Regular Meetings
SUNDAYS
Gospel Meeting
4.30pm - 5pm
Join us every Sunday at 4.30pm for a Gospel Meeting.
We share God's great gift of salvation
through faith in Jesus Christ.
These meetings take place on a regular basis. There may also be special meetings announced from time to time.
Any changes will be updated here on the website with as much notice as possible.
There is no formal dress code, and no collection will be taken. All are welcome.
We are very mindful that our Catholic friends and neighbours around Stonewall, the surrounding towns (and indeed throughout the whole island of Ireland), are in mourning this week as they process the loss of their spiritual leader. To lose such a figurehead can be a huge blow to devout and sincere followers, and we offer our genuine sympathy and prayers.
Where better to go for personal comfort and hope than to the Holy Scriptures?
There we read the words of the apostle Peter himself:
'Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to His abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope, by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead'
1 Peter 1 v 3
As we have just rejoiced in the Resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ at this Easter time, let us remember and take comfort in this knowledge: that those who put their trust in Him and His finished work at Calvary will one day also be resurrected, and be with Him forever in Heaven.
An Easter Message: He is Risen!
He is Risen
His Passion - The Passion of the Christ
The Prophet Isaiah, wrote hundreds of years before the Cross, these words in Isaiah 53 v 5:
"But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon Him; and with His stripes we are healed. "
Peter, one of the apostles, echoed this truth when he wrote of Christ:
"Who His own self bare our sins in His own body on the tree."
(1 Peter 2v24 )
Later he wrote, "Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the Just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God. "
(1 Peter 3v18 )
Similarly Paul , another apostle, wrote, "Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures "
( 1 Corinthians 15v3 ) - meaning 'in perfect harmony with, and in fulfillment of, the prophetic scriptures'.
Many years later, in the early twentieth century, the poet William Ovens wrote:
"Wounded for me , Wounded for me,
There on the cross He was wounded for me"
If we could only take in this truth and trust Him we would be eternally saved.
Just like the Prophet, and Peter and Paul, the Poet was referring to the Judgement of God that fell upon Christ,
as He suffered in order to satisfy God on account of sin and to provide salvation for sinners.
***
His Power - the Power of the Christ
His power was seen in His miracles: He turned water into wine; He cleansed a leper with His word.
He made the blind see; He made the deaf hear: He made the lame walk.
Nothing was beyond His power.
Even the cruel death of crucifixion did not prove too great for Him,
for, although death has defeated the bravest and strongest of men, up from the grave He arose!
He arose a victor over death and the proof that He was risen was that He was seen: by the apostles and by over 500 people at once. Peter, James, John and Paul were only some of those who saw Him: even Mary, His earthly mother saw Him.
Yes! He is risen in mighty resurrection power.
Paul wrote about Christ:
"He rose again the third day according to the scriptures."
( 1Corinthians 15v4 )
This again was in harmony with , and a fulfillment of, the prophetic scriptures. As Peter said on the day of Pentecost:
" this Jesus hath God raised up , whereof we are all witnesses."
( Acts 2 v 32 )
And again he said: "that God hath made the same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ."
( Acts 2 v 36 )
He was always Lord and Christ , but God has demonstrated this truth by His resurrection. ( Acts 2v22-36 ).
***
His Promise - the Promise of the Christ
In John 14 v1-3 He said:
"I go to prepare a place for you.
And if I go and prepare a place for you , I will come again, and receive you unto Myself;
that where I am , there ye may be also."
Yes, we are living in the Age of the Resurrected Christ called the Day of Salvation,
when sinners who repent and believe the Gospel can be saved.
"Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ , and thou shalt be saved"
(Acts 16 v 31)
But this Age is soon to end;
the Lord is about to fulfill His promise to come again for those who are saved and take them to Heaven.
He never broke a promise while on Earth; He cannot break His promise to come back.
***
Are you ready for His return?
Are you saved? Do you know Christ as your own personal Saviour?
Are you expectantly waiting for Him to come to take you to Heaven?
All who are His can answer 'yes' to all these important questions.
***
'We're waiting for Jesus, His promise is plain;
His word sure and steadfast, He's coming again.
A numberless people will meet in the air the Lord who redeemed them - but will you be there?'
We are praying that you will be.
May God bless you.
The Steps of the Saviour
Part 4
The Saviour's Blessings
' And in the synagogue there was a man, which had a spirit of an unclean devil,
and cried out with a loud voice, saying, Let us alone; what have we to do with thee, thou Jesus of Nazareth?
Art thou come to destroy us? I know thee who thou art; the Holy One of God.
And Jesus rebuked him, saying, Hold thy peace, and come out of him.
And when the devil had thrown him in the midst, he came out of him, and hurt him not.
Luke 4 v 33 - 35
***
In our previous meditation we discussed The Saviour's Book.
We noted that this was the Old Testament book of Isaiah;
that He read from chapter 61 v1-v2 and He stated that He was the fulfilment of that prophecy.
Let us follow Him further in the Gospel of Luke and see ...
The Saviour's Blessings.
After having been rejected in Nazareth, The Lord Jesus moves on to Capernaum (see Luke 4 v31)
In Capernaum the Saviour is confronted with a man who is possessed with an unclean spirit, a demon.
He casts it out and releases the man from the demon's power, but not before the demon says ...
" I know thee who thou art; The Holy One of God. "
What a blessing for this man, to be liberated from demonic possession! To be free to live a normal life.
What a testimony, even from a demon, to acknowledge the identity of this blessed person!
Later, in Luke 4v41, when He casts out demons from many they cry out saying ... " Thou art Christ, the Son of God. "
So they know Him as "the Holy One of God" and as "Christ, the Son of God."
What are we learning?
We are learning that even in the spirit world, His true identity is known and acknowledged.
***
From there The Saviour enters Simon's house, that is, His disciple Simon Peter's house.
In Simon's house, his mother in law is in the grip of a high fever - a great fever, a most serious plight!
The Saviour does something very interesting: He stands over her - it points to His authority. He then rebukes the fever, and it leaves her.
She is fully recovered, and immediately she gets up and begins to serve them all (likely this indicates serving a meal).
What a blessing for this lady, to be able to go about and show hospitality to the Saviour.
What are we learning?
Simply this, the Saviour has authority over demons and He has authority over disease.
***
And it came to pass, when he was in a certain city, behold a man full of leprosy:
who seeing Jesus fell on his face, and besought him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean.
And he put forth his hand, and touched him, saying, I will: be thou clean. And immediately the leprosy departed from him.
And he charged him to tell no man: but go, and shew thyself to the priest, and offer for thy cleansing,
according as Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them.
Luke 5 v12 - v14
Here the Saviour is in an unnamed city or town. Luke writes "a man full of leprosy, when he saw Jesus, he fell on his face before Him and implored Him saying, " If thou wilt, thou canst make me clean." (or, if you are willing you can make me clean / you can cure me).
It may have been the leper's desperation and need that caused him to come into the city, something which was contrary to the Law.
The Saviour does something unthinkable, something that no one else would do.
He touches this man and says " I will, be thou clean. "
How wonderful His compassion and sympathy towards this poor soul.
Immediately the leprosy departs from the man, and he is clean!
In v14 The Saviour charges the man, telling him to go to the priest, who would verify his cleansing.
The priest could not cleanse the man, but the fact that he was cleansed was to be verified or witnessed officially by the priest. This would be a testimony to the priest that the Messiah had come; that this Jesus of Nazareth, who had cleansed the leper, was indeed the Messiah.
What are we learning?
We are learning the true Identity of this benevolent Saviour.
We are learning that the Saviour has Authority. We are learning that He also has great Sympathy.
We are learning that the Saviour has authority over demons, and even over the dreaded disease of leprosy.
***
So the Lord Jesus moves on and in the process of teaching, a paralysed man is brought to Him (Luke 5 v18-26).
And when they could not find by what way they might bring him in because of the multitude,
they went upon the housetop, and let him down through the tiling with his couch into the midst before Jesus.
And when he saw their faith, he said unto him, 'Man, thy sins are forgiven thee.'
And the scribes and the Pharisees began to reason, saying,
Who is this which speaketh blasphemies? Who can forgive sins, but God alone?
But when Jesus perceived their thoughts, he answering said unto them, 'What reason ye in your hearts?
Whether is easier: to say, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Rise up and walk?
But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power upon earth to forgive sins, (he said unto the sick of the palsy,)
I say unto thee, Arise, and take up thy couch, and go into thine house.'
And immediately he rose up before them, and took up that whereon he lay, and departed to his own house, glorifying God.
This paralysed man is laid before the Saviour: what will He do?
Will He stand over him? Will He touch his powerless body? Will He command him to stand up?
None of the above!
The Saviour deals first with this man's greatest need - the forgiveness of his sins.
He simply speaks and says "Man, thy sins are forgiven thee."
Note the consternation of the Scribes and Pharisees:
they charge Him with speaking blasphemy, adding "who can forgive sins but God alone? "
Actually, they were right in this point, that only the living and true God can forgive sins!
But they were wrong in that they thought that this was a mere man in their midst.
He has proven Himself to be more than a man.
Looking back over the previous chapters in Luke's Gospel we can recall the following:
1. Mary was told by the angel Gabriel, that the One who would be born would be the Son of the Highest.
2. The angels announced that the One born was " Christ the Lord. "
3. John the Baptist referred to Him as ... " the Lord. "
4. God the Father from Heaven announced ... "Thou art My beloved Son, in thee I am well-pleased."
5. The devil challenged Him as to His identity, " If thou be the Son of God. " ... but soon regretted it.
The point is obvious:
The One in their midst was God manifest in flesh.
As if to prove this point, Jesus (knowing their thoughts) responds to them: " why do you reason in your hearts ? "
He challenges them with the question as to "which is easier: to say, 'Thy sins be forgiven thee'; or to say, 'Rise up and walk?' "
If they were honest, they would have to admit that both are impossible for a mere man.
But the Saviour is able to do both.
He says " That ye may know that the Son of man hath power on Earth to forgive sins ... "
To prove that He is able to forgive sins, thus proving that He is God manifest in flesh, He speaks to the man and says
" I say unto thee, Arise, and take up the bed and go to thine house. "
Here was the plain, clear, unambiguous, irrefutable proof that they needed.
In v25 immediately, the man rose up before them, took up the mat he had lay upon and departed to his own house, glorifying God.
What are we learning?
We are learning that anyone who claims to be able to forgive sins, will also be able to make paralysed men walk !
It takes the same authority and power.
***
We are also learning that this One known as Jesus is the Son of man.
Why is that important?
The Son of Man is a title given to the One who is going to have a Kingdom that will have no end.
He is the One spoken of in the prophecy of Daniel 7v13-14.
It is the title that the Lord Jesus used of Himself more than any other, in fact in the Gospels He uses it over 80 times.
This is the One who can bring the greatest of all blessings to any individual who places trust or personal faith in Him:
that is, the forgiveness of sins.
***
So we see that the Saviour is moving through the land dispensing blessing on every hand, the greatest of these being the forgiveness of sins.
What a blessing! To know for sure that all ones sins are once and for all forgiven - wonderful!
This comes through faith in the Saviour, our Lord Jesus Christ.
This blessing is available to all, as we will discover in the following chapters of Lukes Gospel.
Do you know your many sins are all forgiven? Are you living in the good of the forgiveness of sins?
You can, just the way these people did, by simple faith in Christ.
As Paul put it:
"Through this man is preached into you the forgiveness of sins,
and all who believe, are justified freely from all things, from which they could not be justified by the law of Moses. "
Acts 13v38-39
Again he said in Acts 16v31:
"Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved"
What a Saviour!
If you enjoyed this message and would like to read more you can select the 'Reflections' tab in the menu at the top of this webage, or simply click here to visit our archive.
Visit Us
Stonewall Gospel Hall is a meeting place for Christians seeking to follow God and obey Biblical principles.
We extend a welcome to all and invite you to join us for prayer, Bible study, and gospel preaching.
Come as you are, and bring a friend!
Address
STONEWALL GOSPEL HALL
STONEWALL
BAILIEBOROUGH
CO. CAVAN
A82 P285
Meeting Times
SUNDAY : 4.30PM - 5PM
“For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”
John 3 v 16