Month: December 2017

Don’t be a ‘lost’ celebrity

A recent news feed came through with a heading that said something like ‘Year in Review 2017: Remembering those we lost this year’. Roger Moore and Hugh Hefner were mentioned specifically. It’s always surprising how many celebrities have died each year and how many I’ve not heard of and also how many I didn’t realise had died. It struck me that they used the word lost. It made me think.

I’ve written previously that I’m unhappy about using the phrase ‘lost’ for those that have died in Christ. I’m not happy about those that have died outside of Christ either. But the terrible reality for those that have died without Christ is they are truly lost in every sense of that word. How many of those celebrities are truly lost I have no idea. I’m glad I don’t know but with some (as with non-celebrities) we fear the worst.

There’s a lovely verse in the Bible that says ‘For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost’ (Luke 19:10 ESV). We don’t need Christmas to remind us, that Jesus came, and that He came to seek and to save the lost. There is no specific season to remember the grace of God – we can remember that every day.

Death and sin are the great levelers. The great and the good as well as the poor and the not so good will know these realities. It doesn’t matter how large or small a person’s ‘send-off’ is. Or whether in poor simplicity or with great pomp; they are equally dead just the same. The real question isn’t whether they are lost or not as we simply do not know. The real question is whether you are lost or not. If everyone were to be saved there would be no need for the Son of God to do any seeking. But He came, not only to seek, but to save. The wonder is by the Holy Spirit He is still seeking and saving. That doesn’t sit very well with our modern ‘can do’ independent sensibilities. But it’s something we are familiar with. Recruitment agencies ‘Headhunt’ the best candidates, usually for high-end positions. The Son of God is seeking sinners. That’s the only qualification He’s looking for – a realisation of sinfulness and of lostness.

Thankfully our lostness can be turned into foundness by the saving power of The Lord Christ. Many will know the first verse of John Newton’s hymn ‘Amazing Grace’. But if not, here it is:

Amazing grace! how sweet the sound,
That saved a wretch; like me!
I once was lost, but now am found,
Was blind, but now I see.

One of the most well known stories Jesus told is the Prodigal (wasteful) son and how this son went into the far country. But his father looked for his son and eventually embraced him exclaiming, ‘For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’ And they began to celebrate’ (Luke 15:24).

The theme of being lost and being found is a wonderful redemptive theme. Its wonder is found in the reality of what The Lord Jesus Christ has done for sinners. The Prodigal son was aware of his great unworthiness as he fell at the feet of his Father. It’s a great picture of poor lost unworthy sinners coming to Christ for salvation. And it’s to Him, and only to Him, we must come. As the Bible says ‘… there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved (Acts 4:12). No one else has done what Christ has done to redeem sinners, and no one else is mighty to save.

It’s unlikely a celebrity will be reading this, but if you are one, then you too along with the poorest most unlikely sinners may and must flee to Christ. Then trusting only in His great Redeeming work upon the Cross like John Newton, and every other Christian through the ages, you may also be found instead of being lost.

Is this Christmas? Extracting The Legal Pain!

Extracted is the legal pain. These five words in verse two form a single line in this remarkable hymn by Charles Wesley. This is Wesley at his best as someone said. These hymns are not inspired in the same authoritative sense that the Bible is but they can convey profound truth in a wonderful way. Inspired perhaps with a little i. These five words convey two very important Bible truths. Truths that need to be constantly stated because man in sin always assumes and seeks to state the opposite and to deny the truth. So what are these two truths?

1. ‘Extracted is the legal pain’ tells us of a problem. Any punishment is unpleasant and we all recognise that it’s the result of doing something wrong. Overstay in a car park and a demand for payment will arrive in the post. Get caught speeding and you’ll get a fine. These are trite examples but you get the idea. If you get caught breaking the law of God – and make no mistake we have all been caught – payment is required. The Bible calls it sin. And as we continue sinning, that is, as we continue breaking the law of God we are, as it were, earning a wage. The Bible says very plainly that the wages of sin is death (Rom 6:23). As if that wasn’t bad enough, the reason we continue to sin is because there’s a deeper problem. The problem is that there’s a something wrong with our nature. But we seek to deny it or play it down. What problem? There’s nothing wrong with me, you might say, even though you know full well there is a problem. There’s a deep-seated problem that’s impervious to mere outward reformation. What’s required is a reformation that goes far beyond any outward change. Changes of habit or lifestyle are definitely in vogue and even make good viewing. But these changes will do nothing for us legally before God. In the court of God who can make representation for us when on every hand we are found guilty in thought word and deed. Any earthly representative has the same problem. It’s no accident The Lord Jesus Christ is called our Advocate (1 John 2:1). The problem for us is that we need a nature that is beyond the law. There isn’t one! The law of God condemns all. It slays all! All are guilty and found wanting before a Holy and Righteous God.

2. Although the words speak of punishment in an excruciating manner the legal pain is being extracted from an innocent party. The fact is, the legal pain should really be extracted from me, the guilty sinner, but it’s been extracted from another! Secondly then, to ‘Extract the legal pain’ speaks of Substitutionary Atonement. And this is the heart of The Gospel and why The Lord Jesus Christ came into the world. And it’s why at Christmas we realise why The Christ came. It’s not really about stars, stables and shepherds but about a bloody cross, about agony of soul and of body, about punishment and death. It’s about the cost of Redemption! A cost we sinners cannot ever possibly pay. Not even an eternity will extract the legal pain from us! We need another to do it for us. One that is suitably qualified for the awful task. Although Wesley has captured the horror of breaking the law of God putting the frighteners on you is not necessarily a good evangelistic strategy. But on the other hand, you are a fool if you ignore it because you don’t like being threatened or dislike ‘hellfire preaching’. The truth is, there is a Hell. And there’s only one way to escape it (Heb 2:3). That way is The Lord Jesus Christ (John 14:6). Being ‘right with God’ is a legal declaration that God makes. This is the Justification by faith that is celebrated this 500th Reformation year – and every year. Because of what Christ has accomplished on the Cross, God is able to be just and to justify those that have faith in The Lord Jesus Christ (Rom 3:23-26).

So it’s no wonder the Wise men and the Shepherds rejoiced when the Salvation of God appeared. We Christians ought to be amazed at what God did in sending His Son. And we are amazed at what Christ has done by coming to us when we could not and would not go to Him (Heb 10:5). Salvation truly is of The Lord. Will you trust Him? Is your faith in The Christ? Please have a happy Christmas. But don’t ignore or neglect what it’s really all about.

From Glory to earth He came!

While at a funeral recently we were told that now the deceased is experiencing the Glories of heaven they would not want to come back to this life. It makes perfect sense. Who in their right mind after living in this world of sorrow and death would want to come back after knowing the fullness of joy in heaven. I’ve heard this said many times at funerals. ‘They wouldn’t want to come back here!’ And yet, this is exactly what The Lord Jesus Christ did. Completely in His right mind He purposefully and deliberately left heaven to dwell among sinners. But much more than that. This was no sightseeing visit. The Bible says ‘Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief’ (Paul). This is what the Incarnation is about. God came in the flesh (took a human body) not to visit but to die. We tend to sentimentalise it and lose the impact and the truth of what God was doing through The Lord Jesus. Although we remember and celebrate that He came down from earth to heaven, if we keep Him in the manger then the purpose of His coming will be lost on us. The Wise men and the shepherds worshipped the King of glory. They weren’t worshipping a baby. Not only did He come to die, but in dying – and rising – He secured eternal salvation (the forgiveness of sins and peace with God) for all those that believe on The Lord Jesus Christ. Unless your faith is in what Christ has done, it won’t matter how much you enjoy Christmas you’ll be lost. Perhaps Christmas is all humbug to you and is for you just a time when silly Christians try to sing carols. Just because you think it all stuff and nonsense has absolutely no bearing on its truthfulness or your need of a Saviour. Whether ‘religious’ or not, this Saviour who is born Christ the Lord must be your Saviour for there is no one else to whom we may go.

Thank You David: An Encouragement to Pray

Years ago I used to play snooker regularly at a local club and spent a lot of time in that smoke filled room. One of the men I played with a lot was a man named David. David was an epileptic and often could be seen drooling down his beard. Not a pretty sight. He was a regular at the club and from memory I had the impression he was tolerated more than befriended. I got on with him ok and would have a few frames with him. The detail is a little hazy as is the order of events. Nevertheless, at some point after becoming a Christian David told me he had been praying for me. Whether his comment about praying for me didn’t register I can’t remember but I do remember trying to find David to thank him. I asked in the Christian Bookshop. I enquired at the snooker club. David was not to be found. I never saw him again. But I have not forgotten him. I have never forgotten that when I was lost and without Christ David prayed. For me.

Now here’s the point, or points.

1. What’s remarkable is that I’m quite sure David never spoke to me about The Gospel or about The Lord Jesus or of my need of a Saviour. He never ‘witnessed’ to me. Others did, but he didn’t.

2. Despite the fact he never spoke the Gospel to me I had a great sense of thankfulness, even making several unsuccessful attempts to find him.

3. David as far as people went was a non-entity (1 Corinthians 1:26-29) He would have been overlooked and passed by. But God heard his prayer.

4. The Bible says ‘faith comes by hearing’ (Romans 10:17) and so it does, but it also says ‘the fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much’ (James 5:15). I don’t know how fervent David’s prayers were for me. But I do know our feeble attempts at prayer go through our Great High Priest – The Lord Jesus Christ. Yet, for all our feebleness, our great God has decreed the use of means. In this case the prayers of an epileptic non-entity called David. Isn’t that wonderful?

What’s encouraging is the fact that after nearly 40 years as a Christian I’m still filled with a sense of thankfulness that David prayed for me. Not that he pummelled me with the Gospel, invited me to Church or any of the other ‘means’, but that he prayed. Some people are very gifted at speaking the Gospel. And we need them. But don’t ever be tempted to think that all you can do is ‘simply’ pray.

May we all, like David, pray, and God will work. Thank you David.