What we need to do

By Pastor Peter Linnecar

When Jesus was on earth, it was important for him to relay to us what we needed to do.

Mark 16:14-18 (show/hide)

14 Afterward he appeared unto the eleven as they sat at meat, and upbraided them with their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they believed not them which had seen him after he was risen.

15 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.

16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.

17 And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues;

18 They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.

Close

We need to aim to witness God by his Holy Spirit draw people we know into his kingdom. We should see people as God sees them, not with our prejudices. When Jesus said this to his disciples at the end of his life, it was real.

Matthew 28:18-20 (show/hide)

18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.

19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:

20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

Close

This was a command from Jesus. He knew the Holy Spirit was about to be given, and he knew that those disciples would have the power inside to witness to others of Jesus Christ. And that includes you and me. During the years of Jesus' preaching, there were those who couldn't stomach what was going on.

Matthew 12:38 (show/hide)

38 Then certain of the scribes and of the Pharisees answered, saying, Master, we would see a sign from thee.

Close

They weren't sincere, but this was the question they threw out.

Matthew 12:39-50 (show/hide)

39 But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas:

40 For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.

41 The men of Nineveh shall rise in judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: because they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and, behold, a greater than Jonas is here.

42 The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: for she came from the uttermost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and, behold, a greater than Solomon is here.

43 When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest, and findeth none.

44 Then he saith, I will return into my house from whence I came out; and when he is come, he findeth it empty, swept, and garnished.

45 Then goeth he, and taketh with himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first. Even so shall it be also unto this wicked generation.

46 While he yet talked to the people, behold, his mother and his brethren stood without, desiring to speak with him.

47 Then one said unto him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to speak with thee.

48 But he answered and said unto him that told him, Who is my mother? and who are my brethren?

49 And he stretched forth his hand toward his disciples, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren!

50 For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother.

Close

For you and I to be linked as brothers in Christ, the key part is to do the will of the father in our lives. God in his mercy wants you to hear this.

Here Jesus referred to the sign of Jonah. As I have looked at the book of Jonah it is as though it should be in the New Testament. It is all about forgiveness and grace. People look at things in a way that doesn't bring glory to Jesus Christ. There are people who insist on condemning others to a Christless eternity because they don't have forgiveness to those people, and don't think they could ever become a Christian. Jonah couldn't stomach it that God was going to forgive the people of Nineveh.

Jesus was very aware of who Jonah was. His birthplace was within two miles of Nazareth, and all that region knew about Jonah. Nineveh was the pits; it was too evil for God to forgive, so it was thought.

A greater than Jonah is here. Are you going to change? Is it going to be different for you?

Sometimes we don't understand what is happening. Things might be going wrong in our lives, but what God is doing, is fulfilling his purposes in his time, in his way, for his glory. That applies to you in your life.

Luke 11:29-32 (show/hide)

29 And when the people were gathered thick together, he began to say, This is an evil generation: they seek a sign; and there shall no sign be given it, but the sign of Jonas the prophet.

30 For as Jonas was a sign unto the Ninevites, so shall also the Son of man be to this generation.

31 The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with the men of this generation, and condemn them: for she came from the utmost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and, behold, a greater than Solomon is here.

32 The men of Nineve shall rise up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: for they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and, behold, a greater than Jonas is here.

Close

Jesus Christ lives inside you, and he's all-powerful, all-knowing. He has conquered death. He is alive. As we go forward as a church, I guarantee to you that you will witness the power of God keeping you. Our dependence is totally on him. salvation is of the Lord. I know that what's happening at the moment in your life is happening because God is revealing more of himself to you. There will come a time soon – it might even be happening tonight – when you will know that God is sorting everything out for good.

2 Kings 14:23-27 (show/hide)

Close

Here is a man who knew the word of the Lord. At some point in his life, God speaks to him again.

Jonah 1:1-3 (show/hide)

1 Now the word of the LORD came unto 2 Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry against it; for their wickedness is come up before me.

3 But so he paid the fare thereof, and went down into it, to go with them unto Tarshish from the presence of the LORD.

Close

Who is God speaking to you about tonight? It is God who initiates everything to his glory.

You can't get more opposite than Nineveh to Tarshish, 1,000 miles away. He was not going to do it. Nineveh was the enemy, they had been tormenting Israel.

When God speaks and you know that he's a true and faithful witness, we need to obey. When we think about other people who are in desperate need of a saviour, and who are in need to come to darkness into his glorious light, what we must not do is write off anyone. What we must not do is harbour in our hearts something that tells them they deserve what they get. That isn't God's heart. God's way is one where he will fulfil his purposes of grace, love and truth. He's the God of judgment, but there was a window of opportunity that came to the people of Nineveh that God wanted Jonah to deliver.

Psalm 23:6 (show/hide)

6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.

Close

It's not time to flee from the presence of the Lord. It's not time for us to get out of focus. The time now is for us to be more focussed than we have ever been before on the Lord.

Holding forth the Word of Life

As Christians, we need to hold forth the word of life.

In the early church, God organised everything so that His word of life came upon a variety of people and changed them forever.

Acts 16:12 – 18

The damsel was a fortune teller and her masters were running a business through her and conning people out of money.

Acts 16:19 – 34

How did God get hold of that keeper of the prison? The keeper had carried out his job and locked Paul and Silas in prison. When the earthquake happened Paul and Silas had the opportunity to escape but they didn’t, which resulted in the keeper of the prison coming to them and asking what he must do to be saved.

External Links:
Listen to the online sermon (Podcast) »

God Knows What He Is Doing!

God manoeuvres things in the circumstances of mankind because He loves us. God knows what He is doing in the affairs of man. He knows what He is doing in building His church. He knew what He was doing when His son went to Calvary.

Philippians 1:1 – 7

God does what He does at the time He does it for a purpose. There is no template of how God operates. He is faithful and He is love. God has opened our hearts and our minds for that word of life to come and dwell inside us.

Philippians 2:1 – 4

These verses are very practical. The people of Philippi knew how the church had started and the miracle that happened with the earthquake. Paul wanted them to hold forth the word of life. They needed to be aware of what God had done in their midst. God builds His church in His way and in His time.

Philippians 2:5 – 8

The reason why Jesus humbled Himself, was because He knew what needed to be done in order for the church to exist. For the joy that was set before Him he endured the cross. He went through everything for you and me and forgot His own reputation. Nothing matters other than what is inside of a person.

From generation to generation God communicates His life, because He loves us. What’s the future for us and our children? Our future is to bring praise to the One who has given us life inside. Our future is to communicate to others and allow Him to share his love to others through us.

Philippians 2:9 – 11

He’s alive. He is the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords. His life is communicated to people and changes them on the inside. We are here at this time in our life, because He wants us to hold forth the word of life that He has given us.

What Is Your Foundation?

Philippians 2:12 – 13

It is God who is working in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure. Our standing before God does not change because of the current circumstances in our life. What is the foundation of your life? Where is your trust?

Philippians 2:12 – 15

Across the world there are people who can’t stand the Gospel and so we are to be as lights in the world, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation. We are going to hold forth the word of life, and recognise what God has done in our lives.

What’s the future of your life? To allow God to work in your life and to be obedient to Him. The keeper of the prison didn’t consider that putting Paul and Silas in prison would result in His salvation. How are you going to react to a new circumstance? What’s your foundation? Where are you going? There are people who are just waiting for that time when God’s life comes to them.

Philippians 2:16

Are you going to hold forth the word of life or are you going to let a circumstance turn you about? You know the miraculous provision of God and how God’s life was communicated to you. God is organising His church in His way worldwide. He knows what He is doing.

He’s a wonderful saviour and the church is His bride. There is nothing that can prevail against it. He went to the cross, took everything in Himself and died to it, so that sin could be conquered in your life. You don’t have to live contrary to God, your life can change. There was a reason for the miracle that happened in Philippi.

God is faithful. He is true. He is all love. He forgives you and me. He has forgiven you and me. Why? Because He is building His church.

We’ve only got one life. Let’s go forward, holding forth the word of life.