3rd March 2023

3rd March 2023


Pray (ACts)


Read - Hebrews 11:24-28 and Exodus 2


Message Alan Burke 




The lie that is sold to us by advertisers is that buying their product will some how make us happy, fulfil some need that we have, that Oral-B iO series nine special edition tooth brush is a must have, the holiday in the sun will make things better, a new sofa from DFS of a new kitchen. The thing is that none of these things will give us lasting happiness, they may crave that itch but in this life we cannot have lasting happiness here, we can’t get it, we can’t buy it, we might think wealth, fame and power will help us but no matter what we do none of us can prevent death, for this life is only temporary, it is fleeting. Instead we are store up for ourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. (Matt 6:20). 


Moses was a man who saw that the reward of heaven was far greater than earthly treasure. For him, the reproach for the sake of Christ or the disgrace for the sake of Christ depending on the translation you as worth more than the treasures of Egypt. For he knew that this life is but fleeting, Moses knew that our days are like the grass, we return to dust, at the end of this life we may have wealth, fame, power, but it is all for naught unless we have known Christ, the eternal reward is far greater than anything temporary that we may again. Moses swapped comfort for reproach and disgrace, he swapped it all for Christ sake. 


If we are honest this is probably one of the biggest struggles that we have as individuals, as a church, we want the world to be like us and when its not we will be like the world to save us disgrace, to save us reproach for the sake of Christ. This is the reason why PCI has a press officer, why the word sin is by its absence striking from most of our publications, for we fear the reproach of the world more than we love Christ, we want to be friends with the world. What Moses desired more than anything this world had to offer when he died was the words “Well done, good and faithful servant!”


We are to look to the promises of God, we are to look to the reward of Christ, the heavenly city that we will be our reward? 


We are to know reproach and disgrace for the sake of Christ are far better than anything this fleeting world has to offer. Sadly I have met many who choose the world and what it has to offer rather than that heavenly reward, I’ve met individuals who leave one fellowship because they have been confronted with their sin, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear (2 Tim 4:3) because they love their sin, they are hooked by it, because for them what God is calling them to do, to live for him in the way that he wants is too hard. Moses desired a heavenly reward over anything this world had to offer, he was willing to swap it, he trusted in the promises of God, he trusted in Jesus Christ. The message for all of us is to trust in the promises of God. To trust in Jesus Christ!


Pray (acTS)


Sing


WSC 
Q91 How do the sacraments become effectual means of salvation?
The sacraments become effectual means of salvation, not from any virtue in them, or in him that doth administer them; but only by the blessing of Christ, (1 Pet. 3:21, Matt. 3:11, 1 Cor. 3:6–7) and the working of his Spirit in them that by faith receive them. (1 Cor. 12:13)