South Featherstone Gospel Hall

  We are coming to the end of Paul’s characteristics of love in 1Corinthians 13. Whilst each of the characteristics or aspects has meaning in our human world, all of them also have a spiritual relevance, which relates to our life in Jesus Christ and all of them firstly have their meaning in God’s love because that is the very essence of love. There is no greater love than that which God has for us, and we are being urged by Paul to emulate that love. Just before Paul closes the intense description of the characteristics of love we have 4 very sharp and consistent aspects given to us and the first is “Love always protects”.  We only protect things that we value. If something is of no value to us then we make no effort to preserve or protect it. If we really love a person, then we are willing to make virtually any sacrifice to ensure their life is free from trouble. The example often used is a mother’s love for her offspring, either in the animal or human world. Seeking to defen...

The Hour Has Come – John 12:20-36 Dear Friends, imagine the growing tension in Jerusalem. The crowds are still buzzing from Jesus’ triumphal entry, and now some Greeks come seeking Him. They want to see this man everyone is talking about. When the disciples tell Jesus, His response is surprising and deeply solemn: “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.” (v. 23) He then speaks of a grain of wheat: “Unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.” (v. 24) Jesus is looking ahead to the cross. His glory will not come through earthly power or popularity, but through death — His death. He knows the path before Him is one of suffering, yet He willingly chooses it so that many may live. He continues with words that still challenge us today: “Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.” (v. 25) Then comes the moment of deep agony in His soul. Jesus says, “No...

  The Bible contains many statements where half of the statement is a negative but then followed by a positive. It is said that nature abhors a vacuum. What this basically means is that if you remove anything, then something else will take its place. The same is true of statements in the Bible. If there is a command or advice telling us NOT to do something, then it could leave a hole in your life, so it normally is followed by a positive statement telling us to DO something.  For example, in very simplistic terms, Do not sin would be followed by but do good. The next aspect of love follows on from the last one which said, “Love does not delight in evil …..” and is “--- but love rejoices in the truth.” Any relationship which involves love MUST have a basis in absolute truth to succeed and, knowing that truth is the keynote, ensures a clear conscience and a joyful heart. God’s love towards us was totally true and involved such a sacrifice. That is the type of love we should show...

  The Fragrance of Extravagant Love – John 12:1-11 Dear Friends, picture the warm evening light in the home of Lazarus in Bethany, just six days before Passover. The house is filled with the aroma of a meal, but something far more powerful fills the air — the rich, unmistakable scent of pure nard, an extremely expensive perfume. Mary takes a pound of this costly ointment and pours it over the feet of Jesus. She then wipes His feet with her hair. The fragrance fills the entire house. Judas Iscariot is quick to criticise: “Why was this ointment not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?” (v. 5). But John tells us his concern was not for the poor — he was a thief who helped himself to the money bag. Jesus defends Mary with gentle but firm words: “Leave her alone; she intended to keep it for the day of my burial. For the poor you always have with you, but you do not always have me.” (vv. 7–8) This was no ordinary act of kindness. Mary understood something the others miss...

  Today is Palm Sunday. Today in the Christian church calendar is the day when we remember Jesus entering Jerusalem for the last time. His ‘fame’ had spread over the 3 years of His ministry and when the Disciples started to sing His praises, He was recognised by the crowds, and they joined in the praise and threw palm branches on the road before Him. There were those who did not know Him and asked the question about the person and reason for joyful disturbance and Jesus was described as the prophet from Nazareth. Only 1 week later and this ‘prophet’ was unjustly executed, but totally in accordance with the plan of Salvation which God had made. Today, as on every Sunday, we will remember our Saviour and the death He suffered on our behalf. We may touch on His character as a prophet, but that will not be main remembrance because our salvation from sin and the sacrifice he made, enables us to see Him in a much wider role and yet a role that is personal to each one of us. Our worship w...

  The King Who Comes on a Donkey – Matthew 21:1-11 Dear Friends, picture the narrow streets of Jerusalem buzzing with excitement. It is Passover week, and the city is bursting with pilgrims. Then, from the Mount of Olives, a humble procession begins. Jesus sends two disciples ahead to fetch a young donkey. He mounts it and rides slowly toward the city gate. The crowd erupts. People spread their cloaks on the road. Children and adults wave fresh green palm branches, shouting with joy: “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!” (Matthew 21:9 ESV) This is the day we now call Palm Sunday — the day the King of kings entered Jerusalem. Not on a war horse with soldiers, but on a humble donkey, exactly as the prophet Zechariah had foretold centuries earlier: “Behold, your king is coming to you, humble, and mounted on a donkey” (Zechariah 9:9). The people were right to cheer. Jesus truly is the promised King. Yet many in that crow...

  “Love does not delight in evil” is half of the next verse about aspects of love that we should or should not display and practice in our lives. It seems on the surface one of the easier aspects to practice. But just looking a little deeper, how often do we say when something bad happens to a bad person or someone we don’t get on with, “it served him/her right!”? If we read a newspaper, do we prefer to read more the reports of bad things that have happened than of the good things, that is if we can find any good news items? Our basic human nature seems always to go down to the lowest categories of news and that human nature needs to be suppressed by the help of the Holy Spirit living within us. We can never fight these basic human instincts on our own and we need to honestly recognise that to express the love of God in our lives, we are not guilty of preferring the ‘darker’ side of events and that we are not guilty of even looking for ways to ‘get even’ with someone, to pay them b...

  The Lord Is My Keeper – Psalm 121 Dear Friends, picture the rocky paths of ancient Israel winding through the hills. A traveller sets out on a long journey — perhaps heading to Jerusalem for one of the great festivals. The road is steep, the sun is hot, and dangers lurk: wild animals, bandits, sudden storms, or simply the weariness that comes from mile after mile on foot. As he lifts his eyes to the hills, the question rises in his heart: “Where does my help come from?” The answer rings out with quiet confidence in Psalm 121: “I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.” (v. 1–2 ESV) The psalmist doesn’t offer vague optimism. He points to the Creator Himself — the One who spoke the mountains into being, who hung the stars in place, and who watches over every detail of His people’s lives. He will not let your foot be moved; He who keeps you will not slumber. Behold, he who keeps Israel will neither slumber n...

  Has somebody done you a bad turn today? Are you carrying some form of grudge against someone else because of an incident in the past? If you are a car driver, there are many incidents on the road which irritate us, as one driver tries to outsmart another, sometimes with tragic consequences. Sometimes it is hard to forget something done or said by someone that has hurt you and it may lead to lasting bad feeling between you. As Christians, we should not harbour such feelings because Jesus told us to ‘Love one another’. Peter asked a question of the Lord concerning his brother Andrew, ‘How often should I forgive my brother if he sins against me?’ Jesus answered effectively that there was no limit to forgiveness. When we came to Jesus to ask for our sins to be forgiven, did He put a limit on forgiveness? No! Past, present and even all future sins that we might commit are all forgiven. We may well suffer the direct consequences of our sin in this life, but eternally as far as God is c...

  When the Pressure is On – Jeremiah 20:10-13 Dear Friends, Jeremiah is in a very dark place. He has been faithful to God’s call, but his message of coming judgment has made him deeply unpopular. His own friends and neighbours are whispering against him. He hears their plots: “I hear many whispering, ‘Terror on every side! Denounce him! Let’s denounce him!’ All my friends are waiting for me to slip. ‘Perhaps he will be deceived; then we can overcome him and take our revenge on him.’” (v.10) The pressure is intense. The man who once spoke boldly for God now feels surrounded by betrayal and threat. Even those closest to him are watching for him to fall so they can destroy him. Yet in the middle of this despair, Jeremiah does something remarkable. He turns his eyes upward and declares: “But the Lord is with me like a mighty warrior; so my persecutors will stumble and not prevail. They will fail and be thoroughly disgraced; their dishonour will never be forgotten.” (v.11) Then comes th...

  There is so much ill feeling in the world today, there is rarely any good news, all we see is man against man and hatred within a nation and communities and outwardly from one nation to another. Human life means so little to so many people. The words ‘Do not kill’ seem to be easily ignored in the pursuit of ‘higher objectives’. Is this the world that God intended to be ideal world for humans to live in?? Man has turned it into a version of hell. When sin entered the world, as we read in the book of Genesis, it did not take many years before in a fit of jealousy and anger, Cain murdered his own brother. But in love for mankind, God provided a way back from the awful consequences of sin by sending His own Son to pay the price for the sin of the world, once and for ever! He then showed the way forward for man by offering a simple road to a life of love and peace. And it is that same love that we are thinking about at present and Paul’s description of what benefits the path of love c...

  Seek His Face – Psalm 105:4-9 Dear Friends, the psalmist calls us with a clear and urgent invitation: “Seek the Lord and his strength; seek his presence continually!” (v.4) Not just occasionally, not only when life is difficult, but continually. Day after day, moment by moment, we are to turn our hearts toward the living God and seek His face. The psalm then reminds us why this matters so deeply:  “Remember the wondrous works that he has done,   his miracles, and the judgments he uttered,   O offspring of Abraham, his servant,   children of Jacob, his chosen ones!” (vv.5-6) We are called to remember. To look back and recall God’s faithfulness to His people — the covenant He made with Abraham, the promises He kept with Isaac and Jacob, the wonders He performed in Egypt and in the wilderness. God has not changed. The same God who spoke to the patriarchs is still speaking to us today. “He is the Lord our God;   his judgments are in all th...

  We use the words ‘in love’ quite freely and in general we all have an understanding of what that means. Essentially it is when the feelings that you have for another person become stronger that the feelings you have for yourself and all you want to do is to please them even if it means inconveniencing yourself. But when you are ‘in’ something, it could mean you are surrounded by it. And I like that thought and while we are considering aspects of love in 1 Corinthians 13, we could say that we are in love because it is all concerned with the expression of love, stimulated by the love God has for us. But returning to the first expression above of being in love, we find in the next aspect in v 5 of 1 Corinthians 13, ‘Love is not self-seeking’. That expression is contrary to most of what goes on around us today. ‘I’m alright Jack’ and ‘if it feels right, just do it’ are two phrase that come to mind. While self-seeking may have its reward, it is like being on a treadmill, after you hav...

  One Sacrifice for All Time – Hebrews 10:4-10 Dear Friends, the writer to the Hebrews takes us deep into the heart of the Old Testament sacrificial system. Year after year, on the Day of Atonement, the blood of bulls and goats was offered for the sins of the people. Yet the writer makes a startling statement: “It is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.” (v.4) All those thousands of animals sacrificed over centuries could never fully deal with the guilt of sin. They could only cover it temporarily. They pointed forward, but they could not perfect those who drew near to God. Then the writer lets us listen in on a conversation that took place in eternity, long before Bethlehem. Quoting Psalm 40, he records the words of the Son speaking to the Father: “Sacrifices and offerings you have not desired, but a body you have prepared for me… Behold, I have come to do your will, O God.” (vv.5-7) Here is the wonder of the gospel. The Lord Jesus Christ did not come pri...

As far as the next aspect of love is concerned, we all have to seriously consider our own actions and particularly our words. In the NIV it says, “Love does not dishonour others”.  As human beings, we are all quite judgemental, we have our own ‘standards of behaviour’ and tend to look unfavourably on others who don’t perform in the same way as we expect. We may even attribute motives to their acts and words but really, we have no idea what was in their minds when they ‘offended’ our standards. This type of reflection and analysis is NOT honourable! But to discuss their behaviour widely with others is actually dishonourable, as Paul says quite clearly, because it shows a lack of love, and love is what we should all have one for another, as it is the glue that binds us together. This is a failing of which we are all guilty and it has done more to break up fellowships of believers than any other cause. Let us remember what the Lord Himself said, “Hereby shall men know that you are My...

  Who Are You? – John 8:21-30 Dear Friends, picture the tense atmosphere in the temple courts. Jesus has just shown grace to the woman caught in adultery, and now the religious leaders are pressing Him again. He looks at them and says something that cuts to the heart: “I am going away, and you will seek me, and you will die in your sin. Where I am going, you cannot come.” (John 8:21 ESV) The crowd is confused. “Will he kill himself?” they mutter, not understanding that He is speaking of His return to the Father. Jesus continues with quiet authority: “You are from below; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world. I told you that you would die in your sins, for unless you believe that I am he you will die in your sins.” (vv. 23–24) Then comes the pivotal question from the crowd: “Who are you?” Jesus replies, “Exactly what I have been telling you from the beginning… When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am he, and that I do nothing on m...

  Looking briefly at the next aspect/characteristic of love, it sees somehow out of place but does tie with the last one we looked at. “Love is not proud”. There must have been many love stories written about how pride has interfered with love. The obvious one for me is “Pride and Prejudice”, where one of the 2 main characters is a proud aristocrat and the other forms a bad opinion of him from a prejudiced source who gives her false information. There was a popular song written many years ago, whose title was “The things we do for love” and true love has no bounds and in spiritual terms, we only have to look at our Saviour and read Philippians 2 to see how much love He had for us and then go back to the beginning, where Paul says, “Let this mind be in you that was also in Christ Jesus”. If we want to know how to show love to others, then the example is there. Jesus was a willing partner in the plan of salvation, even to the extent of knowing the humiliation and shame that would be ...

The Woman Caught in Adultery – John 8:1–11 Dear Friends, the scribes and Pharisees drag a woman caught in adultery before Jesus in the temple courts. They make her stand in the middle of the crowd and say, “Teacher, this woman has been caught in the act of adultery. In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. So what do you say?” (vv. 4–5). They were testing Him—hoping to trap Him between the Law and mercy. Jesus does something extraordinary. He bends down and writes on the ground with His finger. The Bible doesn’t tell us what He wrote—perhaps names, sins, Scripture, or simply a moment to let the question hang. They keep pressing Him. He straightens up and says, “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her” (v. 7).  Then He bends down again and continues writing. One by one, starting with the oldest, they drop their stones and walk away. The crowd thins until only Jesus and the woman remain.  Jesus stands up. “Woman, where are they? Has no...

  We are now into the season of Spring, by all reckonings. Yesterday we passed the Vernal Equinox when the sun appears to be passing the Equator on its way up to our part of the globe. Spring is the season of new life in nature, the grass grows, the flowers bloom and the trees grow leaves. We celebrate new spiritual life, particularly around the Lord’s Table, every Sunday morning and we remember that our new life was only obtained by the death of Jesus, God’s Son. So we celebrate both events because we would never be able to praise God properly without our new birth and life, but the core of our service is Jesus Himself. His presence with us enables us to worship Him, just like the Disciples of old when they saw Jesus after His resurrection. In spirit, we too see Jesus and the Holy Spirit stimulates our hearts to praise. If we don’t experience these feelings when we gather together, then we should look at our hearts and our relationship status with our Saviour, because we should be...

  The Resurrection of Lazarus – John 11:1–45 Dear Friends, this is one of the most powerful stories in all of Scripture. Lazarus, the brother of Mary and Martha, is gravely ill. The sisters send word to Jesus: “Lord, he whom you love is ill” (v. 3). Jesus receives the message, but instead of rushing to Bethany, He waits two days. By the time He arrives, Lazarus has been dead four days. Martha meets Jesus with raw honesty: “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died” (v. 21). Jesus replies, “Your brother will rise again.” Martha says, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day” (v. 24). Then Jesus speaks words that change everything: “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?” (vv. 25–26). Martha affirms her faith: “Yes, Lord; I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the world” (v. 27...

  We now are continuing to look at the positive aspects of love in 1 Corinthians 13. This is perhaps where we should focus and compare our own behaviour to that which Paul documents and which, if we are honest, we all agree that we really should show in our lives. However, without the love of God shed abroad in our hearts, we will struggle to consistently achieve. “Love does not boast…”. Someone who is boastful is essentially over-stating their own achievements. I can see no benefit in boasting in any sphere, least of all when it comes to our salvation. We return to the Apostle John’s words, “Herein is love, not that we loved God but that He loved us and sent His son to be the propitiation for our sins”. We have no part in achieving our salvation and all our spiritual benefit comes from God and His love towards us. Any spiritual gift that we might exercise, God has given us We might even say that a boastful person does not appreciate the love of God and what it has done and by seek...

  The Plot Against Jeremiah – Jeremiah 11:18–20 Dear Friends, Jeremiah has been faithfully proclaiming God’s word to a rebellious nation. But obedience to God often brings opposition. In Jeremiah 11:18–20, the prophet discovers that the men of his own hometown, Anathoth, are plotting to kill him. “It was the LORD who made it known to me, and I knew; then you showed me their deeds. But I was like a gentle lamb led to the slaughter; I did not know it was against me they devised schemes…” (vv. 18–19). Jeremiah had no idea. These were his neighbours, perhaps even relatives. Yet they said, “Let us destroy the tree in its fruit; let us cut him off from the land of the living, that his name be remembered no more” (v. 19). They wanted to silence him completely. Jeremiah’s response is striking. He does not call down fire or curse them. Instead he turns to God in honest prayer: “But, O LORD of hosts, who judges righteously, who tests the heart and the mind, let me see your vengeance upon the...

  We now are continuing to look at the positive aspects of love in 1 Corinthians 13. This is perhaps where we should focus and compare our own behaviour to that which Paul documents and which, if we are honest, we all agree that we really should show in our lives. However, without the love of God shed abroad in our hearts, we will struggle to consistently achieve. “Love does not envy…”. Our society is a consumer society, we have little regard for the longevity of ‘things’. We are encouraged, by every advertisement means, to acquire new products and services. There is always an element in these advertisements that implies we ought to have whatever is being offered, to encourage a feeling of envy of those who do have these items. This is in direct opposition to the way love should be expressed. To have envy in our hearts makes us dissatisfied with what we do have. To want what someone else has, without having the means to acquire it is the basic cause of envy. But again, as Christian...

  Jesus Teaches in the Temple – John 7:1–2, 10, 25–30 Dear Friends, picture the tension in Jerusalem during the Feast of Tabernacles. Everyone is looking for Jesus, but not in a good way. The Jewish leaders want to kill Him (v. 1). Jesus stays in Galilee at first, telling His brothers He’s not going up to the feast because “my time has not yet come” (v. 6). Yet after they leave, He goes up in secret (v. 10). Halfway through the feast, Jesus enters the temple and begins teaching openly. The people are stunned. “How is this man learned, having never studied?” (v. 15). They debate among themselves. Some say, “Is this not the man they seek to kill?” Others whisper, “Can it be that the authorities really know that this is the Christ?” (vv. 25–26). Then the bold question: “We know where this man comes from… But when the Christ appears, no one will know where he comes from” (v. 27). Jesus answers with stunning clarity: “You know me, and you know where I come from? But I have not come of m...

  We now are starting to look at the positive aspects of love in 1 Corinthians 13. This is perhaps where we should focus and compare our own behaviour to that which Paul documents and which, if we are honest, we all agree that we really should show in our lives. However, without the love of God shed abroad in our hearts, we will struggle to consistently achieve. “Love is patient, love is kind”. Two sides of the same coin, one concerned with perhaps enduring hardship or unjust criticism from others and not reacting. And the other reaching out to the same person with a positive and helpful attitude. This mirrors the words of Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount, where He talks about how we should react to our enemies and those who are cruel to us. The purely human approach is to retaliate because the world attitude is ‘Don’t be soft’. That is what the world sees to be the right approach to bad treatment. Perhaps you say to me, “that is OK for you to say, but you don’t know what I have to...