Worship
Please worship the Lord through the words of this song, in the way that you feel to be the most helpful & appropriate.

My hope is built on nothing less
Than Jesus’ blood & righteousness (x 2)
I dare not trust the sweetest frame
But wholly trust in Jesus’ name.
Christ alone, Cornerstone
Weak made strong in the Saviour’s love
Through the storm
He is Lord, Lord of all.

When darkness seems to hide His face
I rest on His unchanging grace
In every high & stormy gale
My anchor holds within the veil
My anchor holds within the veil.
Christ alone, ………..

When He shall come with trumpet sound
Oh, may I then in Him be found
Dressed in His righteousness alone
Faultless, stand before the throne.
Christ alone, ………….

Sermon on the Mat: Get on Board

‘We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems & trials, for we know that they help us to develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character & character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. And this hope will not lead to disappointment ……..’ Romans 5:3-5. NLT.

Did you know that there’s a hope, a lasting & enduring hope that, come what may, will never lead to disappointment? Not if we commit to knowing this hope for ourselves. The hope that is ever present to save us! The very moment we place our hand into His. The hand that is always reaching out in love, towards us. The hand that once having taken hold of us, will never let us go. As I reflect upon this truth the following lyrics by Don Francisco come to mind –

‘The life that I have given you no one can take away
I’ve sealed it with My Spirit, blood & Word
The everlasting Father has made His covenant with you
And He’s stronger than the world you’ve seen & heard.

So don’t you fear to show them all the love I have for you
I’ll be with everywhere in everything you do
And even if you do it wrong & miss the joy I planned
I’ll never, never let go of your hand.’

To ignore such a lifeline is to deny ourselves the joy of loving Him & being loved by Him, forever. To find ourselves in the same terrible predicament as the person in the following story –

A man was stuck on a rooftop in the middle of a flood, praying to God for help. A rowing boat came by & the rower shouted up to the man, “Jump in. I can save you.” The man replied, “It’s ok. I’m praying & God is going to save me.” So the rowing boat went on. Then a motorboat came by. The fellow in the motorboat shouted, “Jump in. I can save you.” The stranded man answered, “No thanks, I’m praying & I have faith that God will save me.” So the motorboat went on. Then a helicopter came by & the pilot shouted down, “Grab this rope & I will lift you to safety.” The man once more retorted, “No thanks, I’m praying & trusting God completely.” So the helicopter flew away.

Soon the water rose above the rooftop. The man drowned & went to heaven. Seeing God, the man protested, “I trusted you to save me but instead you let me drown. Why would you do that?!” God replied, “I sent you a rowing boat, a motorboat & a helicopter. What more could I have done?”

Small wonder Paul, in respect of this life-changing imperative, writes, ‘Today (not tomorrow) is the day of salvation!’ 2 Corinthians 6:2. NLT. As the old adage says, ‘strike while the iron’s hot!’

That said, lest we should for one minute imagine that the burden of responsibility for our salvation rests entirely upon our shoulders, let me remind you that God’s great rescue plan for our lives was well in hand long before we knew we needed it (Ephesians 1:4). As I came to rediscover for myself during my four years at Spurgeon’s College, in the end, – ‘It is not we who take hold of God but He who takes hold of us!’ Hence the College’s motto – ‘Et teneo, et teneor.’ (I hold & I am held).

I was eleven years old when I ‘gave my heart to the Lord!’ When I told my dad the good news, he responded by telling me that I would, ‘soon get over it!’ Which of course, thankfully, I never did. Almost sixty years on it’s still the best decision I ever made. That & getting married to Anne-Marie.

Throughout the years, my dad & I had ample opportunity to speak about my faith. Conversations, more often than not, initiated by him. The end result was that he too, together with my mother, became a child of God’s eternal Kingdom. Not a day too late or a day too soon! What an amazing way of life to get into & to never have to get over, don’t you think? A life that is yours for the taking, if you would but be willing to simply, ‘get on board?!’

Prayer
Father God, I know that you offer forgiveness & salvation.
I come to You to confess that I know Jesus is Lord over all.
I believe in my heart, God, that You raised Him from the dead
And that He sits on the throne with You.
I ask forgiveness from my sin & ask You to take control of my heart.
Save me from my sinful nature & fill me with
the renewing strength & power of Your Holy Spirit. Amen.

Please pray for –

• The paralysis of fear & uncertainty that has gripped our nation, and its knock on effects, emotionally, economically & educationally.
• Those who are sick, that they will have the care & treatment they need, and find peace & perseverance amidst suffering. Pray for those in isolation, that they would seek their strength in Jesus.