people yet. It’s OK to sell the organs of dead babies when they are simply a mass of tissue, or products of conception. It’s OK to sell the organs of dead babies when the industry is merely efficiently maximizing resources in new ways of pursuing its primary aim, to make millions of pounds for abortion providers. It’s OK to sell the organs of dead babies when the alternative is to consign all those perfectly useable specimens to the medical waste bins. It’s OK to sell the organs of dead babies when the baby is nothing more than an appendage to mother, despite having its own blood type, DNA, etc. If babies in utero aren’t human beings worthy of legal protection, then it is relentlessly logical to deem their “intact hearts”, “lower extremities” and fetal livers as suitable for harvesting. If babies in utero aren’t human beings worthy of legal protection, then it’s good business to sell “specimens” from their corpse for “anywhere from $30 to $100” per specimen”. If babies in utero aren’t human beings worthy of legal protection, then it only makes sense to position babies to be delivered breech before killing them to preserve their valuable organs. If babies in utero aren’t human beings worthy of legal protection, then it would be foolish to not avail of “ultrasound guidance” to avoid damaging the useful body parts available. If babies in utero aren’t human beings worthy of legal protection, then it would be an injustice for the DPP not to turn a blind eye to sex-selective abortions. But we know it’s not OK to sell dead babies’ organs. Something deep within us is appalled. Science leaves no doubt: babies in utero from the moment of conception are human beings. A point made rather plain by the desirability of their organs. And all human beings are worthy of legal protection. How depraved does it have to get until we say “enough”? Romans 1:28 ESV And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done. Anybody who has taken their First Aid course and obtained the certificate and put it on their CV is in deathly fear of one thing: that they’ll ever be called upon to use it.
For the believer who says, “God is faithful”, it can be a bit like that. You can say it, but do you use it? When the pressure is on, do your actions and do your words look and sound like “God is faithful”? Test yourself, against the words of our Lord on the Mount, Mat 6:19 "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; Mat 6:20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. There is great temptation to fill our savings. But is your life a pursuit of heavenly currency? Only if you truly believe God faithful. Be careful, Mat 6:21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. This next one, everyone struggles with. Before looking at the verse, answer this: if I tell my child, “do not touch”, do I mean it? Or do I mean, “try not to”? Funny, we want to do that sometimes with what our Lord says. When our Lord says “do not”, I don’t see “unless”, “except when”, “not if”. “Do not” means do not. So, we need to hear Him when He says, Mat 6:25 "Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? Do not worry. Worrying is the most fruitless of human activities. It produces nothing, yet costs you much. Worrying is utterly unproductive. Mat 6:27 Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature? Can you worry if God is faithful? Now, you will be saying, “I know I shouldn’t.” Then comes “but”, and excuses. Can we agree there are no excuses? Worrying is bad for your health, but it’s much worse than that. It is disobedient. And it is even worse than that, Mat 6:28 "So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; Mat 6:29 and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Mat 6:30 Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? It’s a faith issue. When you worry, that is an affront to God. That is a faith statement. The statement is: “I don’t trust you”. Worry, above all, dishonours God. Mat 6:31 "Therefore do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' Mat 6:32 For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. Your Father knows. Your Father is faithful. Can you see how worry undermines trust, faith, confidence in God? Instead, Mat 6:33 … seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Mat 6:34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof. |
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June 2023
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