Month: August 2015

‘I have overcome the world’

We were treated to a wonderful sermon this morning from a passage in the Gospel of John 16:25 – 33. The sermon focused on the words of Jesus in v33 ‘I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world‘.

Pastor Watts had two very simple points; i) what the passage does not say and ii) what it does say.

To anyone that is suffering or in pain of any sort I recommend this sermon. Suffering and pain are a part of living in a fallen world and there is no escape from these things. No matter how powerful you are or how much wealth you might have you are unprotected ultimately from pain and suffering. If you are a believer I pray this sermon will be a great blessing to you. If you are not a believer I pray you will bow the knee to King Jesus that the blessing of God may be upon you – and that you may have Hope in Christ.

Listen to or download the Sermon ‘Christ has overcome the world’ Here.

We ended the service by singing ‘Begone unbelief’.

1 Begone unbelief;
My Savior is near,
And for my relief
Will surely appear:
By prayer let me wrestle,
And he will perform;
With Christ in the vessel,
I smile at the storm.

2 Though dark be my way,
Since he is my guide,
‘Tis mine to obey,
‘Tis his to provide:
Though cisterns be broken,
And creatures all fail,
The word he has spoken
Shall surely prevail.

3 His love in time past
Forbids me to think
He’ll leave me at last
In trouble to sink;
Each sweet Ebenezer
I have in review
Confirms his good pleasure
To help me quite through.

4 Determined to save,
He watched o’er my path,
When, Satan’s blind slave,
I sported with death;
And can He have taught me
To trust in His name,
And thus far have brought me
To put me to shame?

5 Why should I complain
Of want or distress,
Temptation or pain?
He told me no less;
The heirs of salvation,
I knew from His word,
Through much tribulation,
Must follow their Lord.

6 Since all that I meet
Shall work for my good,
The bitter is sweet,
The medicine is food;
Though painful at present,
‘Twill cease before long;
And then, O how pleasant,
The conqueror’s song!

John Newton, 1725 – 1807
This version in Christian Hymns, 697.

Jesus is Superior to Mohammed

The Superiority of Jesus over Mohammed.

What a difference between Muhammad and Allah. Did either love sinful creatures as our Lord Jesus Christ? This is brought out beautifully in The Belgic Confession, Article 26: About the Intercession of our Lord Jesus Christ. Does Muhammad love like this? Does the God of Islam, Allah, love like this? Did Allah come down to lay his life down for sinners. Not at all! Allah is removed from his creatures and cannot enter into our world. Muhammad, himself a sinner cannot provide salvation for anyone as he is a sinner also in need of salvation. Sinners will not find absolution, the forgiveness of sins or peace with God through Mohammed but they may certainly find it through the Lord Jesus Christ.

Read all of Article 26 but note the following extract:

‘For there is, neither among heaven nor among the terrestrial creatures, one who more lovingly embraces us than Christ Himself, Who, “although He was in the form of God, emptied His very self,” and, on account of us, “was made like His brethren in all things.” But if we had to contrive another Mediator for ourselves through seeking, who would deem us of some worth, who would love us more zealously than He Himself Who willingly abandoned His own life on our behalf when we were up to that point enemies?’

What are we to say? Can Mohammed save? Did Mohammed die in the place of his followers? Does Mohammed intercede for sinners? Mohammed only left rules and regulations. Jesus kept the law of God perfectly and then died in the place of sinners. ‘In my place condemned He stood, sealed my pardon with His blood’!

In Islam YOU submit. It’s a religion of works, and you’ll never know if it’s enough. Christianity is a religion of Grace (undeserved favour), someone else has submitted – JESUS has submitted. No-one else is good enough. (1 Tim 2:5; Heb 7:25 – 28; John 14:6)

1 Man of sorrows! ‘what a name
For the Son of God, who came
Ruined sinners to reclaim!
Hallelujah! what a Saviour!

2 Bearing shame and scoffing rude,
In my place condemned He stood;
Sealed my pardon with His blood:
Hallelujah! what a Saviour!

3 Guilty, vile and helpless, we;
Spotless Lamb of God was He;
Full atonement! – can it be?
Hallelujah, what a Saviour!

4 Lifted up was He to die,
‘It is finished!’ was His cry;
Now in heaven exalted high:
Hallelujah! what a Saviour!

5 When He comes, our glorious King,
All his ransomed home to bring,
Then anew this song we’ll sing:
Hallelujah! what a Saviour!

Philip Paul Bliss, 1838 – 76.
Version in Christian Hymns (1978) No, 221.

It’s worth comparing, so here’s a link to three articles hosted by the Islamic site The Religion of Islam about salvation. All three are together in This Link.

The articles are:

Salvation in Islam (part 1 of 3): What is Salvation?
Salvation in Islam (part 2 of 3): Worship and Obey God
Salvation in Islam (part 3 of 3): Repentance