Pulpit Messages

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22406, 13 August 1947, Page 7

Pulpit Messages

Christianity and Lite

(Contributed by Minister** Association.)

_ TEXT < “Ye were not redeemed with corj ruptible things, as silver and gold, j but with the precious blood of 5 Christ, as of a lamb without bleni- ) ish and without spot.”—Peter I, 18, j 19. | Why Not Talk of God? | Canon Hall, preaching in Holv Trin- | ity Church on Sunday, August 3, said: “One cannot help being struck by tire I leaders of the Empire today when I making public utterances and speaking i of the plans for the post-war world. If they mention spiritual things at all, which is not often, they use words such as ‘Divine Providence,’ ‘The Almighty,’ ‘The Creator,’ or sometimes ‘The great ” Architect of the Universe,’ but seldom "; if ever do they use the word ‘God.’ One = wonders whether it is shyness, or fear z of offending the susceptibilities of = others, or lack of conviction in thern- : selves. I put it to you: Does the word | ‘Providence’ give one the idea of a I Father Who cares and Who is revealed = to this earth in the Person of Jesus H Christ? Does the word ‘Almighty’ make : one think of a God of Love? Why § cannot we he more natural in our re- : ligion? Why do people put on a special = voice when speaking of God? Why do ; some folk deliberately call Him ‘Gawd’ : or ‘Gud?’ Isn’t it an insult to His in- : telligence to imagine that He prefers l us to use an unnatural voice when : speaking of Him? We must be rever- ; ent. certainly, but unnatural, no- § “We do believe that ‘Out beyond the : shining of the furthest star, Thou art § ever stretching, infinitely far,’ but God = does not begin and end at such an in- : finite distance away. God is ‘closer l than breathing, nearer than hands and I feet.’ St. Paul said: ‘ln Him we live | and move and have our being.’ What | the world needs today is to realise the 5 nearness of God in our daily lives, in j our national and international probj lems, and I do not think that we shall = do this if we concentrate on words : like ‘Providence’ or ‘The Almighty.’ Let i us live so that all of us can speak = naturally of God in our daily life. = Jesus said: T am come that they might = have life and that they might have it = more abundantly.’ God is so very close I to each of us, in our homes and in our r work and in our life. Do let us try to I realise that and also that He is taking = an intense personal interest in us, § wanting to help, to inspire and to i strengthen so that we may grow and = become what He knows we are capable : of becoming.” I The Christian’s Possession

In the Baptist Tabernacle on Sunday evening last the Rev. Eric M- Enright spoke on “The Christian’s Possession.” The sermon was based on I John 5: 11-13. “The believer in Christ possesses eternal life as the gift of God/’ he said. “The non-Christian lacks this great gift. The difference, therefore, between the Christian and the non-Christian is a difference between life and death. ‘He that hath the Son, hath Life, and he that hath not the Son, hath not Life.’ The non-Christian is spiritually a corpse. ‘Eternal life is not only endless life, but also a life of quality and worth. It is a life of fellowship with God in Christ.’

“It is not something that can _be attained by effort and struggle. It is a free gift of God and is ours only as we are closely related to the Lord Jesus Christ through faith in Him. Jesus Christ is the touchstone of destiny. In Christ we possess life and without Him we are dead. “With machinery, to be correctly connected with the electric power supply, means light, power and heat; without that connection the machinery is lifeless. Faith in Christ is that which relates us to the life that is in Godlife eternal-

“The Scriptures are reassuring about this. There need be no doubt ns to whether or not we possess this life, of God. We need not wait in doubting castle until we pass through the portal of death and then learn our fate. We can know now of our possession. ‘He that hath the Son hath life. These things have I written unto you . . . .

that ye may know that ye have eternal life.’

“This wonderful gift of God is not reserved for the few, but is available to all who will turn to Christ and receive it. ‘Whosoever will may come.’ ”