Believing Thomas

Pastor Linnecar continues to look at the truth which lies behind the man we have learnt to write off as Doubting Thomas, but who should rather be seen as Believing Thomas.

Thomas, is often referred to as Doubting Thomas, and he has that title because of the episode we know, when he wanted to be sure for himself that Jesus had risen from the dead. I referred to the earlier time when he was with Jesus.

The wonderful thing about studying the characters of the apostles is that it dawns on you that Jesus Christ manages to reach any individual, any personality. I want to state categorically that Jesus Christ is alive. It doesn’t matter what the enemy throws at you, doesn’t matter what voices you hear off-stage, what people try and cover up with, Jesus Christ is alive and is here now. How do we know that? He’s here by His Holy Spirit. He was here when the choir got here this morning to practise. He’s here because He loves you.

On Friday we looked at a time when Jesus was saying a few things and the Pharisees and others didn’t like what He said, and were about to stone Him. Jesus left that place and heard that Lazarus was sick. Then He stayed where He was, even though He knew that Lazarus was dead.

John 11:14-16

They knew that when Jesus said they would go over to him, he was walking into a den of lions. But Thomas’s reaction was that he was going to go too. There was a courage in Thomas. He knew as he walked with Jesus over those years, there was something different about Him. As they walked with Him, they tried to work out what He meant – would He bring triumph over the Romans, for instance?

John 13:36-53

Jesus always tells the truth. But here Thomas wondered whether he did know the way.

John 14:5-7

What a reply to Thomas’s question! Jesus patiently in the earshot of all the disciples said He was the way, the truth, the life, and no man comes to the Father but by Him.

So that’s why in the last week, God by His Holy Spirit has been talking to you, and has been asking you this question – “Do you believe in me? Do you realise that up to this point, I’ve guided you. I’ve been with you.” “Right up to this point, I am the way the truth and the life. You don’t have to find out some hidden thing – I am the way.”

I’m sure it dawned on Thomas a little bit more that there was something totally different about getting involved with Jesus. He didn’t say, “I tell the truth”: it was “I am the truth.” It wasn’t that there are various ways you could try: “I am the way.” It wasn’t that there are various forms of life. “I am the life.”

That’s why everything turns on you and your relationship with Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is central to everything. And this morning He wants to remind you that every prayer you’ve prayed in the last week, anything which is on your heart, He’s heard you. And quite specifically this morning, He’s here for you.

“I am the way, the truth and the life.” So when Jesus died on the cross, Thomas couldn’t figure it out. “He told me I am the way, the truth and the life.” He was now crucified. And sometimes we can’t figure things out. Sometimes we think that God has somehow messed it up. Sometimes we think He hasn’t heard us, or that we don’t deserve anything because we’re no good. But there mere thought of getting things from God because of good deeds is completely wrong.

There’s something about the way God plans our lives which shows the intent of Him who loves you to reveal Himself to you. I know some people would dismiss all this, and say, “I don’t believe all this.” But if truth were known, these people in their heart of hearts know that something inside needs sorting out. And God by His grace – somehow He organises things so we find a solution.

“But Christianity is just a crutch. I don’t need Christianity. You do – you’re weak.” Well yes, I am weak. When it came to the power of sin in my life, I needed a solution. I was getting nowhere.

There was an honesty about Thomas. With Peter it was all up-front. Everyone knew what he thought. With Thomas there was always, “That’s true. I believe it. But I need clarification.”

I’ve done quite a bit with personality profiling. It’s often used in interviews – the four different aspects of a personality. And it’s fascinating to me to see the different types of personalities there are – the DISC model. If you’re a high “C” you want to dot every I and cross every T. And we need people like that. If you’re high “D”, it’s over the top, follow me. Thomas, I think, was more of a high “C” than a high “D”. But I think he was actually quite bold, because he often spoke up what others were only thinking – “We don’t actually know the way.” “If he’s going back to Judea, I’m with Him.”

And then Jesus died, and the first day of the week, Mary came to the tomb, and then found Peter and John, and they went to the tomb, and then Mary stood outside the sepulchre weeping, and had a personal encounter with Jesus.

Already before the Holy Spirit was given, Jesus was talking to Mary, telling her He was ascending to His Father, their Father, His God, their God. And that’s why you’re here this morning. Regardless of anything you’ve done this week, God has drawn you.

We’re not told what the disciples thought when Mary went to them. But they were glad when Jesus came to them that evening. But Thomas wasn’t there that evening. We don’t know why. Maybe he wasn’t as afraid of the Jews as they were.

Jesus said to the disciples – “Here are my hands and side – it really is me.”

And then Jesus left. Twice, He said, “Peace be unto you.” When the sea billows roll, there is a peace in Christ, which this world cannot give. He is our peace. And this morning, His words to some of you are, “Peace be unto you – peace, right in the midst.”

Jesus heard what Thomas said. I know you know that. But I want to concentrate on the timing, because God’s timings in your life are perfect.

There are people sitting here who are still looking for a job. I could quote you a number of people who sat where you are, where at the right time the job was made available and it has been secure. There is nothing God will not sort out for you. He’s your provider. Those facing financial difficulties – He is your provider. Whatever your difficulties are, God’s timing is perfect. What happened last year is in God’s timing for your life.

Was Thomas being stubborn – “I won’t believe unless I put my hands into His side”? I don’t think it was like that. I think he almost didn’t dare to believe what they were saying as true. He’d been so close to Jesus.

That night, Thomas went to sleep wondering. It wasn’t that he didn’t trust what the others disciples were saying. He’d been with them for at least three years. Why didn’t God include Him in what had happened? God listens to our thoughts. We’re talking here about the character of God who is a God of love. He hears you. Even this week He’s been listening. He’s not weak.

The next night Thomas went to bed like this. And the next, and the next. For seven nights he was trying to reconcile himself to the fact that God had revealed Jesus to the others and he hadn’t been there. He wanted it to happen to him. He wanted to be certain. He didn’t dare believe until he was sure.

Don’t stop coming to church. There’s something about when we meet together, that God by His Holy Spirit through His word reveals Himself. We don’t earn brownie points by coming to church, but when God reveals Himself it’s special.

Thomas still met with the other disciples even though Jesus hadn’t revealed Himself to them. And then Jesus came again. Imagine the effect upon Thomas. Wow – He’s showed up again! He’s here – I can see Him! What am I going to do now? What’s He going to say to me after what I’ve done?

It doesn’t matter what you’ve done in your life. It doesn’t matter the verbal abuse you’ve aimed at God – He’ll still keep coming.

Don’t react by saying you’ll just carry on doing it. Inside you know what I’m saying is true – you’ve been like Thomas. But Jesus by His Holy Spirit is here this morning.

When Jesus came He didn’t have a go at Thomas. He liked him. He knew he was straight and honest. Jesus didn’t speak to the others – He just looked straight at Thomas and told him to reach into His side.

“Be not faithless, but believing.” This is the bottom line for you this morning, and for me.

“Blessed are they who have not seen and yet have believed.” That’s us. He’s here by His Holy Spirit. Same thing.

A little later, Thomas was with the disciples on the beach when Jesus appeared and told Simon to throw out the nets. Thomas specifically is mentioned as being there this time.

Thomas’s life thereafter was a continuous proclamation of the risen Christ. He ended up being martyred for the Gospel, but it’s thought that before that he preached the Gospel at various places in India.

God by His Holy Spirit causes us to see. He’s doing that even now as I speak. To see what? To see who Jesus Christ really is. “My Lord and my God,” Thomas said. Is He your God this morning? Or is your God yourself, your intellect? Is your God mere cynicism and dismissiveness, bound up in me, me, me? God doesn’t want that.

What Jesus was all about was others, others, others – the whole world. This morning, I want to encourage each one of you that in the same way that Jesus heard all that Thomas thought and said, so Jesus Christ has heard you this week. And this morning He’s speaking to you because He wants that relationship to be real to you.

I think rather than Doubting Thomas, the phrase should be Believing Thomas. He was true and honest, and God revealed Himself to Him.

Getting Inside the Gospel

The message of the Gospel is not “God so loved the world ...” Or rather it is not just that. It is that we must love our neighbours. The message of the Gospel is truth and grace.

John 1:1

John 1:17

For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.

There’s a transition from the law, for the law was not a full understanding of the word. Through the Old Testament, the prophets give a glimpse of the word, but people didn’t really grasp it. But now we don’t deal with the law, but with truth, which is a great thing. Sometimes it’s a painful thing too. We are given truth and grace – such a lovely combination. It is the ministry Christ places into our hands as well – truth and grace.

It’s easy for us to read the Bible and just see the words. Our mind is at rest. We aren’t really thinking about what’s going on. The Bible is filled with so many amazing stories. As an actor I want to challenge you to come to it alive. Ask what is going on.

In Luke there are two meetings which happen with Jesus. Jesus is doing miracles and speaking with people, but He is also laying down a new concept of who God might be. Even the people who aren’t comfortable going to the synagogue are sitting eating with Jesus. He is relaxed, and He is saying, “This is God the Father.” Not “What do you think you’re doing?”, but “What are you doing right now? Would you like to have a meal with me?” God the Father wants to spend time with us.

He comes to an area and there is a man who is young, rich, one of the city councillors. He’s been doing the right stuff for a long time and people really think he’s the sort of person Jesus would want to meet. He was the shining example of their community. Days before, when they knew Jesus was on His way, they were getting together and debating what Jesus would think about their community and their councillor.

I can imagine a delegation coming to meet Jesus with the rich young man. And being a wise man, he says, “We hear of all the wonderful things You’ve been doing. I have a question for you. What must I do to have eternal life?”

Jesus says, “You know the commandments.” Jesus the word, places this amazing challenge.

The man says he’s kept the laws perfectly since he was a child. He has certificates on his wall attesting to his life.

I want to go back to is quickly. I want you to see this in the context of the totality of the word. What Jesus is getting ready to do is not a foreign concept. It didn’t just happen when Jesus came on the scene.

I love the prophets because I’m an actor. We tend to read the prophets very “nicely”. But the prophets were unusual people. They were the performance artists of their day.

Isaiah 58:1-4

These might be the very words coming out of the mouth of the rich young ruler. In is it seems as if they have been righteous, but it is only a veneer, an external keeping of the ways of God, the law without truth and without grace.

Isaiah 58:5-8

Even in this text, God is trying to get the people to come back to the heart of who He is. The law was there to bring us back to understand the heart of God. But in trying to do this in a fashion, they were losing the very heart of who God is. That is a continual problem within the hearts of all mankind – to try to keep a law, but to lose out on the heart of what motivates us to do it.

If I have the form and say “I’ve done it all” and then look at you and say, “Have you done it all?” ... I can fall into this righteousness of comparison which the Pharisees and Sadducees had. And we miss the heart of what God wants – truth and grace. Jesus was able to sit down with sinners and make them feel comfortable and love.

Back in Luke, the man says he’s done everything. He is the righteousness of God. And Jesus says, “Ok ...” I want you to hear the comparison with Isaiah. “I think there’s one thing standing in the way of your being free.” Jesus wanted him free of his prison of self-righteousness. He says, “Sell all you have and given to the poor.” He says, “You’re forgetting the poor, the widow, compassion, grace, mercy.”

“Sell everything you have.” It’s fun to look at a text from the Bible and ask questions. We won’t find the exact answer. I think Jesus was trying to create a dialogue. That’s what God wants with us.

Jesus would have said, “You understand where God wants to go with you. Start with part of it. Set yourself free from this obsession with the material.” But instead, the man simply turned and walked away. The truth of his life was painful, and he didn’t want to remain in relationship with Jesus and obtain that grace.

Elsewhere in Luke, Jesus comes to another town. And in this town is a man who is the opposite of the rich young ruler. His name is Zaccheus.

Luke 19:1-3

The text doesn’t give us a lot, but it gives us something. As an actor, I look at the text. The tax collectors were working for the Roman Empire. They were, in effect, traitors to their own people and they were often taking more than was right. Why did Zaccheus take the job?

Let’s go back to when Zaccheus was a child, and he was rejected because he was too short to take part in games, and he was bullied and teased. Zaccheus decides that one day he’ll get his own back. When the Romans come to town, Zaccheus sees the fear on the face of his neighbours, and he goes and makes a deal with the Romans. He signs up as a tax collector, and then goes to visit his neighbour to screw money out of him. And that is who Zaccheus became – the guy everyone loved to hate.

Let’s imagine ourselves into this text. Zaccheus wants to see Jesus. He is shunned by his community. They see him as the bad guy. And then he hears of a rabbi who is saying that God is opening up his heart to every man, woman and child. Not “What are you doing?”, but “What are you doing now – I’d like to spend time with you.”

He never goes to the synagogue. No one would accept him there. But he’s intrigued by Jesus. There’s a crowd waiting to see Jesus, and he can’t push his way through. In the end, he runs ahead of the gathering crowd and climbs a tree so he can see what this rabbi might look like who is speaking about a God of truth and grace.

Luke 19:5

“What are you doing tonight?” It’s the last thing Zaccheus imagined would happen. He knows who he is. He just wants to get a glimpse of this rabbi. And Jesus says, “What are you doing tonight?”

This is the person we say we are following – the Christ. And we take our title from this radical man who went into a community and knew the man everyone loved to hate, and stirs up the hornet’s nest.

I’m sure this community too had a man everyone wanted Him to meet. And Jesus stops at the wrong place.

Zaccheus quickly comes down and welcomes Jesus joyfully. And all those who saw it began to complain. “We thought this was a teacher of the law, and He’s going to stay with a sinful man.” But He wasn’t a teacher of the law – He came to bring grace and truth.

The response of Zaccheus is amazing:

Luke 19:8

Jesus did was invite Himself to Zaccheus’s house, and the response from Zaccheus is the response Jesus was looking for from the rich young ruler.

We often miss what God wants to do in our lives because we are looking at the commands and trying to be perfect, and we want the world to be perfect as well. And the heart of God is speaking to us over and over again – “Grace and truth for yourself and for your neighbourhood.”

The thing I want to plant into our hearts tonight is just a simple rearranging of our thoughts about Christianity. What is the message?

In many ways we’ve come to the place where we have understood the message to be “For God so loved...” so everywhere we go, that’s what we say. What I want to suggest is that this the vehicle through which the message came. The message is truth and grace. God is saying to you and your community, “What are you doing right now? I want to meet with you, be with you, cause my heart to be with you.”

It’s one of the biggest problems with communication. We don’t know how to deliver the message because often we don’t know what the message is.

There was a young Christian rock and roil musician, and he was asked about the communication of the Gospel. He said, “I think Christians have it wrong. We say, ‘Have you heard the good news – you’re going to hell!’ ”

There is an interesting sense of pushing the idea that Jesus died for us, when people aren’t ready to understand what that means. Jesus told many stories which come back to what is spoke about.

A man went on a journey and he was attacked by robbers and they left him for dead. And then along came one of his community members. He was a worship leader in a church. The man on the ground called out for help, but the leader was preoccupied in worship to God, and believed his worship was acceptable because it sounded nice. Another man came along who was a teacher. Again the victim called out, and the teacher told him off for interrupting his train of thought. He believed he could please God through his intellect. And Jesus said, “Along came a man who was a Samaritan.” He said this to a group of people who had trouble with the Samaritans. This man looked after the victim like a neighbour.

What’s the message? It is that “God so loved the world ...” “God loved the world so much that He gave His only son” is what God did for us to treat us as that neighbour. That’s part of the message. But the message is that we must love our neighbours. It is not theological or social. It is truth and grace.

Gets people to think of their favourite restaurant meal and describe how to get to the restaurant, and what the meal tastes like. The route doesn’t require you to be creative. But when it comes to describing the meal, you have to be creative. In listening to the description of the meal, was it more interesting than the directions? I suspect so. But I think we often get the two caught up.

You are the light of the world. The church is the place where we come to be edified so we can go out and minister. We are the ministers of the Gospel, but we are to go out from here to do the work of ministry. Often we don’t know what that means, and we end up giving people directions – how to become Christians – when we need to tell them about the meal.

Who is God in your life? Sometimes it’s just an action like being the good neighbour Samaritan.

In 1 Peter, Peter says to be ready at all times to give an answer. But often we come with the answer before they ask the questions. Directions aren’t interesting.

Jesus said those who hunger for righteousness will be satisfied. But that hunger has to be in their lives. In Zaccheus’s life it came because he had heard about this man who was presenting a different picture.

You’re it. Go into the world and be witnesses of what you know. Be like the blind man who said, “I don’t know how to explain things, but this one thing I know. This is what God is doing in my life.”

We don’t have to be theological giants or amazing street evangelise. We just have to be people who have tasted the goodness of God, and who see other people not as enemies, but as people with whom we’re prepared to spend time.

You are the ministers of the Gospel in the world. Let your light shine in such a way that people will see the works of your life and give glory to your father in heaven.

This place where we come is a place to hear, to be together and encourage one another. But it’s not the greatest place of ministry. The world you live in is that place. Sometimes the job of being that light seems overwhelming, and we love to come back here where we feel safe. It feels good. But your calling is to go into the world and be light, to be like the one you call yourself after, the word made flesh, who introduced truth and grace.

Let the message of your lives be loving your neighbours as yourself and loving your God with all your heart, soul and mind.

Nehemiah (Part 4 of 9) - The Walls of Your Life

The book of Nehemiah has much to say about the building of the walls of Jerusalem and there is just as much need for walls in our lives. We look here at the walls of truth, obedience, love, joy, respect, and peace.

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We’ve been looking at the book of Nehemiah.

The book was written by Nehemiah. Chapter 1 shows him becoming aware that the rebuilding of Jerusalem, which he thought was in hand, was not happening; and he was led to call out to God. Chapter 1 records his prayer. It’s good to pray, and God hears your prayers. Maybe you’ve prayed of late and have been wondering. God hears your heart-felt prayers. Nehemiah’s prayer was answered.

In Chapter 2, the king observed that Nehemiah was concerned about something, and asked what it was. Nehemiah asked permission to go, and the king let him go to oversee the rebuilding. Not only that, but Nehemiah was emboldened to ask for material assistance.

Chapter 3 has Nehemiah at Jerusalem, surveying the state of the city. And he explains to the people how God had prospered his way. Enemies of the city tried to undermine the work, but Nehemiah said God would prosper them.

Chapter 3 lists 72 people who joined together to do the work. There is reference to one group who got involved, but whose nobles refused. But in other cases, everyone joined in. For example there is mention of one man and his daughters who got involved. I believe they respected their father, respected what he stood for, and they got on with it.

As the work progressed, it was obvious that Sanballat and the other enemies were even more anxious about what was going on, and the opposition went up a gear. We’ll look today at this opposition and the way Nehemiah and everyone else responded.

It’s possible to think about the walls of Jerusalem as the walls of the church. I don’t want to dwell on that today. Today we will cover the walls of your life, as an individual. What is the foundation of your life? What is the foundation of you as an individual? And those of you who are fathers, what are the walls you are creating for your family? Married men, what walls are you creating for your wife? And for everyone, the walls need to be right in your life.

It’s possible to look at the gates in chapter 3 as the walls of a Christian life. The first gate mentioned is the Sheep Gate, where the priests were involved. Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth and the life. No man comes to the Father but by me.” Wonderful that God sent His son to be the way that we come back into life away from the paths of sin through the Sheep Gate, the entry point, Jesus Christ.

In Chapter 4 it was obvious that Nehemiah was organising things. He gave out responsibilities :-

Nehemiah 3:10

Nehemiah 3:23

Nehemiah 4:1

Sanballat thought in his arrogance that he could knock down the work which was being done. His first two questions were a direct hit – the Jews were weaklings; would they fortify themselves? It’s possible that the enemy of your soul through opposition makes a direct attack on you – “Call yourself a Christian? You don’t believe that, do you? Do you really believe in God?” There’s a chipping away.

Sanballat thought he was so clever. Would the Jews return to their religious observances, given the state in which Jerusalem found itself? And then there was a prod on the timescale – will they make an end in a day? What was the timescale supposed to be? Will they revive the stones? “Look at your life. You messed up. God isn’t blessing you. He hasn’t answered your prayer? How on earth is something going to be made out of that?”

Let’s just confirm here – we believe in the God who answers by fire and who makes the impossible, possible. You may be staring at an impossibility. You may be unable to think of a scheme to sort things out, and the enemy has come and said, “Are you going to make something out of that mess?”

Nehemiah 4:3

Nehemiah 4:4

Nehemiah 4:6

It’s how you think, your attitude to things, you as an individual stating, “OK – the foundation of my life is Jesus Christ, the foundation of my future is what He wants me to do. I want to please Him.”

I will look shortly at what the walls might consist of in a Christian’s life.
It would have take time to set up the walls. It wasn’t a day’s work.

Nehemiah 4:7

There was a conspiracy. The opposition was growing, and the opposition made loud noises. The conspiracy was real. But ...

Nehemiah 4:9

The watch was there twenty four hours a day. There was constant supervision. There was an urgency in sorting things out for the family. The enemy is real, and our vigilance needs to be there. Nehemiah was wise is setting a watch.

I was given an article about a teenage suicide as a result of a person being isolated from her friends on FaceBook. The article is all to do with how an innocent-looking thing like a social networking site can become a vehicle not only for gossip, but for isolating people.

If I want to share news with someone overseas, the technology is brilliant. But at the same time this can be a channel for the enemy’s work. I’m not against the internet and hi-tech. But be careful that this doesn’t become an addiction for you, so your time is spent on catching up with gossip and on pulling people down. Be careful. Be vigilant.

We need to look at the walls in our lives.

The walls were half way up, and the opposition were angry and conspired together.

Nehemiah 4:9

They weren’t bitter when they said this – it was just that people were tired. There was a lot to sort out and they couldn’t build.

Nehemiah 4:11

Judah pointed out that people were tired and there was a lot to do. Then the enemies started piling on the threats. And the people who were near the enemies, camped around the cities, and could hear what was being said, came with reports. Opposition can come like that – “What’s the point? It’s not going to last. It’s not real.” Ten times it came from the people who lived near the enemy.

Nehemiah 4:13

“You’re right – I’m not denying what people is saying.” So he organised the people, and set the foundation of their heart as they grouped in families. There was no equivocation. They knew, with their weapons in their hands, that there was no way they were giving up, no way they would give in to the opposition, no way they would give in to tiredness.

Nehemiah 4:14

Those of you who are fathers here ... are you fighting for your family? Are you bringing your family in prayer to God? Are you setting the example for your family of respect and love? What are the walls of our lives that God wants to strengthen and develop? I want to look at six walls ...

1. The wall of truth - Ephesians 4:14

“Speaking the truth in love”. “In love” – those words are important. What will be our common denominator when we speak to one another? “I am the way, the truth and the life.” Jesus said the spirit of truth would come. You’re a Christian, so you speak the truth. “Thou desirest truth in the inward parts.” “Thou shalt not bear false witness.” So when I speak about anyone or address anyone, I speak the truth in love. I don’t speak things to pull down and destroy. I speak in love to build up. Lying will be the one thing which will not happen in your family. No lying. I don’t dwell in grey half-truths. I don’t cash in on another comment which may or may not be true. “Speaking the truth in love.”

2. The wall of obedience to God - Acts 5:29

This was in response to them being imprisoned. To obey is better than sacrifice. Obedience to God is key. So a wall of your existence is to be obedient to God, to what He says for you and what He wants for your life.

Jesus had just ascended, and Peter was clear that they should obey God rather than men.

Obedience is crucial, because if I have a disciplined home – not tyrannical, but disciplined – where the norm is that every time there is obedience, it engenders an attitude of doing what we’re told. And when the Holy Spirit opens up the way for that youngster, the same attitude applies. There comes a shaft of light, and there’s a track-record of obedience. The heavenly father talks to that youngster and draws them in love. Obedience. And there’s been no lying, so there’s truth – “I know I’m a sinner. I know that power of sin has to be broken in my life.” There’s a track record of truth and obedience.

3. The wall of love - John 15:11

That’s the commandment – that you love one another as I have loved you. It’s a wall in your life – to see people as God sees them, to have His love expressed through you, not to write people off. There’s a love which goes the extra mile, which lays down his life for his friends, with Jesus as the foremost example.Truth, obedience, love. And in these same verses is another one ...

4. The wall of joy - John 15:11, Hebrews 12:2

That joy was a people for Himself – the Bride of Christ. There is joy in heaven over one sinner that repents, because the Bride of Christ is being established. There is a strength in joy for each of us. That means there is a joy in knowing we are seated with Him in heavenly places. There is a security. It is His life inside by His Holy Spirit. There is a joy in us.

When things happen in your life, what’s it like for the people around you? Pressures are real. Do we smile when something terrible happens? No. But it means that the wall of your life is joy, the joy that you are seated in Christ in heavenly places. There’s a joy and security. It’s something you want to share with others, not something to make you arrogant. And it cuts out the sulking, the reaching for the violin at a moment’s notice.

Stand – and having done all, stand. The wall of your life ... joy. Maybe so far there’s been a murky world of half truth rather than clarity. You’ve known what to say, but you know it doesn’t ring true. What’s it going to be? What’s the wall of your life? Truth, obedience, love, joy?

5. The wall of respect - Romans 12:10

Respect is important as a wall in your life – respect for God; respect for the older generation; respect for God when you come into a meeting chewing gum; respect in turning up to meetings on time. If I were to tell you that we were all invited to Buckingham Palace next week at 10 am, you’d be up at 6 am to make sure you were there.

Truth, obedience, love, joy, respect.

6. The wall of peace - Colossians 3:12

There’s something you have to let happen – let the peace of God rule in your hearts. Let it rule you.

Nehemiah 4:14

Who is your brother? He’s sitting next to you. Some of you have sons, daughters, wives. All of us have brethren. We have a place to live, thankfully. We’re to fight? Why? Because there are matters the enemy would seek to destroy, and there are elements in your life that God is putting His finger on this morning. You know that God is speaking to you. There are walls in your life which must be there. And the reason you’re hearing this this morning is that God wants them to be there and will help you. He is the answer, the one who provides a way forward, the one who is the source of love itself.

So when we’re asked to love one another, it’s an expression of God Himself. God is the source of love. For any individual, my prayer is that you would know more and more of the love of God. What would be the result of that? It will be a coming together, of fighting for your brethren, not cashing in on rumour.

Nehemiah 4:14

The walls of your life are on the foundation of Jesus Christ. What a foundation! The walls wouldn’t be there but for Him. He is our foundation.

Romans 13:12

God is Building His Church

The book of Zechariah sets out God’s instructions to the children of Israel were to live as they rebuilt the temple. As God builds His church today, it is important that we should follow the principles He has set down for us.

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There was a time when the people of Judea went into exile in Babylon. When the Persians took over there had been Babylonian rule for 50 years. There were three kings of Persia in quick succession, and Zechariah was there during the reign of Darius I. God used two prophets Haggai and Zechariah to tell the people to rebuild the temple, (which had been in ruins for between 50 and 70 years) and how they should treat each other.

Haggai particularly refers to the building of the temple.

Haggai 2:9

This was a specific rebuilding programme. Zechariah told the people how they should treat one another, and how to go about things, and explained to them how jealous God was for His people. What looked impossible was to become possible because of God’s intervention.

We are living in a time where God is building His church. And the people of God at the time of Zechariah ... the dealings of God were all to do with His care for His people. Nothing has changed.

Zechariah 8:1-2

God was jealous for the people of Jerusalem and God is careful for what He is doing in building His church.

This includes everyone. It doesn’t matter how old you are. There will be the rebuilding of Jerusalem, and this will happen. It doesn’t matter what you experience at the moment – this will happen.

Zechariah 8:6-8

You will see that God is so concerned about the preservation of His people that He will do this. He will be their God in truth and righteousness – no hidden agendas.

Zechariah 8:9-12

This was music to their ears – so different from the state they were in. It was an impossibility become possible. They began to grasp what Zechariah was saying. It shall come to pass.

Zechariah 8:9-13

They were establishing things in a country which had been overrun for a long time. Some of the people would have been thinking back to their foundation and wondering how things had been before the temple had been destroyed.

Verse 16 is very practical, because God knew there had to be certain standards for things to work.

Zechariah 8:16-17

There are certain things God hates:

1. Speak ye every man the truth to his neighbour. God hates the opposite of that. We need to speak the truth with our neighbour. I recently read a book – “The death of spin”. Spin had become so much of everyone’s world that the truth had disappeared.

2. Execute the judgment of truth and peace in your gates. With truth you don’t get tumult, hate.

3. Let none of you imagine evil in your hearts against his neighbour. That extends to the practice of me thinking the best of someone, not wishing ill of someone. I want to build you up, to see you blossom in God, in your life. I don’t wish ill on my neighbour.

4. Love no false oath. If you know something is a lie, don’t amplify it, don’t love it, and don’t dwell on it. For Jerusalem, the way forward was God’s truth and righteousness.

Zechariah 8:18-23

God is quite able to glorify His own name, and is doing so. He is building His church. The Book of Zechariah, more than any other minor prophet, is to do with foretelling the Messiah to come.

Zechariah 9:9

That’s Jesus. Zechariah is talking about the temple and about how you should treat each other – and look at what is coming down the line.

Zechariah 9:11

There are about seven or eight places which refer specifically to the coming Messiah.

God in His fury was jealous for His people. And when Jesus went to the Cross for you and me, He was jealous for your salvation. He had you on His mind. “For the joy which was set before Him.” What was that joy? His glorious church? Who is that church? You and me? Who else will be part of that? I don’t know, but we’re part of God’s church here and in the wider world.

Matthew 16:13-18

How can a gate be active? In old times, the gates of the city were the most fortified area. And often the council met in a room in those gates. So taking that thought, it doesn’t matter what is being planned, what the machinations of hell are – those machinations will not prevail against what I am doing in building my church. That’s why Jesus came – to break the power of sin in people’s lives. To create a church where there is love between brother and sister – not a place of hatred and discord. As a Christian, Jesus Christ lives within an individual. And it is for us to rejoice in what God is doing, in His way, to build His church.

Zechariah told them to rebuild the temple, but to bear in mind the way they treated one another. Don’t imagine evil against one another. Don’t cash in on pulling someone down.

God knows what He is doing, and He is doing it. Whatever He is doing will be to His glory. How ever things outwork, it will be to His glory, because He will build His church, and you are part of that, because of His love for you and me. What do you mean by love? I mean moving heaven and earth to make sure your life was different, to make sure you had a new start, to ensure that you were changed on the inside. God has opened your eyes, so you want to do what God wants in your life. Has He opened your eyes? Blessed are you, Simon Bar Jonah, because God has opened your eyes. And I’m building my church, and the gates of hell will not prevail against it. He is building His church, and it’s a wonderful thing.

He can take what is impossible and make it possible. He can take a pile of stones which have been overrun and rebuild. And He can take those things which will outwork His plan. He was jealous for His people, and He was so careful for you and me that He sent His son.

He saw you and me when He was on that Cross, and He knew that taking into Himself sin and the power of sin would set you free now, so that your life would bring glory to His name, so that you’d want to do what He wants for your life. Would He play cat and mouse with you? Not at all – He’s your heavenly Father. Whatever situation you’re facing, He’ll give you the answer. He is the answer.